GM is making some good stuff lately.

[Evan]

holy crap thats hot

[Goodspeed]

I think GM says "suckit". Damn, that looks *really* good.

Same with the new CTS-V on the horizon. I find it more attractive than comparable euro sedans, even the interior which I think looks incredible.

[.RJ]

The Malibu is kind of fugly but it's gotten great reviews and the interior looks topnotch.

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Car of the year? C'mon. :roll:

[Evan]

The Malibu is kind of fugly but it's gotten great reviews and the interior looks topnotch.

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Car of the year? C'mon. :roll:

have you driven one?

[.RJ]

Sure havent... but I'd think they could come up with something more interesting than an econobox that doesnt really bring anything new to the market for "car of the year"?

[CaptainHenreh]

Sure havent... but I'd think they could come up with something more interesting than an econobox that doesnt really bring anything new to the market for "car of the year"?

Uh, that's what the Car of the Year always is.

An accord, or camry, or some dumb shit.

[Hunter]

http://money.cnn.com/video/#/video/news/...r.cnnmoney

Car of the year? C'mon. :roll:

In the video they say that the Malibu has a corvette inspired interior... is that really something to brag about?

[HAULN-SS]

http://money.cnn.com/video/#/video/news/...r.cnnmoney

Car of the year? C'mon. :roll:

In the video they say that the Malibu has a corvette inspired interior... is that really something to brag about?

If you want to sell cars to Americans, I doubt you'd find any car brand with more of a following than Corvette.

[ScottyB]

If you want to sell cars to midlife-crisis 40 year olds, I doubt you'd find any car brand with more of a following than Corvette.

fixed :lol:

(much respect to the vette, seriously)

[Evan]

Sure havent... but I'd think they could come up with something more interesting than an econobox that doesnt really bring anything new to the market for "car of the year"?

so without driving any of the candidates, what would you pick

[.RJ]

Sure havent... but I'd think they could come up with something more interesting than an econobox that doesnt really bring anything new to the market for "car of the year"?

so without driving any of the candidates, what would you pick

Mach 5

[Steve85]

http://money.cnn.com/video/#/video/news/...r.cnnmoney

Car of the year? C'mon. :roll:

In the video they say that the Malibu has a corvette inspired interior... is that really something to brag about?

not a bad place to start...a classic sports car design

[Goodspeed]

So yeah....the Pontiac G8 GXP...with a 6 speed.

What is it?
2009 Pontiac G8 GXP

What's special about it?
Two words: Corvette power. Yes, the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP gets the same LS3 V8 as the Chevrolet Corvette. Sure, the GXP's more restrictive intake knocks the 6.2-liter V8 down to 402 horsepower and 402 pound-feet of torque, but that's still 41 extra hp and 17 more lb-ft of torque than the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT.

Pontiac says this is enough power to get the new 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 13 seconds flat at 108 mph. Not bad for a car that is expected to sticker for "just under $40,000," according to Brian Shipman, the Pontiac G8's product manager.

In addition to the extra horsepower from the retuned LS3 V8, the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP also gets something else that no other G8 has ÔÇö an optional manual transmission. It's a Tremec TR6060 six-speed, and it's the same MM6 version used in the base-model and Z06 Corvettes, which means it has the customary (but annoying) fuel-saving skip-shift feature. On the bright side, this gearbox runs through a set of 3.70:1 rear-end gears in place of the G8 GT's taller 2.92:1 ring-and-pinion, which should deliver much quicker acceleration. A six-speed 6L80 automatic is the standard transmission. It comes with 3.27:1 rear-axle ratio, and as with the manual-equipped models, a limited-slip differential comes standard.

Every GXP gets Pontiac's top-of-the-line FE3 suspension in place of the FE2 setup used by the GT. This features the same MacPherson struts up front and four-link independent arrangement in the back, but the dampers, springs and antiroll bars are tuned more aggressively than the GT's setup. Same goes for the steering, while the brakes are upgraded to 14-inch rotors in front with four-piston calipers and 12.8-inch rotors in back with single-piston calipers. A set of 19-inch polished aluminum wheels comes standard with 245/40R19 performance summer tires.

Interior upgrades consist of two-tone, power-adjustable sport seats with "GXP" embroidery, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, sport pedals with aluminum covers and a 230-watt Blaupunkt audio system.

Pontiac plans to build 5,000-7,000 examples of the 2009 GXP starting in late 2008.

What's Edmunds' take?
The standard G8 GT is already one of the best performance sedans you can buy for $30K. The 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP has a good chance of being the best performance bargain for $40K. Not a bad lineup. ÔÇö Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line

One of you old farts with a job and family will have to pick this up, if not new then in a couple years when they've depreciated. (not to mention used SRT8 anythings)

[HAULN-SS]

hrmmmm....I had kind of forgotten this was in the lineup as well...

[ScottyB]

One of you old farts with a job and family will have to pick this up, if not new then in a couple years when they've depreciated. (not to mention used SRT8 anythings)

honestly i saw that they're releasing the ST model (think el camino) and for some insane reason i really like it and would totally rock one. i'd love the bed space coupled with the car chassis and that killer engine.

anyone else read up on the new cobalt SS? that car hauls balls and aside from looking a bit drab will probably be the best FWD sleeper you can buy.

[HAULN-SS]

without googling, i heard the new cobalt set some kind of class record at the 'ring, right?

I just hope that either a new RWD Monte Carlo or Buick Grand National comes out in the next couple years before the EPA shuts off the power nozzle Car companies seem to have found in the last few years.

[JustinG]

I just hope that either a new RWD Monte Carlo or Buick Grand National comes out in the next couple years before the EPA shuts off the power nozzle Car companies seem to have found in the last few years.

have you seen a buick lately????

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dont get your hopes up

[flintster55]

anyone else read up on the new cobalt SS? that car hauls balls and aside from looking a bit drab will probably be the best FWD sleeper you can buy.

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Driver-selectable modes help maximize performance whether on the street or track. The unique "no-lift shift" feature enables manual-transmission-equipped models to achieve the best acceleration time via an algorithm in the engine controller.

Not gonna lie, that's a pretty impressive feature for coming straight from the factory. I'm curious to see how many blown engines or trannies that leads to though. Of course not every other car is made like mine with a glass tranny so who knows :dunno:

[ScottyB]

Not gonna lie, that's a pretty impressive feature for coming straight from the factory. I'm curious to see how many blown engines or trannies that leads to though. Of course not every other car is made like mine with a glass tranny so who knows :dunno:

i doubt it will blow, those ecotech engines are extremely stout. the GM factory drag teams utilize alot of stock parts in their 1000 horse fwd drag cars. also, the tranny is from the saab turbo lineup, which obviously put down a pretty good bit of power. we shall see what the warranty is....

as for the 'ring record, barring some GTR-esque assumptions, it laid down a time 13 seconds better than the MS3 which i think was teh class leader up to that point. it was also a faster time than the boxster, nissan Z, and a few other notable sports cars.

[D_Eclipse9916]

anyone else read up on the new cobalt SS? that car hauls balls and aside from looking a bit drab will probably be the best FWD sleeper you can buy.

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Driver-selectable modes help maximize performance whether on the street or track. The unique "no-lift shift" feature enables manual-transmission-equipped models to achieve the best acceleration time via an algorithm in the engine controller.

Not gonna lie, that's a pretty impressive feature for coming straight from the factory. I'm curious to see how many blown engines or trannies that leads to though. Of course not every other car is made like mine with a glass tranny so who knows :dunno:

Actually if no-lift-to-shfit is set up right, its easier on the engine and tranny as less slippage as it puts the car at exactly the right rpms or close to. Less shock to the drivetrain...