Pontiac G8 GXP sedan priced from US$39,995
December 17, 2008 by George Skentzos
Despite reports predicting its early demise, Pontiac is carrying on with its adopted Australian range having today announced official U.S. pricing for the flagship G8 GXP sedan.
The HSV Clubsport R8-equivalent offers performance to rival the BMW M5 for less than half the cost, with prices starting from just US$39,995.
This price includes a six-speed automatic transmission as standard, with an optional six-speed manual gearbox attracting a US$695 premium.
At this price it also outshines the standard Corvette in bang-for-buck value, offering the performance of an identical 6.2-litre V8 engine with the practicality of five seats.
With fuel prices plummeting in the US and around the world as a result of the global financial crisis, the idea of an affordable performance family sedan has become slightly more justifiable for many new car buyers.
Source: Jalopnik
Print it: 
I hope falling oil prices kick start some decent sales in the US. Love or hate Holden, it’s good for Australia if this car succeeds.
GM are likely to Axe Pontiac which means the Commodore will probably be sold in the USA as a new Chevy Beretta or Malibu. [makes sense as it uses a Chvey engine]
There’s nothing wrong with the car.. It has received rave revies on US Auto websites. Infact the G8 has been referred to as the best Pontiac EVER built.
Sales have fallen because of the slowing economy and the Boring image associated with the name “Pontiac”
I dont know but if someone dose can thay tell me how this costs only 40 thou.When a clubbie sells he for around 60 thou.Plus thay have to ship there as well i dont know much someone might know and can tell me
^^ Because the Holden that cares so much about Australian’s is actually charging you a huge markup. Why? Because people still buy them at that price. Not sure how releasing this model will help Pontiac shift the 283 days worth of supply that Pontiac have sitting in storage carparks for the regular G8. Having said that, selling the G8 is good for our economy, so best of luck Holden.
Oh, and exchange rates. Assume an average of 67c for the next year, that $US40000 becomes $AU60000. Still, there’s shipping, Holdens profit, Pontiacs profit and the dealers profit that need to be added on there, plus any sales taxes. So Holden still do make a mint on the locally sold models.
Guys look if you want to buy a Holden like this the best way to save is to buy it 6 months second hand…. By then you can pick one up for 40% less.
But the downside is you will only have 18 months left before it starts to feel like a 10 year old AU taxi from Sydney Road.
A US auto site i frequently visit recently published an article about the G8. Apparently sense it has been on sale in the States, it has only sold 13 000 units with 11 000 others sitting around waiting for buyers. That explains the price cut.
Elitist u are a buffoon.LOL.
Elitist and MacKay what a combo.LOL
u guys should look into car pooling a Yaris.LOL.
Nice car by the way.
haha Realcars, right on.
Elitist, VE still best Aussie built chassis.
VE still best Aussie built chassis?
Ware are you getting this info from?
Me…..cause I said so!
Sit down, shut up, and hold on….
Topdog – live with it mate, your not getting ripped off its all about market forces, supply/demand, taxes, Gov subsidies. If you don’t like it then go live stateside where the greedy monsters can’t even clean up New Orleans years after it was swamped by storm water but they are happily to invade another country on the premise that they have an evil dictator. Oh god i’ve gone off on one.
We do car pool in a Yaris because the Barina was too unsafe and too unreliable.
VE – poorest quality amd most unreliable Australian built car with the most aweful V6 drivetrain.
I guess the price difference is similar to why the Pre-Arse is mid to high $20s in the US, but around $40k here.
Toyota rip Australia just as professionally as any other car company does.
Look at the Lexus LX570 (I might have the name slightly wrong). It’s just a Landcruiser, & they don’t even try to change the appearance, but charge thousands more for it.
The above is to pre-empt that a Calais is really just a Commodore………. :-)
Apparently the big Lexus 4WDs leak dust just as well as the standard Cruisers do. According to Top Gear Oz anyway.
If you have to pay a premium price for a Japanese brand, buy a Premium Japanese brand. Eg Honda & Mazda.
Elitist,
Be positive mate.
At least it didn’t look & drive like an AU from day one.
Did you buy the other AU that was sold?
Mate, not even the Camira hurt it’s builders more than the AU did to ford.
And for the record, I owed a JD Camira (leaded petrol version), & was faultless.
The AU had sagging doors from Day 1.
“With fuel prices plummeting in the US and around the world as a result of the global financial crisis, the idea of an affordable performance family sedan has become slightly more justifiable for many new car buyers.”
You can’t be serious! US Car sales down over 40%, oil trading at less than half of what OPEC & Russia want it to be, the US Economy still in recession after 12 months. US unemployment on the way up, can’t really see many FAMILY’s looking for a family car saying
“hey honey, I might not have a job next month. So I got this 6.2ltr V8 for a steal!”
McKay [Dingo]: if Commodores let alone Holdens are so
f—n un reliable [as you would like us to believe] then how is it that its still Australais most popular selling car? and how is it that Holden have continued to build and sell them over the past 30 years?
I mean given that Toyotas are supposedly far more superior to ANY other car ever made [as you would like us to believe] then surely Australian Motorists would have switched over from Holden to Toyotas years ago and it wouldn’t have taken Toyota 58 years to become the number one car manufacturer now would it?
For you to come on here with stupid comments like that shows You know Nothing – You’ve got Nothing
Wheelnut, keep in mind over 75% of commodores go to fleets. As a private car its sales aren’t so impressive, and this was a car that Holden claimed would do well in the private market. Australia’s best selling Brand is Toyota, they have a larger spread of good selling vehicles rather than just putting all their eggs in one basket.
As for reliability, my old commodore was a shocker. But in Holdens defence i’d have to say they have lifted their game with the VE. The real question is if Holden will make the next 30 years.
I know and I accept that overall Toyota is Australias most popular brand .. my point is that if they are/were so good as McKay seems to think – if they were so far superior than they should have taken no more than 8 years to reach that position – not 58 years.
So the fact that it took a Multi-national such as Toyota [with all their money and resources etc] so long to become Number 1 and surpass a comparitively smaller Australian car manufacturer like Holden indicates that despite the supposed poor build quality and reliability problems etc.. There are a considerable number of Australians who are/were happy with the cars that Holden build/built including the gemini; Torana; Kingswood Commodore; Monaro and Ute.. enough to make the Commodore Australias best selling car
Wheelnut: Holden is the most popular selling car because Holden have the best Marketing team and strategies and have had the best for quite a few years. I am always seeing adds on TV and hearing them on the radio about Holden but can’t remember the last time I saw or heard an add for Ford or Toyota. Ford has been proven by a number of car reviewers as well as the general public that they do have the best car and have had for a couple of years now in performance, fuel economy, reliability, and safety. BUT they haven’t sold AS many units as Holden and Toyota because their marketing team wouldn’t know how to run a brothel if their life depended on it. All I can say is well done Holden and I wish Ford could learn something from how Holden market their audience.
Holdens marketing team is nowhere near as good as the Team from Toyota. I mean they can make people believe that by simply putting a red Sportivo badge on a Camry it somehow becomes a sports car. However; I do agree with Toyotas latest TV advert – that is that “Pussies” drive Corollas
I suggest that Ford should to push the fact they won Bathurst and the V8 Supeercar Championship.. sure the philosophy of “Win on Sunday Sell on Monday” doesn’t apply as much as it used to.. but if Toyota can convince people the V6 engine in the Aurion is “F1 inspired” anything is possible.
Pontiac needs to market this car more in the US. I was over there last month and only saw 1 driving in upstate NY and a 2 second ad in times square. I asked some of my relos if they know the car or have seen the car. Not 1 knew the car or even knew it was a Holden Commodore yet they know about the commodore. Even the die hard car lovers had no idea about the car’s engine, performance etc. Very bad on Pontiac’s behalf.
why do we have to pay 2k for an auto where as the US have to pay $700 for a manual?
I sit in traffic jams most of a time, so an auto would be good for me, but I’m certainly not going to pay more for it.
Wheelnut Says:
December 17th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
“Infact the G8 has been referred to as the best Pontiac EVER built.”
What an accolade…
The yanks have made many classics and especially GM and
after all it is the home of the v6 big cube muscle car and the W427 IS AN ULTIMATE MUSCLE CAR!!!
v8 v8 v8
Actually, the G8 has been referred to as the best vehicle GM sell in the US. (editor in chief, Inside Line)
I think thats a prety good accolade.
How the hell did toymotas get into this post!