First, just to be upfront, we don't know everything about the Pontiac 2010 G8 Sport Truck. Pontiac has done a good job of keeping most of the project under lock and key. They debuted the Sport Truck in the New York Auto Show earlier this year and then, effectively put the cover back on their creation. That being said, we've seen the pictures. We have the specs and details. Here's what you can expect to come galloping from the Pontiac G8 stable in late 2009.
El Camino Reborn
You've likely seen pictures of the G8 Sport Truck already. If you were born before 1980, the style probably looked familiar to you. That's because the Sport Truck is fashioned directly from the classic El Camino. Part of us is anxious to see how it does when Pontiac releases it. After all, the El Camino body is nostalgic. It reminds us of a time long passed. On other hand, we also have a feeling that this new addition to the G8 family is going to turn a lot of people off. Ask yourself how many years it's been since you've seen a new model car with a cargo bed. There's probably a good reason for that. Nostalgia is nice. But, some things that go out of style weren't meant to come back.
Enough about style. Let's get to the meat of the G8 Sport Truck.
The Horses Under The Hood
You're getting 361 horsepower in a 6.0-liter V8 engine. That's not bad. It's not an improvement over Pontiac's G8 GT (and it's certainly a reduction in power from the upcoming 2009 GXP), but 361 horsepower can create a nice burst from a standing start. According to GM, the Sport Truck will launch from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds. Testing is still in the early phases, of course. So, whether the Sport Truck lives up to that promise in 2009 remains to be seen.
The V8 inside the Sport Truck is the same one that is currently in the GT. The G8 GT gets approximately 15 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway. Pontiac says the Sport Truck will get similar gas mileage. But, we're still keeping our eye on that, too. With today's gas prices, this may be an issue. Then again, if you're buying an El Camino lookalike, gas mileage may not be a huge concern to you.
Where's The Manual?
The transmission will only be available as an automatic. That seems like a shame. To really take advantage of the power of the Sport Truck's 6.0-liter V8, you need a manual transmission. Remember, Pontiac has done this to us before. They released their G8 sedan and GT models without the manual transmission option. Ironically, we thought Pontiac realized that a lot of G8 fans want a manual transmission. After all, they're bringing their GXP out with an optional manual. But, for now, the only plan is to put a 6-speed automatic in the Sport Truck.
It's possible that Pontiac will launch the G8 Sport Truck with an automatic transmission first. Then, release one with a manual transmission the following year. In fact, there's been some speculation that Pontiac's going to release a GT with a manual transmission. But, it's all rumor until we hear it from Pontiac.
Name That Truck!
We've been calling this rig the G8 Sport Truck because that's what Pontiac named it before its New York debut early this year. In reality, the "Sport Truck" hasn't been formally named yet. Pontiac is holding a contest to name their creation. As I'm writing this, the contest is still going on at this time next year, we could be referring to the El Camino doppelgänger as the 2010 G8 Humdinger (we certainly hope not). It could literally be up to you.
Not Bad Pontiac
Overall, the G8 Sport Truck looks like it could be a contender. It has a powerful engine, unique design and can carry a payload of over 1,300 lbs. We don't know the sticker price it'll command yet. But, the G8 line is notable for offering the lowest-priced high-performance cars on the market. That said, this G8 could go either way after it has been released. The design may look good to us, but we're betting a lot of people are going to dismiss it. Plus, we're more than a little disappointed at Pontiac's decision to only offer an automatic transmission. Like all other G8 fans, we'll be watching this one closely.
