Any news/rumors on a new Pontiac sports car?

[Cormaster]

The G8 is impressive... but its more of a caddillac than a sports car. Granted its definilty one Sedan I'd love to own, I'd still prefer a lighter coupe version of the G8. The Camaro launch isn't far away, so what about Pontiac?

Last I heard the firebird is dead for good, but the GTO will return in 2008... well the 2008 model year is just about here, and no word of a GTO yet

[AMRAAM4]

no decisions yet that have been made public or even caught on insider info. Which, doesn't seem good.

Right now Poncho gets the G8. GTO is still a hope for enthusiasts and Pontiac I think, but it isn't a guarantee. Also, the Camaro is not just around the corner. I'd guess you have another year+ until they are on lots. The 2008 Vettes will have a new engine though (LS2 has been discontinued), an LS3 that will be pushing approx. 425hp most likely.

sidenotes:
TrailBlazer gone in 2010
Monte Carlo gone after this year

[RAZE]

Originally Posted by AMRAAM4

no decisions yet that have been made public or even caught on insider info. Which, doesn't seem good.

Right now Poncho gets the G8. GTO is still a hope for enthusiasts and Pontiac I think, but it isn't a guarantee. Also, the Camaro is not just around the corner. I'd guess you have another year+ until they are on lots. The 2008 Vettes will have a new engine though (LS2 has been discontinued), an LS3 that will be pushing approx. 425hp most likely.

sidenotes:
TrailBlazer gone in 2010
Monte Carlo gone after this year

Yeah, 425HP to compete with that 4.0 going into the M3's.
I thought a retro GTO was in the thoughts for pontiac come 2009?

[Ajaxus]

Chevrolet still has the rumors circulating about the Blue Devil and whether or not it will make production, if it does that will kick things up a few notches for sure.

[nascarnate326]

Originally Posted by RAZE

Yeah, 425HP to compete with that 4.0 going into the M3's.
I thought a retro GTO was in the thoughts for pontiac come 2009?

M3 has the tq of a v6 impala though

Still fast, but that just seems odd.

[HRT427]

with hopefully L92 6.2l gen4 v8, l92 heads ,l76 manifold and more aggressive cam and higher compression ! around 450 hp / tq

:hsd:






+

[fo44rd]

that is sweet looking!!!!!!

[Cormaster]

The more I think about it, I bet the Firebird is coming back. Yeah I know, Bob Lutz's quote "The firebird acctually is dead" and GM's big thing about "we don't wanna compete against ourselves and we had to do that with the F platform" but I call BS. Heres why I honestly believe its coming back:

Original plans were to run the GTO on its current platform till 2008 then bring out an all new GTO on the Zeta Platform. They even had some concept drawings of such a GTO. However its now 2007, the 2008 model year is almost hear, and no word yet of a new GTO. No concept, no talk, nothing. However a RWD Zeta is coming out in the 2008 model year for the pontiac line, but its not a sports car. The G8 is too heavy and too overall large to be a sports car. It leads me to believe the G8 is nothing more than a "quick fix" that updates the Grand Prix, replaces the bonneville, and gives Pontiac some RWD V-8 performance again, and they are working on something else.

Now with the automakers in the state they are, the retro cars is all they have, and well they work! The VW New Beetle was a big hit, then came the PT Cruiser, then the Mustang, now the HHR, and big hype is already swirling around the Camaro and Challenger coming out. Lets face it, Retro works! and its something Japanese companies can't compete with, that is unless Honda wants to Retro out the civic and make it an ugly boxy POS again like it used to be...which seems very unlikley.

In this age of Retro-modern, why wouldn't GM want to bring out a Bandit style trans am? Of all the muscle cars, the General Lee, and the Bandit are the easily most recognized!

Maybe I'm just crazy but I have a feeling the Trans Am will ride again... and it may not even be a straight sister to the camaro, but regardless of what GM says, the Firebird is not dead.

[AMRAAM4]

Originally Posted by Cormaster

The more I think about it, I bet the Firebird is coming back.

I bet you it's not.

[Exodus]

Isn't the Challenger coming out next year as well?
err, n/m coremaster answered my ques.

[GregFarz78]

Why would they bring back the firebird and the GTO? Honestly I'd rather see them bring back the GTO, you want a sports car buy a camaro.

[AMRAAM4]

you want a sports car, buy a Corvette

[bigbenSC]

Lets set this straight:
If you want a pony car buy a Mustang/ Camaro
If you want a muscle car buy a GTO
If you want a sports car buy a Corvette

[zhd1000]

as much as i would love to see the return of the trans am, i'm guessing that it's not coming back anytime soon.. GM had to cut off the GTO early because sales were down.. why? some say mediocre styling, priced too high etc etc.. we all know there wasn't a lack of power.. so as soon as GM can start moving the new camaros, if they can keep them competitively priced, i believe they will be a huge hit.. and i also believe the the g8 is a quick fix from the aussies (but done a ton better than the gto).. so if the G8 isn't around for too long that'll leave the RWD V8 slot open for Pontiac, and I believe that they will bring the GTO back (becuase it'll be better the next time around right?) before the T/A.. for the sake of not canabalizing the sales from the camaro the T/A cannot come back, these two pony cars have gone hand-in-hand for decades.. GM can rebadge Cobalts and G6s all they want because the market for econo/compact/midsize cars is much larger than the RWD V8 market is.. so my vote is for the G8 to last from 08 to 10 or 11 and the GTO to return (or a whole new car) shortly thereafter..

[fo44rd]

1.) The GTO died because it could not meet 2007 airbag regulations and a fix wasn't gonna be cheap.
2.) I question the CAMARO can come in cheap with IRS. I would prefer a nice bare bones Z28 with an auto and not much else.

[SpyhunteR]

automatic............. enjoy fun at the drag strip........ no corners, downshifting, rev matching fun for you!!

[Cormaster]

No what I was suggesting is the Firebird is coming back instead of the GTO. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I was searching for info yesturday and came across an interesting post on a message board from a guy from GM trying to give logical reasons as to why bringing out a GTO instead of a firebird is the right decision. He basically gave a long explination on how the Firebird hurt sales of the Camaro, and they aren't big enough anymore to compete against themselves. I call BS because well Sky/solstice, Colbalt/G5. If thats not competing against yourself than I don't know what is!

[nascarnate326]

Originally Posted by Cormaster

I call BS because well Sky/solstice, Colbalt/G5. If thats not competing against yourself than I don't know what is!

Kappa cars are going to sell well no matter what, plus they are different enough looks wise that some people still think Saturn is an import. Is the G5 really selling well yet?

Im all for bringing the Firebird back, but only of the Camaro is perfect, and the Firebird is different enough to generate its own buzz. Im starting to think GM could do this. Their badge enginered vehicals are more distinct 'now days.' GMT900 is a great example. Only problem I see is that fbody has lots of competation, where GTO doesnt quite have as much. That makes me want to bring the GTO back.

[AMRAAM4]

Originally Posted by zhd1000

as much as i would love to see the return of the trans am, i'm guessing that it's not coming back anytime soon.. GM had to cut off the GTO early because sales were down.. why? some say mediocre styling, priced too high etc etc.. we all know there wasn't a lack of power.. so as soon as GM can start moving the new camaros, if they can keep them competitively priced, i believe they will be a huge hit.. and i also believe the the g8 is a quick fix from the aussies (but done a ton better than the gto).. so if the G8 isn't around for too long that'll leave the RWD V8 slot open for Pontiac, and I believe that they will bring the GTO back (becuase it'll be better the next time around right?) before the T/A.. for the sake of not canabalizing the sales from the camaro the T/A cannot come back, these two pony cars have gone hand-in-hand for decades.. GM can rebadge Cobalts and G6s all they want because the market for econo/compact/midsize cars is much larger than the RWD V8 market is.. so my vote is for the G8 to last from 08 to 10 or 11 and the GTO to return (or a whole new car) shortly thereafter..

Originally Posted by fo44rd

1.) The GTO died because it could not meet 2007 airbag regulations and a fix wasn't gonna be cheap.
2.) I question the CAMARO can come in cheap with IRS. I would prefer a nice bare bones Z28 with an auto and not much else.

Actually, you are both wrong. The GTO stopped because the platform was about 10+ years old and Holden was no longer building the Monaro.

[AMRAAM4]

Originally Posted by SpyhunteR

automatic............. enjoy fun at the drag strip........ no corners, downshifting, rev matching fun for you!!

who focking cares. I've come to realize manuals are overrated UNLESS you have a car strictly being used for road racing or need it to handle the power (like my RX7). Otherwise at the strip or whatever you will do on the street, an auto is better. computer = shift faster than you (anyone who thinks they are better is full of crap). Now if you feel more vindicated rowing the gears...go balls out. Unless it's a ZO6, Supra, Porsche, Ferrari, no more manuals for me, especially for DDs. It doesn't mean you're any less of a driver.