It’s built & Designed by Holden, so it’s a Holden Commodore , just a Pontiac Stateside 🇺🇸. These were the mainstay of most State Police, with the V6 being general duties cars , and the V8’s were highway Patrol vehicles
I did not realize Blaupunkt was gone. Wikipedia says they were liquidated in 2016. Throughout the 80s and for me up until now, Blaupunkt was a highly respected, high-end car sterio manufacturer. It was a German company, and it's pronounced blow(as in now)-PUNKED.
@@jamesruiz4005 Yeah - Wikipedia also says the name "Blaupunkt" has been licensed, but the products currently produced with that name aren't made by the original company.
Grundig is much the same,. Also a brand slapped on generic products now. The "modern" Blaupunkt does make a nice reissue stereo (updated with Bluetooth etc) for those wanting a period-correct look for their classic 80's cars though like the Porsche 964. It's the Bremen SQR46. It's pricey though! I think there was one on the '92 Acura Legend that Zak reviewed. The pretend tape deck hides a SD card reader and USB port, lol.
After GM's 2009 bankruptcy, they dropped their car brands - Pontiac, Saturn and Saab. Just like Ford, GM stop making cars/sedans except the Chevy Malibu in favor of SUVs. Now all they build is junk
@@scottdavis_34 I grew up with Chevys, have owned a Silverado, Scion and a Saturn and I loved em. Had a Jeep that was a heaping pile, a couple euro makes and I'll never repeat those mistakes. Now, I have an Acura, Mazda and Nissan. I find that where you live, how you drive and maintain your vehicles tends to make the difference. Toyota has a reputation, but there are always exceptions. Sorry to hear that your experience hasn't been great.
The Volkswagen CC was awesome, but didn't they start at like 33 k? They still look fantastic I would love to get one but I am nervous about the timing chain issues. I had one as a turo rental and it was so solid, seats were extremely comfortable. Gas mileage was not fantastic but better than a V6 Pontiac GT for sure
@@MugatuJag It was a very nice car. I had a friends and family discount from VW at the time so that helped. The transmission went out at 30k miles back in 2013 so I ended up trading it in for a GMC sierra with a z71 package.
Thank you for the review. You covered it quite well. I wanted to address something you said about the Holden Commodore was the only thing going on. There was the Holden Calais( luxury version of the Commodore) and Holden Caprice and Statesman. There was more going on like Monaro( which came to the United States as Pontiac GTO).. Holden was a great brand. They were a GM brand as GM owned them. They did quite good taken what was given to them and making something great and making the most of it. The Holden Commodore platform was given to Holden by a former GM brand Opel. Holden took it and modified that platform. I do appreciate you showing the Chevrolet SS and Caprice both based on Holdens. It would have been interesting to get the Holden Ute. Vauxhall another brand the was owned by GM sold the Commodore and Monaro in the United Kingdom. They were sold as Chevrolet in the Middle East( Chevrolet Lumina) and in China as Buick and South Korea as Daewoo. I could go , but I thank you for the review.
Incorrect. The ve was a clean sheet design and nothing to do with the previous opel based vt-vz which included the Monaro. You've forgotten the ute and wagon, the Calais is a trim options just like the hsv's basically are. Fwiw Im Australian and been into Holdens since the 90s. There's plenty of easily available information to verify the ve was a billion dollar baby.
@@Low760 I was speaking in "general" about Holden not "specifically" as I listed a few of the models. You know more about the Holden variants more than I do as they are Australian GM models. I did not forget UTE and wagon as again I was speaking about Holden in "general". I stand corrected on the platform. There was no need to attack me in the post either as I do not know you and people are just posting here. I know Calais is a trim level. It is a luxury version trim of the Commodore. The 1979 Commodore was based on Opel and the ones that came after were also. VE as you said was a clean sheet design that was used globally.
@@OLDS98 "The 1979 Commodore was based on Opel" Indeed. It's interesting that Holden did not update their straight-six engine the way Ford Australia (or Opel) did, obviously culminating in Ford Australia developing the Barra out of the Ford inline-six. Holden on the other hand, switched to the Nissan RB30 when their own inline-six couldn't meet emissions any more, then to the venerable Buick 3800 V6 and then to the GM High Feature V6. The Holden V8 engine meanwhile was replaced by the Chevrolet LS V8 engine in Commodores from 1999. While the ~1990 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton (turbo inline-six Opel Omega) and ~1990 Holden HSV Commodore SS Group A VN are superficially similar in purpose (high performance sports sedans, and they do share the door pressings and so on), I don't think they actually share much in common mechanically (apart from possibly using the same Corvette gearbox and possibly the same live rear axle, as Lotus sourced the Holden Group A axle as one that would be strong enough, not sure?). At the time, Lotus was owned by General Motors. (Actually why did GM sell Lotus? I don't remember.)
@@TassieLorenzo Thank you for your post. It was informative. I recall the Opel/Vauxhall connection as well. You stated things quite well. I recall when Holden used the 3800 V6. All the American GM brands used it but Cadillac. My two cars( Oldsmobiles) use the 3800 V6. It was Holden that modified the 3800 V6 in supercharged form to get more power from the engine. American GM benefitted from Holden's work. The Aussie 3800 V6 is slightly different from the American version, but it is the same engine. There is a video on You Tube where a guy shows the difference. They are small. It seems Ford like Holden went their own way and did different things too and did it better in some cases. I know Ford like Holden used American parts, engines etc. Thank you again. GM sold off a lot sadly. They are down to four brands in the United States and discontinued many and sold off a few too. That Lotus Carlton was something else in a good way. I have read and seen videos on You Tube about it.
I've owned a 2009 G8 for over 5 years now, and I love it today as much as i did the day I bought it. It's a great car. Parts are hard to come by, but if GM dont stock the part you need, there is a Holden parts outlet in New York that ship parts. I've used them in the past
What’s the name of the outlet if I may ask? I’ve owned mine for 9 years now. I just drive it on the weekends. Absolutely love it to death 😃 I knew I would get attention with this car but I get ppl turning heads all the time.
I'm with you there man. I even prefer the looks of the VE Commodore over the VF. It reminds me of a modern take of the BMW E39. Aggressive, but in a subtle manner.
Love/hate relationship with my G8. Love it for what it is but as it ages I feel like its just falling apart around me(headliner I'm looking at you) all in all a great daily driver but I feel bad for having it as a daily because it's susceptible to the elements and I'm always finding a new dent or scratch
Both the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon were built down to a price compared to a Lexus GS460/Toyota Crown/Toyota Mark X. Nothing wrong with that, they offered more of a value proposition. But corners were cut to be able to sell them for 2/3rds to half the price of the equivalent V8 rear wheel drive Crown!
The radio name is pronounced Blough (like (snow) plough) Punked. It means Blue Dot :) Always liked the RWD Zeta platform cars. I nearly bought a Vauxhall Monaro here in the UK (same as the Pontiac GTO/Holden Monaro) but went with the S197 2005 Mustang, instead :)
The previous platform VT~VZ was a lot nicer car but not as well equipped. The VE~VF are a tank in comparison. I would guess the Biggest / Heaviest cars ever put into regular production in Australia. That A pillar is really obtrusive. Let alone the tires that were a custom size for the platform previously only ever being used on Ferrari's. It was a real issue when first released as you could only get tires at the dealer and they knew it price wise.
6:25 What's wrong with GM saving on components, instead of manufacturing for both markets and ending up raising costs and the final price of the product for the consumer? I think its a good idea! Right?
I have a Vauxhall vxr8. All these are derived from the Holden commodore. Mine has a ls2 and what a hoot it is to own. We don’t get many v8’s in the uk. Partly because our fuel costs are insane and we pay tax every year for the pleasure of driving on the road. It’s based on emissions, the more you make the more you pay which is painful. Only 1000 were ever sold and it was a huge flop here. Real petrol heads love them but most have no idea what’s under the bonnet (hood), it’s fast, it’s loud and it goes sideways. What more could you want from your daily driver??
Owned one since 2015, it’s a 2009 GT in Stryker Blue Metallic. Got it with only 8300 miles on it. Has 110k miles now. Only drive it on the weekends now. Absolutely love the car, had been super reliable, but man it loses alignment easily!! That and had to change the alternator last year. Other than that just a fantastic car.
I owned one. And I loved it. But it had significant negatives. The drivetrain never failed. It was fast. And it was reliable in the daily driver sense of it always starts and runs. But there were plenty of things that fell apart. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, which is as harsh an environment as Australia. The water neck on the radiator coupling broke once. Hot summer day and it just dumps all the coolant. Engine goes into safe mode, alarm warnings and dash lights blasting away. Limped into a parking lot and called a tow truck. Live to fight another day, but it was a known issue. Oil pressure sensor failed once. This one a false alarm, but scary. The shop that fixed it said they sell a lot of those sensors. On the plus side, battery is in the trunk so it doesn't get cooked. If you live in a hot place and forget to put the sun shade in the window, the black leather seats will burn your balls. Rear power window failed. I was the second owner but I'm going to say failed in fewer than 100 uses. Fixed that on my wife's Jeep, but this is a cable and pulley system that is just a snaggled mess. You see how low it sits. That nose cowl gets snagged on things. Speed bumps, parking stops, your driveway. It breaks kind of easy. And the roof seals. One on each side. one of them failed and the car flooded in the rain.
I have a modded G8 GT (aftermarket camshaft, exhaust, suspension, rebuilt transmission :( ) and it's a good car, you do want to ensure you install a Displacement on Demand delete kit though, worth the time and money.
Zach, A video showing a Pontiac G8 or Chevy SS driven with restraint is a RUclips rarity. 😉 As a former Pontiac G6 owner, have you ever read Dan Neil's famous G6 review?
Blaupunkt were good quality German items in the UK in the 70s when I was growing up. I fitted one to my 2003 Smart Roadster. We had these as the Vauxhall Monaro here in the UK.
to this day i still want this car in manual!!! smh then pontiac got discontinued killing my dream of owning this because i knew it would be rare and expensive :/
Yep, and I noticed on a recent visit to the 'States last year (I'm an Aussie) that the internal switch-gear on our VF Commodores (wiper stalks & lighting controls, steering wheel-mounted switches, door & centre-console switches etc), instrument cluster gauges and HVAC controls were shared with the Chevy Malibu and Impala rental cars I drove, as well as many other US & European-produced GM vehicles I suspect. True-to-form GM cross-platform standardisation & cost cutting.
As an owner of a 09 GT, I love mine. It has its quirks, sure, but what else do you expect from a car over a decade old. It packs plenty of power though and is one of the most, if not the most comfortable car I’ve ever driven. Not only that, but it is hella smooth on the road.
I daily drive the V6 G8 '09, and I think GM did a great job with the low and top power. I can cruise in the city with just enough get-up-and-go without having to put too much throttle, and when I want fast, it’s pretty responsive. However, I don’t know if it’s just mine, but occasionally there’s a slight delay, though it’s rare
We also had a red 2008 GT just sold it in Oct, was getting hard to get parts for and we needed a more reliable daily at that point. got a 2020 Mazda 6 while not as quick still a fun car to drive
The Mazda Roadpacer was actually a Holden Statemen that was sent as a knock down kit to Japan and Mazda then assembled it and put in their rotary engine. It wasn't a great success and I can well understand why. The Statemen was a heevy long wheel base car that was ok with a six cylinder, but really needed the V8. Putting a rotary in a car like that, was never going to end well. Great to see the G8 is still receiving some love from owners in the States.
I liked that you shined a light on Pontiac’s end days. I’ll never ever understand why GM shed Pontiac but that does make more sense now. For me, Pontiac could’ve been their only division today that could compete with the Koreans on styling and “pushing the envelope”, but…. We get Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac. And gawd bless them, they are trying but they can’t hold a candle to vehicles like the Palisade, EV9 or the N Line cars. Buick is a huge value proposition but so is Kia and so was Pontiac /:
...and now they are all dead or sold off as GM are not very competent! Cynics argue that GM pushed the costs of developing all their small engines and small car platforms on to Opel, while not allowing them to reap the profits from that. Meanwhile, Peugeot were able to make Opel profitable within two years.
I loved all of these Australian GM cars. Especially the GTO. This is my third favorite. Rear wheel drive. Must have. Cool interior. Sleeper to blow the doors off suckers .❤💙💜🧡🤑😎
Love my G8, but for anyone wanting one beware of the stock DoD system. It is quite common for it to fail and it could cost you a lot of money. Mine failed and caused catastrophic damage to my motor, ended up getting an LS3 swapped in it.
This G8 GT has Active Fuel Management (AFM). You will eventually have lifter failure (engine tick). It is an expensive repair. I have currently 126k miles on mine and just experienced this problem
Pontiac at least tried to promote the G8 while Chevy basically acted like it had the SS fostered on it by GM and didn't do anything to even acknowledge they sold it.
@@Steph-pn2kq I thought UAW were against the imports too? Could GM have built the Commodore in North America instead of building the Impala? Or was the trend, set out by the Taurus, for large US sedans to be orientated on comfort and front wheel drive?
I have no doubt that this car passed me on the production line at the Elizabeth plant, I even put a g8 front end on my ss wagon, shame America never got the HSV version, I think if the HSV was exported to America it would have sold a lot better
My personal conspiracy theory is that the powers that be influence and encourage sideshows as a way to accelerate the destruction of fun gas cars as well as justify draconian "safety" measures
Now in 2024 these cars seem extremely cool. Seriously like a man’s toy lmao. I love the old school digital screens and the Australian history with these cars make it so interesting
Ah, the useless atari gauge, unless you do the SAS upgrade. Fun fact you can actually twin turbo the v6 using a Holden VE or Calsis LY7 kit. Also also now that I just paid off my refinancing loan the information matrix screen is going out so I need to buy another odometer console.
Yep, here in Australia UTE is Aussie slang for "Utility Vehicle", just in the same way that SUV stands for "Sports Utility Vehicle" and Jeep was originally abbreviated from the WW2 military designation of "General Purpose Vehicle" or "GP".
There's a company that that legalised some imports I believe (not sure how), but if the recommendation is OK the channel "Ross Reviews" has covered every Australian-made car under the sun! Here'sa modded ute: ruclips.net/video/xZdlR09-4RQ/видео.html It's basically Australia's version of a Camaro, the pickup tray is unlikely to see anything more taxing than a carton of beer.
Typical GM. Get something right and immediately kill it. They brought in a RWD sporty sedan that could be had with a V8 and a manual and then immediately axed Pontiac. GM barely tried to sell these and did nothing to improve the quality. GM had too many brands but still, they did Pontiac dirty at the end. It makes me happy whenever I see a G8 on the road, most either broke down or got wrecked.
@@lesklower7281 the v6 was the most unreliable engine, there were more v6s sold than the v8 ones, and the VE never got the Buick v6 that was in the later model commodores
Unfortunately, it’s a shame GM didn’t also provided you🇺🇸guy’s with the Holden🇦🇺2006/12🔥HSV🏁Clubsport🏁R8/Senator🏁Signature/GTS/GTS-R🏁E-Series (I, II & III) Sedan, Sportwagon (Tourer) & Ute (Maloo) vehicles!!!?
Failed because it looked like all the other fwd boring cars Pontiac made at the time and it cost to much but bonus points for offering a manual transmission.
Blaupunkt = Blue Dot, hence that blue dot 😉 Volkswagens in Europe sold in the 1990s came with Blaupunkt radios. They were just being labeled as Volkswagen Alpha/Beta/Gamma radios.
Full sized sedan Evo for you? carsguide-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto,t_blog_large/v1/editorial/2002-mitsubishi-magna-ralliart-sedan-red-1200x800-%284%29.jpg Mitsubishi Magna Ralliart
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Such an awesome car, Pontiac had really cool styling, I always liked the split front grill design
It’s built & Designed by Holden, so it’s a Holden Commodore , just a Pontiac Stateside 🇺🇸. These were the mainstay of most State
Police, with the V6 being general duties cars , and the V8’s were highway Patrol vehicles
I owned two G8 GT's.......mine were very reliable, inexpensive to maintain, and great for road trips.
why you had two then?
Somebody made a left turn in front of me when they shouldn't have, so the first one got totaled.@@RayEttler
@@davidw237 gotta watch those left turns they will get you if your careless.
11:15 the Mazda Roadpacer was actually a JDM Holden Premier that had a rotary engine fitted, not the other way around.
I did not realize Blaupunkt was gone. Wikipedia says they were liquidated in 2016. Throughout the 80s and for me up until now, Blaupunkt was a highly respected, high-end car sterio manufacturer. It was a German company, and it's pronounced blow(as in now)-PUNKED.
BL/ow punked.
Walmart sells their products
@@jamesruiz4005 Yeah - Wikipedia also says the name "Blaupunkt" has been licensed, but the products currently produced with that name aren't made by the original company.
Grundig is much the same,. Also a brand slapped on generic products now. The "modern" Blaupunkt does make a nice reissue stereo (updated with Bluetooth etc) for those wanting a period-correct look for their classic 80's cars though like the Porsche 964. It's the Bremen SQR46. It's pricey though! I think there was one on the '92 Acura Legend that Zak reviewed. The pretend tape deck hides a SD card reader and USB port, lol.
Blauwpunkt
After GM's 2009 bankruptcy, they dropped their car brands - Pontiac, Saturn and Saab. Just like Ford, GM stop making cars/sedans except the Chevy Malibu in favor of SUVs. Now all they build is junk
In some countrys gm still make cheap, unreliable cars
I mostly agree. The Corvette and the trucks are decent tho.
@@scottdavis_34 If only that was true because I'm tired of all the toyota richard riders, but I can't take anecdotal experiences at face value.
@@scottdavis_34 I grew up with Chevys, have owned a Silverado, Scion and a Saturn and I loved em. Had a Jeep that was a heaping pile, a couple euro makes and I'll never repeat those mistakes. Now, I have an Acura, Mazda and Nissan. I find that where you live, how you drive and maintain your vehicles tends to make the difference. Toyota has a reputation, but there are always exceptions. Sorry to hear that your experience hasn't been great.
2017 MotorTrend car of the year award went to the … Chevy Bolt… let that sink in…
I test drove one of these back in 2009 when they were new. I really wanted one but it was outside my price range at the time. So I purchased a VW CC.
The Volkswagen CC was awesome, but didn't they start at like 33 k? They still look fantastic I would love to get one but I am nervous about the timing chain issues. I had one as a turo rental and it was so solid, seats were extremely comfortable. Gas mileage was not fantastic but better than a V6 Pontiac GT for sure
@@MugatuJag It was a very nice car. I had a friends and family discount from VW at the time so that helped. The transmission went out at 30k miles back in 2013 so I ended up trading it in for a GMC sierra with a z71 package.
Thank you for the review. You covered it quite well. I wanted to address something you said about the Holden Commodore was the only thing going on. There was the Holden Calais( luxury version of the Commodore) and Holden Caprice and Statesman. There was more going on like Monaro( which came to the United States as Pontiac GTO).. Holden was a great brand. They were a GM brand as GM owned them. They did quite good taken what was given to them and making something great and making the most of it. The Holden Commodore platform was given to Holden by a former GM brand Opel. Holden took it and modified that platform. I do appreciate you showing the Chevrolet SS and Caprice both based on Holdens. It would have been interesting to get the Holden Ute. Vauxhall another brand the was owned by GM sold the Commodore and Monaro in the United Kingdom. They were sold as Chevrolet in the Middle East( Chevrolet Lumina) and in China as Buick and South Korea as Daewoo. I could go , but I thank you for the review.
Incorrect. The ve was a clean sheet design and nothing to do with the previous opel based vt-vz which included the Monaro.
You've forgotten the ute and wagon, the Calais is a trim options just like the hsv's basically are.
Fwiw Im Australian and been into Holdens since the 90s. There's plenty of easily available information to verify the ve was a billion dollar baby.
@@Low760 I was speaking in "general" about Holden not "specifically" as I listed a few of the models. You know more about the Holden variants more than I do as they are Australian GM models. I did not forget UTE and wagon as again I was speaking about Holden in "general". I stand corrected on the platform. There was no need to attack me in the post either as I do not know you and people are just posting here. I know Calais is a trim level. It is a luxury version trim of the Commodore. The 1979 Commodore was based on Opel and the ones that came after were also. VE as you said was a clean sheet design that was used globally.
@@OLDS98 "The 1979 Commodore was based on Opel" Indeed. It's interesting that Holden did not update their straight-six engine the way Ford Australia (or Opel) did, obviously culminating in Ford Australia developing the Barra out of the Ford inline-six. Holden on the other hand, switched to the Nissan RB30 when their own inline-six couldn't meet emissions any more, then to the venerable Buick 3800 V6 and then to the GM High Feature V6. The Holden V8 engine meanwhile was replaced by the Chevrolet LS V8 engine in Commodores from 1999.
While the ~1990 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton (turbo inline-six Opel Omega) and ~1990 Holden HSV Commodore SS Group A VN are superficially similar in purpose (high performance sports sedans, and they do share the door pressings and so on), I don't think they actually share much in common mechanically (apart from possibly using the same Corvette gearbox and possibly the same live rear axle, as Lotus sourced the Holden Group A axle as one that would be strong enough, not sure?).
At the time, Lotus was owned by General Motors. (Actually why did GM sell Lotus? I don't remember.)
@@TassieLorenzo Thank you for your post. It was informative. I recall the Opel/Vauxhall connection as well. You stated things quite well. I recall when Holden used the 3800 V6. All the American GM brands used it but Cadillac. My two cars( Oldsmobiles) use the 3800 V6. It was Holden that modified the 3800 V6 in supercharged form to get more power from the engine. American GM benefitted from Holden's work. The Aussie 3800 V6 is slightly different from the American version, but it is the same engine. There is a video on You Tube where a guy shows the difference. They are small. It seems Ford like Holden went their own way and did different things too and did it better in some cases. I know Ford like Holden used American parts, engines etc. Thank you again. GM sold off a lot sadly. They are down to four brands in the United States and discontinued many and sold off a few too. That Lotus Carlton was something else in a good way. I have read and seen videos on You Tube about it.
Blaupunkt I believe is a higher end German component and was found as a factory head unit in many Mercedes back in the 80's
I think BMW used Blaupunkt, whereas Mercedes used Becker Audio, at least in their S-Class vehicles from what i can remember.
Glad to have you back, and hell of a car to kickstart 2024 with
Australia's best export, at least in this house, is Bluey hahaha. Actually, in the episode "Tradies," one of the workers has a Holden ute.
Actually I think it was a green AU Falcon Ute
I've owned a 2009 G8 for over 5 years now, and I love it today as much as i did the day I bought it. It's a great car. Parts are hard to come by, but if GM dont stock the part you need, there is a Holden parts outlet in New York that ship parts. I've used them in the past
What’s the name of the outlet if I may ask? I’ve owned mine for 9 years now. I just drive it on the weekends. Absolutely love it to death 😃 I knew I would get attention with this car but I get ppl turning heads all the time.
Same here!!!
Nice review. Later became the Chevy SS when Pontiac was axed.
And the G8 was a far better looking car than the SS. Interior goes to the SS though
@@omt4293cap the g8 body is nowhere near as good looking as the ss
@@astronova2178 I disagree the SS was way to subtle! The G8 was a better looking car. But to each their own
@@omt4293 understandable, imo the SS looks better cuz I prefer old American muscle cars than newer sedan/sports cars. The g8 is pretty tho
@@astronova2178 don’t get me wrong I like the SS. The interior of the SS is gorgeous though! The G8 not so much lol
I'm with you there man. I even prefer the looks of the VE Commodore over the VF. It reminds me of a modern take of the BMW E39. Aggressive, but in a subtle manner.
You’re starting the new year off strong. 👍🏻
Love/hate relationship with my G8. Love it for what it is but as it ages I feel like its just falling apart around me(headliner I'm looking at you) all in all a great daily driver but I feel bad for having it as a daily because it's susceptible to the elements and I'm always finding a new dent or scratch
All cars drop Thier headliners in Australia. It's getting more expensive to fix but not a hard job.
I wish i only had to deal with the headliner on mine. Ive had some electrical issues and now the transmission is acting up.
@@wigletron2846 was it ever serviced or just driven? 6l80es are known to fail from the lockup clutch. Not a Holden only thing.
Both the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon were built down to a price compared to a Lexus GS460/Toyota Crown/Toyota Mark X. Nothing wrong with that, they offered more of a value proposition. But corners were cut to be able to sell them for 2/3rds to half the price of the equivalent V8 rear wheel drive Crown!
Gm cars of the 80s through the 200s were known for headliners failing
The G8 is one of my favorite cars. Mine has a BTR Stage 2 cam and makes 400+ WHP. It’s also my daily
I had this exact same car, I should have never sold it. Thanks for posting this
The manual trans was only offered in the GXP
Those are really rare too
Yeah i think it was less than half of GXPs were manual
The radio name is pronounced Blough (like (snow) plough) Punked. It means Blue Dot :) Always liked the RWD Zeta platform cars. I nearly bought a Vauxhall Monaro here in the UK (same as the Pontiac GTO/Holden Monaro) but went with the S197 2005 Mustang, instead :)
A lot if vintage porsches have it. Its a german stereo company. It was like their kenwood or alpine
The previous platform VT~VZ was a lot nicer car but not as well equipped. The VE~VF are a tank in comparison. I would guess the Biggest / Heaviest cars ever put into regular production in Australia. That A pillar is really obtrusive. Let alone the tires that were a custom size for the platform previously only ever being used on Ferrari's. It was a real issue when first released as you could only get tires at the dealer and they knew it price wise.
6:25 What's wrong with GM saving on components, instead of manufacturing for both markets and ending up raising costs and the final price of the product for the consumer? I think its a good idea! Right?
Fun fact: the G8 ute was revealed by 50 Cent at the 2008 NY auto show.
The same show also debuted the Hyundai Genesis coupe.
Yeah it was supposed to be a newEl Camino. Shame that never came to be.
@@wigletron2846T did here in Australia, the Ute version is pretty common
I love the new retro video game style intro music Zack!
I have a Vauxhall vxr8. All these are derived from the Holden commodore. Mine has a ls2 and what a hoot it is to own. We don’t get many v8’s in the uk. Partly because our fuel costs are insane and we pay tax every year for the pleasure of driving on the road. It’s based on emissions, the more you make the more you pay which is painful. Only 1000 were ever sold and it was a huge flop here. Real petrol heads love them but most have no idea what’s under the bonnet (hood), it’s fast, it’s loud and it goes sideways. What more could you want from your daily driver??
Owned one since 2015, it’s a 2009 GT in Stryker Blue Metallic. Got it with only 8300 miles on it. Has 110k miles now. Only drive it on the weekends now. Absolutely love the car, had been super reliable, but man it loses alignment easily!!
That and had to change the alternator last year. Other than that just a fantastic car.
I owned one. And I loved it. But it had significant negatives. The drivetrain never failed. It was fast. And it was reliable in the daily driver sense of it always starts and runs. But there were plenty of things that fell apart. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, which is as harsh an environment as Australia. The water neck on the radiator coupling broke once. Hot summer day and it just dumps all the coolant. Engine goes into safe mode, alarm warnings and dash lights blasting away. Limped into a parking lot and called a tow truck. Live to fight another day, but it was a known issue. Oil pressure sensor failed once. This one a false alarm, but scary. The shop that fixed it said they sell a lot of those sensors. On the plus side, battery is in the trunk so it doesn't get cooked. If you live in a hot place and forget to put the sun shade in the window, the black leather seats will burn your balls. Rear power window failed. I was the second owner but I'm going to say failed in fewer than 100 uses. Fixed that on my wife's Jeep, but this is a cable and pulley system that is just a snaggled mess. You see how low it sits. That nose cowl gets snagged on things. Speed bumps, parking stops, your driveway. It breaks kind of easy. And the roof seals. One on each side. one of them failed and the car flooded in the rain.
I have a modded G8 GT (aftermarket camshaft, exhaust, suspension, rebuilt transmission :( ) and it's a good car, you do want to ensure you install a Displacement on Demand delete kit though, worth the time and money.
Also worth looking into a transmission cooler. They run hot.
Zach, A video showing a Pontiac G8 or Chevy SS driven with restraint is a RUclips rarity. 😉 As a former Pontiac G6 owner, have you ever read Dan Neil's famous G6 review?
The G8 GXP is my dream sedan, but the GT would do just fine.
Love your videos Zach!
These zeta sedans were gms last affordable gems of v8 sedans
I liked that break and think it was necessary to appreciate it even more!
Blaupunkt were good quality German items in the UK in the 70s when I was growing up. I fitted one to my 2003 Smart Roadster.
We had these as the Vauxhall Monaro here in the UK.
LOVE THE NEW OPENING THEME! SO GLAD YOU'RE BACK DUDE! MISSED THE VIDEOS!
First review of the year and it's a car I own, nice.
to this day i still want this car in manual!!! smh then pontiac got discontinued killing my dream of owning this because i knew it would be rare and expensive :/
Also by putting the door controls in the mirror, it reduce costs saving GM money which the loved. They are always looking to reduce costs
And thankfully they put it in the normal spot on the VF.
Yep, and I noticed on a recent visit to the 'States last year (I'm an Aussie) that the internal switch-gear on our VF Commodores (wiper stalks & lighting controls, steering wheel-mounted switches, door & centre-console switches etc), instrument cluster gauges and HVAC controls were shared with the Chevy Malibu and Impala rental cars I drove, as well as many other US & European-produced GM vehicles I suspect. True-to-form GM cross-platform standardisation & cost cutting.
Given that Holden was always working with a shoe-string budget, they had to use what was available.
You did a SS, 2 PPV Caprices, and now a G8. You got a lotta love for Holden and as a SS owner I appreciate that.
As an owner of a 09 GT, I love mine. It has its quirks, sure, but what else do you expect from a car over a decade old. It packs plenty of power though and is one of the most, if not the most comfortable car I’ve ever driven. Not only that, but it is hella smooth on the road.
I daily drive the V6 G8 '09, and I think GM did a great job with the low and top power. I can cruise in the city with just enough get-up-and-go without having to put too much throttle, and when I want fast, it’s pretty responsive. However, I don’t know if it’s just mine, but occasionally there’s a slight delay, though it’s rare
Whoa! I'm feelin the 80s era video game music intro!
I had a Red 2008 GT. Most satisfying vehicle to drive I’ve ever owned. No satellite radio was the only shortcoming.
We also had a red 2008 GT just sold it in Oct, was getting hard to get parts for and we needed a more reliable daily at that point. got a 2020 Mazda 6 while not as quick still a fun car to drive
@@anthonygreco12 hope you like it
The Mazda Roadpacer was actually a Holden Statemen that was sent as a knock down kit to Japan and Mazda then assembled it and put in their rotary engine. It wasn't a great success and I can well understand why. The Statemen was a heevy long wheel base car that was ok with a six cylinder, but really needed the V8. Putting a rotary in a car like that, was never going to end well. Great to see the G8 is still receiving some love from owners in the States.
I always liked these cars even though they were a bit too subtle looking for a Poncho.
I liked that you shined a light on Pontiac’s end days. I’ll never ever understand why GM shed Pontiac but that does make more sense now. For me, Pontiac could’ve been their only division today that could compete with the Koreans on styling and “pushing the envelope”, but…. We get Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac. And gawd bless them, they are trying but they can’t hold a candle to vehicles like the Palisade, EV9 or the N Line cars. Buick is a huge value proposition but so is Kia and so was Pontiac /:
GM bought Holden of Australia about 100 years ago,in the 1920s,in the same decade that they bought Vauxhall of England,& Opel of Deutschland.
1931
...and now they are all dead or sold off as GM are not very competent! Cynics argue that GM pushed the costs of developing all their small engines and small car platforms on to Opel, while not allowing them to reap the profits from that. Meanwhile, Peugeot were able to make Opel profitable within two years.
Best Pontiac/Holden sedan ever
I loved all of these Australian GM cars. Especially the GTO. This is my third favorite. Rear wheel drive. Must have. Cool interior. Sleeper to blow the doors off suckers .❤💙💜🧡🤑😎
Holden🇦🇺2006/12 VE🔥Commodore SS-V🏁Redline (Series I & II) Sedan, Sportwagon & Ute!!!
Love my G8, but for anyone wanting one beware of the stock DoD system. It is quite common for it to fail and it could cost you a lot of money. Mine failed and caused catastrophic damage to my motor, ended up getting an LS3 swapped in it.
This G8 GT has Active Fuel Management (AFM). You will eventually have lifter failure (engine tick). It is an expensive repair. I have currently 126k miles on mine and just experienced this problem
Pontiac at least tried to promote the G8 while Chevy basically acted like it had the SS fostered on it by GM and didn't do anything to even acknowledge they sold it.
Couldn't sell too many or it would wreck their cafe rating.
@@Steph-pn2kq I thought UAW were against the imports too? Could GM have built the Commodore in North America instead of building the Impala? Or was the trend, set out by the Taurus, for large US sedans to be orientated on comfort and front wheel drive?
I have no doubt that this car passed me on the production line at the Elizabeth plant, I even put a g8 front end on my ss wagon, shame America never got the HSV version, I think if the HSV was exported to America it would have sold a lot better
My personal conspiracy theory is that the powers that be influence and encourage sideshows as a way to accelerate the destruction of fun gas cars as well as justify draconian "safety" measures
Now in 2024 these cars seem extremely cool. Seriously like a man’s toy lmao. I love the old school digital screens and the Australian history with these cars make it so interesting
This is my favorite page. I used to love Reg Car Reviews but the voices and references are too much now. I just wanna hear about the car. Good job
Great video to come back with’
I have one of these and I would describe it as Classy Muscle. Best cars ever!
Thumbs up for the car. Thumbs down for another car Zack won't get cleaned for the video. Gotta love those crud closeups.
New intro??? I like it! ^_^
Your "bottle" looks like the thermos flask my nanna used for tea or soup. It's huge.
Ah, the useless atari gauge, unless you do the SAS upgrade. Fun fact you can actually twin turbo the v6 using a Holden VE or Calsis LY7 kit.
Also also now that I just paid off my refinancing loan the information matrix screen is going out so I need to buy another odometer console.
Now you need to find the last model GTO to drive. Then you can compare as both are rebadged Aussies
I'd love to see the G8 in a truck form in person or on your videos.
Ute?
@@Low760 Ute?
@@FTRVDennythat's what they are called, a ute. the pickup version of the Commodore/G8 is called that
Yep, here in Australia UTE is Aussie slang for "Utility Vehicle", just in the same way that SUV stands for "Sports Utility Vehicle" and Jeep was originally abbreviated from the WW2 military designation of "General Purpose Vehicle" or "GP".
There's a company that that legalised some imports I believe (not sure how), but if the recommendation is OK the channel "Ross Reviews" has covered every Australian-made car under the sun! Here'sa modded ute: ruclips.net/video/xZdlR09-4RQ/видео.html It's basically Australia's version of a Camaro, the pickup tray is unlikely to see anything more taxing than a carton of beer.
God its cool seeing our aussie cars over in the US. I miss ford and holden
Holden made the best cars 👍 I’m on my 5th (1 GT, 2 GXP’s -one manual-, and 2 Chevy SS’s). Best car ever!
Typical GM. Get something right and immediately kill it. They brought in a RWD sporty sedan that could be had with a V8 and a manual and then immediately axed Pontiac. GM barely tried to sell these and did nothing to improve the quality. GM had too many brands but still, they did Pontiac dirty at the end. It makes me happy whenever I see a G8 on the road, most either broke down or got wrecked.
Holden used the 3.8 litre V6 from Buick a very reliable engine
Not only in aust, they all had timing chain issues
@@Sin3xtreme They were V8s but they also came in the V6 the Buick 3800cc V6
@@lesklower7281 the v6 was the most unreliable engine, there were more v6s sold than the v8 ones, and the VE never got the Buick v6 that was in the later model commodores
It’s so sad when I see videos of this particular car being used for those goofy sideshows and street take overs. This car deserves better owners fr
I just bought a GT , i love it ! 😊
I love my '09 PSM GT.
Love the new tshirt Zack.
I wish they brought the ute. If they couldn’t use the pontiac badge, They should’ve badge it as a chevy and resurrect the el camino name.
Unfortunately, it’s a shame GM didn’t also provided you🇺🇸guy’s with the Holden🇦🇺2006/12🔥HSV🏁Clubsport🏁R8/Senator🏁Signature/GTS/GTS-R🏁E-Series (I, II & III) Sedan, Sportwagon (Tourer) & Ute (Maloo) vehicles!!!?
still absolutely gorgeous!
New intro slaps
Failed because it looked like all the other fwd boring cars Pontiac made at the time and it cost to much but bonus points for offering a manual transmission.
U forgot abt the back seat table
I had a 1993 Camaro in the same color as this G8
Blaupunkt = Blue Dot, hence that blue dot 😉
Volkswagens in Europe sold in the 1990s came with Blaupunkt radios. They were just being labeled as Volkswagen Alpha/Beta/Gamma radios.
i would love to have a G8
The gt did not come in manual only the gxps and those are rare
Happy 2024
I've always kinda pictured the G8 looked like an Evo if it were a full sized sedan
Full sized sedan Evo for you? carsguide-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto,t_blog_large/v1/editorial/2002-mitsubishi-magna-ralliart-sedan-red-1200x800-%284%29.jpg Mitsubishi Magna Ralliart
Those were very popular in Saudi Arabia as Chevy Lumina SS back in 2000s, didn't age well literally a money pit
They still made these as the malibu ss and caprice ppv
@42luke93 no Malibu SS bud it's just Chevy SS that looks like a Malibu
its basicaly an updated cadilac catera with a v8
VE holden commodore there everywhere here
Fantastic.
Sweet!
Pontiac had been making JUNK for a while now when this car came out. Enough said.
Nice 😊
I told you id be here
Remember: GM picked Buick over this.
Blaupunkt is German,translates as bluepoint....
If it had AWD I would have bought it .. twice
"Child like" not "Childish"
Blau rhymes with wow. Then you pronounce the rest as punk. It was a semi popular brand back in the day. That's how everyone I heard pronounce it.
😍😍
Automatic = lame
Look at me 😂
Don't for get the GTO! the impala ss and