This car really badly doesn't need the hood vents (aesthetically AND functionally).

>>This car really badly doesn't need the hood vents (aesthetically AND functionally).

But then how would you know it was an American car?

Somehow American car companies always manage to make crappy car designs... even when they have something that is pretty decent looking, they always find some way to screw it up.

.

This car looks ugly from the front. From any other angle it is invisible. A boring mainstream design beaten with an ugly stick in the front.

It was quite funny to read about its great handling. This would then be the second us car after the latest vette that can actually turn around a corner...

"how would you know it was an American car?"

It's an Australian car - [GM] Holden Commodore
... with a modded front, as you say, to look more American.

To be precise:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore#Fourth_generation_.282006.E2.80.93present.29

This is the most Australian of Holden Commodores ever.

I agree that the front would look better without the hood vents, and somehow, the car looks like an early G35 at some angles, but I like the interior. The thing that REALLY bothers me is the plastic engine cover. It's a nasty design element that many car manufacturers use.

Can't mistake this for a non-American car, here's why:

A. The non-functional hood scoops.
B. The Buick inspired side vent.
C. The ugly Pontiac nose (the Oz version is much nicer looking).
D. The low-budget interior materials. An $18k Hyundai Sonata is more attractive inside.
E. The font on the tach/speedo.
F. The a_s-backwords manual selector...only one of the "Big 3" lets something like that get into production to save a few bucks.
G. The plastic engine shroud...real inspiring to pop the hood and see an acre of plastic on a 6.0L sports sedan.
H. No manual version.

The only good point is that it's RWD and handles relatively well. But does that outway the rental grade interior, lack of a 6-spd manual and what will probably be horrid resale and sale numbers (F-body or GTO, anyone?) ?

I agree about the hood vents, they are a bit much, but this car should get a warm welcome as a replacement/alternative to the GTO.

I've never bought an American car that had all the plastic crap under the hood that they show on demo cars such as this.

From the back it is sort of late 90's GrandPrix. The front looks like a tweaked G6, and yes the whole car is a modded(US) Holden Commador.

V6 only gets 1mpg better? might as well get the V8 then.

In the end I don't think car peeps such as ourselves will love it, but I think it'll sell well as a 4door alternative for people that want a US made 4door and a V8.

The hood vents aren't totally non-functional; they serve to bring cool air into the engine compartment.

@ Noya,
Last time I checked my Honda Civic Hybrid, Mercedes ML 350, and Acura cars all use "Plastic" engine covers....

"G. The plastic engine shroud...real inspiring to pop the hood and see an acre of plastic"

You really need to get out more often to test drive 2000-up cars. This has been the standard for many years for imports!

ANYWAY, I like the way the car looks.

at 20$ it would be a bargain, at 30$ its butt ugly and overpriced. Just my opinion, looks like an overdone grand am.

To all those Euro snobs, I've been to Europe, your cars are overall tiny, ugly little underpowered pieces of junk. The very few that are decent are for snobs such as yourselves who look down even on your fellow man...., whatever.

@Dean,

Surprises me your surprise with the fact that the V6 gets almost the same mpg as the V8.

Infact, if you drive them the very same way the should get the same mpg*.

* the extra weight of the V8 engine is very low compared to the whole car weight, and considering that both engines have the same efficiency.

Differences appear cause:

1-People tend to accelerate faster when they are in a more powerful car
2-Any extra weight matter when you are in stop and go traffic.

There are some cases that a smaller engine gets worst mpg than a bigger one in the same car. and the reason is you have to high rev it a lot to get the same performance and then the engine works, most of the time, out of it best efficiency RPM.

About the car though, as i posted in a previous post, these car feels lazy. Its not a bad car at any meaning, but you always get the feeling that they could have done a beast, but hold back.

@ The writer for Torque Report

Window switches are supposed to be in the center, that way you never have to take your left hand off the wheel when you're driving. It especially makes driving a stick shift easier.

I like manual seating adjustments, that way they don't break.

You spelled brakes incorrectly.

@ Everyone else

Why are you hating on the car for being cheap? I'm glad that it's cheap. It's supposed to be cheap! You at least have to conceed that it's a good deal...

I wasn't aware the GTO had horrible resale value. There isn't an 05-06 for less than 20k within 500 miles of me. People left the dealer for 23k 3 years ago and they're still worth that...

Seems like some of the posters haven't been car shopping in quite some time.

$20k for a full size rwd V8 sedan? Have you been car shopping in the last decade? $33k tops in GM pricing means most people will snick in well under $30. Puts the car in the right territory.

Plastic engine covers are (unfortunately) everywhere. If it bothers you that much take it off and start polishing. If you really are that into showing off what's underhood this shouldn't be a sticking point.

Manuals are coming.

The only reason why the V6 is only 1mpg higher is because the V8 uses cylinder deactivation systems. When you're on the highway or in the city, the V8 deactivates half of the cylinders, saving fuel. Hence the name "Cylinder Deactivation". That's also why a base V8 Silverado 1/2 ton gets the same mpg as a base V6 F-150. It's a common technology, especially among the Japanese (Honda mostly).

Those rear taillights on the GT HAVE to go. They look like those cheesy aftermarket clearlights I see on hondas!

Let's make the more expensive version look cheap and cheesy! I guess it IS a pontiac afterall....

At least the interior isn't as gaudy as days of old.

Overall I have to agree. I'm not sold on the hood scoops either and overall Holden's version looks better!

The reason the engine felt underpowered is because Pontiac forgot to put in a clutch pedal.

This car is not bad, it is rather made a success contrary in the other pontiac.

To me, the interior has improved quite a bit, it almost looks AUDI like, notice the Red Instrumentation display in the center, the volume control and mode selector on the steering wheel, where the dual zone climate control gagues are located, even the stereo looks very simliar to the VW's new Touch Screen Sat Nav. Now if it could handle like the german cars.

Overall a nice design, but I would prefer (my own opinion) the Holden's styling over the Pontiac. However, Pontiac made the changes so that it is recognizable as a Pontiac. The interior looks vastly superior to previous Pontiacs. In regards to engine covers, almost all manufacturers use them now. Mostly it is for aesthetics but sometimes it is used to dampen engine noise. Either way, I think it looks tacky and is one more thing I need to remove to service the engine. The starting price is a little above the 300C/Charger twins, but the base engine is more powerful than the Dodge/Chrysler variants. Low $30s for the GT is on par with other competitive models. That said, it seems like an inappropriate time to introduce the model as sales of larger sedans, trucks, suvs are stagnant in the US. Hopefully, Pontiac will prove me wrong.

Wow this looks like a Pontiac G number and the styling and quality is pretty much on par with a car worth 30k. They have even kept the 1980's honeycomb grill but I am going to miss the bulgy platic panels on the doors and fenders.

Oh look, if you don't get enough plastic in the interior you can open the good and find the engine covered over by it. And those tail lights are so original. Good job Pontiac! Keep creating the excitement!!!

Good thing there is a lot of horsepower to keep you distracted from the hideous plain boring car you just spent your hard earned money on.

I like the front end. The rims, on the other hand, would be switched in a heartbeat if I bought this thing. Arent these the same rims the gto had? Ugly IMO. Some Torque Thrusts or almost any other 5 spoke would look better. From the back it definately looks like an audi, like whomever pointed out. Over all I dig it.

geneva is great this year so far. already looking forward to next year.

Is it supposed to look RETRO? The design is so "safe" that it looks about 10 years old.

Pontiac G8 = Pontiac GTO

And not in a good way. Like the GTO, the G8's first year sales will be good because of media hype. However, second and third year sales will tank when reality sets in. The wild card is the base Hyundai Genesis, which at the same price point also offers RWD and more standard equipment but doesn't look nearly as cheap and plasticky as the G8.

The car got reviewed I think as it was deserved. I am surprised to here you say it handled so well: when I drove the Commodore in Australia I longed for a BMW under me when I was at corners.

And I do agree: the Commodore looks a hell of a lot better. I also agree with BigWill: the Genesis is what could break the G8. Don't expect to get the Genesis with the V8 for under $35,000 I've heard, but still, the V6 version is priced low, and definitely a large step up from the base G8.

At $30,000, no car should be without wood and leather anymore. The Avalon has it, the new Accord has it, the Hyundai Azera has it, so when every other full size car out there offers wood and leather, the G8 should have it too. Note to torque report: look at the dimensions on this thing, its clearly bigger than the Camry or old Accord, which are midsize. I know the new Accord is technically midsize but really, its so big compared to what the midsize segment has been I really don't know if we can let it be called midsize anymore.

"The car got reviewed I think as it was deserved. I am surprised to here you say it handled so well: when I drove the Commodore in Australia I longed for a BMW under me when I was at corners."

If you read some of the replies to your comments in the other news post, you'd realize it has much improved suspension over what your drove. Also, it burns regular gas, like I said. Here's an interesting little writeup of how the G8 GT stacks up against the Charger R/T.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=124883?tid=edmunds.h..topfeatures.g8vscharger.0.*

a 6-litre V-8 and thats the best you can do with it?

Ohhhh....boooo hooooo....It has a plastic engine cover....Blame the European manufacturers for that. The first car I saw with one was your vaunted BMW...back in the late 80's...Mercedes also had them...Jeeezzzz....My 1990 Mazda 929 S had one, So don't blame GM.

For some reason (To keep costs lower!) the manufacturers started using them as it was cheaper to do a plastic engine cover to quell the engine noise than it was to use all the stuffing under the hood.

With all the weight that the extra insulation created the hoods needed stronger supports to keep them open. With a Plastic Engine cover there is not as much weight on the hood, therefore manufacturers could save weigh,increasing MPG.

The G8 is a decent looking car from all angles, maybe the interior is not perfect (Have you seen a new Chrysler, Dodge or new Toyota Camry lately??? CHEAP...CHEAP....CHEAP...Rental Car Look.)

...but for a car that only costs around $32,000 ($43,000 LOADED with V8) for a FULL-SIZED, nice handling sports sedan that seats 5, looks nice and uses Regular Unleaded (No European or Japanese Sports Sedan uses Reglar Unleaded) i is a steal!

Yes the Hyundai Genesis MAY give it a run for the money, but the Hyundai starts at $40,000...Not $30,000 That is a different league of car. The Genesis is more in line with a Cadillac CTS, not the G8.

Plus, for my money I would rather buy an "American" car (Notice I use Quotes...I know the G8 is made in Australia), as "most" cars with an American badge cost far less for repairs and maintenance than a "foreign" car (Even USA made Toyotas).

I am looking at the G8, Cadillac CTS, and when it is available, the Hyundai Genesis...But I will probably be spending my money onthe G8.

It is a fantastic car...probably 2 years late to the market, but it is still a fantastic car, even with the V6.

GM made great cars, and they are starting to do so again.

I am looking forward to my G8 with the V6 and most of the toys for about $36000...Accelerates and Handles almost as good as a $66950 (For Approx same equipment) BMW 5 series.

Hummmm....I can deal with "tacky" hood scoops and a "cheap interior"

I will let you know how much fun I am having with my G8 with the V6, fully loaded and the Sports Red Metallic Paint.