El Camino may return, but it won't be a Chevy!



Holden just released a new version of its Australian Ute, and it's been rumored that the VE Trucklet will be US-bound. There's no doubt that GM is taking a look at the possibility of reintroducing the El Camino's ethos to American consumers, and fans of past El Caminos (and Sprints and Caballeros) are excited. GM Inside News forum member and photoshopper MonaroSS whipped up a chop of the VE Ute with an imagined Chevrolet nose and emailed it to everyone's friend, Maximum Bob, at GM HQ. Accompanying the picture was the note "hope the new Ute gets a more Chevy look if it goes Stateside." The reply from Lutz confirmed a desire on GM's part to bring the Ute over, but went on to state that it wouldn't be a Chevrolet if it happens.

What? An El Camino that's not an El Camino? What brand would sell it, then? There's GMC, which had versions of the El Camino in the past (the aforementioned Sprint and Caballero), but is it a good fit with the rest of the GMC product line? Pontiac's already getting the VE cars as G8s, so there would be a level of familiarity on the part of the sales/service organization were the Ute to end up at the Excitement branch. Of course, GM could take a total left-turn and sell it at Saturn or Buick stores, too, but we see those as a remote possibility. Saturn have a slight edge over Buick if it were to ever end up in either of those stores, but it's nearly as doubtful as the Ute becoming a Cadillac. So – while a certain number of consumers would welcome a new version of GM's not-a-car-not-a-truck, it's anyone's guess who will sell it and what they'll call it.

[Source: GM Inside News]

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