I love surprises. And one of the biggest ones of this automotive season is Pontiac's 2008 G8.

When I heard that this car would be based on an Australian Holden model, my first thought was, "But will it be a real Pontiac?"

While I'm behind the idea of globalization, I still have a deep love and respect for the American nameplates .

Well, I needn't have worried. The G8 is all Pontiac. It's got the styling. It's got the ambience. It's got the sound. It even has the acceleration that folks like me think about when they hear "Pontiac."

The G8 is a rear-wheel-drive sport sedan with base prices ranging from $26,910 to $29,310 -- it comes in base and GT versions.

Standard equipment is generous: a rear spoiler, air conditioning, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, alloy wheels and full power equipment. Safety equipment includes full-length side curtain air bags and stability and traction control.

The base model is equipped with a 256-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 that is rated at 17 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. The GT gets a 361-horsepower, 6.0- liter V-8 with a rating of 15/24.

GT standard items include dual zone automatic climate control, leather wrapped steering wheel and an 11-speaker audio system. One other thing worth mentioning: The GT has standard summer performance tires.

Inside, the G8 is a sophisticated sports sedan -- not unlike a BMW or Audi. The interior has a highly functional set of gauges and controls that contribute to the overall clean and finished look.

The only problem I had were the controls on the audio system which were tough to figure out at first.

The seats are supportive -- nice to know because of the G8 GT's scorching road performance.

The G8 feels tight, muscled and full of pent-up energy that's just waiting to explode. You touch the accelerator and the engine's ready to rocket you to the moon.

I've heard 0 to 60 times of anywhere from 5.1 to 5.4 seconds, which is only a few tenths of a second slower than a base level Corvette.

So how does it compare with the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300? The Dodge Charger has that All-American swagger and looks as though it's built for the race track -- which in some cases, it is. But the Charger feels heavier to me, and the driving position takes some getting used to because you sit low in the Charger and the window sills are comparatively high. Chrysler's 300 is more the luxury sedan, in my view, unless you order the SRT/8 model.

With the Pontiac G8, we're talking a sophisticated, cosmopolitan ambience with a hammer under the velvet glove. It is just about the only serious U.S. competitor that can go just about toe to toe with BMWs, Audis and Infiniti G35s of the world.

And that's saying something.