Pontiac's got two new, cool cars that should be hitting the showrooms just about the time you read this -- the all-new, second generation Vibe and the all-new G8, a luxury sports sedan designed to drive and handle as well as the world's other sports sedans.

The Vibe looks cooler than ever, with all-new body effects, trademark Pontiac split grille, and an aggressive racy profile even in the base model. Though the Vibe shares a platform and parts with the Toyota Matrix, Pontiac wisely chose to go its own way with a different look, different interior and dashboard, and somewhat different suspension and other settings.

Power in this car comes from a 1.8-liter, 132-horsepower four or a 2.4-liter, 158-horsepower 4-cylinder engine. Fuel economy ratings range from 20/26 to 26/32 depending on model and engine combination you order.

The all-new Pontiac Vibe is one of only two compact cars offering all-wheel drive. It's available in three versions -- Vibe, Vibe GT or Vibe AWD. Standard equipment includes StabilTrak traction and stability control, side curtain air bags, two tiered air bags, power rack and pinion steering, MP3 auxiliary jack and other items.

Pontiac has a hot new car on the way, the G8, and it's already garnering praise from the automotive press.

The G8 is a full-size, high-performance luxury sport sedan that has a base engine as strong as some optional ones for other cars: a 3.6-liter, 256-horsepower V-8. It will come in two versions, a base and GT model that has a larger 6.0-liter V-8. Fuel mileage is 15/24. Prices will start at $27,595 for the base model and $29,995 for the GT model.

Based on a sedan from General Motors' Holden line from Australia, the G-8 has a sharp look that might remind some of the BMW 5 Series. But you'll probably see that dual-port front end and those dual hood scoops, and you'll know it can't be anything but a Pontiac.

Standard features include StabiliTrak traction and stability control, full power accessories, six air bags and OnStar.

Another relative newcomer to the Pontiac line is the 2008 G5 Coupe and G5 GT Coupe, the first new compact cars for GM's performance division since the Sunfire was dropped a few years ago.

Prices start at around $15,400 to about $19,000 for the 2008 G5 Coupe and the G5 GT Coupe. The 2.2-liter "Ecotec" four (rated at 25 mpg city/34 highway) and the 2.4-liter, 173-horsepower V-6 are the two engines of choice for this car.

Though the G5 is clearly based on the Cobalt, it still has some distinctive features that help set it apart, including its own taillight and grille designs and a new alloy wheel all its own.

The G5 is blessed with a long list of goodies, including an aero spoiler, full power equipment and a standard five-speed Getrag manual transmission. If you have to use badge engineering -- two autos on the same platform -- there's no better choice than the Cobalt, which has won acclaim for its performance, safety, reliability and fun-to-drive quotient.