BMW AS BENCHMARK; Lutz gets his wish with debut of Pontiac G8 sedan.(News)

Byline: BOB GRITZINGER

A few years back, when General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz suggested that Pontiac could become GM's version of an everyman's BMW, most enthusiasts passed it off as wishful thinking.

But with the introduction of the Holden Commodore-based 2008 Pontiac G8, Lutz may be making good on his promise.

"Until we get the vehicles on the road, it's all just talk,'' admitted Lutz at the G8 premiere at the Chicago auto show.

With the G8, Pontiac engineers think they've accomplished the goal Lutz had in mind: BMW performance at a bargain price. When the G8 goes on sale early next year, prices are expected to start at about $25,000 for the 3.6-liter, 261-hp V6 model. The G8 equipped with a 6.0-liter, 362-hp V8 will be pricier, but buyers also will be getting a car capable of doing 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.

Gene Stefanyshyn, GM's global rear-wheel-drive vehicle chief, and Doug Houlihan, head of global rear-drive engineering, are assigned to GM's rear-drive development group in Australia, where they ...