2008 Pontiac G8 GT: Middle Eastern Cousin

Reminds me a bit of an upsized Cobalt, actually.

Do they really need to crash test it again? Can't GM just argue with the feds that the crash structure is the same as the G8?

I think the Pontiac looks much better and that spoiler looks pretty horrible. The G8 is an attractive car and the rear end looks pretty nice and needs no spoiler. A small lip spoiler is acceptable.

Get the original Holden grill. The Aveo style Chevy grill looks ugly!! Could't they have gone for the Malibu style??

And it aint the Dubai spec car until it has been gold plated, baby!!

I love the middle eastern version and I think its far superior to what we have, looks wise. Its a great looking car and I'd love for it to be on sale here.

I like the nose. I also like the idea of Chevrolet actually having a flagship rear wheel drive sedan in NASCAR. It truly bothers me that Chevrolet's nascar is truly a front wheel drive sedan (Impala SS). Bring it back and call it the Caprice or the unicorn. Who cares. Go ahead and make a version with a 1.1 liter three cylinder to satisfy CAFE standards (I say this sarcastically). Then make another LS9 powered version. Call it the Caprice SHO just for giggles.

I agree with 7driver. There's no reason to test it again. It's a clone of the G8 which is already here.

I think the name Impala would be better name here then Lumina. Tough to find anyone with fond memories of a Lumina.

The real question is why do it at all? We already have the same car with slightly different trim. What's to be gained by selling another version of it?

I thought GM was trying to get away from the added cost of endless clones.

This should be a no brainer for GM. The left hand drive tooling is done. The factory is already making U.S. spec cars. The front clip is done. The incremental costs should be very low to keep this highly regarded product coming to the U.S.

Dump the bookshelf on the back and bring it over as a Chevy SS or better yet a Buick Wildcat (Buick could use a product that appeals to domestic buyers under 60).

This post makes me sad. So simple, so easy, so not-going-to-happen. Stupid Government Motors!

firstwagon-do you mean the CTS-V or are you referring to the G8 GT? Pontiac is dead, and this car would be dynamically different than the CTS-V.

powell_jr

I was referring to the G8. I don't think G8 shares anything with the CTS-V.

You're right though, Pontiac is going away. That does clear a space for a rebadged version for Chevy. No import worries though... just swap some trim on the existing G8.

The front end and the wing are staggeringly poor. The greenhouse and taillights are nice. I guess they are at least trying to make a design that's not an outright insult to the customer. Though that wing still is.

They probably won't do it all the same. It'll steal some hype and sales from the Camaro which is the last thing GM wants right now.

The Holden has the best nose, the Chevy's is too meek looking.

As a G8 owner, it is sad to not see the car continued as an offering upon the demise of Pontiac. I really like the looks of the G8, but would really like to delete the hood scoops. I think that the Lumina SS pictured above is aggressive in the wrong way. I much prefer the lip spoiler that the G8 has and I think that a slight re-work of the Pontiac front fascia to fit a bowtie while retaining a smooth hood would be best. I also don't care for the chrome bar across the grille and much prefer the artist's rendering for the front fascia that was associated with the "4-Door Camaro?" article on IL here a while back. I think that this car would make a great Immpala SS, or Caprice.

That wing is awful. I prefer the Pontiac nose. But I'd happily take this over nothing at all.

Agreed that it definitely needs a Malibu-style front end rather than Aveo-style.

I've seen that grill before...it was on my old Altima! That wing needs to go.

Call me crazy but I prefer the look of the Pontiac to the others. The dual port nose, the scoops, the whole deal. The decklid spoiler is also leagues better than this.

For some reason, the Holden pulls off the nose and the wing, but it just doesn't look as good with the bowtie.

Pontiac, no comparison. I wouldn't change a thing. Even the scoops are an appropriately aggressive touch on an otherwise simple body shape. This car, I'd lose the godawful wing and find another grille. Any grille positioned higher on the hood than the lights is destined to look odd.

Clean hood, good. Chevy grill, not as good. Wing, bad. Still the G8 needs to become a Chevy or Buick. There is no arguing that.

taillights look much better on the Jesus G8. I like the Pontiac nose though, the Chevy nose is boring. Even Chevy doesn't do the gaping mouth anymore- they have gone to the 2 slits & bar.

Stupid spoiler has to be dropped into the Dead Sea where it belongs.

Me, I think Chevrolet Commodore has a good ring to it.

@firstwagon: "Tough to find anyone with fond memories of a Lumina."

:(

I drive a '98 Chevy Lumina... Maroon on maroon with the base 3100 V6. Column shifter. Front bench (can seat 7 - as many as a Ford Flex - if 2 or 3 of those people are small). ABS? Who needs it? The rear drums can't lock up the tires anyway. Electronic nannies: fully defeatable, because there aren't any.

Anyway, I like the Lumina enough, but I would buy a G8 GT in a heartbeat if I could afford it.

Here's hoping GM will keep it on in some form in the US. Preferably in the form of a RWD, LS3-powered Lumina/Caprice/Omega/Commodore/whatever wagon.

I thought the G8 was an interim solution like the GTO until GM had their full size RWD platform for the US...it was always meant to be low volume and run 4 years...until the big Buick, Chevy, and Caddy came online...then Pontiac was getting a version of that. Yeah, it sucks Pontiac is gone along with the RWD stuff but I don't think there was any plan to keep the G8 from down under long term in the first place.

The nose is improved over the G8, but then anything would be an improvement. The wing needs to be more subtle. The picture from the rear, make it look like an Accord.

It's not an ugly car, but it doesn't get me too excited either. I'll take it over the G8, solely because of the nose.

Lower the rear, put on a subtle spoiler, and you've got a good looking car.

The front end would work just fine, but the wing has got to go. I like the lip spoiler on my G8 GT. Also, if they brought it in as a Chevy, they need to use the 3.6 DI V6 instead of the current G8 V6. I would have gotten the V6 version if I could have had good mileage with decent power. Instead I'm cringing at the thought of gas prices going up, but love the 335-like acceleration.

Actually, the upcoming facelift of the Holden Commodore, the older-brother car upon which the G8 and middle-east Lumina are based, is rumored to be getting a V6 DI engine that is similar to the one fittied in the Cadillac CTS.