Pontiac G8 GXP 6.2 LS3

Pontiac G8 GXP 6.2 LS3

The Pontiac G8 GXP stands as one of the great 'what if' cars in American automotive history. Arriving for the 2009 model year just as General Motors was heading into bankruptcy and preparing to eliminate the Pontiac brand entirely, the G8 GXP was the finest performance sedan Pontiac had ever produced, and it never had the chance to find its audience.

Like the GTO before it, the G8 was based on a Holden platform, this time the VE Commodore, which was itself one of the finest rear-wheel-drive sedan platforms in the world. The GXP variant was equivalent to the Holden Special Vehicles ClubSport, incorporating the LS3 V8 engine from the C6 Corvette, Brembo brakes, and a fully independent suspension tuned for performance driving.

The LS3 engine produced 415 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, identical to its Corvette application. The GXP was the only Pontiac sedan ever offered with a six-speed manual transmission (the Tremec TR6060, also from the Corvette), though a six-speed automatic was available for those who preferred it. The manual-equipped G8 GXP was, in essence, a four-door Corvette.

Brembo brakes with four-piston front and two-piston rear calipers provided stopping power that matched the engine's prodigious output. The suspension was lowered and stiffened compared to the standard G8 GT, with performance-oriented spring rates, damper calibrations, and stabilizer bars. The result was a sedan that could lap a road course with surprising competence while still transporting four adults in comfort.

The GXP's performance numbers were stunning for a full-size sedan. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 12.9 seconds, placing the G8 GXP in company with the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG at roughly half their price. The car also posted a 0.89g average on the skidpad, exceptional for a sedan of its size.

Only 1,829 G8 GXP models were produced before Pontiac's cancellation, making it one of the rarest modern American performance sedans. Of those, approximately 660 were equipped with the six-speed manual transmission, creating a subset that is particularly sought after by enthusiasts.

The G8 GXP's tragic timing meant that it never received the recognition it deserved during its brief period of availability. Reviews were universally positive, but the shadow of GM's financial crisis and Pontiac's impending demise meant that few buyers took the plunge. Those who did, however, were rewarded with one of the finest driver's cars ever produced by an American manufacturer.

Today, the G8 GXP has become a cult classic, with values rising steadily as the car's combination of performance, rarity, and historical significance becomes more widely appreciated. Manual-transmission GXPs in good condition are particularly sought after and command prices well above their original MSRP.