Pontiac G8 to live on as police-issue Chevrolet Commodore?

[SV]

http://www.leftlanenews.com/pontiac-g8-to-live-on-as-police-issue-chevy-commodore.html

Sounds good to me...although why they can't just go all the way and sell some in retail is a mystery. Profits, yeah, I get that...LLN also says it could finally replace the current Impala in 2012, but why would it need to take so long? the Impala's getting pretty old anyway (the 2006 redesign was little more than a reskin...)

[63Bonneville]

Sounds damn good, but is a definite maybe at this point. If it materializes, it could also result with a civilian version being sold. The Commodore would be superior to the aging FWD Impala for police demands, run with the Dodge Charger and help to succeed the Jurassic Ford "Panther" Crown Vic.

Personally, if GM doesn't retain the Commodore (soon to be outgoing G8), they're shooting themselves in the foot!

[DoMiNo]

If GM can sell Commodores "profitably" through fleet sales to police departments, it makes me wonder how much our city/county/state governments are paying for their cruisers :/

Of course the argument can be made that there is guaranteed volume in law enforcement sales, but at the same time, with the tooling already in place for a LHD, Chevy-badged Zeta, what on earth would be so expensive about marketing a consumer version in addition?!?! And to echo SV's question, why the hell would it take so long to bring it online as an Impala replacement??

This whole situation is ludicrous. The G8's biggest weakness was its badge, simple as that. If anyone at GM had half a brain they would throw a bowtie on the G8, sit back, and watch sales climb. This market is aching for an affordable, RWD large sedan that doesn't suck (i.e. something more than the aging LX cars and prehistoric Panthers).

[CosworthKid]

Perhaps they are doing it to ensure that the Aussie production and development remains as well...or i am totally clueless when it comes to GM's "genius" ideas

Agree 100% that they should have sold it as a Chevy, pure and simple. A genuine Taurus fighter

[63Bonneville]

If GM can sell Commodores "profitably" through fleet sales to police departments, it makes me wonder how much our city/county/state governments are paying for their cruisers :/

Of course the argument can be made that there is guaranteed volume in law enforcement sales, but at the same time, with the tooling already in place for a LHD, Chevy-badged Zeta, what on earth would be so expensive about marketing a consumer version in addition?!?! And to echo SV's question, why the hell would it take so long to bring it online as an Impala replacement??

This whole situation is ludicrous. The G8's biggest weakness was its badge, simple as that. If anyone at GM had half a brain they would throw a bowtie on the G8, sit back, and watch sales climb. This market is aching for an affordable, RWD large sedan that doesn't suck (i.e. something more than the aging LX cars and prehistoric Panthers).

Well stated! The Pontiac G8 will die with it's division, but the FWD Impala with it's platform dating back to MY1988 lives on - what's wrong with this picture?! The G8 could EASILY become a Chevrolet sporty sedan, I say and post it over and over and over and over.... The sales would go through the roof if this happened!
Also, the Chrysler LX models are soon to be succeeded (LY?) and the Challenger is already on an updated platform ahead of the two sedans. The Ford Panther was around since the Carter administration!

[DoMiNo]

Agree 100% that they should have sold it as a Chevy, pure and simple. A genuine Taurus killer.

^ Corrected ;)

[CosworthKid]

^ Corrected ;)

Not a good thing to say to a Ford fan boy lol. Why though? I was under the impression that the new Taurus is just as good to drive as it looks

[JBlair]

This won't happen. GM barely breaks even with the G8 as it is; they're not going to import Commodores to sell at fleet costs, even if it means importing a whole lot of them.

[DoMiNo]

Not a good thing to say to a Ford fan boy lol. Why though? I was under the impression that the new Taurus is just as good to drive as it looks

The Pontiac offers 3 things the Taurus does not.

1. RWD
2. Corvette V8 (in GT model)
3. Option for an even more powerful V8 (GXP)

:devil1:

I am quite impressed by the new Taurus, but I love the G8. If I could justify trading in my car for a V8 GT right now, I just might do it.

[CosworthKid]

I see, so i guess this makes my next question inevitable (hehe) but what is happening with the Falcon now? Will it remain RWD and share a platform with the next Taurus?

[Korando Turismo]

I see, so i guess this makes my next question inevitable (hehe) but what is happening with the Falcon now? Will it remain RWD and share a platform with the next Taurus?

Hopefully the Falcon will stay RWD and also I hope that it stays in Australia (hehe).

[swizzle]

The G8's biggest weakness was its badge, simple as that. If anyone at GM had half a brain they would throw a bowtie on the G8, sit back, and watch sales climb.

Correct!

Well stated! The Pontiac G8 will die with it's division, but the FWD Impala with it's platform dating back to MY1988 lives on - what's wrong with this picture?!

I thought a new Impala was soon to come to market off of a stretched Epsilon platform??? But now that I think of it, there have been no prototypes.

The Pontiac offers 3 things the Taurus does not.

1. RWD
2. Corvette V8 (in GT model)
3. Option for an even more powerful V8 (GXP)

:devil1:

I am quite impressed by the new Taurus, but I love the G8. If I could justify trading in my car for a V8 GT right now, I just might do it.

The problem with direct comparison is that having seen a G8 and a Lincoln MKS, I would guess that the Taurus is a bit larger of a vehicle. The Ecoboost Taurus SHO could be a great alternative with AWD. With FWD. I'd think the steering wheel would dance under hard acceleration. I don't think it would be quite the slam-dunk victory for the G8 as imagined. Moreover, the G8 V8 in testing has returned some shockingly bad MPG.

That said, I think GM squandered the Commodore in NA with foolish placement and NO ADVERTISING. Selling it as a Chevy and a Buick (perhaps the Statesman??? Caprice??? version) would have made more sense. Isn't the Impala a rental fleet queen??

Using it as a police cruiser is a great idea given the number of Hemi Charger California Highway Patrol cars I've seen of late.

[CosworthKid]

Swizzle has a good point, the Statesman should have been sold as a Buick and, why not, without changing its name while as DoMiNo mentioned earlier the Commodore should have been a Chevy as it has been for years in the Middle Eastern markets

[DoMiNo]

I don't think it would be quite the slam-dunk victory for the G8 as imagined.

Factor price into the equation and yes, it would be a slam dunk for the G8. The Taurus SHO is slated to start at $37,995. Meanwhile the Pontiac G8 GXP with its 415hp and 415 lb-ft--enough to wallop the SHO--rings in at $38,360. The more direct comparison--the G8 GT--is a mere $32,505. Smells like a slam dunk to me!


Using it as a police cruiser is a great idea given the number of Hemi Charger California Highway Patrol cars I've seen of late.

I don't think anyone would argue that the Commodore makes an ideal police cruiser, but price-wise how could it possibly compete with the Charger? Police departments can probably pick up Chargers for peanuts whereas the imported Zeta would undoubtedly have to be priced higher to make a profit.

[63Bonneville]

Though this is not fully clear yet, this report from today 5/1/09 in www.motorauthority.com does add a ray of hope, the link is below:

http://www.motorauthority.com/holden-preparing-business-case-to-sell-commodore-under-different-gm-brands.html

Personally, if GM doesn't find a new channel for the G8/Commodore from the soon to be defunct Pontiac division, I feel that they're shooting themselves in the foot. This is an outstanding sedan that shouldn't go to waste in the USDM!

This www.autoblog.com report builds on this, but there is a misprint in the title - it should read G8 ST, not G8 GT, regarding a possible GMC pickup-type vehicle, the link is below:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/01/report-rwd-commodore-platform-could-underpin-caddies-g8-gt-cou/
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