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Pontiac vowed to revive its performance heritage with the GTO in 2004, but the “Goat” lasted only two model years, notching just 50,000 sales. The rear-wheel-drive, V-8 powered GTO coupe came up short in looks and performance.

Now comes the 2008 Pontiac G8 with even greater fanfare. G8marks the return of a RWD performance sedan at Pontiac after a 20-or-so-year absence.

More important, it’s built on a global platform to be shared by the Chevy Camaro coupe and convertible, targeted as a 100,000-unit-a-year duo when they show up for 2010.

So it’s not just the G8 riding on this.

Like GTO, G8 was created with GM’s Holden subsidiary in Australia. G8 will be imported from Australia, but Camaro will be built in Canada, prompting speculation that G8 could be built in North America. Pontiac won’t say.

G8 is offered in base form with a 3.6-liter, 256-horsepower V-6 and a 5-speed automatic with manual mode and a 17 m.p.g. city/25 m.p.g. highway rating, and as a GT with a 6-liter, 361-h.p. V-8 and 6-speed automatic with manual mode and a 15/25 rating.

The V-8’s active fuel management shuts off 4 cylinders to conserve fuel, but the 15/25 means it could do better.

We drove the GT, an opening act that serves as evidence Camaro should be a show stopper-not to mention the GXP performance version (6.2-liter, 400-h.p. Corvette V-8) arriving this fall with a two-seat car/truck (Chevy El Camino) coming next fall.

GT sprints from zero to 60 in 5.3 seconds. It launches like a rocket and passes 60 m.p.h. With RWD rather than FWD, there’s no torque steering-that sudden lunge to one side-in a power takeoff. Acceleration is straight and sure without jiggle, very reassuring when the speedometer tops 90 m.p.h. before, with apologies to tree huggers and the constabulary, we ease off the pedal. Yes, we tried that more than once.

Since the GT accelerates quickly without the typical performance commotion, you can adjust a chime to sound if you exceed your personal speed limit.

As for road manners, the sports suspension and 18-inch all-season radials are designed for aggressive motoring. Unlike with RWD of old, traction control prevents slipping at takeoff and stability control ensures no dancing in corners-at high or low speeds.

Handling is very good. We suspect, however, that the optional 19-inch summer performance tires would sit flatter and tighter in corners. But you don’t hazard out in snow on summer treads. No plans for the optimum dry- or wet-road performance of all-wheel-drive.

G8 is a premium midsize sedan with the Pontiac twin honeycomb shaped grilles, honeycomb air dam, twin hood scoops, wheel flares, spoiler and chrome quad exhaust tips.

The cabin is spacious, and the perforated leather seats are well cushioned. The generous side bolsters help the seat keep you in place when driving aggressively.

The rear seat holds three in a pinch, two in comfort. The center seat back folds into a huge table top with cupholders. The trunk is massive.

At first glance, the power mirror, window and door lock controls seem out of place in the center console rather than on the driver’s door, but the placement works in right- or left-hand drive versions, Pontiac says. Global, remember?

But battery and oil gauges are way out of place in a large screen in the top center of the dash. Pontiac is getting lots of flak about those gauges so expect them to move.

Nice touches include a trunk-release button in the glove box, 12-volt power plugs in the center console and center armrest, a palm-size emergency brake handle in the console that’s easy to use without snagging sleeves and stowage in the doors and behind front seat backs.

Then there’s the name. GTO had cachet. Ditto Camaro, Mustang, Firebird and Trans Am. Not G8, which will have to build some.

Pontiac expects to sell 30,000 G8s annually. The car/truck and GXP will represent niche sales.

The G8 V-6 starts at $27,595, the GT at $29,995 including $685 freight. Since an import from Australia takes time to get here, options are limited to basically a $1,250 premium package with heated leather power driver/passenger seats and an $800 power sunroof. No navi.

Read Jim Mateja Sunday in Transportation. Contact him at transportation@tribune.com.