G8 GT vs. EVO X

[funkbassman]

coming from a ls1 background i do like the g8, the only thing i dont like is since pontiac is going down, body parts will be expensive in the future. What im really interested in is which car is better around a track, i know the g8 will whop the Evo in the quarter but im tired of drags, too much stuff broken. Also is there any members on here that were previous evo X owners?


Let the war begin
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd107/bkhelfrich/Pontiac_G8_GT.jpg

vs.

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/poqui69/evo.jpg

[p71]

Evo is going to be better around the track unless you do some serious upgrades...

[09gtt]

+1

[funkbassman]

Evo is going to be better around the track unless you do some serious upgrades...

thats what i was thinking, id just hate to jump ship, to tell you the truth though either car will be left 98% stock with maybe a couple suspension upgrades. thats y i was thinkin the evo just because they seem to do so well off the showroom.

[p71]

on the other hand i smoked an evo on the street on some curvy road... so....

[GeorgeInNePa]

Do you want to drive a shoebox or do you want a footlocker?

[funkbassman]

they are both pretty roomy?

[funkbassman]

I'm in the opposite boat you are, I'm trying to get out of my Evo X. Don't get me wrong I love it, I've killed G8's on the Highway (mostly stock ones), and many other rides.




haha very nice, i was hoping someone on here would have one, id also like to say that this is not going to be a daily driver, will be for weekend cruising and track days. i plan not to do any expensive modifications, ive wasted too much money in the past and these things come ready to kick ass from the factory

[nathanf2009]

I'm in the opposite boat you are, I'm trying to get out of my Evo X. Don't get me wrong I love it, I've killed G8's on the Highway (mostly stock ones), and many other rides.

It's AWD is damn quick off the line. The cornering/handling is bested by only a few. And it's similar to the LS engines in the sense that it's 4B11T Engine is capable of extremely high horsepower. 700awhp+.

Here's a few shots of my ride;

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5497.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5502.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5529.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5551.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5612.jpg



The reason I'm parting ways are trivial;

There's no trunk.
I'm ditching Manual for Automatic and the Evo X MR's auto-tranny cant handle past 350whp, so there goes a high HP daily driver.
Cops, good luck driving a Japanese car with a wing, be prepared to be pulled over and inspected for anything and everything, (at least in my area), hence the Matte Black piping in the above pics.


The G8 is just more refined IMO. More adult, so I don't forsee every Civic driving asshole bothering what looks like a BMW.
DAYUMMM!! That is one sexy asss evo. Alot of people ask me why i went with a 4 door car...at first i wanted the new 2010 camaro but all were going for way over sticker and i couldn't wait 3 months for getting one built. The evo was on my mind and as well as the wrx sti and cobra....my insruance told me they wouldnt insure me on neither car :( it was in the 26 point bracket. So I went with the g8 gt....im glad I went with it though it's a great car.

[RODAN]

I'll add my $.02...

I just traded a Subaru Legacy GT on a G8. It wasn't an EVO, but it was an AWD 4cyl. turbo sedan. Mine had struts/springs/sways, turbo back exhaust and tune. It ran 13.40s.

The G8 has the better suspension stock, but the modded Legacy would definitely whoop it down a twisty road. An EVO has much better stock suspension than the Legacy, more in line with an STI. Without modding the G8 extensively, the lighter AWD sedans are going to be better on a road course.

The G8 is far superior as a road car. The Japanese sedans are SMALL, and don't have near the interior or trunk space. The G8 is quieter, and much more relaxed (longer gearing) going down the highway. My Legacy turned 3k rpms at 80, as opposed to 2k in the G8.

The AWD sedans can be really quick, but you have to drive them like a tool to get good results (4k+ launches). Your grandmother can run good times in a G8, and they're stronger on a roll than a stock EVO. And that's stock. Put a few mods on a G8, and... :D

The only thing our Legacy did better than the G8 was hauling ass down a twisty road, and snow...

[incon3037r]

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5497.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5502.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5529.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5551.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/lugo24/IMG_5612.jpg


The new look of the EVO still hasn't grown on me, but this one doesn't look bad, especially since it has a few AMS parts on it. You can never go wrong with those guys.

[MGM GT]

coming from a ls1 background i do like the g8, the only thing i dont like is since pontiac is going down, body parts will be expensive in the future. What im really interested in is which car is better around a track, i know the g8 will whop the Evo in the quarter but im tired of drags, too much stuff broken. Also is there any members on here that were previous evo X owners?

How is a G8 whooping the Evo in the quarter? Stock for stock the Evo is at least even if not a little faster, hell my WRX is faster then the G8 stock for stock. Both respond well to mods so dollar per dollar the Evo is right there with it.

Around the track the Evo all the way... much better road course car! Have you looked at the WRX? Great little car they really improved the 09's!

[wreckwriter]

I've never had the opportunity to eat one of these yet. Are they crunchy?

[SpeedRacerX]

Interesting comparo and well responded by the other posts...

I have posted in the past about two related topics and my experience in the G8 so I can add a little...not trying to start anything here - just some experiences - the Evo is actually a neat "little" car.

1. Recently raced a newer Evo twice on the highway - not even close. I walked him badly and that was with him trying to jump on me. Mine is modded slightly but runs like a bear from 60/70 on, especially since the weight problem isn't as big of an issue at 60+ and the stock G8s are geared for highway whereas the Evo is not.

2. Had my G8 on a road course "for fun" that turned competitive. A stock G8 is not ready to be a weekend road course car. No way. Needs lots of mods to handle that intensity without destroying it. It's not meant for that stock and it's too damn nice of a car to torture it in that way IMO.

As a weekend toy and road course car, I'd take the Evo (stock we're talking) over the G8. For everything else in your driving life you may encounter and if the G8 was modded for the track, well of course I'd take the G8.

They're just two different types of cars. Depends what your daily or weekend purpose is and what you want out of your car all the time.

[Tempest2000]

An evo may turn a good 0 to 60 time dropping the clutch, but when they need a new transfer case and are sitting on the side of the rode everyone in a G8 will drive by and wave. granted my buddies car was an viii but he sold it due to parts breakage. clutch, transfer case, etc.

a v8 with an auto from a dig even with very little mods will beat an evo with an average driver. It sounds easy and the mags make it look good, but the average driver with a stick won't get those kind of times.

[Slizzo]

coming from a ls1 background i do like the g8, the only thing i dont like is since pontiac is going down, body parts will be expensive in the future. What im really interested in is which car is better around a track, i know the g8 will whop the Evo in the quarter but im tired of drags, too much stuff broken. Also is there any members on here that were previous evo X owners?


Let the war begin


Here's the thing, if you get a G8, there really won't be any parts breakage. These cars are built with pretty damned strong parts, and the only time you'll start to see stock parts being broken is when you've already passed the 600RWHP mark (on a GT. the GXP may get further with the TR6060 6 speed manual). A G8 GXP would be a good track car, they're tuned on the Nurburgring after all...

Otherwise, G8 if you want a DD with some track days mixed in (with mods) or EVO if you want a good track car from the factory.

[Rayvan]

Great. A really expensive........Lancer. No thanks.

[GT G8]

1. Recently raced a newer Evo twice on the highway - not even close. I walked him badly and that was with him trying to jump on me. Mine is modded slightly but runs like a bear from 60/70 on, especially since the weight problem isn't as big of an issue at 60+ and the stock G8s are geared for highway whereas the Evo is not.

+1. The Evo's stock hp is around 240whp and weighs around 3,500lbs. The G8 is heavier sure, but obviously has waaay more top end power. I wouldn't even bother a modded G8 in my Evo on the highway.






How is a G8 whooping the Evo in the quarter? Stock for stock the Evo is at least even if not a little faster. Both respond well to mods so dollar per dollar the Evo is right there with it.

Werd.




Great. A really expensive........Lancer. No thanks.

By that logic the GXP is a "really expensive" V6 G8. Go away.

[Tempest2000]

Its a small car and I am not. Hence the G8 :)

I do like evo's but I know how I drive and I don't have the kind of money to be throwing at the drivetrain LOL

[funkbassman]

Interesting comparo and well responded by the other posts...

I have posted in the past about two related topics and my experience in the G8 so I can add a little...not trying to start anything here - just some experiences - the Evo is actually a neat "little" car.


see finally what i need to hear, well i personally went down and drove both today. The g8 gt and the evolution x gsr. Both in the same price range. I drove the g8 first, immediatly impressed by the seats and the quality of the interior, not impressed with the millions of scratches on the door panel tho. anyways took it out wasnt impressed, made me feel old, keep in mind i drove my ls1/t56 camaro down there. I was suprised what a dog it was until freeway speed, now i know these are easily modded but like i said before i want it to be stock. Anyways hit a couple turns on a freeway onramp and moved it around a little bit. All in all it was a great car, just felt more like a luxury car than a sports car track car like im looking for. By the way salesmen were asses.


Anyways headed down to the mitsubishi dealer, immediately great customer service, even complimented my 9 year old camaro. Anyways long story short he says what am i interested in, i tell him the evos, without hesitation he says which one ill get the keys, the pontiac deal i damned near had to point a gun at their head to test drive it. Anyways found the seats very comfortable, tho not electric, not a big deal since i dont change drivers or positions. Also the interior was not as fancy as the g8s. So I Decided to take the same exact route as the g8, had to get used to the awd clutching, but once ur started in hit boost at 3g, wow what a rush compared to the g8 and about the same as my camaro on a good day. So then I jumped on the freeway turns and decided i from what i seen i could hit em a little bit faster, i took the same turn 50 in the unstable camaro, 75 in the g8 and 100 in the evo with the differentials doing everything possible. I can honestly say the spoiler is annoying for cop lookout.

So from what i seen the evo x is the better car for ME, for the weekend toy/track car and should be a blast, im holding out tho for the 2010 models coming in a couple months. It turns out they are even cheaper and offer 0.0% apr for credit over 730 :)

[Slizzo]

see finally what i need to hear, well i personally went down and drove both today. The g8 gt and the evolution x gsr. Both in the same price range. I drove the g8 first, immediatly impressed by the seats and the quality of the interior, not impressed with the millions of scratches on the door panel tho. anyways took it out wasnt impressed, made me feel old, keep in mind i drove my ls1/t56 camaro down there. I was suprised what a dog it was until freeway speed, now i know these are easily modded but like i said before i want it to be stock. Anyways hit a couple turns on a freeway onramp and moved it around a little bit. All in all it was a great car, just felt more like a luxury car than a sports car track car like im looking for. By the way salesmen were asses.


Anyways headed down to the mitsubishi dealer, immediately great customer service, even complimented my 9 year old camaro. Anyways long story short he says what am i interested in, i tell him the evos, without hesitation he says which one ill get the keys, the pontiac deal i damned near had to point a gun at their head to test drive it. Anyways found the seats very comfortable, tho not electric, not a big deal since i dont change drivers or positions. Also the interior was not as fancy as the g8s. So I Decided to take the same exact route as the g8, had to get used to the awd clutching, but once ur started in hit boost at 3g, wow what a rush compared to the g8 and about the same as my camaro on a good day. So then I jumped on the freeway turns and decided i from what i seen i could hit em a little bit faster, i took the same turn 50 in the unstable camaro, 75 in the g8 and 100 in the evo with the differentials doing everything possible. I can honestly say the spoiler is annoying for cop lookout.

So from what i seen the evo x is the better car for ME, for the weekend toy/track car and should be a blast, im holding out tho for the 2010 models coming in a couple months. It turns out they are even cheaper and offer 0.0% apr for credit over 730 :)

You compared the upper level Evo to the "mid" range G8... I'm sure the GXP would have been a better fit for you. Like I said, it was tuned for the nurburgring. Though it still carries around 500LBS more and that would make it's stock handling somewhere relatively close behind.

[MGM GT]

You compared the upper level Evo to the "mid" range G8... I'm sure the GXP would have been a better fit for you. Like I said, it was tuned for the nurburgring. Though it still carries around 500LBS more and that would make it's stock handling somewhere relatively close behind.

Actually he was correct in his comparison. GSR is the entry level Evo and the MR would be the high level.

[funkbassman]

Actually he was correct in his comparison. GSR is the entry level Evo and the MR would be the high level.

thank you:)

and yes if i wanted to spend an extra 7 to 8 thousand id get the mr or gxp

[GT G8]

GSR is the entry level Evo and the MR would be the high level.

The only major differences between the GSR & MR is the tranny and suspension.

[Slizzo]

Yeah, I probably should have said Lancer, not Evo..

But regardless, if the GXP truly ended up being 7-8k more I would have been surprised. Dealerships are desperate to get these cars off their lots.


Overall though, of course the Evo is a better track car, there was no question about that. I would say since you're keeping it stock you made the right choice.

[The Commodore]

In my view...I will take a V8 over a boosted I4. Especially an LS series motor.

I know of too many Evo's and STi's breaking stuff that the I rarely hear the V8 guys break.

But if this is for the twisties and is not a DD then why not buy something even lighter.

[Slizzo]

In my view...I will take a V8 over a boosted I4. Especially an LS series motor.

I know of too many Evo's and STi's breaking stuff that the I rarely hear the V8 guys break.

But if this is for the twisties and is not a DD then why not buy something even lighter.

Yeah, S2000 probably would have been a great choice...

[UGotSmkd]

see finally what i need to hear, well i personally went down and drove both today. The g8 gt and the evolution x gsr. Both in the same price range. I drove the g8 first, immediatly impressed by the seats and the quality of the interior, not impressed with the millions of scratches on the door panel tho. anyways took it out wasnt impressed, made me feel old, keep in mind i drove my ls1/t56 camaro down there. I was suprised what a dog it was until freeway speed, now i know these are easily modded but like i said before i want it to be stock. Anyways hit a couple turns on a freeway onramp and moved it around a little bit. All in all it was a great car, just felt more like a luxury car than a sports car track car like im looking for. By the way salesmen were asses.


Anyways headed down to the mitsubishi dealer, immediately great customer service, even complimented my 9 year old camaro. Anyways long story short he says what am i interested in, i tell him the evos, without hesitation he says which one ill get the keys, the pontiac deal i damned near had to point a gun at their head to test drive it. Anyways found the seats very comfortable, tho not electric, not a big deal since i dont change drivers or positions. Also the interior was not as fancy as the g8s. So I Decided to take the same exact route as the g8, had to get used to the awd clutching, but once ur started in hit boost at 3g, wow what a rush compared to the g8 and about the same as my camaro on a good day. So then I jumped on the freeway turns and decided i from what i seen i could hit em a little bit faster, i took the same turn 50 in the unstable camaro, 75 in the g8 and 100 in the evo with the differentials doing everything possible. I can honestly say the spoiler is annoying for cop lookout.

So from what i seen the evo x is the better car for ME, for the weekend toy/track car and should be a blast, im holding out tho for the 2010 models coming in a couple months. It turns out they are even cheaper and offer 0.0% apr for credit over 730 :)

My G8 was never a dog...even in stock form. The G8 puts out a lot of power all through the RPM range.

[MGM GT]

Yeah, S2000 probably would have been a great choice...

haha talk about torqueless... those things are pretty damn slow. Solid 14 sec car, it handles pretty decently but I couldn't drive one every day. For being so small and for the price you might as well get a vette.

[Slizzo]

haha talk about torqueless... those things are pretty damn slow. Solid 14 sec car, it handles pretty decently but I couldn't drive one every day. For being so small and for the price you might as well get a vette.

He's looking for a track car, and the S2000 is primarily built for the track. And by track I mean road course. :)


Yes, the S2000 doesn't have much torque, but if you're on a road circuit, the gearing is set up relatively well where you'd stay in the upper RPM ranges where it makes all it's horsepower. That and the light weight of the car adds to it's handling capabilities.

[funkbassman]

ya thanx everyone for the input, nah those s2000's arent my fancy, tho i did see a guy with a highly modded one dusting vettes around the track, and by vette i mean ls7, guy musta had a ton of money in it. Ya i do hate to get away from the ls based engine, ive shoved em in a bunch of cars and done a couple resto mods with them, great engines for cheap performance but the g8 seems to be more of a luxury car so its tamed down quite a bit. Next project is a 67 chevelle (older body) with a 402 lq4. But thats all for show, tired of drags, i find the track to be alot more rewarding and more fun. but thanks again everyone, i checked out the evolutions ill be holding out till the 2010 ones arrive. Also i dont think theres any gxp's in california, and theres like 10 gts haha, everyone bought em up.

[The Commodore]

ya thanx everyone for the input, nah those s2000's arent my fancy, tho i did see a guy with a highly modded one dusting vettes around the track, and by vette i mean ls7, guy musta had a ton of money in it. Ya i do hate to get away from the ls based engine, ive shoved em in a bunch of cars and done a couple resto mods with them, great engines for cheap performance but the g8 seems to be more of a luxury car so its tamed down quite a bit. Next project is a 67 chevelle (older body) with a 402 lq4. But thats all for show, tired of drags, i find the track to be alot more rewarding and more fun. but thanks again everyone, i checked out the evolutions ill be holding out till the 2010 ones arrive. Also i dont think theres any gxp's in california, and theres like 10 gts haha, everyone bought em up.

LOL...no it's not.

I just got a ride in a new Prius and that thing has way more luxury and techie stuff than any G8. The G8's interior is simple. That's about it. I guess you could call it luxurious compared to an Evo. But Evos have never been known to drive nice.

It seems like you know something about rebuilding cars. Then why are you going to buy a brand new car for track use? Buy a used LS2 Vette and do suspension mods and then you will have one hell of a track car. Plus Vettes just look a lot better and chicks won't think your in HS.

[01350ta]

If you want a track car , why dont you up grade your Camaro? Cost way less than a new car. I also think the Evo is one of the uglist things on 4 wheels.

[funkbassman]

not a fan of camaros, my new one is bone stock, i dont find it worth dumping money into. Id dump it into a bird, if i chose to go f bod. but i am going to check out the new vette, maybe compare it to a c5 z06. got plently of time and options i guess

[majesticix]

The Evo X is a much nicer looking Evo than their predecessors IMO. There were three of them at the track last week. The Evo X was highly modded and was running low 12's. The other two were I believe Evo 9's or 8's. (I actually ran one of them and beat it. 13.4 for him, 13.2 for me.)

In any case, sounds like you'll be happier with the Evo. I wouldn't call the G8 a luxury car myself, but it definitely is more refined than Evo. Obviously a large 4000lb sedan isn't really engineered for track racing, but if you have kids, need trunk space, and want to still whoop most of the cars on the street in most instances, it's a winner.

If you're looking for a weekend track racer, might also try a 370z. That's a fun car with some style. I still think the Evo is a "kid's" looking car, but being 27 I wouldn't mind driving a new one. Looks a lot less ricey than prior versions. Good luck on your purchase.

[funkbassman]

The Evo X is a much nicer looking Evo than their predecessors IMO. There were three of them at the track last week. The Evo X was highly modded and was running low 12's. The other two were I believe Evo 9's or 8's. (I actually ran one of them and beat it. 13.4 for him, 13.2 for me.)

In any case, sounds like you'll be happier with the Evo. I wouldn't call the G8 a luxury car myself, but it definitely is more refined than Evo. Obviously a large 4000lb sedan isn't really engineered for track racing, but if you have kids, need trunk space, and want to still whoop most of the cars on the street in most instances, it's a winner.

If you're looking for a weekend track racer, might also try a 370z. That's a fun car with some style. I still think the Evo is a "kid's" looking car, but being 27 I wouldn't mind driving a new one. Looks a lot less ricey than prior versions. Good luck on your purchase.

ya thanx man, ya im still going to check out a few cars, no kids haha i got other cars for trunk space. i just want something i can take around the track on weekends such as california and willow springs, im am a big fan of ls-based vehicles, just wished they make one that was awd and not a half ton pickup/ escalade, haha o and trailblazer. ur right the new evo doesnt look too kidish anymore, it looks more like every other new car but all of its trick differentials is what has me hooked.

[GT G8]

ya thanx man, ya im still going to check out a few cars, no kids haha i got other cars for trunk space. i just want something i can take around the track on weekends such as california and willow springs, im am a big fan of ls-based vehicles, just wished they make one that was awd and not a half ton pickup/ escalade, haha o and trailblazer.

Based off that paragraph you should choose the Evo X GSR hands down;


Not worried about trunk space? Evo>G8

Don't want to modify, but want to be track ready? Evo>G8

Want AWD? Evo>G8

My Evo X is my 2nd Evo having previously owned a Evo VIII GSR and I never had an issue with broken or less reliable parts as others have stated, nor have my Evo owning friends. As with any car, as long as you perform proper maintenance, you shouldn't have issues.

The handling is amazingly fun. Every freeway on-ramp and off-ramp is suddenly game for testing the limits of the X. You can double the posted speed limit on turns easily and consistently and never fear losing control.

Your not invincible but it sure makes you feel the part.