When I was handed the keys to the first G8 GT I tested ("G8 GT Road Test," Oct. '08), I immediately began to critique the car in every way I could imagine-because it's my job. Using my past Pontiacs as a comparison, I found many things I liked and several things I disliked. At the end of the day, my final thoughts were that this was an amazing car and that Pontiac should be selling them as fast as they came off the boat from Australia.
As it turns out, I was wrong and Pontiac had a hell of a time trying to sell these things, with new incentives popping up every week it seemed. To this day, I still can't wrap my head around it. It's almost as if Pontiac loyalists turned their back on the car. Honestly, the GT's 13.8-second e.t. in a four-door family sedan, with a European feel and better quality than we're used to, is exceptional.
Now it's 2009 and Pontiac has made a GXP version of the already-impressive GT. It comes with an LS3, an optional manual transmission, and sportier suspension with big Brembo brakes. When I read the official release that was under embargo from GM, I wanted to tell everyone I knew about this incredible Pontiac that was coming out. Once the embargo was lifted, I did just that. People's eyes would light up at the thought of this baby CTS-V being sold at an affordable price at Pontiac dealerships, but I knew better this time. Few were going to buy the car that we have all wanted for years, thanks to the poor economy.
The car has now been on sale since January and the auto industry is bleeding. Pontiac has tapped out and projected production numbers for the G8 won't be met. I knew all of this when GM dropped off the GXP for the HPP staff to drive, and it was rather depressing. I was actually pretty angry after I took the GXP for a spin because it was just as awesome as I had anticipated, and I knew that GM had no plans of continuing production, even under another name.
When you first get into the GXP, there's something pretty cool about having to press in a clutch pedal to get the car started. The last time I was in a car like this, it had a V badge on the back of it and had a higher price tag. With the turn of the key, the Pontiac comes to life, albeit quietly. I rowed the shifter far to the right and forward to put the TR6060 into Reverse. Initially, the clutch had a very poor feel to me and it was hard to determine when and where it engaged. A few trips around the block, however, and I was used to it and actually began to enjoy the soft-pedal feel.
One of the first things I noticed was that the brakes bite with impressive force and bring the GXP to a halt smoothly and quickly. For me, brakes are a very large part of any performance car and this one does it right. While it may only be a front caliper and rotor assembly upgrade, the rear only accounts for 30-percent of braking and are sufficient in this setup. I will note that brake fade shows up after about four to five heavy stops-very respectable for a factory setup on a heavy car like this.
Rowing through the gears is always fun and being able to do it with four doors adds to the cool factor. The gear spacing is well executed and gears One through Three almost seem made for the LS3's powerband. Merging into traffic is effortless. You look at the hole you want to get in and within seconds you're there with very little work from the Gen IV mill. Under heavy load, the LS-engine makes all the right noises but it's a little too muffled for my taste. The TR6060 is a phenomenal transmission that loves to be downshifted and will go into any gear you tell it without complaint.