SPIED! Pontiac G8

Samantha Stevens | 08/28/2007 | Link to Original Article @ Wheels

Wheels reader Jesse White has snapped up some shots of a Pontiac G8 out for a Sunday drive in the south-eastern suburbs of Victoria.

According to our spy snapper, this nostrilled model looked quite the production-ready American car - but with 17-inch Holden-spec wheels.

Thanks Jesse!

love the color - if the dealers don't screw with the pricing, it should sell well against a lot of cars.

Edited September 1, 200718 yr by toesuf94

WooHOO!

It doesn't have the damn ugly clear tails!!!

Bit of a shame about not having the new 'arrowhead' , but that's a meager detail. This car is still awesome.

WooHOO!

It doesn't have the damn ugly clear tails!!!

She's a base model, not a GT. I think I remember the GTs getting the clear tails.

Still, looks like one heck of a base model.

Well I refuse to buy this car because Holden screwed it up and put a red emblem on it and not the new one.

....... Just Kidding... It looks great!

I just though I would say this just to get it over with before one of our Anti Holdenmites said it. Now that it was said continue to enjoy the view uninterrupted.

[Camino this was no way intended for you!]

Edited September 1, 200718 yr by hyperv6

I'm glad they kept the red emblem. The pre-production G8 in Smoke Signals has the red emblem as well. Even better that I can retrofit the red tail lights if I don't like the clear ones. Maybe I'll de-badge the the "G8" from the deck lid altogether and get a "Bonneville" badge made for it instead!

She's a base model, not a GT. I think I remember the GTs getting the clear tails.

Still, looks like one heck of a base model.

Well, at least we won't have to get them shipped from Oz. A trip to the local Pontiac parts counter will solve that problem.

I'm glad they kept the red emblem. The pre-production G8 in Smoke Signals has the red emblem as well. Even better that I can retrofit the red tail lights if I don't like the clear ones. Maybe I'll de-badge the the "G8" from the deck lid altogether and get a "Bonneville" badge made for it instead!

Who not "Grand Prix"?

Just a guess, but to a Pontiac fan Grand Prix might have to be a coupe to deserve the name whereas Bonneville is a natural fit.

Pontiac should just ship them over with no badging and just offer emblems of your choice. It's the You Bought it You Name it kind of thing.

It could just be sold as the full size Pontiac and then you would have 5 dealer installed names to stick on it.

I would like to get the GXP edition when it arrives and stick Royal Bobcat emblems on it.

This car should do well. Many here claim it is too plain to be a Pontiac while over at AutoBlog.com many claim it is too over done in a Pontiac way and should have been left a Holden. If public opinon is going this way this way then GM nailed it and it will do well.

OH MY GOD! A red emblem, I will have to send an email to Lutz and not sleep or eat for 3 days!

Do the base models have hood scoops?

Do the base models have hood scoops?

Good question. The one pictured sure does, but I'd guess that it may be an option.

The front looks like a 90s BMW with nose piercings. The rear looks like an Aveo sedan. It may not be stretch to say that our Aussie friends' tastes in styling rivals the Koreans for dullness. Get on yer Pontiac and ride mate...

The front looks like a 90s BMW with nose piercings. The rear looks like an Aveo sedan. It may not be stretch to say that our Aussie friends' tastes in styling rivals the Koreans for dullness. Get on yer Pontiac and ride mate...

And "you look like the piss-boy."

Hey, let's not get personal. It's just a car. Sounds like you need a woman (or a man). If not, don't worry. They're be plenty of G8s left at your unfriendly PontiacBuickGMC dealer to buy, take home and make love to. Just hope your '87 antique pickup doesn't get jealous - might blow a rod

And "you look like the piss-boy."

Um. Yeah, this is highly unnecessary.

Hey, let's not get personal. It's just a car. Sounds like you need a woman (or a man). If not, don't worry. They're be plenty of G8s left at your unfriendly PontiacBuickGMC dealer to buy, take home and make love to. Just hope your '87 antique pickup doesn't get jealous - might blow a rod

Easy there cowboy, it's a movie quote.

Hey, let's not get personal. It's just a car. Sounds like you need a woman (or a man). If not, don't worry. They're be plenty of G8s left at your unfriendly PontiacBuickGMC dealer to buy, take home and make love to. Just hope your '87 antique pickup doesn't get jealous - might blow a rod

If I may ask, what little corner of the world do you call home? I'm curious.

3 guesses

I've been wondering what the base model would look like?

Are we going to get the Morpheous color here in the states?

I've been wondering what the base model would look like?

Are we going to get the Morpheous color here in the states?

I'm betting that we will get it, but I think that car is the "blue with purple undertones".

Morpheous is VERY purple, so purple in fact that I think PCS is feeling conflicted.

3 guesses

Kalifornia! Do I win a booby prize?

I'm betting that we will get it, but I think that car is the "blue with purple undertones".

Morpheous is VERY purple, so purple in fact that I think PCS is feeling conflicted.

You know purple is my weakness, that and yellow. It's all my mother's fault, if it wasn't for the purple and yellow bathroom we had in 1979 ...

Edited September 2, 200718 yr by Pontiac Custom-S

C'mon PCS, you know you want one... It really is purple, very purple...

OH! Did you say that you liked yellow too?

*Crunch - a green-biased metallic yellow

Morpheous - purple metallic

OH! Did you say that you liked yellow too?

*Crunch - a green-biased metallic yellow

Morpheous - purple metallic

You forget I go to Australia, I get to see it close up! :AH-HA_wink:

Perhaps you like your Holden of and older vintage?

Or something a bit more alpha?

Edited September 2, 200718 yr by Pontiac Custom-S

All sweet pics!

Thanks for that, PCS.

Next time you go tell them I want a non-metallic black, would you?

I love the name Crunch for a color. I wonder where they got that.

Thanks for clarifying Camino.

Thanks PCS, for the pics. If you keep posting like this, I'm going to start thinking you are a closet Holden lover.

Thanks PCS, for the pics. If you keep posting like this, I'm going to start thinking you are a closet Holden lover.

Let's just say I've been there a lot and leave it at that! :AH-HA_wink:

I love the name Crunch for a color. I wonder where they got that.

Thanks for clarifying Camino.

Thanks PCS, for the pics. If you keep posting like this, I'm going to start thinking you are a closet Holden lover.

Not a very exciting story I'm afraid. Apparently the head of Holden's trim and colour department, Sharon Gauci, came up with K'Pow and Atomic while she was vacuuming her son's bedroom, and then she came up with Crunch when she moved on to the kitchen.

You forget I go to Australia, I get to see it close up! :AH-HA_wink:

Perhaps you like your Holden of and older vintage?

Or something a bit more alpha?

Gotta love those HQ's - thinnest A pillars in the world.

Thanks for the info bud. I get a kick out of knowledge like that.

Looks nice! Thats not blue...it's burple! eek

Aww...I like the new emblem..maybe it;ll be an option or come with the Gt version? Either way it's an awesome car.

Front end looks very good, and I like the red tails much better. I hope the scooped hood is not standard on V6 and V8 versions. Although the rear spoiler is tasteful, I'd also like to see it without that. I like that colour.

Wow, that old Holden PCS posted is sweet!

Gotta love those HQ's - thinnest A pillars in the world.

There were HQ Monaro coupes and sedans, right?

And they still didn't put Pontiac G8 on the correct side...

There were HQ Monaro coupes and sedans, right?

Yep. There were only 3 generations of Monaros to offer both sedan and coupe - HQ '71-'74, HJ '74-'76 and HX '76-'77. The next model HZ only came in sedan and didn't have a Monaro badge on it, just GTS badges, although Holden still referred to it as a Monaro.

And they still didn't put Pontiac G8 on the correct side...

Exactly, and I have mentioned that to more than a few!

Amazing how many people want to rename this car! I've heard the same idea from several friends who can't wait to pull off those G8 emblems, and now I'm seeing it in these posts. I agree it would be fun to put on something meaningful - but what?

What little consensus exists suggests it should not be alphanumeric - that it should return to a storied name with some history and brand recognition to it which evokes the earlier great years of the "Wide Track" era. Remember though, that at a wheelbase of 114.5" this is an intermediate car - not full-size . Full size cars traditionally have had a wheelbase longer than 116", so only the LWB WM-Zeta cars (2020 Chevrolet Impala? I hope I'm just kidding about the year) will qualify. For that reason I think you have to discard the names traditionally attached to LWB cars of the past including Torpedo, Chieftain, Streamliner, Executive, Catalina, Bonneville, and Grand Ville. Even if you don't buy the wheelbase argument - it just doesn't look like a Bonneville!

You are left with intermediate wheelbase names from the past - Tempest, LeMans, Phoenix, Grand Prix, Grand Am, and Ventura.

Finally, it hasn't helped the legacy of Pontiac that some of those names have been slapped on front-wheel drive cars in some cases and should be disqualified due to our immense suffering of recent years. This eliminates Grand Prix, Grand Am, and Phoenix.

I find Tempest sounds a little dated, and LeMans a little pretentious, so the winner for me is... VENTURA. It will be hard to find emblems at your local Pontiac dealer parts department though.

Yep. There were only 3 generations of Monaros to offer both sedan and coupe - HQ '71-'74, HJ '74-'76 and HX '76-'77. The next model HZ only came in sedan and didn't have a Monaro badge on it, just GTS badges, although Holden still referred to it as a Monaro.

Thanks for the reply. Hopefully, engineering the Camaro will make it possible for Holden to offer a VE Monaro as well.

As far as emblem placement: afaik, GM has always (in recent memory) put the model name on the left side of the back end of their vehicles, and the brand name on the right. Why I do not know. It does seem backwards. Next time you're out on the road, check it.

Rear-Wheel Drive, love your nick!

Amazing how many people want to rename this car! I've heard the same idea from several friends who can't wait to pull off those G8 emblems, and now I'm seeing it in these posts. I agree it would be fun to put on something meaningful - but what?

What little consensus exists suggests it should not be alphanumeric - that it should return to a storied name with some history and brand recognition to it which evokes the earlier great years of the "Wide Track" era. Remember though, that at a wheelbase of 114.5" this is an intermediate car - not full-size . Full size cars traditionally have had a wheelbase longer than 116", so only the LWB WM-Zeta cars (2020 Chevrolet Impala? I hope I'm just kidding about the year) will qualify. For that reason I think you have to discard the names traditionally attached to LWB cars of the past including Torpedo, Chieftain, Streamliner, Executive, Catalina, Bonneville, and Grand Ville. Even if you don't buy the wheelbase argument - it just doesn't look like a Bonneville!

You are left with intermediate wheelbase names from the past - Tempest, LeMans, Phoenix, Grand Prix, Grand Am, and Ventura.

Finally, it hasn't helped the legacy of Pontiac that some of those names have been slapped on front-wheel drive cars in some cases and should be disqualified due to our immense suffering of recent years. This eliminates Grand Prix, Grand Am, and Phoenix.

I find Tempest sounds a little dated, and LeMans a little pretentious, so the winner for me is... VENTURA. It will be hard to find emblems at your local Pontiac dealer parts department though.

Ventura was a trim option on the Catalina in the 60s...a fullsize Pontiac with a "wheelbase longer than 116""...same as the Bonneville.

I'll stick with Bonneville. Wikipedia even seem to agree with me naming the G8 as the Bonneville's successor. Real Grand Prix's are Coupes.

As far as emblem placement: afaik, GM has always (in recent memory) put the model name on the left side of the back end of their vehicles, and the brand name on the right. Why I do not know. It does seem backwards. Next time you're out on the road, check it.

Rear-Wheel Drive, love your nick!

The recent Pontiac's I have has has the model name on the left and series name as in GTP on the right. I also had the series name in the middle with no Pontiac On my SSEi.

The Fiero had the model name on the right with the sub model also on the right. Or just GT with Pontiac in the middle of the bumper.

Others had GP in the middle and GTO on the right.

GMC is on the right and Sonoma is on the right.

Pontiac has no real patteren to where they put the name so is there really a correct side?

This is something to make it different and does it really matter? I find it just another petty excuse for those who want to complain.

There was a stir up when Pontiac put the front plate off to the side on the 1969 when it came out as that was just wrong because no one did it just as the door handles were another picking point. Both have become hallmarks so I think we will lmake it though this too.

Edited September 3, 200718 yr by hyperv6

As far as emblem placement: afaik, GM has always (in recent memory) put the model name on the left side of the back end of their vehicles, and the brand name on the right. Why I do not know. It does seem backwards. Next time you're out on the road, check it.

Rear-Wheel Drive, love your nick!

Brand Name's on the Left on the Chevrolet Venture, so there's always an exception...

Ventura was a trim option on the Catalina in the 60s...a fullsize Pontiac with a "wheelbase longer than 116""...same as the Bonneville.

I'll stick with Bonneville. Wikipedia even seem to agree with me naming the G8 as the Bonneville's successor. Real Grand Prix's are Coupes.

The Ventura was a separate series in 60 and 61, available as a 2 dr 'bubble top' and a 4door 'vista roof' and was a trim option throughout the remainder of the 60s. It was not the same as a Bonneville or Star Chief (long wheelbase b-body). It was on the short wheelbase b-body with the Catalina. To me, and I'm a little biased, the 61 ventura bubble top was one of the most attractive cars GM ever made. Of course, I'm a geezer, and was 17 when it was a new car. Too bad it took me another 40 years to get one.

Edited September 5, 200718 yr by scotth3886

Is that yours, Scott? It's a real beauty.

The Ventura was a separate series in 60 and 61, available as a 2 dr 'bubble top' and a 4door 'vista roof' and was a trim option throughout the remainder of the 60s. It was not the same as a Bonneville or Star Chief (long wheelbase b-body). It was on the short wheelbase b-body with the Catalina. To me, and I'm a little biased, the 61 ventura bubble top was one of the most attractive cars GM ever made. Of course, I'm a geezer, and was 17 when it was a new car. Too bad it took me another 40 years to get one.

The first car ride I got coming home from the hospital was in my dads old 1960 Ventura vista roof.

1961 buble tops are still my favorite too. With 8 lugs, tri power and 4 speed.