The L76 intake paired with L92 cylinder heads is a new phenominum that up until now Pontiac didn't even have a vehicle in the United States that used this particular manifold. The good news is that not only do does the G8 get this mystical intake, it also gets cylinder heads that fit the smaller bore-but with the same benefits of the L92-style heads, including the rectangular LS7-style intake ports.
Basically, the L76 is a natural extension of the LS2. They share a similar bore (101.6mm LS2, 101.3mm L76), and the same 92mm stroke, but there are also many differences that should be noted. First up is the addition of "Active Fuel Management," or Displacement on Demand, as it was originally termed. This system allows the deactivation of four specially provisioned cylinders through the use of particular lifters, oil channels, and tolerances on the camshaft lobes of those four cylinders. The L76 can thus transition from a V-8 to a V-4 and back again, with nearly seamless precision all but unnoticed by the driver. Additionally, this system increases fuel economy under low-load, low-throttle situations such as highway driving, but doesn't play a large role in city fuel economy. Currently, Holden does not have this feature activated on their L76s; however, the Pontiac model will reportedly have Active Fuel Management.




Next up is the option of variable cam-phasing. While the L76 currently in use in the Holden Commodore does not have the ability to change cam timing, the L76 truck variant here in the US does, which means we are likely to see it in the car relatively soon. This system works by metering the oil flow to the cam phaser, effectively physically advancing or retarding camshaft timing. Couple that with Active Fuel Management, and we have a V-8 that can not only pass upcoming stricter emissions standards, but also get incredible fuel economy.




Speaking of fuel, the L76 in the G8 is calibrated to unleash an astounding 362 hp on regular fuel. This is a dream come true for tuners, who will likely be able to wring over 40 hp by simply tweaking the fueling and spark to use high-test premium gasoline. Tuning, of course, leads us to another topic: the engine controller. As of press time, it appears the G8 will be sporting the relatively new Delphi E67 controller. This faster processor allows control of the Displacement on Demand and cam-phasing (if equipped) simultaneously, and adds a few needed input and output drivers, as well.