Bunkei
09-03-2007, 12:55 AM
This is sort of a "open-letter" to GM execs and other high ranking employees within the company.
I would like to take this time to say a big THANK YOU for your recent efforts to revitalize your brands. I could not be more enthusiastic about your latest offerings .. the '08 Corvette, the '08 G8, the '08 CTS, '09 Camaro, and the list goes on and on. However, it is the G8 that I am especially thankful for.
As you might expect, I'm a car enthusiast. My favorite performance brands include some BMW, Audi, and Infiniti models. While my meager wages will never allow me to afford these expensive machines, nothing wrong with dreaming is there? I'm happy to report that I'm no need to "dream" about those cars anymore as you've filled a void that has been neglected for many, many years. Think about it: name a V8-powered, 300+ hp, manual-transmission equipped sedan that can be had under $30,000? That's right, until the G8 came along, there wasn't any.
That's my entire point, THANK YOU GM for making high performance affordable again for those of us who were not fortunate enough to buy Microsoft stock in 1986, or win the $300 million powerball lottery last week!
I was over at the Bimmer forums earlier, and as expected most owners have nothing but high praise for BMWs. They frequently pointed out the precision in engineering, craftsmanship, and the resulting performance. But when I ask "what about those who cannot afford these cars, and do not want to be packed into a sardine can like the upcoming 1 series [the cheapest BMW you can buy]?" Although this problem isn't limited to BMW. The upcoming Lexus IS-F, which is also a RWD, V8-powered sedan, will cost over $50,000. Infiniti has the very, very nice G35/G37, but these machines START at $35,000. Ford? Please, they killed off the once-promising LS sedan and replaced it with a mediocre FWD architecture that was not designed for performance. Chrysler has come the closest with the Magnum/300, however the platform is dated (think early '00 Mercedes E Class) and none of the V8 models are available with a manual transmission. Now you see what I mean by "filling a void".
No, the Pontiac G8 does not have the best interior this side of an Audi A8, nor does it come with a sophisticated dual-clutch transmission, or perhaps a Navigation that talks to you and tells you where the traffic jams are. It doesn't park itself like the Lexus LS nor does the headlights swivel like the Infiniti M's. However, I think the GM execs hit it right on the head. These features would gladly be sacrificed if it means getting a high-performance sedan on a totally new architecture with possibly the best V8 that can be found on this side of a Z06 for under $30,000.
What gives me chills is that this is only the beginning. We still have the GXP model to look forward to. Then there's the other cars, like the next-generation Impala, and Camaro. It's safe to say that GM has gotten its swagger back. What's next, a 650 hp Corvette? Oh , that's right, that's coming too!
I would like to take this time to say a big THANK YOU for your recent efforts to revitalize your brands. I could not be more enthusiastic about your latest offerings .. the '08 Corvette, the '08 G8, the '08 CTS, '09 Camaro, and the list goes on and on. However, it is the G8 that I am especially thankful for.
As you might expect, I'm a car enthusiast. My favorite performance brands include some BMW, Audi, and Infiniti models. While my meager wages will never allow me to afford these expensive machines, nothing wrong with dreaming is there? I'm happy to report that I'm no need to "dream" about those cars anymore as you've filled a void that has been neglected for many, many years. Think about it: name a V8-powered, 300+ hp, manual-transmission equipped sedan that can be had under $30,000? That's right, until the G8 came along, there wasn't any.
That's my entire point, THANK YOU GM for making high performance affordable again for those of us who were not fortunate enough to buy Microsoft stock in 1986, or win the $300 million powerball lottery last week!
I was over at the Bimmer forums earlier, and as expected most owners have nothing but high praise for BMWs. They frequently pointed out the precision in engineering, craftsmanship, and the resulting performance. But when I ask "what about those who cannot afford these cars, and do not want to be packed into a sardine can like the upcoming 1 series [the cheapest BMW you can buy]?" Although this problem isn't limited to BMW. The upcoming Lexus IS-F, which is also a RWD, V8-powered sedan, will cost over $50,000. Infiniti has the very, very nice G35/G37, but these machines START at $35,000. Ford? Please, they killed off the once-promising LS sedan and replaced it with a mediocre FWD architecture that was not designed for performance. Chrysler has come the closest with the Magnum/300, however the platform is dated (think early '00 Mercedes E Class) and none of the V8 models are available with a manual transmission. Now you see what I mean by "filling a void".
No, the Pontiac G8 does not have the best interior this side of an Audi A8, nor does it come with a sophisticated dual-clutch transmission, or perhaps a Navigation that talks to you and tells you where the traffic jams are. It doesn't park itself like the Lexus LS nor does the headlights swivel like the Infiniti M's. However, I think the GM execs hit it right on the head. These features would gladly be sacrificed if it means getting a high-performance sedan on a totally new architecture with possibly the best V8 that can be found on this side of a Z06 for under $30,000.
What gives me chills is that this is only the beginning. We still have the GXP model to look forward to. Then there's the other cars, like the next-generation Impala, and Camaro. It's safe to say that GM has gotten its swagger back. What's next, a 650 hp Corvette? Oh , that's right, that's coming too!