My Muscle Car
Chrysler Valiant VH Charger R/T, Pontiac G8 GXP, Torana SL/R 5000 L34 and XB GT.
What is it?
“It’s a 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP with a LS3 6.2-litre V8, 6-speed manual transmission and sunroof. It’s Liquid Red in colour with Onyx leather interior. It’s a numbered vehicle: #1285 of 1829. It’s #55 of only 77 made with this trim level combination. I hope readers will enjoy the fact that an ex-pat is still enjoying his Australianbuilt muscle in the land of the Canuck. The only modi cations from stock are limited to the solo unbalanced cat-back high-efficiency exhaust; VG ‘Shark n’ antenna, window tinting (35%), CAGS shift-bypass, TRS/Morimoto HID headlights, K & N air- lter and Xpel paint protection on front of car.”
When did you buy it?
“After a car-guy ‘drought’ of some years, late in 2017 I acquired my ‘forever’ car here in Canada.”
Why did you buy it?
“I relocated to Vancouver from Sydney in 2006 when I was 49. I have always been a oneeyed Holden fan since I was knee-high to a grasshopper and owned a number of them whilst living there, starting with a 1966 Holden. From being a simple car-guy, my muscle-car addiction was fuelled early on by ‘hotting up’ my cars. The last car I had before migrating to Canada was a 1970 HG Holden GTS Monaro 350. I enjoyed the Monaro for around 10 years with my son Gavin and daughter Katherine both having the pleasure of driving it. Katherine even learnt to drive in it! How many kids can say that! As a family, we belonged to the Monaro Car Club of NSW. I and
my ex-wife also held a few positions on the club’s executive for a number of years. So, you see, GM ‘red’ really was owing through my veins. But I digress...
“I knew the Holden Monaro coupe deal had been done with Pontiac just after the turn of the century, so after arriving here in Vancouver I was looking at a new generation GTO. As everyone knows, this was simply a Pontiacbadged Holden, made in Australia and exported to North America, but to an ex-pat it was going to be much more. Sadly, they were not sold north of the US border. With the additional costs associated with importing, it was simply not going to happen for me at that time. I also knew the Holden Commodore deal was going to be done soon after, so I eagerly awaited the G8. Similarly, with GTO, the prospect of having a performance Holden sedan badged as a Pontiac was piquing my interest again. Although they were sold in Canada, I was still not in position to get one in 2008/09, but I was determined that I would have it one day. And although GM killed Pontiac as a brand soon after, my dream was not diminished. Fast-forward to 2016 when I started looking in earnest for a G8 and it wasn’t the base V6 model I wanted – it was the top-of-the-line GXP. I was not going to settle for anything less. What made it all more challenging, was that there were not many of these made in its only model year, 2009, with precious few coming to Canada.
“After looking at the very few for sale on the web, in September 2017 I found one in Ohio advertised as a six-speed. Upon further scrutiny, it turned out to be an auto six-speed – and the need for a third pedal was not negotiable for me. Another one came up in October, this time in Wisconsin, USA. After seeing photos of the car in the advertisement, it looked like I might have nally found what I was looking for. After a few phone calls with the owner and comparing calendars, I ew to see the car, stayed almost a week, spent time with the owner, his wife and two pre-school daughters – and then bought the car on the spot. It was much more than a carbuying transaction; rather it was an exchange of a very personal possession, handed from one enthusiast to another. I dined with their family, the owner and I spent about ve hours on the road together. In short, we bonded. It just felt right to both of us.
“The car was exactly how the picture in my head looked, it gave me the ‘touch of home’ feeling I had been looking for, and the owner was very happy it was going to a good home. The deal was done! I had already organised the US cheque before I travelled, I was that con dent the car was what I wanted. So, before I left Wisconsin, I arranged for the car to be shipped to British Columbia, along with engaging an import broker. And that’s a whole other story.”
What do you know about its history?
“It was manufactured 12/08/2008. I have it on good authority that only about four or ve were actually sold in Canada during 2009. There are more here now, due to guys importing them from the US in later years.”
How does it go?
“As for driving it, the performance is more
than acceptable, as most will know from the HSV product offerings. With the LS3 basically providing a Corvette driveline, it is probably one of the best value late model cars in North America. Handling is close to perfect with its sports suspension and low-pro le tyres.
“The seating is very comfortable in both front and back, with long distance driving a breeze. Adding to the attraction of each drive is the wonderful sound of the excellent after-market exhaust. There is no need for the radio or music CDs – just wind down the window and listen to the melodic, even orchestral sounds of a V8 in full song. And with the ‘not quite standard’ J pipes at the back-end burbling away on a trailing throttle, nothing beats it!
“As we get some snow here in Vancouver, and therefore copious quantities of road-salt, the GXP is not a daily driver in winter when it goes into hibernation, all snug and warm under a soft, tailor-made car cover. I have a 1991 Buick Century ‘beater’ for winter duties. During summer the GXP will be enjoyed more often including entering a number of car shows. And, as this is a rare car, I have no plans to modify it beyond what has been currently done.
“If you check the web for reviews on the car, you will see that it received nothing but glowing reports from motoring journalists when released in 2009. The shame was that it never reached its full potential; it might have saved Pontiac after years of trying to salvage its own ‘sports oriented’ brand image with bland, subperforming and wallowing slush-mobiles. GM found the perfect rear-wheel drive platform in its Australian subsidiary on which to regain the performance market but (bad) timing is everything and the GFC took that opportunity away. Not to mention what could have been if Pontiac had survived and taken on the Commodore ute as a sports utility! I feel they would have reignited that market here in North America, after it died back in the late 1980s.”
Anything you’d like to add?
“The G8 in general, and G8GT and GXP speci cally are now developing a cult car following in North America. And that is great to see and be part of. To that end, I am currently a founding charter member and a director of the Australian Performance Pontiac (APP) chapter of the Pontiac-Oakland Club International (POCI) – a North American-based but internationally recognised organisation that is dedicated to the interest in preservation, restoration and enjoyment of all Pontiac, Oakland and GMC vehicles.
“The APP Chapter is of course focused on the Holden-manufactured Pontiacs of the 21st century – namely 2004-2006 GTOs and 2008-2009 G8s. Our aim is to see these cars recognised for the true quality performance vehicles they are, whilst preserving their (and Holden’s) history and heritage well into the future.”