pontiac is planning revisions and/or replacements for several models in the next few years. From what I can see, these are:

G6 GXP: while no suprise, it looks like it will actually get the 3.9ohv engine, instead of the buick/caddy 3.6, but I've still got my fingers crossed on that

G4: american sunfire replacement; most likely(99%) on delta chassis. In Canada??

G8: I figured that named would be saved for the Grand prix replacement; looks instead to be the next Bonneville. Northstar engine , switching(FINALLY!!) to RWD
Still undecided whether it will use the zeta platform, or if poncho can get ahold of the sigma from cadillac.

Grand prix: getting a V8, apparently 5.3 truck engine(why not northstar?); no word beyond that of what will happen to it.

 

You'd think they'd put a different engine in the G6 GXP then the G6 GTP. I think the GXP needs more then 240 ponies. Maybe they'll supercharge it though, you never know.

And I believe the V8 in the Grand Prix GXP was a 5.3L based on the Corvette engine, and not on the Vortec truck engine, but at this point I am too lazy to confirm or deny.

 

the 5.3 is the truck engine, but all 3 (4.8, 5.3, 6.0) are based on the LS1 engine... it now has an aluminum block, and they just turned it sideways for the transverse mounting...

 

mmmmmmm more RWD

 

official word on that G4? i know in canada it will be the pontiac pursuit, and will be more upscale than the cobalt!

 

Does anyone else think the grand prix is hideous??

 

I like the Grand Prix, but now the G6 does kind of cast a shadow on it from a styling perspective.

 

i just saw the G6 at the dealer in person, and it's got some very slick styling, wouldn't want a Grand Prix if the power was the same, nice interior, although from all the people sitting in it, looked like the leather was loosening up a little too much

 

it's nowhere near official; it was merely mentioned briefly in motor trend.

on another note, I saw a commercial the other day for the grand Prix GXP, they said it had 275hp..... are they actually selling northstar grand prix's?? They were talking about it when they decided to do it with the bonneville, but I hadn't heard anything else on it.

 

Im pretty sure the Grand Prix GXP gets the 5.3L V8 (still FWD though) for the 275hp. I wonder why they detuned the 5.3 to 275 then, when they could put that out with the northstar. I guess the 5.3 is cheaper to build, and probably more compact?

 

I think I saw that too... the one where the 3 Pontiac cars skid into someones garage, and the last one is the GTO?

 

yeah, that's the one.

and from what I've heard/read, the 5.3 will have 300 or so horses; the northstar in the bonneville has 275 like the GXP, so I assumed that was it.

and yes, the 5.3 should be cheaper to build, as it is a simpler design and higher volume than the northstar.

 

I hope they don't go to an all "G#" naming system for the U.S. models.

 

shouldn't, no way the Solstice is going to be GX (X=anything)

 

I guess I was a bit too broad with that comment :P




I meant to say that I hope the replacements for the Sunfire, Grand Prix and Bonneville don't have the G# naming system.

 

Well hopefully Pontiac doesnt try to go European with its models, and start naming them. Not even Cadillac has done so, but well see what happens, I'm hoping the G6 is the only "G" for a while.

 

Pontiac Solstice > Pontiac G1
Pontiac Persuit > Pontiac G2

LOL, enough numbers. I like Cobalt, glad it's not called the C22 or C200 SS or something ghey like that.

 

lol........that might just be chevy's next move.... ...i hate to see all those pontiacs going G# .......what does G stand for anyway.......

 

I hope they dont move to that naming system either.As far as the comment on the looks of the Grand Prix it took me awhile to get use to the new back end but now I really like it. The new pontiacs look a lot more upscale than the previous.

 

Yeah we have that commercial here too. It is 400HP GTO, 275HP Northstar Bonneville GXP (now dead), and 303HP Grand Prix GXP.

I am pretty sure I read that the 5.3L is a new engine. Althougth the 4.8/5.3/6.0 were all based on the corvette engine when designed for GM's trucks, the 5.3L was a newer aluminum derived engine off the Corvette engine as well. So I guess what I am trying to say is that GM didn't take the exisiting 5.3L V8 and turn it aluminum and FWD (costly) but instead took the current 5.7L out of the vette, shortened the stroke to fit in the engine bay, and turned it sideways.

 

Here are some comparisons for you
Malibu Sedan = Pontiac G6
Chevy Cobalt LT = Pontiac Persuit in Canada (FYI Pontiac and GMC will be the upscale lines in the future)

Here are your engine families
I apologize in advance for not doing the Chevrolet-GMC-Pontiac Conversions, but I hope everybody can do their own

The Vortec 5300 is a 5.3L (326 ci)
The Vortec 4800 is a 4.8L (294)
These replaced the 350's and 305's of years past.

The 4.3L V6 currently in Silverado W/T (and S-10 models)is the 6 cylinder version of the old 350 truck engine, basically cutting off one cylinder block

The LS1 Corvette engine is 5.7L (350)
The LS2 Corvette engine is 6.0L (368)

The 3.5L V6 is a new engine, used on Malibu's Uplanders and the 06 Montes and Impalas

The 3.9L V6 is the 5300 minus one cylinder block (2 cylinders) and will be available on the 06 Montes and Impalas as well.

The 5.3L V8 in the cars will be transverse mounted (accessory belt on the side, not on the front) and will connect to a FWD Trans-axle.

Just to add more to the story
the 4.2L Inline 6 in the Trailblazer is the same base block as
the 3.5L Inline 5 in the Colorado and again is the same as
the 2.8L Inline 4 in the 4cyl Colorado

So basically you have only a few engine families now
5300 family in Full Size trucks and SUV's with the 3900 in larger cars
4800 engine dissappearing soon from Silverados and Tahoes
4200 family in TrailBlazers and Colorados
3500 family in mid-size to larger cars
4 cyl families in smaller cars

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but that about sums up everything but the Caddy's

Villain

 

I really hope that Pontiac doesn't cheap up the 2008 GTO when they start stateside building of it.

As of now the Aussie goats are beautiful and should not be downgraded at all.