# G8 vs GTO



## canadianGTO (Aug 8, 2009)

What are the opinions of GTO owners, I monitor the G8 board since my wife has a G8 GT, and have noticed that the GXP owners have a bit of a superiority complex regarding the GXP, many claim that the GXP is the fastest Pontiac ever produced, what are your thoughts since this is a GTO forum.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

"Most powerful Pontiac ever made" is the title the G8 GXP holds, not "the quickest." We hold that one. We weigh less, and the 25hp difference isn't that much to write home about when you weigh 300+lbs more. Same goes for the Camaro SS...


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

The G8 GXP has more horses. But like Dan said it weighs more so the power to weight ratio is won by the GTO.

However both are excellent cars. My cousins husband just got a GXP in November and I'm itching to go over and see it when he takes it out of storage this spring.


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## BaadFLGoat (Nov 16, 2010)

G8=FAIL. I eat those for breakfast...Those are the poor bastards that jumped on the GTO band wagon too late....Plus we have one thing they will never have. The name sake of the mighty GTO. Just the name GTO commands respect.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

No Pontiac is fail. Except for the G3, I'll maybe give a thumbs down to that. Quality is still probably worlds better than the Chevy Aveo, I'd bet. Pontiac always puts Chevrolet to shame in quality and appearance, even the "corporate" Ponchos. More welds per given area...

A G8 is really a Grand Prix, just as a G6 is really a Grand Am.


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## canadianGTO (Aug 8, 2009)

It is good to read others with the opinions that I have, the attitudes of GXP owners just bugs me.

For what it is worth since I own both (G8 & GTO) the G8 has some nice features over the GTO, but the GTO is screwed together better and has a far superior interior.


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## fattirewilly (May 26, 2006)

Looking back a the magazine 1/4 mile times, about 13.3 for the 05/06 GTO vs. 13.0 for the G8 GXP. HOWEVER, the stock GTO tires were more all season oriented whereas the GXP had summer tires (all season tires also available but why would a magazine test those).


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

The car magazines are professional bench racers. Fastest writers in the country, with a penchant for fellating anything BMW.

Seriously, I'd bet in that same article, they compared it to some BMW, then said the G8 was just a Geo Metro with some gas guzzling V8. Or something to that effect.


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

I wonder what G8 owners will do when GM releases the "next" one as a Chevy. You know Holden is going to do it, they need the volume. When the platform goes for a redesign mid-decade it's bound to ship another one over the pond, this generation was cut short due to the death of Pontiac.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Yeah, good move GM, ditch your best selling brands in favor of your wanker brands, Buick & GMC. With a mentality like that, it's only a matter of time before the entire company collapses, needs another bailout, and churns out even more overpriced uninspired crap nobody wants...

But, but what about China? They sell Buicks there!


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

In all honesty they should have killed Buick and GMC too and sold Opel. Chevy/Cadillac would be much easier to manage. You'd only have to do one rebadge (Chevy would be Holden still) but other than that, you'd have two global brands.

Oh well maybe NEXT time.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

canadianGTO said:


> What are the opinions of GTO owners, I monitor the G8 board since my wife has a G8 GT, and have noticed that the GXP owners have a bit of a superiority complex regarding the GXP, many claim that the GXP is the fastest Pontiac ever produced, what are your thoughts since this is a GTO forum.


I'm a G8/GTO owner too.

That don't only happen with the G8 it happens with the Mustang, Corvette crowds too. When you own a car that is the king of the hill people hike up their pants and say look what I got. As you know the GTO and G8 is apples to oranges. The G8 was improved over the GTO big time, it was designed from Australia not the bastardize frankenstine GTO we got that has been remolded from a Opel Omega. There is a laundry list of improvements over the GTO because it was based off of a dated platform. The Zeta/VE platform is going to be around for sometime the ZetaII platform what the Camaro uses might not. GM is talking about basing the next gen Camaro off the Caddy platform(kappa??). Zeta is to big and heavy but its is solid.

I love them both, I'll never get rid of the GTO for a GXP but I really want a GXP badly. The biggest things the G8/GXP has over the GTO larger wheel wells, better suspension, drivetrain, and LS3.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

:agree Come on guys, come to your senses, the GTO was Pontiacs last ditch effort to produce a GTO, but instead of engineering a car, they stole one. After the GTO/G8, Pontiac went under. The last true badass real Pontiac was the WS-6 Trans Am, that car had all the in your face styling and advertising. I really wish Pontiac would of developed a late model GTO that was retro, but it was too late for Pontiac, they were already done.
I do like the newer GTO, I just wish the gas tank wasn't in the trunk and you could actually put a piece of luggage in there.
So,the Pontiac G8 GXP actually layed claim to the fastest Pontiac ever!! Well, instead of being annoyed, be a Pontiac fan and actually appreciate the G8!! Pontiac is done, no reason to have animosity inside the brand..
For GM4life: Caddy is strong and is picking up the gap and coming out with some high end muscle cars! Gotta love caddy!


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Charge even more for even blander looks. Makes perfect sense. If I wanted lame-o looks with power, I'd buy a Mercedes.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Poncho, there are some very sharp Mercedes out there, I don't know which ones you are looking at.. I love the look of the new Caddy's myself, and would love a CTS-V. The G8 is a sport/touring car, not a true sports car, but a great road car and a ball to drive. The Vette is the only no compromise sports car GM makes.


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## dustyminpin (Jun 19, 2006)

A guy I used to work with has an '08 G8 GT. I did't care for the cheap looking digital bars on the dash but I've been to JHP's website and they too have gauge options for the G8 (expensive I'm sure). Overall, I think the GTO has a nicer interior and the body style of the G8 GT just doesn't command respect to me. Hell, I'd rather have a Grand Prix GXP front wheel drive with the 5.3 over a G8, in the looks department anyway (I almost bought an '06 teal metallic with beige leather interior instead of the goat. The 2 were parked side by side and I was looking at the Grand Prix pretty hard). 

As far as the G8 GXP goes, I've only seen one in real life. They are very rare. I ran across a blue one on the 2010 Hot Rod Power Tour. I fell in love. It's got a more aggressive body kit over the GT and rims that are just to DIE for. But at $42,000? No way in hell. If I'm paying that kind of money for a 4 door with ballz, it's gotta be a Charger SRT8 all day long, or maybe even the Super Bee edition if it was within price range.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

jetstang said:


> ....Caddy is strong and is picking up the gap and coming out with some high end muscle cars! Gotta love caddy!


:agree I bought my wife a 2010 CTS --- not the V, just the base model V-6 with the 6 speed auto. I tell ya, for a V6 that thing cooks! Handles very well, and is a blast to drive. I can only imagine what the CTS-V is like.

My biggest problem with the "new" GTO was that you had to squint to read the badges to even tell what it was. The overall shape and style to me looked just like "every other GM mid/full size" car out there. I drove one once, and loved the way it drove and ran, but in the end I decided to concentrate on getting my 69 up and running instead.

Bear


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

jetstang said:


> :agree Come on guys, come to your senses, the GTO was Pontiacs last ditch effort to produce a GTO, but instead of engineering a car, they stole one. After the GTO/G8, Pontiac went under. The last true badass real Pontiac was the WS-6 Trans Am, that car had all the in your face styling and advertising.


:agree


> So,the Pontiac G8 GXP actually layed claim to the fastest Pontiac ever!! Well, instead of being annoyed, be a Pontiac fan and actually appreciate the G8!! Pontiac is done, no reason to have animosity inside the brand..


:agree Exactly!!



> For GM4life: Caddy is strong and is picking up the gap and coming out with some high end muscle cars! Gotta love caddy!


:agree
You know GM got smart. They want to get a piece of the BMW M's and Merc AMG's


jetstang said:


> there are some very sharp Mercedes out there, I don't know which ones you are looking at.. I love the look of the new Caddy's myself, and would love a CTS-V. The G8 is a sport/touring car, not a true sports car, but a great road car and a ball to drive. The Vette is the only no compromise sports car GM makes.


:agree
Smart people know there is a price to pay when you buy Merc's and BMWs yes they are nice cars and I love them too. How many old ones you see on the road? Exactly, because they are expensive to maintain. I took the wifes G8 on some canyon roads and I can tell you what for a heavy car that thing held its own. Rowing thru the gears with the DSC is fun.


dustyminpin said:


> Hell, I'd rather have a Grand Prix GXP front wheel drive with the 5.3 over a G8, in the looks department anyway (I almost bought an '06 teal metallic with beige leather interior instead of the goat. The 2 were parked side by side and I was looking at the Grand Prix pretty hard).


Have you worked on a GP GXP? Pain in the butt to work on. The battery is burried in the wheel well. Also the torque steer is bad. Talk about ~330lb-ft to the front wheels.


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

GM4life said:


> Have you worked on a GP GXP? Pain in the butt to work on. The battery is burried in the wheel well. Also the torque steer is bad. Talk about ~330lb-ft to the front wheels.


GP GXP's like Impala/Mont Carlo SS's and LaCrosse Supers also like to grenade transmissions.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

BearGFR said:


> :agree I bought my wife a 2010 CTS --- not the V, just the base model V-6 with the 6 speed auto. I tell ya, for a V6 that thing cooks! Handles very well, and is a blast to drive. I can only imagine what the CTS-V is like.
> My biggest problem with the "new" GTO was that you had to squint to read the badges to even tell what it was. The overall shape and style to me looked just like "every other GM mid/full size" car out there. I drove one once, and loved the way it drove and ran, but in the end I decided to concentrate on getting my 69 up and running instead.
> Bear


:agree I took my Mom car shopping and she got an 08 CTS4= all wheel drive, she let me drive it one time, when I hit the go peddle it went pretty damn good for a V-6, I also love the interior..
I feel the same way on the GTO styling, looks good, but pretty subtle styling for Pontiac. I do like the interior and gauges.


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## tyty (Aug 21, 2010)

BaadFLGoat said:


> G8=FAIL. I eat those for breakfast...Those are the poor bastards that jumped on the GTO band wagon too late....Plus we have one thing they will never have. The name sake of the mighty GTO. Just the name GTO commands respect.


:agree 100% you cant beat the GTO badge with any other pontiac and you cant beat the performance imo the GTO is the most recognizable and memorable name Pontiac ever made.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

tyty said:


> :agree 100% you cant beat the GTO badge with any other pontiac and you cant beat the performance imo the GTO is the most recognizable and memorable name Pontiac ever made.


I'd agree with that as long as you are referring to the 60s-70s GTO. The only thing the 04-06 GTO has in common is the name.......


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## dustyminpin (Jun 19, 2006)

Take a small 2 door coupe and shoehorn a bigass V8 in there. Wasn't that the idea behind the original GTO? That's what separated it from the Lemans-Tempests of the day. Same thing with our cars now. It's what separates us from the 2 door G6's, G5's, Cobalts, etc. I could give a rat's ass if it doesn't look like a goat from back when carburated dinosaurs roamed the earth. IMO, the last couple years of the goat were butt ass ugly, with the surf board sized rear spoilers, pronounced nostril looking front ends, etc. I'd take one of the first couple years with the headlights stacked on top of each other, but that's it.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

Don't get me wrong, I love my car. If that's your opinion, cool, but allow me to have mine. One of the things I like about my 05 is that it is not an attempt to be 'retro' in it's looks. But it has no connection with the old school GTO's other than the name. And that 'big ass v8' you speak of is really a small block......and a Chevy small block at that.:cheers


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## dustyminpin (Jun 19, 2006)

Big ass V8s compared to the 2.0s or whatever the ecotechs are nowadays in the general's small 2 door cars, all I was getting at.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

Chevy haven't made an engine in years. Its corporate engines now.


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

Good old GM Powertrain out of Pontiac, MI.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

You guys know what I mean......


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Dusty, wow, the old goats are what made Pontiac famous, all the years.. The Lemans and GTO are identical cars, and you could get the big motor in later Lemans's. Us older guys that had the old cars do like the newer goats, but I'd rather have my Vette for now. I just wish it had a real trunk and didn't look like a Grand Am..
I think the corporate engines are chevy's, as the other GM brands used the Chevy's since the 80's. I give chevy credit for the LS motors.


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## SWGOAT (Nov 9, 2010)

I would have to agree GTO, 2 door muscle, G8, four door family sedan. Have all the attitude you want, four doors is still a sedan. G8 wannabe GTO. Nice sedan, but not a GOAT.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

HP11 said:


> The only thing the 04-06 GTO has in common is the name.......


How about unapologetic balls-out performance without screaming "Hey, look at me! I'm important!"


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## weissadam24 (Mar 18, 2010)

Agree to disagree, I love the G8's looks IMO it looks better then the GTO. What if they would have made a 2 door G8? It may not be as fast but it sure looks sexy!


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

I don't know a GTO with SAP front, sides, and larger wheels looks just as aggressive as the G8. Less angular still, but I think the difference isn't as much as the GTO stock.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

SWGOAT said:


> I would have to agree GTO, 2 door muscle, G8, four door family sedan. Have all the attitude you want, four doors is still a sedan. G8 wannabe GTO. Nice sedan, but not a GOAT.


The G8 was never a wanna b GTO, it is trying to compete with the other touring cars. Especially since it's a Euro style car trying to compete with BMW and the like. It's not cool that it's front wheel drive, so you cant' steal ideas from the GTO to make it hook..


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

The G8 is RWD...


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Poncho Dan said:


> The G8 is RWD...


Really, I just read the it was front wheel drive, wondered what the hell they were tallking about.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Really, I don't understand why the mods don't lock this thread anyways. Bickering over little BS. "Car X is really just a wannabe Car Y." STFU. 

Lets just agree that Pontiac > all other cars.

/thread


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

weissadam24 said:


> Agree to disagree, I love the G8's looks IMO it looks better then the GTO. What if they would have made a 2 door G8? It may not be as fast but it sure looks sexy!


The Camaro is a two door G8. 


jetstang said:


> The G8 was never a wanna b GTO, it is trying to compete with the other touring cars. Especially since it's a Euro style car trying to compete with BMW and the like.


:agree


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm still mad about no Ute.

However I'm hoping that with the next generation they bring it over, call it an El Camino.

I'm all about the Ute.


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

sadly with that independent rear suspension of the UTE you lose nearly any utility from the bed and any practicality without a back seat...
Bill


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## dustyminpin (Jun 19, 2006)

The General's already got a body converstion kit for the Ute to make it an El Camino. There's a picture of one in the latest issue of Chevy High Performance. It is still up in the air whether they are going to go through with it or not, said if they do to look for it sometime in 2013 maybe as a '14 model. Having seen 3 LS3 equipped Utes while on the Power Tour last year, I say, bring those sexy assed car/truck things over here! I'd buy one (but I'm biased, had an '81 Elco with the pig 305).


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

:agree I've had a few Elcaminos over the years, there not the best car or truck, but do both OK. And you can build them like a Chevelle and make them fast. I like the Ute alot! Also saw them on the power tour, but didn't get any pics.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

This would have looked so good parked next to my GTO in the garage:


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

dustyminpin said:


> The General's already got a body converstion kit for the Ute to make it an El Camino. There's a picture of one in the latest issue of Chevy High Performance. It is still up in the air whether they are going to go through with it or not, said if they do to look for it sometime in 2013 maybe as a '14 model. Having seen 3 LS3 equipped Utes while on the Power Tour last year, I say, bring those sexy assed car/truck things over here! I'd buy one (but I'm biased, had an '81 Elco with the pig 305).


That's the timing all right, shocked they told you!!

I'm hoping they import it and the Sportwagon as I like both of them over the sedan.

I'd be super stoked if they did either! LS3 Manual Transmission Please!


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

HP11 said:


> This would have looked so good parked next to my GTO in the garage:


This was more what I wanted, a G8 Safari.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

I'd take that for my wife.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

I was just thinking, Pontiac never really made a truck in earnest.

I was trying to find info on the '55 Chieftain truck, which I originally thought was just a show car, but according to the Canadian site I found this on, there were 255 factory modified Chieftain Safaris sold in Canada. I wish I could find the picture of the mint condition one I saw years ago...









They again attempted to produce one from the Bonneville in '59, but with no result. That I can't really find any info on.

Then of course, there was the one-off 1980 Grand Am truck.









It's a shame, really. The G8 ute could have been the "first" Pontiac truck...


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## Usarmymullins (May 1, 2011)

That's a good point. Now that you mention it, it sucks pontiac didn't make a truck lol


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