There have been several rumors circulating that have indicated that the 2009 Pontiac G8 GT was going to include a six-speed manual transmission as an option, but Pontiac’s communications manager Jim Hopson has set the record straight. The only transmissions to be offered will be a 5L40 five speed automatic unit for the base models, and a 6L80 six speed automatic for the V8 models.

In Europe and other markets, Honda offers its Accord with both 2.0 and 2.4L gasoline powered engines, as well as a 2.2L four-cylinder i-DTEC turbo-diesel. This same car is to be offered in the U.S. as the Acura TSX.

 Thundering out of the Mercedes-AMG  plant in Affalterbach, Germany, the C63 AMG dominates the C-segment that has previously been led by the BMW M3. To go after the likes of the M3, RS 4, and Lexus IS F, would appear to be a very long and misguided shot, but Mercedes pulls it off and then some.

 Perhaps the most anticipated event on a luxury car enthusiast calendar is the release of a new X series Jaguar. While beautiful and luxurious, the lines of the Jag has went virtually unchanged over the past few years. For 2009 Jaguar dropped the old lines of the X series and completely redesigned the new XF in an attempt to set a bold statement that Jaguar is the definition of luxury and style for a new era of luxury car enthusiast.

Hyundai is on the brink of instituting an $80 million advertising campain in the United States for its new Genesis sedan, although the forthcoming saloon has already managed to accumulate 700 sales. Hyundai is anticipating just over 30,000 Genesis sales annually in the U.S., a modest amount in comparison to other models. Executives at Hyundai hope for the Genesis to be Hyundai’s flagship model, and to draw customers to showrooms. The Genesis will be offered in both V6 and V8 garb, and is expected to cost btween $30,000-$40,000.