We've got to give General Motors some credit here: The company cancelled the Pontiac G8 program, yet we cannot shut up about it. First, there was all the talk of the G8 being resurrected as a Caprice. Now, Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, is offering hope that the Ute open-bed verision of this rear-drive Holden might come to the U.S. as an El Camino.
"I think another brand with the Ute would be pretty attractive," Reuss told PickupTrucks.com in an interview. He then suggested that brand might be Chevrolet.
The prospect of using more fuel-efficient direct-injected V6 and V8 engines this time around might make the proposition more feasible, he added.
We of course saw the Holden Ute when it was dressed up as the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck at the 2008 New York Auto Show. It had the go-ahead for production, but then, well, you know what happened. Thanks go to Bob Holland for the tip.
69johnny says:
09:04 AM, 01/14/10
At least as a Chevy it would lose the split grill and not look so much like a bmw from the front..
firstclass says:
09:25 AM, 01/14/10
I’m very skeptical about anything GM suggests… I think he was trying to appeal to PickupTrucks.com more than anything. This rumor has been thrown about for a while now and is only losing credibility with every implication.
minibro77 says:
09:29 AM, 01/14/10
I think it would be cool and unique. Something the SSR should have really been. Forget the convertible top and give some real muscle. El Camino's have a serious cult following.
inlinesix says:
09:44 AM, 01/14/10
I saw a lot of these the last time I was in Perth (Western AU). They are useful, and not really ugly, but IMO they'd be a lot like a station wagon as far as market share.
matt1320 says:
10:07 AM, 01/14/10
.......and the Mullets rejoiced!
fuhteng says:
11:40 AM, 01/14/10
Now I'm waiting for the announcement of a "4-door Corvette". Yeah right. This is just like Lucy, Charlie Brown and the football. Come on GM, how about something useful?
estreka says:
11:45 AM, 01/14/10
Give it a decent tow package (more than 3" of clearance) and some meaty tires and you've got some sales.