Pontiac Brings in Corvette-Powered G8 GXP for New York

The 361 horsepower that Pontiac's G8 GT possesses makes it a force to

be

reckoned with in the midsize segment. And even though the G8 is just

starting to arrive in dealerships, General Motors

has already made plans to offer up an even higher-performance model,

which was introduced in New York earlier this week.

The

G8 GXP gets a bump up to the LS3 engine, which is shared with the

Corvette. In the G8, the engine makes 402 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of

torque, when it's paired to a six-speed manual. A six-speed automatic

will also be available, and if it's selected the LS3 puts out an extra

2 lb-ft of torque. The numbers? According to GM's preliminary tests,

it's capable of accelerating to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, and

will do the quarter mile in 13 seconds flat, with a trap speed of 108

mph. That compares favorably to the Dodge Charger SRT8.

To

go along with the extra power, the G8 GXP features differently tuned

suspension and steering components, while the brakes have been upgraded

to Brembo calipers featuring four pistons up front and 14-inch

disc brakes. The G8's wheel and tire package consists of 19-inch alloys

with a similar pattern to what can be found on high-performance Holden

HSV vehicles.

Inside, the changes to the G8 GXP are simple but

straightforward. The car receives new two-tone leather-trimmed front

seats with additional bolstering, plus color matched instruments and

aluminum pedals.

The new G8 GXP will be available late 2008 as a model year 2009 product.