its a version of the V8 in the VE Commodore that has been modified to have AFM...

they are probably using this V8 because that's what they have down under.. and they want to leave room for the GXP later to have a significant horsepower boost

 

Robert Nashville got it, I do not know about the rest?

If you are fine with 360hp, then why not 300hp or maybe 250hp. Of all places to see people not wanting more HP, a Camaro forum. Would you be happy with a 5th gen making 360ish hp, while the Challenger is pumping out 425+hp and a Mustang version already putting out 500hp.

360 is not enough when you can get 300 from a V6. As far as mods go when you get it. How wrong is that - I am going to risk voiding my 5y 100,000 mile warranty, so I can make my 6.0L GM engine have the same hp as a 6.0L GM engine that exists in the same car in England. Even though they were built side by side in Australia.

Yes they may bring them out in the second or third year, but they are already out in other parts of the world.

I know why they do all this stuff and that is why GM irks me.

BMW, MB, Audi, Jag, Aston Martin, Porsche and others seem to not mind offering some powerful saloons and coupes here in the States, why not GM.

Gas in Europe is more than the USA and they are very much more conerned about MPG than us (thus their diesels vs. our SUVs), but they got the better version.

Maybe I use that much power, maybe I do not. I would like the chance to make that decision.

 

Something else to take into consideration is the price. IIRC, the Monaro exported to the UK was significantly more than the GTO. Maybe GM's trying to justify their price point this time?

 

That is it RIGHT there!

Jeep boy doesn't seem to understand that the Vauxhall/Opel/HSV versions of the Zeta car will cost in excess of $50k US. The HSV cars are Holden's best and they are produced in VERY small numbers. The G8 GT is a very high volume output for Holden's factory, which also supplies all of Australia and GM Arabia with a multitude of models.

Are you willing to shell out $50k for a 3800 lb Pontiac Sedan?

Didn't think so.

As for why the 361 hp V8, it is the L76 which Holden uses in the Calis V8, SS-V Commodores and its Statesman/Caprice models. The LS2 is actually a lower production engine. It is reserved for Corvette and CTS-V right now, though it will be replaced shortly. The L76 and L98 engines will also be replaced in the not to distant future. GM is moving quickly with its OHV V8s and constantly improving. Heck if you were going to be complaining about not getting a V8 you could choose the 6.2 VVT AFM V8 from the Escalade and Denalis. Or how about the LS7? Which would make the price JUMP even more dramatically!

 

Unfortunately it seems that this post has been glossed right over. He makes a good point.

Mr. Jeep, did the SRT8 Charger come out the same year as the regular charger? What about the 3 Series? 330i first, then the 335i with the turbo, THEN the hi-po M3.

Mustang/Mustang GT first. Then convertible. THEN the GT500. Mercedes [insert model here]. THEN [insert AMG model here].

Porsche 911 Carrera. THEN 911 Turbo. PT Cruiser. THEN the turbo and convertible models.

That said, I do understand that it seems frustrating to know that the model does already exist and is being sold elsewhere. However, as others have pointed out, the market might be pretty tiny for a $40k-$50k Pontiac sedan at this point. The ~$30k G8 GT puts it right up against a Charger RT, Nissan Maxima, and so forth. 400-500 hp is getting into pretty rarified air for a non-lux nameplate.

 

We all have our opinions and they may all be right, who knows. It is just a rant on why GM irks me.

Why would any fan of General Motors not want them to try and bring their best product to the states. Maybe it works, maybe it does not; however by making excuses we will never know

Maybe the good stuff will come later, maybe it does not. It just stinks it is already out and not available here. We get to go through the stages and most of you have already ranted about the top Camaro not coming out until the 2nd year, same for the convertible. By the time the Camaro is released with its 6.0L(I am saying 6L since that is what the concept has) 400-450hp, there would already have been a supercharged 6.0L making 500hp out for 2 years and not offered. I am a natural air fan over forced air , but whatever.

Maybe it would cost $50,000 or maybe $40,000. That is GMs own fault, they will make cars a lot cheaper once they get their house in order. I really believe that.

 

I gotta agree while I'm always for more power this car fits right in line with the competition for the price point. If anything having the HSV and Euro model available with the higher HP means GM can go get it when needed.

As for why it takes a year or so to make it to the US even for a car already being produced. Well lets just say that we have some interesting laws governing our cars here and those things take time to engineer. See FMVSS.

 

Will someone please tell me when I can actually go into a dealer and get a G8??? and when could I pre-order should I choose to do so???

 

Top of the line Camaro? No, but would be a nice option for people who dont want tons of horsepower.

Ok, but well thats the choice you make. I dont know many 300hp V6 4dr sedans you know under 30k, but whatever lets take it. 360hp and some 400ftlbs of torque should be PLENTY to move you through traffic. If you dont like it, wait.

Thats designed to keep the buzz of the car going. Its the ability to keep the car fresh, keep bringing out new models, keep attention on the cars instead of blowing the load and walking away.

Um...we are talking about PONTIAC! Find me a 300hp car that anyone of them make that is SUB 30k? How about find me a 400hp car for under 40k? These companies do offer them, and so does GM, BUT YOU MUST PAY FOR IT!! Did the M5 launch the first year? Did Jag launch R models across the board? Did the RS4 launch in its first year of the new A4?
But the big point is that you cant touch any of these cars unless you have AT LEAST 60k!!

Gas is cheaper in the US, which is why in Europe, 90% of the cars on the road are subcompacts, with sub 2.0 engines. Get better versions? European cars are on a different level, they mean different things then they do in America. Are there better cars in Europe? Yeah, because in America, we want lazy A to B cars and thats what we suffer with.

If you want to have the chance, then you can wait or move on, its THAT easy. You are talking to Camaro people, people that have been waiting since 2002 to buy a Camaro, and will continue to wait another 2,3,5 years till they get a chance to buy one. So dont get all upset that you cant get a 500hp car RIGHT NOW.

 

Its not that we dont want them to bring the best, we are a small crowd in the mass of boring America. Where the best selling vechiles are trucks and soul-less Camrys and Accords.
Would I love to have an Astra VXR in showrooms? Hell yeah!
Would we love to see some Euro only type cars in America? Sure.
This move of Holden bringing cars BACK into America after a little slip with the GTO shows that GM IS in fact bringing some of the best stuff here. And with platform sharring in the future, the ability of world chassis, this will expand the fun world wide.

There will always be a better, more powerful engine. The SC 6.0 motor going in the VXR500 has been out for a year or so, they sold them in Europe. Super GTO's. But there is a better motor coming, the LS9, which will make more then 500hp. Just cause there is an engine out there, doesnt mean that it automaticly has to go into a car.

Its not GM's fault, there is a certain price that goes along with power. I dont think that there should be 400hp for under 30k. I dont think there should be 500hp for under 45k. Corners are cut to make them affordable, al la GT500.
Its not a matter of making them cheaper, its the matter of making a TRUE SPORTS CAR/SEDAN!! Really, when you think about, GM does a great job of making a car offers you performance that can top cars MUCH more expensive. The CTS-V brought you last gen M5 powertrain, handling and ride for tens of thousands of dollars less. Next gen CTSV is said to have more then enough power to handle M5, E63, RS4, and the new IS-F.
Z06 brings you power and handling to match pretty much any supercar under half a million dollars.

 

The issues is that we are enthusiests but realists. You are being an idealist and an enthusiest. While we understand that a $50K 450 hp Pontiac sedan would be cool we also understand that it woudn't sell. That is being REAL. Should GM bring it over here just to lose money on it when instead they can bring over a lower hp version at a lower cost and MAKE money? No. If you are wishing for that then you will likely get NO support on this board. While we are performance enthusiests we don't agree that GM should burn money for no reason. Is this getting through?

 

the Vauxhall VXR8 is going on sale for £35,000 ish. At current rates, that's about $70,000 US. Before people moan more, the fact that you will get a 360hp version for less than half of what the Brits pay should get you thinking ...

 

Let's step back into the land of logic. We're talking about competitive horsepower at a very competitive price. If any GM model out there trumps its direct competition at a similar price point....I don't care if it's G8 GT-Charger R/T or Camaro-Mustang or whatever.....what more can you ask for?

Thank you. [/thread]

 

360 beats the competition.. 300 and 250 do not.. it's that simple... the competition in this case are cars like the 300C, Charger RT, and Magnum RT.. full size v8 cars...

the GXP will beat the SRT-8s, i'm pretty confident in that...