VH_Supra26
03-15-2008, 10:56 AM
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Following months of rumours, General Motors announced today that their Australian branch, GM Holden, will export two new vehicles to North America to join the Pontiac G8. The new arrivals include a Pontiac G8 “sport truck”, based on the Holden VE Commodore Ute and the G8 GXP high performance sedan, both of which will soon be shown at the New York Auto Show.
The export programs were confirmed today by GM Holden’s new Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Reuss, who described them as great additions to Pontiac’s portfolio.
“It’s not everyday that a manufacturer announces a vehicle that creates a whole new segment in a market, but with this, the first ute export to North America in the form of the G8 sport truck, is exactly what Pontiac is doing,” Reuss said. While ‘utes’ (an Australian abbreviation for utility vehicles) are a dime a dozen Down Under, their presence has largely been ignored in the U.S in favor of larger, more rugged offerings like the Ford F150. However, this doesn’t mean that the ute is ’soft’ in any sense - the Pontiac G8 sport truck will sport a 6.0L V8 engine mated with a six-speed auto box that should get it flying, although in a car this powerful, the lack of weight at the back and the rear-wheel drive combination will likely lead to some hairy moments.
Not content to settle for the moniker “G8 Sport Truck”, Pontiac is running a competition allowing consumers to come up with a name for the new vehicle. The public will be able to submit their suggestions through the Pontiac website.
Full production of the Pontiac G8 sport truck will commence at GM Holden’s Elizabeth plant in South Australia, in the second half 2009 with the Pontiac G8 sport truck expected to arrive in dealers’ showrooms in late 2009.
Also being unveiled by Pontiac at the New York International Auto Show will be the new flagship vehicle of the GXP performance series, the G8 GXP, which adds to the existing line up of the G8 and G8 GT and will also be built in Adelaide starting later in 2008.
At the heart of the G8 GXP is the 6.2L LS3 small-block V8, currently rated at 402hp and 546Nm of torque, only 100 horsepower less than the new M5 and with similar practicality and weight. Purists will also be pleased to hear that there will be a manual variant with both 6 speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions available.
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/sedans/gm-confirms-pontiac-g8-gxp-and-ute/
http://www.motorauthority.com/images/Holden/2008/US_export/X09PN_G8031AU.jpg
http://www.motorauthority.com/images/Holden/2008/US_export/X10PN_G8002AU.jpg
http://www.motorauthority.com/images/Holden/2008/US_export/X10PN_G8004AU.jpg
http://www.motorauthority.com/images/Holden/2008/US_export/X10PN_G8005AU.jpg
http://www.motorauthority.com/images/Holden/2008/US_export/X10PN_G8008AU.jpg
Following months of rumours, General Motors announced today that their Australian branch, GM Holden, will export two new vehicles to North America to join the Pontiac G8. The new arrivals include a Pontiac G8 “sport truck”, based on the Holden VE Commodore Ute and the G8 GXP high performance sedan, both of which will soon be shown at the New York Auto Show.
The export programs were confirmed today by GM Holden’s new Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Reuss, who described them as great additions to Pontiac’s portfolio.
“It’s not everyday that a manufacturer announces a vehicle that creates a whole new segment in a market, but with this, the first ute export to North America in the form of the G8 sport truck, is exactly what Pontiac is doing,” Reuss said. While ‘utes’ (an Australian abbreviation for utility vehicles) are a dime a dozen Down Under, their presence has largely been ignored in the U.S in favor of larger, more rugged offerings like the Ford F150. However, this doesn’t mean that the ute is ’soft’ in any sense - the Pontiac G8 sport truck will sport a 6.0L V8 engine mated with a six-speed auto box that should get it flying, although in a car this powerful, the lack of weight at the back and the rear-wheel drive combination will likely lead to some hairy moments.
Not content to settle for the moniker “G8 Sport Truck”, Pontiac is running a competition allowing consumers to come up with a name for the new vehicle. The public will be able to submit their suggestions through the Pontiac website.
Full production of the Pontiac G8 sport truck will commence at GM Holden’s Elizabeth plant in South Australia, in the second half 2009 with the Pontiac G8 sport truck expected to arrive in dealers’ showrooms in late 2009.
Also being unveiled by Pontiac at the New York International Auto Show will be the new flagship vehicle of the GXP performance series, the G8 GXP, which adds to the existing line up of the G8 and G8 GT and will also be built in Adelaide starting later in 2008.
At the heart of the G8 GXP is the 6.2L LS3 small-block V8, currently rated at 402hp and 546Nm of torque, only 100 horsepower less than the new M5 and with similar practicality and weight. Purists will also be pleased to hear that there will be a manual variant with both 6 speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions available.
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/sedans/gm-confirms-pontiac-g8-gxp-and-ute/