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]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
500 6:06PM (8/26/2007)
Man, Lutz and Wagoner just don't get it. It's the Chevy enthusiasts who have been clamoring for GM to bring the Holden Ute over as an El Camino for years. Make it a Pontiac or a Saturn (gasp!), and all of that nostalgia is gone.
Fire them both!
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TriShield 6:07PM (8/26/2007)
Pontiac and GMC are the most likely brands to sell the new Holden Ute in the US.
http://www.supercars.net/pitlane/pics/3280230d.jpg
It's likely Pontiac will get it as a G8 variant. Based on that photo it looks pretty amazing as a Pontiac.
Not selling it through Chevrolet allows GM to avoid resurrecting the El Camino name after getting bitten by doing the same with the GTO name.
Chevrolet and GMC also sell the Colorado and Canyon as their small "truck" entries. Though the Ute is a car it emphasizes muscle car performance and style just as much as it does payload and towing and would give Pontiac something truly unique and performance oriented to sell.
Read more about the new Holden Ute on Holden's site
http://www.evolutionendshere.com.au/ - (Yes, that's the site)
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Chevon78 10:29AM (11/01/2007)
you know, i agree with Trishield's comment for the name the Ute will get. It makes no sence to insult a classic, especially after the most recent GTO and Impala. And i like that Pontiac up there i say they either build that or bring be Caballero. nobody really knew about that car much anyway :)
Dave 6:18PM (8/26/2007)
If its not a Chevy, it would have to be a Hummer.
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Aetius 6:46PM (8/26/2007)
I prefer Japanese sports cars to muscle cars but if they bring a muscle truck like the El Camino to market, I'll be among the first 5 buyers!
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Michael 7:01PM (8/26/2007)
Wonder if they keep it just as a sports or fashion model - and ruin the suspension and make it soft and horrible, or keep the suspension as the same for toughness.
Wonder if they're going to bring in the one tonne work ute, which has a removable tray based on the chassis (instead of having the normal tray as in the pic) on the back and different suspension.
Yes, the one tonne work ute can actually have one tonne in the tray, I've seen a lot more that that, but thats what its designed for. Looking at most of the American 'truck' vehicles, they only take half a tonne.
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Zack 2:56PM (8/27/2007)
I'm surprised if it's not a Chevy. The El Camino is a historic icon. I hope they don't ruin it.
Zack Powell
http://www.autoloanpros.com
Joe 7:40AM (8/27/2007)
Half Ton is just a name of the category. Those trucks all pack a range within 1600 lbs. and 3100 lbs. so the fact that they are called half tons is wrong, but it refers to a segment with GVWR of under or around 8500 lbs.
RicardoHead 7:15PM (8/26/2007)
Can they make this with a slightly extended cab? My brother had an El Camino and the inability to recline much sucked (like it does without an extended cab in a truck).
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Crazy 3:20AM (8/27/2007)
Funny you should mention that. The last Holden (VZ) ute was available as a four door as well as the standard two door. Offroad style 4WD was an option as well.
The VE ute has just hit the showrooms here. The first thing they told me was it was AUS$30K for the base model. The last model (VZ) started at AUS$23K.
Personally I think they shouldn't sell Holdens as iconic GM brands in the US. They botched the Monaro/GTO idea. It should have been called Trans-Am or Firebirds etc. As it looked like the next incarnation of the previous model.
Richard 7:27PM (8/26/2007)
Listen,
The SSR: commercial Failure
The Rabbit Pickup: Same
The Baja: More of it
An El Camino will have about a 70% Front/ 30% Rear weight distribution and be about as sporting as an F150.
GM, please do your best to stay alive!
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d-x 7:49PM (8/26/2007)
the SSR wouldn't really fall into the same bracket as an El Camino type vehicle...
the SSR started at what...around $40k? I would hope that a base model US version of the UTE would base below 20...
Not much to say about the Rabbit... And the subaru Baja wasn't the best looking vehicle...4 door car with a truck bed
it was just odd
Brian Dreggors 7:32PM (8/26/2007)
GMC Caballero part deux. My money is on that with good reason.
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That One Person 8:07PM (8/26/2007)
That's what I was thinking. Funny thing is, I didn't know GMC had a version of the El Camino until a couple years ago.
Sebas 7:35PM (8/26/2007)
It would not cost much to bring this truck to the states, and it is a very useful vehicle. In Australia they also have quad cab versions which are great.
I think selling under the pontiac name would be nice, and then they could pull a rebadge or so and just sell a GMC version as a commercial vehicle. It wouyldn't be viewed as much of a rebadge because it would not be sold to anyone besides fleets, construction workers, etc.
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Justin 7:42PM (8/26/2007)
If not a chevy, then make it the next GMC Syclone. Would help differentiate the brand of "trucks".
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Guenther 7:42PM (8/26/2007)
the previous Ute could be had in a crew cab configuration. I think these would make awesome motorcycle haulers- lower bed height and a bigger box than the GMT355
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Esprit bird 7:46PM (8/26/2007)
Syclone!!!!
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AMcA 10:47PM (8/26/2007)
Why not a Cyclone?
Joe 7:43AM (8/27/2007)
Mercury Still owns the name 'cyclone' thats why the truck was 'syclone'