2008 Pontiac G8 Preview DC

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What it Is

2008 Pontiac G8 -- 2007 Chicago Auto Show Preview: Pontiac: Designed for Action. No known antidote. Street cred. Starstruck. Performance. Passion. Those are the keywords and phrases Pontiac's marketing machine uses to describe its lineup. Problem is, this amounts to a promise largely unfulfilled. Or is it? If the all-new G8 sedan, based on Australia's Holden Commodore, impresses from behind the wheel as much as it does when being gazed upon, Pontiac's marketing hype might actually prove credible. At least in this one isolated case. When it goes on sale during the first quarter of 2008, the rear-wheel-drive G8 will come in attractive yet subdued base trim, and tire-squealing, drift-friendly, 362-horsepower GT guise. Yeah, baby.

Why it Matters

As General Motors' self-described performance brand, Pontiac's mandate is to offer modern day American muscle. To accomplish that objective, the brand's lineup has grown with the addition of models like the Solstice and an expanding slew of GXP-badged sedans, coupes, convertibles, and crossovers. Word is, Pontiac will have a version of the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro, an offering that would certainly help solidify the marriage of Pontiac with Performance. Currently, the best performance car in the lineup is the Solstice GXP, with the mediocre G6 and Torrent variants coming up relatively short. But the new G8 is different - with its aggressive style, rear-wheel-drive architecture, and optional V8 muscle, this may just be what Pontiac needs to become the brand it aspires to be.