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Bob Lutz, posted on General Motor’s Fastlane blog today that the Pontiac G8 will not be converted into the Chevrolet Caprice.

Lutz confirmed the demise of the Australian built Pontiac G8 and stated that it will not be renewed as the Chevrolet Caprice. GM had said in news earlier that it would try to keep the Australian-built Pontiac G8 alive and manufacture it as a Chevrolet Caprice. However, this does not seem practical, according to Lutz, “Not in today’s market, in this economy, and with fuel regulations what they are and will be.”

Lutz then went on to reassure GM customers that this does not mean that GM is backing away from performance or rear-wheel drives, that it still had a strong rear-wheel drive line-up and that it’s rear-wheel drive team in Australia will, in the future, be called upon for its expertise.

To read Lutz’s blog, click on the link below.

+ Fastlane GM Blog: Archives: It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

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The Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe is a conundrum. Despite its reassuring specifications and sporty body, the car has a love-it-or-hate-it attitude surrounding it. It doesn’t have the rumbly, big displacement engine people expect in an American rear-drive performer. The GXP’s direct-injection, 2.0-liter, turbocharged engine makes more sense for a vehicle like the Solstice, even if it doesn’t summon the emotional response associated with typical Americana. So, to try to wrap our heads around this strange, small creature, we wedged ourselves in the cockpit, and fired her up.

The 2009 Solstice GXP produces a symphony of strange noises. The first thing we noticed was a loud ticking, especially at idle, that rises with the RPMs until road and wind noise drown it out. We have heard the same noise in other engines, though not as pronounced as this (unless of the diesel variety). After some research, we’ve come to find it is just the sound of high-pressure direct injection. The whoosh sound of the turbo is another common noise that is also present in the GXP, as is the sound of the blow off valve. In the GXP, though, the blow off gives a sharp toot, like someone playing a note on a flute. While alien sounds don’t necessarily indicate anything good or bad, it left us feeling unsure about our upcoming romp, especially when combined with the creaking of the removable hard top.

Despite the odd noises, the Solstice GXP feels very balanced and planted on the road. The low center of gravity, of course, helped this, but the Solstice held on as we pushed it hard through curves.

CLICK HERE to continue reading about the Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe.

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We have the 2009 Pontiac G8 GT in hand, so go ahead and ask away.

Click through the gallery above, go to our forum page to ask about the G8 GT, or browse our forums for other topics.

+NextAutos Forum: Ask It: 2009 Pontiac G8 GT

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Pontiac’s targa top Solstice GXP coupe just rolled in to our Ann Arbor office, just waiting to be wrung out over what promises to be a summery (and hopefully dry) week. We’ll keep you posted with our impressions about the new Solstice, and you can ask away in our Forums section by clicking through the link below.

+ NextAutos Forums: Ask It: 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe

At first blush, a comparison test between the BMW 335d and the Pontiac G8 GXP is kind of a non-starter. The first; a premium, mid-sized, diesel-powered, German sedan—purpose built for high-speed, high-MPG motorway cruising with exceptional road holding and manners. The second; a brutal, full-sized (massive rear seats here), chromed out, American (née Australian) V-8, burnout machine. But while origin, intent, and execution for these two driving devices may be wildly varied, they do share one delicious commonality—huge, steaming piles of torque delivered to the rear wheels. A magnificent amount of twist, produced by two powerplants that differ just as much as the vehicles they propel.

CLICK HERE to continue reading this story.

At NextAutos, we love a lot of nooks and crannies. If you think that’s an awkward thing for us to say, take it up with Pontiac, who apparently had drivers like us in mind when it developed the Stinger concept vehicle.

Other demographics the soon-defunct automaker nailed with this one:

• Audiophiles
• Neat freaks
• Forgetful beachgoers
• People who live in their cars
• The colorblind

We would like to thank friend of NextAutos, Padraic O’Reilly, for steering us to this car, which, sadly, will most likely not be included in our upcoming Functional Design Awards.

Enjoy the video above.

+ YouTube: The Stinger

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We just received a Pontiac Solstice GXP roadster into the Austin test fleet. While the death of Pontiac may make this car a collectors item someday, we'll be spending the next week with the bubbly Pontiac and thinking about how it stands up amongst our other favorite roadsters. Head over to our forum thread to post your questions about this car.

+ NextAutos Forums: Ask It: 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP

Rumors had been buzzing about the potential death of GM's Pontiac brand, and a press release issued this morning confirms all of this to be true. The General plans to take swift action in bring about Pontiac's death, with the brand to be completely phased out by the end of 2010. At least Oldsmobile will now have a familiar friend in the afterlife.

As for the rest of GM's portfolio, the resolution of Saab, Saturn, and Hummer has been moved to the end of 2009 at the latest. GM is looking to sell these brands off since it will now be focusing on its four core brands, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC.

Click through the post for the full press release which details the overall restructuring plan.

The financial state of General Motors has been a ticking timebomb over the past months. According to Edmunds Inside Line, a source within General Motors says that their new restructuring plan will be announced this coming Monday, and the Pontiac division is expected to be killed off.

Inside Line spoke with Tom Wilkinson, the news relations PR contact for General Motors, who simply said, "There's nothing I can share with you at this time. Keep your eyes on our media site. Officially, nothing has changed with Pontiac's niche-brand status, until you hear differently." While this doesn't give us high hopes for what's to come of Pontiac, it's no joke that long-time poor product planning has caused GM's "performance brand" to get the corporate axe.

General Motors will instead be focusing on its four core brands -- Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac -- while Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, and Hummer will be auctioned off to the highest bidder or simply killed off completely. In recent years, Pontiac's theme of "driving excitement" hasn't been brought into too much focus, with only the Holden-based G8 receiving good praise from the automotive press.

Stay tuned for more details as they become available.

+ Edmunds Inside Line: Pontiac Is Dead

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aH6K5WdHvDcQ&refer=home