Pontiac El Cami-"NO"
by Alex Nunez on May 8th 2008 at 1:27PM 
It comes as little surprise, but Cars.com has all but confirmed that the "El Camino" moniker has been nixed as a potential name of the new G8 Sport Truck. The site reports from a recent media event that a Pontiac spokesperson said that there was internal strife regarding use of the Chevy-associated nameplate on a Pontiac vehicle. Frankly, we agree with this decision. If GM wanted a legit El Camino, it would have simply handed the Ute to the Chevy division. GM has mismanaged its vehicle naming process enough as is -- one needn't look any further than Pontiac, where it's nuthin' but a "G" thang, baby... unless you're talking Vibe or Solstice. Way to be consistent, guys. Like everyone else, we're curious to learn what the badge applied to the G8 truck's tailgate will read, and it sounds like we should hear something fairly soon. Now, can we have another contest to give the G8 sedan a real name, too? Bonneville sounds nice to us...
Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 ST
[Source: Cars.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
oby 1:33PM (5/08/2008)
"El Camino" moniker has been nixed as a potential name of the new G8 Sport Truck"
Now clueless Motors should take the next step and nix the whole vehicle all completely. producing this abortion has got to be the stupidest idea out of RenCen since the SSR.
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Secret Squirrel 10:41PM (5/08/2008)
I don't car WHAT they're going to market it as... it's STILL an El Camino! ;) You still might even want to call it a "UTE" and the general population will STILL think this and the SSR are an El Camino Too!!!
Justin 3:59PM (5/09/2008)
How do you reduce an abortion?
Manuel Mondragon 4:53PM (5/13/2008)
What's wrong with spanish roots name? I like it. What about "el pollo del fuego"? It's so funny when americans use "el" or "la" to refer typical spanish names :D
Brill 1:35PM (5/08/2008)
can i vote for the wagon over the ute?
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IK47 10:55PM (5/08/2008)
what's an ute?
Torrent 1:35PM (5/08/2008)
As for El camino, I knew that wouldn't happen. And name the G8 the BONNEVILLE!!!??
lolololololollllololololololollololollollololololollolololollllolollolololllol
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havoc 1:42PM (5/08/2008)
please don't use the 'B' word for the g8, PLEASE!
as for the 'el camino'
umm
how about 'el pollo del fuego'?
nah
G8 SUT (ala hummer?)
nah
how about some simpler moniker like G8X, or GX8?
Torrent 1:51PM (5/08/2008)
I would call it the GT8.
Michael Warren 1:38PM (5/08/2008)
One of the names I suggested was El Calle. It means The Street, much in the same way El Camino means The Road. Similar, but not exact. Kinda like Pontiac to Chevy.
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Papi L-Gee 2:01PM (5/08/2008)
"La Calle" would be grammatically correct.
Not a bad idea though.
Michael Warren 2:09PM (5/08/2008)
Thanks Papi. Google Translator let me down.
Hank 1:37PM (5/08/2008)
death row is the label that paaayys meeehhh...
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LMBVette 2:07PM (5/08/2008)
....LOL........you beat me to it!!!
Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg 4 eva!!!!
Chris 1:39PM (5/08/2008)
Negative, Bonneville has a very well deserved stigma for being a soft boulevard cruiser for older gentlemen who aren't smart enough to buy or can't afford better cars. The rocket propelled cow on roller skates GXP was a bad idea from the beginning, but done in typical 90's GM fashion.
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TriShield 1:42PM (5/08/2008)
It'll wear the G8 ST name, the purpose of the contest was to get the car out there and some big word of mouth.
I've been to Australia, I've driven the old VY Ute model, and it's an exceptional car. Far better and more versatile than you can imagine, like a Camaro that can do all of your errand, towing and hauling duties. These cars are the reason nobody buys trucks there.
However, this car and the Commodore sedan (G8) should have went to Chevrolet in the first place and not Pontiac. Both cars looked much better before GM put a different face on them for Pontiac, at least as Chevrolets only the badge would have changed.
As AutoExtremist wrote yesterday, Pontiac is dead. And from what I've heard on the inside there's literally no follow-up planned to the G8 at all.
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Esprit bird 1:47PM (5/08/2008)
From what i have heard, the G8 is just a stall car, just to take up time while the GM managers figure out what to do with the division, a lot of mention has come down to convert Pontiac to a scion type of dealer, appealing to younger buyers with Vibe and G5 variants. Others have suggested cutting the brand entirely, while the majority are fighting over bringing back the GTO on the Camaro platform or trying something completely new with a Trans am name on it.
tcc3 4:06PM (5/08/2008)
The GTO can only work if the design has some class. Some heritage design cues would be nice too.
If it looks like a Grand Am again, forget it.
Ted 3:12PM (5/11/2008)
ru the STIG!
mark 11:35AM (5/14/2008)
Total sales through April 08 Pontiac division 96,386, Cadillac division 61,024. Buick division, 50,499, Saturn, 65,194, Volkswagon, 69,970, Scion, 39,146 infinity, 42,070. Mercury,47,345. And others. Source, Automotive News, May 5 2008.
Pontiac dead? I don't think so. And this is during model transition. Their numbers may be down overall for '08 but so are most others.
And for all of you that think Pontiac is boring You don't Know your automotive history very well.
And the split grill is fine. Look at Toyota if you want to see hideous front ends, and people still buy them.