2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck - Ponti-Haul

In yet another move to solidify Pontiac as the Performance Division of GM by selling exciting unique cars to niche markets, comes the announcement of the '10 G8 Sport Truck. As I stated in a recent blog on the HPP Web site, "Think of it as a two-seat G8-based sportster with room to haul antiques...or drag slicks, a floor jack and plenty of tools without worry of damaging the upholstery."

In the states, the G8 Sport Truck will surely conjure up visions of El Caminos, Caballeros, Sprints, and Rancheros of yesteryear. In Australia, however, the "Sport Ute," has never gone out of style. Since the G8 and its sister model, the Holden Commodore, are built there, the Sport Truck appears to be a practical way for Pontiac to gain another unique model in its lineup via the Holden VE SS Ute.

"Pontiac has never shied away from offering segment-defining vehicles, going back to the original GTO," said Jim Bunnell, Buick-Pontiac-GMC General Manager. "There's simply nothing else like the G8 Sport Truck on the road today [in the U.S.], and we definitely believe that there are customers who'll be excited by its distinctive design, performance, and cargo capabilities."

From the B pillars back, the Sport Truck parts company with the G8 sedans' body panels by incorporating one-piece rear quarters to facilitate the inclusion of the bed. According to Pontiac, "More than 60 new components were added to strengthen the structure. Compared to the sedan, the 118.5-inch wheelbase is approximately 4 inches longer and the overall length is 6 inches longer." The bed gets a composite liner to protect it and a tonneau cover to keep the rain and curious eyes off your cargo. If you want to stow a few things inside the cabin, there are 8.5 cubic feet of storage space behind the seats.

In case the name didn't convey this message fully, the G8 Sport Truck is essentially a G8 GT with a bed. They share: the GT's 361-horse 6.0L engine, six-speed automatic trans, suspension, 12-inch front brakes, and 18-inch wheels and tires, with 19s optional. Pontiac's 0-60 performance estimation is 5.4 seconds.

Interior acoutrements are mostly the same as well. Since all of these mechanical and comfort amenities are fully explained in the G8 first drive story, we won't repeat them here.

Suffice it to say that with Pontiac introducing three exciting new models over a four-day span, you can't say the Performance Division is being complacent. Expect to see the G8 Sport Truck (with a new name that was chosen by a consumer in a contest that ended April 15th) arrive in showrooms in late 2009 as a '10 model.

G8 Sport Truck Specs That Differ From The G8 GT
(See "G8 GT First Drive" for all of the specifications on page 44)