SEMA: Pontiac’s G8 Dresses Up for Las Vegas

We’re only a few months away from being able to sample Pontiac’s new G8 sport sedan for ourselves. The G8 was formally introduced at this year’s Chicago Auto Show and enthusiasts were grinning ear to ear when we heard that General Motors would be introducing a true V-8 sedan with rear-wheel-drive.

Here in Las Vegas, the G8 put on a fancy suit for the crowd at SEMA with a custom orange exterior paintjob, an orange-accented interior, lowered suspension, twenty-inch wheels, and an enhanced brake package with slotted rotors. Under the hood lies the production 6.0-liter V-8 which will produce an estimated 361 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque.

Click through the jump for Pontiac’s official press release and click the photos below to open a high-resolution gallery.

PONTIAC G8 GT SEMA EDITION
Designed for enthusiasts who are passionate about performance, the all-new Pontiac G8 performance sedan – arriving at dealerships in early 2008 – is the first North American application of GM’s new global rear-wheel-drive architecture. The V8-powered G8 GT SEMA Edition was displayed at the ’07 SEMA Show with a host of tuner-inspired custom touches, including a hot orange paint scheme with matching leather seat inserts, door panels and instrument panel pad.

Under the hood is the production 6.0L V-8, rated at 361 horsepower (268 kW) and 385 lb.-ft. of torque (520 Nm). A six-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control backs the powerful small-block engine and complements a four-wheel independent suspension outfitted with unique 20-inch wheels and performance tires.

The G8 GT SEMA Edition car is equipped with production equipment that includes:
• Standard ABS and traction control augmented by high-performance HSV brakes
• Electronic stability control
• Seat-mounted thorax air bags and dual-stage frontal air bags for front passengers, with automatic passenger sensing system
• Roof rail side-impact air bags for both seating rows
• OnStar with available Turn-by-Turn navigation
• Power-adjustable front seats
• Fog lamps
• Quad polished stainless steel exhaust tips
• Rear lip spoiler

Augmenting the SEMA Edition is a series of modifications, including:
• Custom orange exterior paint
• Orange-accented interior components, including seat inserts, door panels and instrument panel pad
• Enhanced brake package with drilled and slotted rotors
• Lowered performance suspension package
• Twenty-inch wheels with performance tires

The G8 has a progressive styling package highlighted by strong Pontiac design cues, such as a dual-port grille, fog lamps, bold wheels and a confident, wheels-at-the-corners stance. The car’s design accents Pontiac’s performance lineage, with fenders that flare over the wheels, seemingly hugging the wide tires and enhancing its athletic stance.

Distinctive elements include hood scoops and front fender vents, as well as projector-beam headlamps housed in crystal-clear lenses. At the rear, taillamps feature bright detail work surrounding the red lighting elements.