| On April 27, 2009, GM announced they were | | | | V8. |
| ending the Pontiac brand. Often an also-ran in GM's | | | | Seeking to return to the brand's performance |
| lineup, the brand's lineup was built on rebadged | | | | roots, GM sold the Commodore in the states: first |
| vehicles from GM's other nameplates. Their swan | | | | in coupe form as the GTO, and later as the |
| song was a high power rear wheel drive sedan | | | | four-door G8. The top-of-the-line GXP is powered |
| hearkening back to the Bonneville and Le Mans | | | | by a LS3 6.2l V8, the same engine used in the |
| models that battled with many other makes for | | | | current Corvette. It produces 415hp and can |
| supremacy in the muscle car era. Ironically, this | | | | reach 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, but only manages an |
| modern rendition is also a rebadged vehicle: | | | | EPA-estimated 15 city/20 highway mpg, a far cry |
| Australia's Holden Commodore. | | | | from the Corvette. The regular G8 was offered |
| While NASCAR has gone from modified street | | | | with an Australian version of the 2006 Corvette's |
| cars to race-spec vehicles, Australia's V8 | | | | LS2, managing 15 city/24 highway mpg, only |
| Supercars race series has remained close to the | | | | slightly less than the base V6. |
| stock cars they're based on, adding race engines, | | | | The gamble wasn't a success, which may be a |
| roll cages, and minor aerodynamic tweeks. Like | | | | good thing for buyers. This rather ordinary-looking |
| rally racing, the Supercars series' homologation | | | | vehicle is a performance bargain thanks to |
| rules require Holden to offer a certain number of | | | | massive discounts from the dead brand, putting it |
| road-legal vehicles for sale to the public. While the | | | | in the price range of a regular family sedan. It |
| World Rally Championship has brought us Mitsubishi | | | | may not be the end for the Americanized |
| Evos and Subaru Impreza STi's, Holden Special | | | | Commodore, as there are rumors it will be |
| Vehicle (HSV) builds the Clubsport models for this | | | | brought back as a Chevrolet, but only as a police |
| purpose. The end result is a modern rear wheel | | | | car. |
| drive car powered by GM's legendary small block | | | | |