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2009 Pontiac G8 Vehicle Overview

Introduction

Thanks to a long line of uninspiring products over the past couple
decades, Pontiac -- ostensibly GM's "driving excitement" division --
acquired a rather unfortunate reputation as fodder for rental-car
fleets. But that's been changing as of late, thanks to a concerted
effort by GM to reassert the brand's high-performance heritage. The
2009 Pontiac G8 is at the core of Pontiac's recent resurgence. This
powerful yet refined rear-wheel-drive performance sedan is unlike
anything Pontiac has offered in recent memory -- and we mean that as a
sincere compliment.

The Pontiac G8 is a mechanical twin of the Commodore sedan from
Holden, GM's Australian subsidiary. That's a good thing, as the
Commodore has garnered accolades Down Under for providing affordable
full-size functionality in a swift and agile package. Thankfully,
Pontiac stylists resisted the urge to outfit the American version with
the brand's traditional assortment of scoops, vents and spoilers, and
the car looks muscular and purposeful from most angles.

The G8's mechanical merits are impressive, from its range of
energetic engines to its impressive combination of sharp handling and
supple composure over broken pavement. The new 2009 GXP model raises
the performance bar even higher with a 402-horsepower version of the
iconic Corvette's 6.2-liter V8. One of our few complaints about the G8
has been the lack of a manual transmission, so we're pleased to report
that you can get one on the GXP (though still not on lesser G8 models).
In any guise, the G8's BMW-like MacPherson front strut layout and
multilink rear suspension yields a sophisticated driving character
that's more typical of European sport sedans than large domestic
rear-drivers.

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Safety

All 2009 Audi A4s come standard with antilock brakes, traction
control, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length
side curtain airbags (except on Cabriolets). Rear-seat-mounted side
airbags are available as an option for the sedan and wagon. In
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash testing, the A4 Cabriolet
received the best rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset test and the
second-worst rating of "Marginal" in side-impact testing. The all-new
sedan and wagon have yet to be crash tested.

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Casey Gelvin Blogs: If this isn't enough, there's an additional
model being added to the 2009 lineup: the ZR1. The ZR1 moniker was last
seen from 1990-'95 (when it was spelled "ZR-1") and represented the
ultimate in Corvette performance. The new ZR1 starts with a
hand-assembled, supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that cranks out 638 hp and
604 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful production
Corvette ever -- and one of the most powerful cars ever, period.
Naturally, there are further modifications, such as a strengthened
transmission, specialized wheels and tires, Brembo carbon-ceramic
brakes, unique suspension tuning with adaptive dampers and additional
carbon-fiber body panels for weight reduction.

Even if "all" the 2009 Corvette provided was performance equal to
high-dollar exotics but at half the price, it would still be high on
our list of recommended cars. But a surprising level of utility comes
along for the ride, too. The Corvette offers a massive amount of
luggage space and a user-friendly cockpit, along with enough ride
compliance for daily-driving duty. There's also a convertible body
style for those who want to catch more rays (or hear more from that
voracious V8), and even fuel economy isn't too shabby -- a standard
Corvette has an EPA highway estimate of 26 mpg, the same as an upscale
Chevy Malibu.

Our quibbles with the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette are few, though they
may be significant for those who expect world-class refinement at the
Vette's elevated price point. Although the interior features a
soft-touch dashboard material, it still looks rather plain and there
are too many chintzy plastics. Nor can the Corvette provide the nimble
and engaging handling offered by European sports cars, or the brutal
effectiveness of Nissan's new GT-R. But for many shoppers in this
segment, these will likely be minor issues. Put down the gold chains
and don't worry about the scrunched noses -- the stereotypes are long
gone for America's sports car.

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Last year, Dodge offered just one model -- the top-level SRT8. For
2009, Dodge expands the Challenger family with a couple of less
intimidating alternatives that make this retro-styled sport coupe more
accessible to the masses. Starting things off is the new base
Challenger, fitted with a V6 engine and four-speed automatic, a pairing
as ill-suited as Charlize Theron and Gilbert Gottfried. You'll get 250
hp and a 25-mpg highway rating from this powertrain, but considering
that you're stuck with four speeds, it's hardly set up for optimal
efficiency. Sitting between the base car and the SRT8 is the best pick
of the bunch: the new R/T, with its 370-hp V8. This year also brings
back another Mopar icon, a pistol-grip-shifted manual gearbox.
Available on the V8 cars, this tranny features six speeds.

Considering that the resurrected Camaro is set to debut next year,
Dodge's preemptive strike with this full family of Challengers couldn't
have come at a better time. And considering the cost of gasoline
nowadays, we imagine the V6 model will be fairly popular. Overall, we
like how the 2009 Dodge Challenger impressively combines the visceral
and visual excitement of the past with modern engineering, safety and
convenience features. Yes, there is competition in the form of the
upcoming Camaro and the Ford Mustang. But for a modern take on the old
muscle car, the Challenger certainly gets almost all of it right.

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Profile Casey Gelvin: 2009 Acura TL Vehicle Overview

Introduction

From now on, there will be no more chicken-(expletive) designs
from Acura. At least, that's what one company official tells us.
Acura's new goal is to be bold and brash, with aggressive lines and
audacious details. The 2009 Acura TL accomplishes just that. Gone is
the previous TL's wedge shape with side cut lines, replaced by
prominent wheel arches and a new-look front end dominated by a shiny
alloy grille. Some say the grille resembles a guillotine, or a
vegetable slicer. Folks have gotten creative in their derision, but as
BMW has proven, changing the status quo with a bold new styling
direction can pay dividends. Acura is hoping to follow in those
footsteps.

Underneath the midsize TL's radical new styling is a car that
addresses many key customer complaints and requests. There's more
interior room, a more powerful V6 engine, new technology features and
lighter steering weighting to help with parking lot maneuvers. There
are also two TL models available: the base car and the more athletic
SH-AWD model. The latter's name indicates the sophisticated
all-wheel-drive system that manages the model's 306 horsepower (the
base car makes 280) by eliminating torque steer and providing
impressive cornering abilities. Though last year's TL Type-S and its
available manual transmission are no more, the SH-AWD carries on most
of that car's finely tuned performance characteristics.