Pontiac Inventory Running Low…

Pontiac G8 GXP 017, originally uploaded by Vincent ??
It’s been awhile since we’ve visited Pontiac. What’s been going on lately?
I’ll tell you what has been happening… their last remaining stock of vehicles are getting sucked off the lots like ants invited to an anteater’s family picnic. This isn’t surprising news, as Pontiac did have some rather nice vehicles on hand as they closed the book to their story earlier this year. I’m of course talking about the Pontiac G8, G6, and to a lesser degree the Solstice. If you’ve been sitting on the fence about getting one of these soon to be extinct Tyrannosaurus’, you might want to think about kicking yourself off one side or the other, and here’s why…
Pontiac has announced that their inventory of popular vehicles is becoming dangerously depleted. Just how dangerous are we talking? Well, there were only about 16 Pontiac G8 GXP’s on hand as I wrote this. Considering there will be several more sources publishing these stats, you can assume this number is almost certain to dwindle as the day goes on. In case your not exactly familiar with what a G8 GXP is, I’ll make a rather long story short and sweet:
6.2-liter, 16 valve, V-8, 402 horsepower, 402 lbs-torque, Brembo brakes, 6-speed transmission, and no more than about 4.7 seconds from zero to 60.
While the G8 GXP’s are practically out the door and down the street, dealerships still do have about 530 Pontiac G6 GXP’s. While the G6 version of the GXP is definitely missing the 6.2-liter Corvette engine, you do get the price relief of about $10,000, starting the upper echelon G6 at around $28,000. The G6 features the 3.6 liter V-6 worth 256 horsepower and 248 ft-lbs or torque, the sportier front fascia (foglights, stainless grill), rocker panel moldings, dual chrome exhaust tips, “hammerhead” spoiler, and 18-inch GXP-only alloys. Not a bad way to go!
If you’re willing to forgo the GXP all together, there are about 570 Pontiac G8’s with the “GT” trim. The GT offers a 6.0-liter V-8 powerplant worthy of 361 horsepower and 385 ft-lbs of torque. On the negative side, the base G8 does not come with a “stick” manual option, but the six-speed automatic is a pretty smooth customer for those on a budget. The GT still clears 0-60 in 5.3 seconds, so you won’t exactly be getting left behind at the light. Fuel economy for the GT sits at a rather thirsty 15/24 mpg. Starting at $32,000, these won’t be around for too much longer either.
Finally we come to the Pontiac Solstice, which have about 139 base coupes and 160 GXP versions currently in inventory. The biggest difference between the base-model and GXP is about 100 horsepower, and you will notice the difference. The base Solstice has all the looks and feel of a sports car, but falls a bit flat for most enthusiasts, with its 2.4-liter, 177 horsepower, and 166 ft-lbs of torque. The 2.0-liter turbocharged GXP is a whole other story, featuring a robost 260 horsepower, 260 ft-lbs torque, and a respectable 0-60 in 5.8 seconds flat.
In these hard economic times, I can understand your reservations to part with your hard earned dollar. But owning an Australian, Holden-derived Pontiac G8 GXP just might be worth a two-month stint in the doghouse…
Just think about it, but don’t think too long!




