Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. That’s what Morpheus told Neo in the first Matrix movie, and it also applies to the GM-based Holden Commodore, which was rebadged as a Pontiac and sold in the United States under the moniker G8 for the 2008 and 2009 model years.
When it went on sale, the G8 stood as Pontiac’s first “large-ish” sedan model since the Bonneville and a precursor to the Chevrolet SS. In GT specification, the Pontiac G8 came with a 6.0-liter V8 engine, producing 361 hp. Not great, but not terrible either – it needed 5.2 seconds in order to reach 60 mph (97 kph).
It wasn’t a flagship model, but it still showed great potential, especially if you add extensive modifications. Such is the case here with this Liquid Red 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, up for grabs through Doug DeMuro’s Cars & Bids auction site.
Starting with the visuals, the first thing you might notice is that it looks like a Holden, not a Pontiac. That’s because it’s fitted with a Holden HSV W427 body kit (bumpers, hood, fenders, rear valance, taillights, rear spoiler, fog lights), HSV W427 badges, a Camaro ZL1-style hood vent, matte black roof wrap, LED lights, tinted windows and 20-inch Camaro Z/28 wheels.
There are several mechanical upgrades too, such as the Maverick Man carbon coilover suspension or the Cadillac CTS-V-sourced Brembo brakes, but none more important than the addition of a 7.0-liter V8 engine, modified to produce around 600 horsepower, instead of the usual 505 hp. Output is sent to the wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, featuring an aftermarket shifter.
Speaking of the interior, it boasts Holden front bucket seats (also heated), an aftermarket steering wheel, custom gauges, aftermarket touchscreen display for the HVAC controls, Alpine head unit and various other Holden bits, to go with convenience features such as the power sunroof and the automatic climate control system.
It’s clear to us that this car means business and that its next owner needs to know a thing or two about fast sedans that behave like muscle cars.
It wasn’t a flagship model, but it still showed great potential, especially if you add extensive modifications. Such is the case here with this Liquid Red 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, up for grabs through Doug DeMuro’s Cars & Bids auction site.
Starting with the visuals, the first thing you might notice is that it looks like a Holden, not a Pontiac. That’s because it’s fitted with a Holden HSV W427 body kit (bumpers, hood, fenders, rear valance, taillights, rear spoiler, fog lights), HSV W427 badges, a Camaro ZL1-style hood vent, matte black roof wrap, LED lights, tinted windows and 20-inch Camaro Z/28 wheels.
There are several mechanical upgrades too, such as the Maverick Man carbon coilover suspension or the Cadillac CTS-V-sourced Brembo brakes, but none more important than the addition of a 7.0-liter V8 engine, modified to produce around 600 horsepower, instead of the usual 505 hp. Output is sent to the wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, featuring an aftermarket shifter.
Speaking of the interior, it boasts Holden front bucket seats (also heated), an aftermarket steering wheel, custom gauges, aftermarket touchscreen display for the HVAC controls, Alpine head unit and various other Holden bits, to go with convenience features such as the power sunroof and the automatic climate control system.
It’s clear to us that this car means business and that its next owner needs to know a thing or two about fast sedans that behave like muscle cars.