| Pontiac intends to beef up performance; this | | | | Buick and GMC. |
| is why the automaker will be unveiling two | | | | |
| new rear-wheel drive powerhouses at next | | | | Pontiac, the struggling brand of General |
| week's New York International Auto Show. But | | | | Motors Corp., is freeing its high-performance |
| experts say the beefing up was made at the | | | | G8 family to bang sales doldrums and to |
| wrong time. | | | | repair its image. But the new corporate |
| | | | average fuel economy (CAFÉ) standards |
| Amid rising gasoline prices and the | | | | could hinder the plans. |
| intensifying global warming issues, shoppers' | | | | |
| appetite for gas-guzzlers are curtailed. | | | | Aaron Bragman, an auto analyst at Global |
| Timing couldn't be worse. | | | | Insight, now considers the maker of Pontiac |
| | | | radiators the most at-risk of General Motors' |
| At the New York show, Pontiac will showcase | | | | brands. "The renaissance was on the books, |
| the 2009 G8 GXP featuring the new 6.2-liter | | | | but it's basically been thrown into confusion |
| small-block V-8 engine generating 402 | | | | with the new CAFE rules," Bragman told MSNBC. |
| horsepower. According to the automaker, the | | | | "The future depends on what they can do with |
| G8 GXP sedan, set to go on sale this year, | | | | Pontiac. Can they make it a four-cylinder, |
| will be able to go from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 | | | | turbocharged brand, or are Americans so set |
| seconds. The new sedan is also equipped with | | | | on it being the rumbly, rear-wheel-drive V-8 |
| a specially tuned suspension and an optional | | | | division that anything else is not going to |
| new six-speed manual transmission. | | | | fly?" |
| | | | |
| Aside from the performance sedan, the | | | | Jack Nerad, executive market analyst for |
| automaker will also introduce the 2010 | | | | Kelley Blue Book, said Pontiac's return to |
| Pontiac G8 sport truck, a two-seater built on | | | | its performance roots is a positive step, but |
| the G8 platform with a 73-inch cargo bed. The | | | | years of lukewarm vehicles have made the |
| sport truck, which will arrive in dealerships | | | | brand irrelevant to many consumers. "They're |
| late next year, has the same 361-horsepower, | | | | on the brink of either great success or |
| 6.0-liter V-8 used in the G8 GT sedan. | | | | marginalization," he added. |
| | | | |
| "There's simply nothing else like the G8 | | | | "Pontiac has always been about style and |
| sport truck on the road today, and we | | | | performance. There have certainly been times |
| definitely believe that there are customers | | | | that we've fulfilled that mission better than |
| who will be excited by its distinctive | | | | others," Nerad concluded. "We're again |
| design, performance and cargo capabilities," | | | | getting the vehicles that fulfill that |
| said Jim Bunnell, general manager of Pontiac, | | | | mission very clearly. |