Automotive News, Media & Press - Lutz: Pontiac G8 to become Chevy Caprice

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/11/lutz-pontiac-g8-to-continue-as-chevy-caprice-in-u-s-z28-likel/


WTF? NO, the Caprice is ugly as balls....they should make it the Lumina. While its cool to see them want to keep the car but they are going to make it ugly...another DUMB thing GM is doing...figures.

looks like a G8 with a Chevrolet grill to me. i was never a huge fan of those cars anyway. If i was married with a kid or two, then yeah i'd drive one, but i really have no desire for a 4-door car.

As for the Caprice itself, i can think of worse things to drive. I say the people that love the G8 count their blessings because they can still buy the car under a different brand.

If you think the G8 sucks, you haven't driven one. You can disagree with the styling or colors or details...but anyone who says the car just sucks, hasn't driven one.

And here I thought no one had any brains at GM. Good to see someone convinced them to keep this platform around in the US. Now if I could only get a wagon or ute out of it. :D

I'm just glad to see them trying to keep such a nice 4-door around. The pontiac nose looks better though.

as far as i can tell from that ONE pic< it's 11ty thousand times better looking than a g8...

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/2008chevyluminass02.jpg

Id so rock that car, I think it looks great like that just like the G8.

i don't think the G8 sucks at all, just isn't my cup of tea.

and yes, the Lumina SS is tits, i'd rather have that than the caprice.

Wow. That caprice doesn't look half as badass as the g8. They made it look boreing as hell

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/2008chevyluminass02.jpg

Id so rock that car, I think it looks great like that just like the G8.

That looks WAY better than the G8. I would definately rock it :)

doesnt look bad. I like the G8 But this doesn't look bad. atleast there keeping it. the wing is gay though.

Which would you rather drive if you're the avergage new car buyer in this market:

Caprice:
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/09_caprice-arabia_002_580.jpg

OR

Charger:
http://www.caranddriver.com/var/ezwebin_site/storage/images/reviews/hot_lists/car_shopping/family_four_doors/2008_pontiac_g8_gt_vs_2008_dodge_charger_r_t_compa rison_test/2008_pontiac_g8_gt_vs_2008_dodge_charger_r_t/a_double_dip_of_that_old_time_religion_9/1434632-1-eng-US/a_double_dip_of_that_old_time_religion_9_gallery_i mage_large.jpg

From my understand the Caprice is a longer body then the G8 so GM would have to spend money to make a caprice possible....so really the Lumina is really the only choice they have if they just want to keep the G8 as it is.

From my understand the Caprice is a longer body then the G8 so GM would have to spend money to make a caprice possible....so really the Lumina is really the only choice they have if they just want to keep the G8 as it is.The way I read it, they will just put some new body panels on the G8 to give it the look of a chevy instead of a Pontiac.

i just hope they don't call the high performance model a caprice SS.... that is what the dudes with the ex cop car caprices from the 90s that put 24" rims on them call their cars. IE Caprice SS = Donk

http://i351.photobucket.com/albums/q469/INCMILWAUKEE/DENNIS1.jpg

http://www.socalss.org/pictures/mmcar3.jpg

the second car's wheels aren't too bad. i posted it more for the decal than the car itself. the first car has the same decal although since its in red it's hard to see.

I don't think they will be using the overseas caprice as is. The Caprice over there is actually the same body as a Holden Statesman, which is larger than a G8. I would think they will keep the G8 platform as is and change the necessary details to make it look like a Chevy, and just call it the Caprice, or make it the new Impala. That last option would make the most sense.

But don't assume that since they say it will be called the caprice, that it will be the larger car like the overseas version.

might be a dumb question but what is the point of having the Caprice? Chevy already has the Malibu and Impala.

WTF? NO, the Caprice is ugly as balls....they should make it the Lumina.While I wouldn't exactly call it ugly I do agree that the Lumina is better looking.
In all honesty I think the current G8 (and home market Commodore) looks better than either the Caprice or the Lumina.
Hopefully the final production version will have some more of that Pontiac pizzazz. :nod:
I'm just glad to see the car living on, I wish they would do the same for the Sky/Solstice line.






might be a dumb question but what is the point of having the Caprice? Chevy already has the Malibu and Impala.Well, RWD versus FWD but you raise a good point. The Malibu is an awesome mid size car and has to stay but perhaps the new RWD Caprice should replace the more 'full size' FWD Impala line?

OK guys, calm down! We dont know what it will look like, they simply included a picture of an overseas caprice. They even said they wondered if it will look like that one, or just get a new badge. I for one would lean towards the lumina SS pictured, BUT. Lets fpcus on what important, its the same platform drive train suspension and interior! The rest is simply body panels. You can still swap on the Aussie front end or the Pontiac front end! The body panels are only skin deep! Maybe this will jump start more parts manufacturers to produce body kits and give us even more options! How bout an aftermarket pontiac front end so you could do your own g8 conversion? There are possibilities, this is absolutely great news! You should all focus on the positive not the negative!! Best news to come from GM ina while.

I would buy one for the right price.:nod:

make it more muscle and call it a chevelle or nova or some shit - its obvious the muscle will bring them back. Also - shit can the cobalt and BRING BACK THE CAVY!!!

hey dont be hatin the caprice SSs lol. They are badass when tastfully done. They were called that in the middle east since the Impala is sacred to them.

And godamn chevy and their smiley face grills!!!! i hate that so much. G8 front end conversion should be easy as hell.

At least their keeping it.

make it more muscle and call it a chevelle or nova or some shit - its obvious the muscle will bring them back. Also - shit can the cobalt and BRING BACK THE CAVY!!!

Seriously???? Bring back the Cavalier??? Are you out of your mind.....?

its gonna be on the next pimp my ride with some black guy with a clock around his neck...

OK guys, calm down! We dont know what it will look like, they simply included a picture of an overseas caprice. They even said they wondered if it will look like that one, or just get a new badge. I for one would lean towards the lumina SS pictured, BUT. Lets fpcus on what important, its the same platform drive train suspension and interior! The rest is simply body panels. You can still swap on the Aussie front end or the Pontiac front end! The body panels are only skin deep! Maybe this will jump start more parts manufacturers to produce body kits and give us even more options! How bout an aftermarket pontiac front end so you could do your own g8 conversion? There are possibilities, this is absolutely great news! You should all focus on the positive not the negative!! Best news to come from GM ina while.:werd: Well said, I agree. :nod:

It's good to see the G8 live on... even if as a Chevy. :thumbs:

Looks like it might be time to remove the sticky "Z28 still-not-dead" in the 2010 section though.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/2010-camaro/954626-z28-still-not-dead.html

Looks like a fucking Malibu front end.

Should be called Chevelle.

I think that it's a great thing that the G8 will live on. I just hope that they don't change the interior to a cheaper crappier chevy interior. I think that it's a great idea for GM ( or "new" GM) to have a domestic poor mans BMW. The only problem is fitting it into the lineup. They already have a mid size sedan (malibu) but i guess time will tell, I've heard nothing but great things about this car (except for the weight problem, but i guess that, that is a common problem with Chevys now i.e. Camaro).

common problem with every car made in the past couple years!

I think that it's a great thing that the G8 will live on. I just hope that they don't change the interior to a cheaper crappier chevy interior. I think that it's a great idea for GM ( or "new" GM) to have a domestic poor mans BMW. The only problem is fitting it into the lineup. They already have a mid size sedan (malibu) but i guess time will tell, I've heard nothing but great things about this car (except for the weight problem, but i guess that, that is a common problem with Chevys now i.e. Camaro).

I am pretty sure the car won't sell at the same price point so it is almost guaranteed it will be the same exact chassis with smaller cheaper engines and a worse interior.

As always.

See Camaro v Firebird for example.

They are going to use the Lumina nose but call the car Caprice.

I'd rock one!! Like a couple others said, just glad they are keeping the G8 around. Lots of modding potential!

(except for the weight problem, but i guess that, that is a common problem with Chevys now i.e. Camaro).

It's a common problem with CARS now. Modern sub-$50k production automobile = heavy.

I am pretty sure the car won't sell at the same price point so it is almost guaranteed it will be the same exact chassis with smaller cheaper engines and a worse interior.

I guarantee you that all they will do with this car is change the front grille, wheels, and badges and throw it on the lot at the same price as it's been selling as a Pontiac.

These two timing sons of bitches.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/from-the-horses-mouth-lutz-says-pontiac-g8-wont-spawn-chevrol/

The company is only 1 week old and they are already making the same mistakes.:mad:

These two timing sons of bitches.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/from-the-horses-mouth-lutz-says-pontiac-g8-wont-spawn-chevrol/

The company is only 1 week old and they are already making the same mistakes.:mad:

I know we are all enthusiasts, but I don't think the G8 has the sales to survive. They need a fresh start, not the same cars with different badges. Plus, we would want a sportier model, which would compete against the Camaro for sales. Let's face it, the rebadging ting hasn't exactly worked great for them in the past.
If things turn around I am sure we will get somehting else from OZ.

Is there going to be an SS model with an LS3 and an M6? I am happy to see this :)

W

And Chevelle name would be better.

W

I know we are all enthusiasts, but I don't think the G8 has the sales to survive. They need a fresh start, not the same cars with different badges. Plus, we would want a sportier model, which would compete against the Camaro for sales. Let's face it, the rebadging ting hasn't exactly worked great for them in the past.
If things turn around I am sure we will get somehting else from OZ.

I know that it probably doesn't have the sales to survive, but from what I've heard it's an amazing car, even all the auto rags like it (take that for what it's worth). I guess that we are starting to get some quality auto's and they decide that they want to cut it. I don't know maybe I'm just mad because I can't get one.:bang:

I think the reason the sales were lackluster was because it was a Pontiac with an uninspiring name. The only people that really cared about it were the people that knew what it was. If they had given it a cool and badass name like "Fire Demon" or something, sales probably would have been better.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/11/lutz-pontiac-g8-to-continue-as-chevy-caprice-in-u-s-z28-likel/


WTF? NO, the Caprice is ugly as balls....they should make it the Lumina. While its cool to see them want to keep the car but they are going to make it ugly...another DUMB thing GM is doing...figures.

A Lumina? I was thinking more along the lines of Chevelle!

So the only RWD V-8 performance sedan GM makes outside of Caddy will live on after Pontiac, yet people are griping? What am I missing?

I think it would be a cool car, especially if there was another big body, sport sedan (Impala SS) would be nice. But rather than getting rid of it, rebadging it as a Caprice or Impala would be better then loosing it all togehter. +1 I'd be for it.

-SS

I'm not a fan of this re-baged G8. I hate when they ruin a good thing. The original picture at the start of the thread is horrible for a Chevy remake looking G8. The second picture looks better. But there's no replacement for the original IMO. We love our GXP.

I'm not a fan of this re-baged G8. I hate when they ruin a good thing. The original picture at the start of the thread is horrible for a Chevy remake looking G8. The second picture looks better. But there's no replacement for the original IMO. We love our GXP.

The G8 looks like poo compared to the Holden Monaro... usually rebadges don't go all that well.

Yep, definitely don't like it... I don't understand what's so difficult about leaving it EXACTLY the way it was but just replacing the Pontiac emblems with Chevy emblems and calling it a Chevy G8. WTF is so hard about that???

I would have loved to have picked up a G8 as my next car... guess I'll be looking used at this point.

The G8 looks like poo compared to the Holden Monaro... usually rebadges don't go all that well.

+1

I would of rather of had a left hand drive Club Sport down to the same body panels and a lion on the wheel. But with the LS3 of course. I love the aggressive Holden looks on the higher up models.

Sell the shit right on the Pancho lot.... I mean Toyota did it with Scion right?

Us, GM fans, don't care.

I would buy this before the new Maro...if it is going to weigh this much might as well get some room and just hang onto my 2002 Z/28 for fun.

W

wow i cant believe they killed the project already, morons i tell you! What do they have to lose? They are already bankrupt, take chances you POS company! Your shitty FWD cars and crossovers didnt help now did they? SO what does THAT LEAVE? hmm... RWD?

Looks too.. normal.. The G8 was kinda exotic looking. I'm glad they decided to keep it, but make it a little more exotic looking

I looked through the news section and didn't see it, but it looks like the car may be a no-go now :(


GM beginning to backpedal on Lutz' G8-turning-Caprice comments?

When General Motors' Bob Lutz talks, we listen. The reason, of course, is that he always gives us something good to write. Over the weekend, we told you about an interview Lutz had with Automobile Magazine where the Maximum One said that the G8 will live on as a Chevrolet Caprice. Lutz's comments looked like a sure thing to us, as it's hard to misinterpret these words.

"The last time we looked at [the G8], we decided that we would continue to import it as a Chevrolet. It is kind of too good to waste."

Just a few days later, Blogger Bob sounded a bit less certain about the future of the G8 as Chevrolet. On the company's Fast Lane Blog, Lutz simply said "we're studying the feasibility of bringing (the G8) in as a Caprice for both law enforcement and the public." That doesn't sound nearly as certain as the Automobile interview.

Kicking Tires reportedly received a similar statement from GM brass, saying "As part of its reinvention, General Motors is exploring every opportunity of effectively utilizing its global portfolio of vehicles, facilities and talent. While this exploration includes the possibility of extending imports of Holden vehicles (such as the recent Pontiac G8) to North America, no decision has been made at this time."

We're hoping this is corporate speak for 'We're going to do what Bob says, but we just don't want to promise anything just yet.' Turning the G8 into a Chevrolet model looks to us like the cheapest possible way to keep a terrific vehicle available in the States, and with the Bowtie's significantly larger dealer network, maybe GM can finally figure out how to turn a profit with with the awesome Aussie.
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/14/gm-beginning-to-backpedal-on-lutz-g8-turning-caprice-comments/

Here is the Blog on Fast Lane


By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

OK, I have some late-breaking news for you from the world of GM, where things are indeed moving quickly, and what I’m about to say is proof.

In fact, we’re moving so fast, we’re going back in time to, oh, about four or five days ago, when the Pontiac G8 was going away and was not going to become a new Chevrolet Caprice.

And therein lies the news: The G8 will not be a Caprice after all. I’d mentioned it, and said we were studying it, giving it a serious look, because a car like the G8 was just too good to waste.

That’s all still true. But I have to say that, with my new “marketing” hat on, upon further review and careful study, we simply cannot make a business case for such a program. Not in today’s market, in this economy, and with fuel regulations what they are and will be.

I know that we’ll get a lot of complaints from G8 lovers, because I’m one of them. And the product guy in me is complaining as loudly as anyone. But the marketing guy says there’s no case. With budgets being what they are for the time being, the resources must be allocated elsewhere.

In no way, and this is very important, in no way does this mean we are backing away from performance, or backing away from rear-wheel drive. Look no further for proof than the Corvette, the Camaro, the CTS or many other present and future Cadillacs. We have a strong lineup of RWD vehicles already and we will continue to have it.

And we have a tremendous RWD team in Australia that gave us the beloved G8, a team that we will tap into at some point again in the future for its expertise and sheet metal. Just not right now.

http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/archives/2009/07/it_seemed_like_a_good_idea_at_the_time%E2%80%A6.ht ml

1 question are they going to make po'911 versions?

But the marketing guy says there’s no case. With budgets being what they are for the time being, the resources must be allocated elsewhere

This part annoys me...
If you can't build a car that the public/people want, then get the fuck out of the industry. Most people aren't gonna be forking out ten's of thousands of dollars for a compromise of what they really want. Build what people want not what your marketing department decides.