Don’t let the Pontiac G8 wither and die
Much has been made of the sudden announcement of the death sentence for Pontiac, including the likely end of the one truly competitive model the brand has offered over the past 20 years or so, the G8.
Autoblog reports that there is a group led by the Los Angeles police department that is trying to get the G8/Holden Commodore suitable for duty as a police car. That’s a great idea, but I’ll go one further.
Keep the car and rebadge it as the Chevrolet Impala. The current G8 is almost a match or an improvement over the Impala in interior dimensions:
| Vehicle | Front shoulder room (in.) | Front leg room (in.) | Front head room (in.) | Rear shoulder room (in.) | Rear leg room (in.) | Rear head room (in.) |
| Chevrolet Impala | 57.5 | 40.5 | 4.0 | 58.0 | 26.0 | 1.5 |
| Pontiac G8 | 59.0 | 42.0 | 3.0 | 58.0 | 29.5 |
3.0 |
And while it has a shorter overall length (196 in. vs. 200 in.), it has a wheelbase that is longer by 4 inches (115 in.), which is the far more crucial parameter. This places it above the Malibu in size, but also makes the Chevrolet large sedan a distinctively different vehicle than just an old, slightly larger, also-front-drive sedan–which pretty much describes the Malibu. Not to mention that the Impala relies on a platform that dates back to 1988. Sure, short term, the Impala is probably more profitable because it’s old and simple to build, but that’s no strategy to sustain a brand.
But the most important aspect is that it gives Chevrolet a highly developed, sophisticated sedan worthy of the Impala nameplate. What’s more fun than spinning the front wheels in an Impala SS? To me, many things. But a rear-drive Impala SS would be a gas. And GM told us that the G8 would get a direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 with a six-speed automatic for 2010. This would be perfect for Impala buyers more interested in fuel economy than burn outs.
The G8 is a ready-made next Impala. It would be fantastic for GM to save this one model from certain extinction. Now it’s up to GM to build a business case for it.
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Posted by: Cale | May 1, 2009 10:33:04 AM
Saddling the G8 (which is by most accounts a very good car) with the sullied Impala name would be a waste of taxpayer money.
Posted by: Vic | May 1, 2009 12:22:02 PM
Not the next Impala, the next Chevelle!
Posted by: Paul | May 1, 2009 1:44:52 PM
That would be awesome if some GM exec got word of this and at least gave it some thought.
Or wait...maybe Obama should be the one who makes this decision for GM. After all, we taxpayers bailed GM out...they owe us a BIG favor.
This would be a big loss to the automotive world (and to GM) if this G8 doesn't get "re-assigned" to Chevrolet. It's a great car that needs just a little freshening up on its interior.
Posted by: Jerry | May 1, 2009 4:38:20 PM
I feel that General Motors should be renamed to Chevrolet Motors and only Chevrolet (GM's bread and butter brand) should remain. Chevrolet makes all categories of automobiles. GMC, Pontiac, Buick, Hummer, Saab, Saturn and even Cadillac could all be covered under the Chevrolet banner. If I were in the market for G8 or a CTS, I could drive a Chevrolet G8 or a Chevrolet CTS. The dealerships are what would make or break the products. Cadillac and Buick dealerships are upscale. Keep them.
Posted by: Derrick G | May 2, 2009 8:50:13 AM
I think it's a good idea, too. The Malibu and Impala are just too close now. Here's an interesting link:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2009/05/01/459118.html
Although the only sedan up is the Sonata and then just barely (the Hyundai numbers are reversed '08 and '09 in the article), the Impala leads the pack in decline. The only problem I see is the nearly $4,500 difference in base price. Of course, some of that is equipment levels. Still, the current Impala's drag on Chevrolet's image surely has lots of "hidden" cost for GM and this would be a good way to cure that.
Posted by: Carl Williamson | May 2, 2009 7:16:43 PM
I really don't like anything GM has out now but the G8 and maybe the Camaro (another Aussie design) or Cadillac CTS/STS, all RWD. The Malibu is OK but I like the Saturn Aura better. Basically, I dislike FWD.
I drove a Commodore SV6 recently on a trip to Australia and it was a great car and, I thought, much better looking than the Pontiac, probably because it didn't have that bloated Pontiac front-end on it.
I went to the Melbourne Auto Show and Holden was showing a full line of cars and utes, including their versions of the new Volt and Cruze. To me, both looked better than the Chevy versions because they don't have a grille designed to look like a Chevrolet pick-up or Suburban. Sadly, truck-like grilles now seem to be in Vogue in the US now, with the trend going toward the bigger the better. Look at Ford and Dodge.
BTW, Chevrolet already sells the Commodore in the Middle East as a Lumina and the Commodore Statesman (bigger) as a Caprice.
Even though the Commodore VE (the current design) was the best-selling car in Australia last year, it may disappear due to fuel prices. Magazines in Australia are reporting that it looks like GM is going to wind up an all front-drive company.
Posted by: Andrew | May 3, 2009 6:48:39 PM
Consumer Reports - I really respect you, but even I must admit that at times, you do demonstrate an anti-American bias.
"the one truly competitive model the brand has offered over the past 20 years or so, the G8."
Scanning the ratings in CR's 1994 New Car Yearbook, I notice that you rate the Pontiac Bonneville very good, almost excellent. Same goes for the Trans Am. Even the "dust-buster" Trans Sport "performs competently, overall," CR wrote.
Can you please try to be a bit more fair - and consistent?
Posted by: Jon Linkov - Consumer Reports | May 4, 2009 1:32:28 PM
Of course, I totally forgot that this car IS offered as a Chevrolet, but only in the Middle East. Thanks to Jeff O for reminding me!
http://www.netcarshow.com/chevrolet/2008-lumina_ss/800x600/wallpaper_02.htm
Posted by: Scott | Jun 3, 2009 9:49:07 PM
From what I've read, all of the imported GM products will be axed through a UAW protectionist deal in the bankruptcy process. I'm sure this is a favor to the UAW given by the Obama administration led company.
What a shame, limiting consumer choice. Maybe a third car company could import this DOT ready to import G8/Commodore. Or GM could tool upa factory for it here, the engineering is done. We'll take it under any brand nameplate.
I bought a G8 GT back in February and get 27.5 MPG Highway with its 6.0L V8 & RWD, can carry three child car seats easily...loving it... what a great car!
Posted by: Paul | Jul 14, 2009 10:18:01 PM
I test-drove a G8 GT in Dec 08 and loved it. Excellent handlng, ride, comfort & performance. Nice design, & good looking overall, and a fair price. Actually came very close to buying. But just a few too many negatives: No local dealer follow up...none*, no on-board nav option, only one interior color (black), & massive A-pillars. If the new GM can address those negatives, which is probably impossible, I might be a G8 (or re-badged model) customer. Without question the best GM I've driven. Great car, really.
(*this GMC/Pontiac dealer closed shop a month later, well before any GM announcements. Went to a 2nd dealer, farther away, for another look. They were more friendly, but you could almost read impending gloom in their faces...what a shame).
Posted by: Joe Walsh | Oct 13, 2009 10:32:02 PM
What a tease! The ONLY competitive model Pontiac has offered for more than 20 years finally comes to market here, and we lose it to get what - more of the same mediocrity from Chevy? Not that the latest Malibu isn't a huge improvement over models just a few years ago, but why can't we have just one euro-tuned rear-driver with an american badge? I'll be in the market soon for a performance sedan. its a shame i don't have this choice any more.