This is one thought that hatched over the past long weekend. When you combine the effects of the bad economy with actions of embattled manufacturers along with the Fed's new CAFE standards, what does this mean for enthusiasts or wannabe enthusiasts who have been considering a new vehicle purchase? My mind came up with "Instant Classics."

Today's Instant Classics are those cars that warrant an enthusiast's attention based on style and

2009 Pontiac G8 GXP

General Motors may have already buried its Pontiac division, but the brand's recent passing isn't stopping a posthumous recall campaign by the automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The action, which covers some 35,038 Pontiac G8 sedans from the 2008 and 2009 model years, stems from two potential issues:

1) The brake pedal position switch may be incorrectly programmed, which NHTSA

You probably won't still be able to buy a 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP, but today we'll try to think of a single reason why you shouldn't.

Why you should buy the Pontiac G8 GXP:
You like the idea of a four-door Corvette with a gigantic backseat and a capacious trunk. Power and capability are more important to you than plush

Yesterday we considered the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP while indulging in a bittersweet cocktail of horsepower and history in the making. Today, we drink deep the bracing tonic of dispassionate evaluation.

Exterior Design: ***
A tougher call than one might think, because the shape is hardly bad. To make the GXP, Pontiac took the ‘Strine Commodore Calais,

The 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP is, finally, the ultimate Pontiac — and ultimately, the final Pontiac.

It's nothing less than a triumph, really, that a company like GM could overcome their considerable shortcomings and come out with a reasonably priced world-beating sports sedan like the Pontiac G8 GXP. Whatever their recent successes,