Pontiac G8? Good on ya, mate

BRIAN EARLY FOR THE TORONTO STAR

The Pontiac G8 is an Australian-made sedan that everyone thought was American.

Brian Early

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Although I've driven plenty of General Motors vehicles that I've liked, the list of GM vehicles I'd actually want to own is pretty small, particularly if you discount any that require winning the lottery and/or possessing more jobs than my wife and I already have.

But the Pontiac G8 is on my short list.

Mrs. Early isn't as picky, but I require my vehicles to power their rear wheels, whether or not they also power the fronts. The G8 is rear-wheel drive (only), so it gets my nod.

It also has a rear seat that's capable of comfortably accommodating passengers larger than your average 8-year-old – important, since we tend to keep our cars until they die, and it'd be nice for our daughter to be able to fit when she reaches her teens.

The spacious back seat may in part be due to the G8's role as a police cruiser in its home market of Australia. You read that right – this all-American, rear-drive Pontiac sedan is actually a rebadged Holden Commodore, manufactured in Adelaide, Australia. (Once upon a time, the next Chevy Impala was expected to share the G8's "Zeta" platform, with assembly of both in Oshawa, a widely rumoured – but now extraordinarily unlikely – possibility.)

Further making G8 ownership a semi-realistic proposition is its $31,995 base MSRP; not out of line for a 256-hp, V6-powered sedan in this size range. The $30,432 Dodge Charger SXT would seem to be the G8's closest competitor, though there's more than a slight resemblance – at least on paper, if not in practice – to BMW's $56,200 528i.

Our "Stryker Blue" G8 tester's sole option package added $3,270 to its bottom line and leather seating to line our (seat) bottoms. "Preferred Equipment Group 1SC" should have been named "The Luxury Accoutrements Package," as it also includes automatic dual-zone climate controls and upgrades the audio system and its LCD display.

Working against G8 ownership for our family is the lack of a manual transmission, something both of us greatly prefer. Originally slated to be available in the V6 G8 prior to its launch, a stick shift is currently only available in the top 6.2-L, 402-hp GXP model, which seems a bit like swatting flies with a hammer.

Instead, the V6 is paired solely with a five-speed automatic, while the V8-powered GT model receives a six-speed slushbox.

The transmission in my V6 G8 provided smooth shifts and the option of both manumatic and sport modes, the latter not making any profound difference. Really, just stick it in "D"; it works well enough when left to its own devices.

If there's a weak spot in this driveline, it's the 3.6-L V6 motor. Although shared with many up-level GM vehicles – including Cadillac's CTS – it is coarse and unrefined in sound and feel in this application. While it's no weakling, it doesn't always feel 256-hp strong either. Forget accidentally barking the G8's 245/45/18 Goodyears off the line, even with the standard stability system switched off. I'd like to see Saab's related 280-hp, 2.8-L turbo V6 as the G8's base engine instead.

GT models feature a 361-hp, 6.0-L V8 with cylinder deactivation.

Where the G8 shines is its chassis. The rear-drive layout and what effectively is a front-mid-engine design gives the car a near 50/50 front-to-rear balance, and not having engine power contaminating the steering wheels means good tactile feedback and a nice, neutral overall feel during hard cornering. With no driveshafts to the front wheels, they can also turn tighter, providing a reasonable turning circle, even with the G8's long-ish 2,916-mm wheelbase.

Other, more expensive cars may do it all slightly better, but I could happily live daily with what the base G8 offers in terms of its ride and handling compromise.

In places nicely appointed, and in places a little bit stark and plasticky, the G8's cabin is thankfully subdued and upscale when compared to the Grand Prix and Bonneville interiors that it effectively replaces, retaining only their coal bin colour palette (red seat trim is available in some GT models).

It's European in overall appearance, and its offbeat Aussie ergonomics and unique switchgear make it unique compared to just about anything else in GM's portfolio. You'll find the switches for the windows and mirrors on the centre console, for instance, poorly placed in the line of coffee fire from the twin cupholders located immediately ahead of the shallow armrest bin.

The buttons flanking the Blaupunkt-sourced radio's large nav-like, but not nav-available, screen represent some odd choices, too (auto station memory, "help", etc.). However, I got used to it quickly enough, and with 11 speakers, it sounded just fine, easily able to maintain clarity above the moderate amounts of ambient noise present at speed.

The G8, though, is a decent product that appears to be in search of a market, even more so in light of the uncertain economic situation. It simply doesn't have the prestige factor, ultimate refinement, or even the manual-transmission option necessary to tackle the cars that it most closely resembles in mechanical specification, like Bimmers, Benzes and the odd Infiniti. On top of that – particularly in V6 guise – it's too European and lacks the moxy to entice the traditional muscle-car set.

Being rear-drive only might scare off some potential buyers, too, despite the fact that prior to front-wheel drive, virtually everything was rear drive and we survived winters then. The G8 does prove, at least, that a rear-drive layout need not come at the expense of cabin or trunk room.

Hopefully, the G8 will exist long enough for GM to shave the tacky hood vents off, add the option of a manual gearbox and relocate the window switches. Should those changes take place, you just might find me – and many others – standing in a GM showroom.

Freelance auto reviewer Brian Early can be reached at bandb.early@sympatico.ca

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