NEW YORK – The 2010 Pontiac G8 sport truck not only blurs the line between cars and trucks but opens up the sacred automotive process of vehicle naming.
A retro-future throwback to the fabled Chevrolet El Camino, the G8 truck-mobile hopes to bring back this hybrid segment to the North American car market. But Pontiac can’t give its latest creation a legendary Chevy name. So sharpen your pencils, submit a name and make auto history.
It’s not easy naming a car. Most of the good and easy names are gone. “We were wrestling with that a little ourselves. So we had an idea. Why not ask our customers what they think we should call it? Anyone with a name for this unique G8 can go to our web site between now and April 15th and give us a suggestion,” said Pontiac's general manager, Jim Bunnell when introducing the car at the recent New York Auto Show. “In exchange for helping us out, every participant will be entered into a sweepstakes with a chance to win one of these exciting new vehicles,” he said.
Pontiac hopes this stunt will help to spread the word about its vehicle that blends the sporty handling of a performance coupe with the cargo capabilities of a light truck.
Based on the all-new Pontiac G8 performance sedan, the newest member of the G8 family has a longer wheelbase and a cargo bed designed for either work or recreation. The G8 sport truck extends Pontiac’s style and performance identity and the company expects that it will resonate with buyers who want something different when it arrives in dealers’ showrooms in late 2009.
“There's nothing else like it on the market today,” said Bob Lutz, GM’s Vice Chairman for Product Development.
“Pontiac has never shied away from offering segment-defining vehicles, going back to the original GTO,” said Bunnell. “There’s simply nothing else like the G8 sport truck on the road today, and we definitely believe that there are customers who will be excited by its distinctive design, performance and cargo capabilities.”
The G8 sport truck maintains the same sporty exterior design as its namesake sedan. Flared fenders wrap around the 18-inch wheels and give it a wide, confident stance. The roofline has a coupe-like profile that suggests the vehicle’s performance pedigree.
The doors, roof and exterior panels aft of the B-pillars are unique from the G8 sedan. One-piece outer body panels give the vehicle a sleek appearance. Wrap-around taillamps and fully concealed tailgate hinges add to the sculpted look. A color-coordinated, soft tonneau cover conceals and protects items in the cargo bed from the weather.
The sport truck draws its oomph from the 6.0L V-8 engine used in the G8 GT. It puts out 361 horsepower (270 kW) and 385 lb.-ft. (522 Nm) of torque. The combination of a six-speed automatic transmission and Active Fuel Management technology provides both car-like fuel economy and a 0-to-60 time of 5.4 seconds.
While turning in sports car performance, the G8 sport truck also offers flexibility unlike that of a sports car. A 73.9-inch (1878 mm) cargo bed has 42.7 cubic feet (1208 L) of cargo space and a durable composite bed liner. It also can carry a payload of more than 1,074 pounds (488 kg) and tow a 3,500-pound (1,600 kg) trailer.
The G8 sport truck is based on the same rear-wheel-drive architecture as the G8 performance sedan. However, the sport truck’s body structure was reinforced in key areas to support its cargo and towing duties. More than 60 new components were added to strengthen the structure. Compared to the sedan, the 118.5-inch (3,009 mm) wheelbase is approximately four inches longer and the overall length is six inches longer.
A four-wheel independent suspension with electronic stability control delivers confident handling, whether loaded with weekend home-improvement supplies or towing a pair of personal watercraft to the lake.
The steering box is located ahead of the front axle line for a quick, direct feel. The sport truck’s front stabilizer bar is one mm larger than the sedan, and the rear suspension has been enhanced to support payloads without adversely affecting handling.
The G8 sport truck rides on 18-inch machine-faced aluminum wheels with a P245/45R18 summer performance tire. All-season tires are available. An optional Sports Package includes 19-inch machine-faced aluminum wheels with P245/40R19 summer performance tires.
The sport truck shares the G8 GT’s four-wheel disc brake system, featuring 12.64-inch front and 12.76-inch rear rotors. Front rotor thickness is 1.0 inch, while the rear rotors are 0.87-inch thick. Twin-piston, front alloy calipers and vented rotors and single-piston, alloy rear calipers with vented rotors are standard, as is ABS.
It’s not all about performance or hauling stuff. The G8 sport truck offers many of the same creature comforts as the G8 GT, such as:
* Air conditioning with electronic dual-zone climate control
* Cruise control
* Driver Information Center
* Bluetooth connectivity
* Tilt/telescoping steering wheel with DIC and radio controls
* Power windows/locks/mirrors
* Remote keyless entry and remote start
* Theft-deterrent alarm system
Fully-bolstered, four-way adjustable cloth seats are standard. Heated, six-way leather seats are available. They can be customized with two-tone, black-and-red inserts and a coordinating gauge cluster.
Behind the seats is a surprisingly large interior cargo area with more than 8.5 cubic feet (245 liters) of storage space. There are two covered storage compartments beneath the load floor and a pair of cargo nets.
The G8 sport truck’s 230-watt Blaupunkt AM/FM/six-disc CD changer has an MP3 input and five speakers. The 6.5-inch audio display controls both the sound and climate control systems.
Of course, it will off a full list of standard safety features, including:
* StabiliTrak electronic vehicle stability system
* Tire pressure monitoring system
* Dual-stage frontal air bags with a passenger sensing system
* Head-curtain side air bags
* Side thorax air bags
* Three-point safety belts in all seating positions
* Safety belt pretensioners
* OnStar
While this all sounded tantalizing, Lutz admitted that previous Pontiac claims for its new cars were wildly exaggerated. “You know, it was just five short years ago that Pontiac had no rear-wheel drive cars, just one V8, and enough body cladding to fill an Aztek. We used to say "We build excitement," and we'd show you a four-cylinder Grand Am. In terms of style and performance, Pontiac simply didn't have the goods. But things have changed. Pontiac now stands for seductive performance,” he said.
Now, what to call it? Got an idea – then visit:
www.pontiac.com/namethiscar
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