Are the Red and Blue Flashing Lights of a G8 in Your Near Future?
Prototype Pontiac G8 for LAPD, originally uploaded by tomw99au
Chevrolet is preparing to release plans for its new rear-wheel drive police car this coming Monday (October 5th, 2009), and there is a lot of speculation that it could look a lot like the Pontiac G8. This rumor has been going around awhile, and quite frankly it makes sense.
The G8 has not been on U.S. soil long, but already it has proven itself as quite a mean machine. Lean (15/24 mpg)… perhaps not, but mean (0-60, 5.3 seconds)… most definitely! Dressed in GXP gear, the G8 offers upwards of 415 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque thanks to its large 6.2-liter V8. The G8 GXP is the fastest and most powerful vehicle ever offered from Pontiac.
The middle brother of the GXP, the base G8, is nothing to scoff at either with its 361 horsepower, 6.0-liter V8. While the G8 has been cut from GM’s apron strings, there’s no reason why law enforcement shouldn’t gain from what the U.S. consumer has already lost. Earlier this summer there was talk of the Pontiac G8 finding a new home underneath a Chevrolet Caprice badge, but that rumor proved rather short lived.
Another reason for speculation of a G8 platform, is CEO Fritz Henderson made a comment to Australian press several weeks back, hinting the new police car would be packing some Holden technology. That leaves either the four door G8 or Coupe Camaro as the most likely donors.
As intimidating as a 2010 Camaro SS pursuit vehicle would look parked on the side of the highway, it’s not exactly the most practical or logical choice. Depending on whether you like to root for the good or bad guy, a G8 squad vehicle will be seen as either a good or a bad thing.
Good: Because it’s a well designed vehicle that deserves more U.S. road time!
Bad: Because there ain’t no reason to run from what you can’t get away from!
October 6th, 2009 at 11:38 am
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