Our friends over at PickupTruck.com
have put up an article on the Aussie Holden VE SS ute, which is rumored to come Stateside if Bob Lutz has his way. If it does come over (up?), rumor has it that it will be badged a Pontiac, or possibly a GMC, but not a Chevrolet. The VE SS is powered by a 362 horsepower 6.0L V8, and is based on the Holden VE sedan. Power hits the ground via either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic...
Being a trucklet, it has a payload of of 1,360 pounds. Opt for the 19" rims and the payload drops to a mere 1,164 pounds. In Australia the SS model costs $34,650 US dollars, and the even more zoot SSV model is an extra $5,000 more.
So do you think this neo-El Camino, er... Caballero, er... Sprint will find a market here? Or do you think it's just wishful thinking on GM's part?
Full story here.
So do you think this neo-El Camino, er... Caballero, er... Sprint will find a market here? Or do you think it's just wishful thinking on GM's part?
Full story here.
ateixeira says:
07:44 AM, 09/26/07
If they bring it I think they should call it the El Camino, by far the most memorable of those names.
However, $35 grand for a 2 seater pickup? Expect volumes about half of what the GTO did.
moparbad says:
09:42 AM, 09/26/07
There is a $20,000-$30,000 market. There is a very, very, small $35,000 market. About 2500 or less per year would be my estimate.
With lower pricing and a higher payload of around 1500 lbs then 10,000 units should be no issue.
kurtamaxxxguy says:
09:54 AM, 09/26/07
This seems like another SSR, but better executed. If GM can figure out how to profitably market it as a niche vehicle, it might do ok.
jonnyj404 says:
11:08 AM, 09/26/07
I was in Sydney and Melbourne for the last six months, and these little trucklets are absolutely everywhere. It gives select buyers a pickup bed with car-like qualities, such as handling and fuel efficiency. I personally think it could do pretty well over here if marketed well and a little less expensive. However, the Subaru Baja has shown that it may be difficult.
estreka says:
12:02 PM, 09/26/07
If they made one that wasn't as flashy and more functional (ie, a real truck bed) then I could see this selling well. But if it's just a plastic car with a tailgate, I can't see it having a prayer. I'd love to have a truck with the fuel efficiency of a car, but if it's not rugged enough (read: Baja), then forget it. Give it 15" rims, leaf springs, a metal bed, and a sub $25K pricetag and you've got a winner.
hondacura4 says:
03:07 PM, 09/26/07
This just doesnt look right as it looks home made in Cooters back yard.
thebigal says:
06:29 PM, 09/26/07
I think estreka is right... make it too plasticky with a worthless bed like the SSR or the Baja and it will flop just like the SSR did and the Baja seems to be doing. I can count on one the hand the number of Subaru Bajas I have seen in the past couple of years and the SSR I would probably only need a hand a half.
If we do see it, I doubt it'll have 15" rims, or even leaf springs. but one would hope that it would at least have a real bed that is capable of at least hauling a load of bricks home from the Home Depot. Or the trash and lawn clipping to dump at the very least. But I don't dare hope.
I can see it coming over, but it will be marketed as a sporty 2 seater car with a open cargo area. The bed will be lined with plastic Avalanch style and will have the availability of 20" rims and a payload of only 500 lbs....
moparbad says:
09:32 AM, 09/27/07
Subaru bailed on the Bajo too soon. There was a niche market that would/will grow for this type of vehicle.
I agree that plastic is to be minimized on the outside.
Baja body cladding was UGLY and Pontiac has been famous for it's ugly body cladding in the past.
rsholland says:
10:09 AM, 09/27/07
"Subaru bailed on the Baja too soon."
They sure did. If they had let that model evolve onto the current Outback platform, they'd be sitting pretty now.
once_for_all says:
03:07 PM, 09/27/07
agreed, the Baja was plenty rugged--more so than any Subaru--but it suffered from the dinky cab. And yes, the way gas prices are now, it would be grabbing market share, esp. with the next gen Outback cab.
rsholland says:
03:37 PM, 09/27/07
I never understood why the Baja was not offered in Australia, where utes are so popular; same with New Zealand and Africa.
It can't be because they are RHD, as Subaru already had those parts in their international parts bin. Heck, they could all have been exported from their Indiana factory, which would have helped the local workforce. They did export the Baja to Puerto Rico and Chile (yeah, Chile!), so why not other markets too?
Oh well, another opportunity lost...