Winding Road too happy about Pontiac G8?

I love Pontiac. I've always had a special place in my heart for Pontiacs. My father owned a 1986 Fiero V6 with a 4 speed(!) and to my eleven year old eyes, it was the ultimate vehicle. I'm pretty sure at the time Ferrari and Fiero were one and the same for me. I drove a 1980 Trans-Am Indy Pace Car my senior year of high school (and for several years after) and I did the typical kid thing and yanked out the lousy turbo V8 and put in a proper 350 that was bored, stroked, and mildly cammed. Just what every eighteen year old needs, right?

I told you all of that to explain this post. Very rarely will I venture into the "car critic" or "car review" world with this blog. Occasionally though I simply cannot remain quiet. This is one of those times.

Winding Road recently published their take on the new Pontiac G8 sedans. They, like virtually every other car magazine, gave the sedan an overwhelmingly positive review. I mean this too, you'll be hard pressed to find a major car magazine that isn't pleased with Pontiac's G8. I only singled out Winding Road in the title because I absolutely love their online magazine.

I know what your thinking. If every magazine is agreeing on how good this car is, it must be good, right? Maybe. I say maybe because I believe the Pontiac G8 to be a fine automobile. Nobody will tear apart a low quality vehicle quicker than an auto enthusiast publication and nary a one had major complaints. Winding Road, among others, came away pleased with the G8's driving dynamics, sold road feel, and well, pretty much everything else too. So we know the G8 must be a pretty darn nice car.

Why the title of my post then? The Pontiac G8 looks flat out boring at best. I know the product engineers were on a short time line, but I was really hoping for a better looking car. The front looks much too like the current Grand Prix and the back reminds these eyes of the old Grand Am. Sandwiched in between this is what can only be described as Pontiac's attempt to crib the best green house outlines from Audi and BMW. And why oh why do they insist on those "ram-air" intakes on the hood? I can safely tell you my neighbor's Infiniti doesn't have raised air intakes marring its body work, nor does my friend's Chrysler 300c. I know that Pontiac is supposed to be the "excitement division" and all, but isn't 361HP enough excitement already? How about some menacing class instead of boy-racer add-ons?

I mention this only because I want to see Pontiac succeed. I want my son to lust after the next Trans-Am just as I used to do. I wouldn't mind parking a Pontiac in my driveway again, but it won't be the G8. It's a shame too. The car sounds great but I wouldn't notice it on the street unless I hit it head on. Winding Road seems to think that production of only 30,000 cars a year may be to little. I think it will be too much. After all, who really wants to plunk down $30K on a go-fast super sedan that even the owners are going to have problems finding in the mall's parking lot?

If Pontiac gets the body right the next time around, I'll one of the first in line. Until then I'll go on hoping and wishing for the re-birth of my favorite American brand. Thanks for stopping and see you next time.