The present invention involves an exhaust gas catalyst and method of manufacturing same. The invention provides for a cost-effective material which lowers the cold-start emissions from the exhaust of vehicles. The invention is a passive system which accelerates the light-off temperature of catalyst in a cost-effective fashion. The invention includes a method of manufacturing an exhaust gas catalyst capable of lowering cold-start emissions including the steps of providing an oxide mixture having praseodymium and cerium, doping about 0 10% weight zirconium and about 0 10% weight yttrium to the oxide mixture, adding about 0 2% weight metal including palladium, platinum, or rhodium to the oxide mixture, mixing gamma aluminum to the oxide mixture for washcoating and washcoating the oxide mixture onto a monolithic substrate.