You're talking about an over 100 HP deficit...yes it holds water if the hp is in the same ballpark.(L98 = 245hp)(BTW, I ran 13'90's@96mph in my ROC with minor bolt ons.)

G8 = 3800lbs, 361hp/390+lbft, with a stick, and performance gearing, should be well into the 13's.

IS350 = 3527lbs....306 hp 277lbft...13.70's @104...5.2 ish 0-60
G35 = 3505lbs... 293hp/258lbft...13.90's @ 102...5.6 ish 0-60

With over 100lbft of torque more and more hp, my bet is definitely on the G8 by a few tenths..

 

First, the G8 is the most exciting car I've seen introduced in a long time, because it's the closest to what I actually want to buy.

That said, I wouldn't claim victory over the IS350 just yet in the 1/4 mile race. Tests of that car show a pretty consistent 1/4 mile time of 13.6@103-104mph.

And it's actually HP that wins races, but cars with spectacular high end HP numbers (like the S2000 or the high-strung Toyota 1.8) tend to have an average HP well below the peak, whereas cars with a nice, fat, torque curve tend to have an average HP much closer to the peak. Thus the saying, even though it's not strictly true

The IS350 has a nice fat torque curve. It's lower than the L76, but it lasts longer. So I'm thinking that the IS350 will still beat the L76 G8 due to being 400 pounds lighter. But I don't expect the A5 G35 to beat the L76 G8, since it produces less power than the IS350 until near the end of the rev range, and tests of the latest G35 M6 have it running a 1/4 in 13.9@100 or 101. The A5 G35s have always been a couple of ticks behind the M6.

Like I really care, though. The G8 will be less expensive, it will run on regular, and if I really want more power, I hear that there are aftermarket addons for the GM Smallblock

Barring some unforeseen circumstance, I foresee one in my garage.

Btw, Wheels has tested four Commodores with the L98, and they are all in the 13.9-14.0 second range for 400m (1308 feet) -- two were A6 and two were M6. Last I heard, Wheels was still testing two-up. I would expect C&D and Motor Trend to be able to dip into the high 13s, especially after they correct to the standard sea level, cool (59 degrees?) conditions that they always do.

 

OMG.
Please. . .Your 13.90s @ 96mph just tells me you hooked up well. The trap speed shows that your car really wasn't moving all that well.

Don't get me wrong. I'd rather have the V8 & its torque. . . and I DO believe that torque makes a car more friendly & enjoyable around town.

But, ***** out, from a dead stop, if a car makes mediocre torque & good HP like the G35 or IS350, then the difference isn't that great.

Lets compare an Acura TL with 258 hp & 233 ft/lbs tq. to a 1992 Z28.

TL = 3580 lbs curb weight
1992 Z28 = 3273 lbs

Now, explain to me how a 6spd TL can give up 300lbs, make only 13 more hp, and fall short of torque by 112 lb/ft, and turn similar 1/4 mile times of low 14s @ ~96-99mph.

 

Exactly!!

For me the G8 GT may be the perfect blend of burbly V8, shiftyourowngears trans, fit the whole family if you have to practicality, and of course, affordable cost.

The daily driver for the incurable gearhead family man. Whether it's the fastest thing on the street - I could care less, because that's not this car's point.

Truthfully, this car hits the sweet spot with me far better than the GTO did, horsepower difference be damned.

 

.
Well first, I don't know of many 3273lb 1992 "Z28's, my '90 IROC w/o the extra ground effects and larger spoiler making it hard pressed to be lighter.
I weighed in at the local strip at 3658lb with me @ 210lb...that puts it at 3448...maybe the 3273 was a 1Le??
Bone stock I ran 14.20's @ 100mph avg..
But here's why....our L98's quit pulling at HALF TRACK...due to valve float and longtube intake runners.
Simply put torque is the strength of the leverage, and hp is how fast it makes that leverage or Revs...but I'm sure you know that.(not trying to come off hostile or anything... )
Like teal was trying to say, the shape of the torque qnd horsepower curves do affect output...staying in the max torque numbers longer can make up alot.
We know the LSx engines don't have the rev problems the TPI had...and from all the info provided, it would take a bad driver to run low 14's in a G8 that powerful...Guess we'll have to wait to see.

 

The G8's production 19" wheels:

 

The same as my wheels! (SS-V)

 

This thread is pretty funny really. Everybody makes vague posts/SWAGs concerning GM and it's future all the time. The funniest part is that the vagueness allows people to claim glory when something close to your prediction comes true...but on the otherhand allows some people to wash their hands of it when they are dead wrong.

 

I think I actually pefer these wheels (given the choice) to the HSV versions on the "concept". After checking out the various G8 pics and in between drooling sessions I find they seem to fall on the over-wrought side of things and I think that attention-wise, to me, they compete with the car instead of enhancing its presence. I'm not sure if that accurately conveys what I'm thinking or not....

I'll take a simple 5 spoke wheel any day. It's still an awesome car though......

 

That is FAR superior to the sharp edged, overwrought, mutated starfish looking things that were on the concept. Plus, 19s are a better size than 20s.

Thank goodness those 20s are not going to be the production wheel.

 

You really hate those wheels, huh Joe. Proportionally, the G8 swallows those 20's pretty nicely though. I'll ge a good look at them tomorrow morning in the flesh - after the Illinois Camaro Club private preview of the Camaro Convert concept.

 

Does it show? Yeah, the 20s really don't look too out of place (just based on size / proportion). I just think wheels in general are getting huge these days, which adds weight (unsprung) and rotational inertia. I'm one of those who think the 21/22 combo on the Camaro concept was ridiculously huge. 22s look rather large on an Escalade; they are ginormous on a car.

The G8 is a full size car (like the LX cars), so it can use somewhat larger wheels (combined with its body overhangs and general styling) to look smaller than it is, which is nice. I should go look at the Holden site to see how 18s and 19s look, but I'm guessing they look pretty nice proportionally. On the more vertical and slab sided LX cars, 17s look small. 18s look about right for a normal driver. On the SRT8 cars, the 20s look pretty badass (but they are attractive 20s, particularly those on the Dodge SRT8s). 20s would probably work on a G8 GTP / GXP, should it arrive.

 

That wheel is practically 6 ft tall!!