2008 Pontiac G6 Gt Coupe 2-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Why Pontiac should come back and how it can be relevant again

When I was a kid growing up in Metro Detroit, our family was always entwined in the General Motors empire. My dad and some of our relatives worked for GM in various capacities, and we had our fair share of Chevrolet, GMC, and even Buick products in our humble driveway. However, it was my Uncle Ed that always had a vehicle from the one GM brand that always appealed to me the most: Pontiac. Seeing him pull up in his Pontiac 6000 and later the '90s era Grand Prix sedan that replaced it was always an exciting occasion, and both of these models also reflected the playful spirit that once defined the Pontiac brand. Back when Pontiac first got its performance groove on in the '60s, names such as GTO, Firebird, as well as Bonneville became iconic nameplates in the broader muscle car era. The '80s saw Pontiac lose some of its styling heritage, but also try new things at the same time including turbocharging as well as the mid-engine sports car with the flawed but still sleek Pontiac Fiero. When the Pontiac brand was shuttered in 2009, it was a mere few years after I earned my drivers license, and also when Pontiac was just beginning to regain some of its lost luster. Granted cookie cutter efforts like the Pontiac G3, (Chevrolet Aveo) G5, (Chevrolet Cobalt) and G6 (Chevrolet Malibu) certainly did not help matters during Pontiac's final years on the market, but two models in particular offered a compelling glimpse into what could've been for the storied brand. The first was the Pontiac Solstice roadster/coupe. Originally introduced as a concept back in 2004, and championed by everyone's fighter jet flying auto executive Bob Lutz, the Solstice was designed to be a serious competitor to the Mazda Miata, and while its interior ergonomics were flawed and the top solution not ideal. It proved to be a fun little car to drive, and also a sales success for Pontiac with initial demand exceeding expectations.This was especially due to its lineup of engines with the 2.0 liter LHU turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 260 horsepower in GXP variants. The second and (inarguably my favorite Pontiac model) was the Pontiac G8 sedan. Originating in Australia as the Holden Commodore VE, the G8 was designed to rectify the multitude of sins created by the last generation Bonneville. Front wheel drive was pitched in favor of rear wheel drive, and for the first time in a long time interior ergonomics and cladding free exterior styling were key building blocks for success.

Sci-fi movie Jinn features car designer, Firebird-bodied Camaro

If you're an automotive engineer being tormented by an immortal being made of fire, then wouldn't you think it best to have a custom coupe called the FireBreather for your getaway car? That's the FireBreather in the image above, adorned by the red wings that once fronted the Pontiac Firebird, running away from a black cloud of evil in a trailer for the movie Jinn.
The Jinn is eternal evil, always waiting for the chance to make things float across rooms before going on homicidal urban rampages. The FireBreather is a Gen-V Chevrolet Camaro - from the V6 to the ZL1 - that's been through Classic Design Concepts' extensive list of exterior and interior modifications, including entirely new front and rear fascias and side skirts, sway bars and springs, Pirelli P Zeroes and an available Edelbrock supercharger.
The movie - FireBreathing chase scenes and all - was shot in Monroe, Michigan. You can watch the trailer below, but since the FireBreather only get a couple of seconds on screen, you can find out more about it on Street Legal TV and its official site.

Florida man runs down bikers in traffic

A Florida biker and his passenger got a nasty surprise when a road rage incident turned ugly on Monday. According to WTSP, Joe Calderazzo was returning from a Veterans Memorial Day motorcycle rally around 5:30 pm with a group of fellow riders. During their ride, the group got entangled with an overly aggressive driver in a Pontiac. Abe Garcia of Tampa watched the silver Pontiac attempt to run the pack of bikers off the road, which started the altercation. The bikers caught up to the Pontiac in stopped traffic, and a shouting match ensued between the bikers and the Pontiac driver. At this point, Garcia pulled out his phone and started recording. The exchange escalated, and suddenly the Pontiac driver floored it, turned hard to the right, and ran over Calderazzo's Harley. The Pontiac mangled the Harley and knocked Calderazzo and his passenger to the ground. The Pontiac then fled the scene. WTSP spoke to Calderazzo as he was on his way to the hospital. "I thought the guy was trying to kill us obviously," said Calderazzo. "You know you don't know what's going through your mind. Is he going to put the car in reverse? Is he going to turn around? Is he going to stop and pull out a gun? You don't know what's going on." The Pontiac driver, a serial traffic offender named Robert Paul Vance, was picked up by police soon after the incident. He is charged with hit-and-run, a moving traffic violation, and aggravated battery. Related Video: News Source: WTSP Weird Car News Pontiac Driving Safety Motorcycle Videos Sedan Navy road rage pontiac g6 Memorial Day veterans Florida Man tampa