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Pontiac G8 to return as a chevy


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Pontiac G8 to Return - As a Chevy!

MotorTrend

November 22, 2010

by Mike Connor

 

 

 

 

With rear drive and a punchy V-8 under the hood, the Pontiac G8 was the first real sport sedan for Pontiac in decades, and we mourned its demise when GM killed off the Excitement Division as part of its post-bankruptcy rationalization. But it appears the G8 will make a comeback -- only this time wearing Chevy badges. Three GM sources have confirmed to Motor Trend the Australian-built sedan will re-appear on the U.S. market as a Chevy in the coming year. And it won't be called Impala. "We have a good name for it," smiled one of the sources.

 

Bringing back the G8 (the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP is pictured) as a Chevy seemed such a no-brainer -- all the certification and engineering work required to transform the Holden Commodore into a Pontiac had already paid for by the Old GM -- it's a surprise it's taken so long. Part of the reason for the delay, we understand, is that GM wanted to wait for a mid-cycle facelift on the Holden Commodore to give the car a fresher exterior look. In addition, some re-certification work will also likely need to be performed to get the car back to U.S. spec.

 

Cost is another problem, though -- with the Australian dollar now at parity with the greenback, shipping cars from Australia is now an expensive proposition. Because of this, and CAFE requirements, the Chevy sedan will only be available as a V-8, and in relatively limited numbers. And while Holden has also developed a U.S. market version of its mechanically identical Caprice long wheelbase sedan for police duty, this car will stay strictly for law enforcement duties.

 

Full article at link. http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_ne...hevy/index.html

 

It's still Holden on to the American dream

BRUCE NEWTON

 

The Melbourne Age Newspaper/Drive.com

November 20, 2010

 

Drive.Com Article

 

 

The Commodore looks set to regain its drawl, with US exports of the iconic Australian large car imminent, writes Bruce Newton.

 

The Holden Commodore appears odds-on to return to the US with a Chevrolet badge and it should happen within the lifespan of the current model.

 

A senior engineer for General Motors, Al Oppenheiser, confirmed to Drive at the Los Angeles motor show this week that negotiations were under way to sell the Commodore in North America as a Chevrolet sports sedan. We are definitely looking at that, although we have made no official announcement as yet," Oppenheiser said. "We are definitely looking at doing something with Holden for the retail market." "

 

Another GM source, who did not wish to be named, went further and said the export deal had been approved. "But you didn't hear me say that," the source said.

 

 

The VE Commodore was previously exported to the US as a Pontiac G8 with V6 and V8 engine options. That program ceased when GM crashed into bankruptcy last year and the struggling Pontiac brand was killed off.

 

The axing of the deal cost Holden millions of dollars in lost exports and placed the future of the Elizabeth plant and Holden itself in danger

 

"What we are looking at is bridging a gap in the performance sedan market that was vacated by the Pontiac G8," Oppenheiser said. "With no Pontiac, the obvious performance brand is Chevrolet.

 

"So the Commodore Zeta 1 architecture offers us so much with rear-wheel-drive performance. The synergy between motor compartment packaging of the Commodore and HSV products versus what we do here with Camaro and Corvette means the opportunities are endless."

 

. Full article at link: http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/its-...1119-180dm.html

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The UK version:

 

REAR-DRIVE, 6.2-LITRE V8, SUB-£50K: IT HAS TO BE THE NEW VXR8!

 

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The Australian version:

 

Holden Commodore SS V

 

GMC2010091707750_PV.jpg

 

I think this would be great for guys and gals who want a performance type vehicle but also have a family. The Chevy Chevelle SS. Any thoughts?

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Most Pontiacs back in the day had knock off versions of Chevy Cars. There was an old joke back in the 70's that Pontiacs were made from leftover parts from Chevy's.

 

 

Yep. Used to have a lot of interchangeable parts. Once the outside of the cares started changing then you sould still change out motor parts for a while!

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