Autoblog

El Camino revival hopes scuttled by Aussie dollar?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, GM, Earnings/Financials, Australia

Could Chevrolet sell a reborn El Camino in the United States? Let's ask an expert, General Motors International Operations boss Tim Lee, what he thinks. Speaking to the Aussies at CarPoint.com.au, Lee had this to say: "I think here in the US that vehicle has a tremendous amount of cache so if we could [import it] we would if it makes sense."

Great! So, we'll be getting a pickup car within the year, right? Well, not so much. Lee continues, "You tell me about what the Aussie dollar is going to do over the next 12 to 24 months and I'll tell you the export potential of cars like that." Obviously, nobody can say with certainty what the exchange rate between the US and Australia will be in two years, but as of right now, the Aussie dollar is worth a nickel more than a US dollar.

To quote Mr. Lee once again, "You can't make a business case of something like that." Indeed you cannot.

But what about the Chevrolet Caprice PPV, isn't that built in Australia? Indeed it is, and the upcoming Chevy SS performance sedan will be important from Oz as well. Thing is, Mr. Lee says the SS "will have to take a very premium price position" in order to be sold in the States, and that's apparently not in the cards for an El Camino.

Also not an option: Building the Australian Zeta-chassis machines in the US. Being that we've quoted Lee so many times already, here's one more to close out the discussion: "We will not be investing one penny to implement the Zeta architecture in the United States. I am the chief manufacturing officer of the company - that is written in stone."

El Camino revival hopes scuttled by Aussie dollar? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy says El Camino and Nomad trademark filings were just routine paperwork

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Chevrolet

A slew of recent trademark filings by General Motors had us daydreaming about the return of Chevrolet models like the El Camino and Nomad, but alas, Automotive News is reporting that the automaker is just keeping up on its paperwork. In order to prevent losing the names to other companies, automakers have to routinely renew the trademark filings for previously used names.

To realize the importance of name trademarks, we only have to look to the Ford Fusion. As the story goes, Ford originally wanted to call this new sedan the Futura, but Pep Boys had assumed control of the name for a line of tires forcing Ford to choose another name. With the Holden Commodore heading back to the US as the Chevrolet SS, we'd still like to believe there's a Holden Ute pickup heading our way with a bowtie on the grille.

While the article all but shoots down our hopes of a new El Camino or Nomad, it makes no mention of the ZR2 name, which also recently came up in similar trademark paperwork and was an off-road-ready trim level on the S10 and Blazer.

Chevy says El Camino and Nomad trademark filings were just routine paperwork originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: BMW flings M3 pickup around the 'Ring

Zach Bowman — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:07:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Truck, Etc., Europe, BMW, Luxury

BMW M3 pickup spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

There aren't words to convey just how happy this makes us. With Spring officially licking at the sanctified asphalt of the Nürburgring, testing season has kicked into high gear. Our elite squad of spy photographers has set up camp to take in the action and happened to catch this bizarre beastie obliterating its tires amongst a herd of other BMW mules. As you might expect, there's exactly zero information on the machine other than it looks for all the world to be an M3 pickup.

Trust us when we say that we're going to sleep more soundly tonight knowing that somewhere in the world, this creation exists.

We have no idea what the BMW engineers are up to with this one, though we love the idea of an M3-powered spiritual successor to the El Camino throne (bonus points for the camouflage as racing stripes motif, too). Assumed to have the same 4.0-liter V8 found in the nose of the current M3, this beast should be be good for 414 horsepower - perfect for making lickety-split runs to the hardware store.

We'd sell a passel of vital organs for a little seat time in this thing, even if it does simply turn out to be an early April Fool's joke. The shots are real, so perhaps BMW's design team are just blowing off some steam, or readying a one-off for Europe's tuner extravaganza of choice, the Essen Motor Show?

Gallery: Spy Shots: BMW M3 Pickup

[Source: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: BMW flings M3 pickup around the 'Ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: GM's Mark Reuss ponders return of VE Commodore to U.S.

Dan Roth — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:34:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Australia, Rumormill, Specialty

Holden VE Ute - Click above for high-res image gallery

As if General Motors hasn't endured enough turmoil in the last year, Pickuptrucks.com is reporting that GM North America president Mark Reuss is championing the idea of a stateside Holden VE Ute. Pardon us for thinking this issue was dead and buried in 2009, interred in the graveyard of stillborn ideas. Reuss, who ran Holden for GM during the VE's development, has a soft spot for the admittedly excellent platform that we only shortly knew as the Pontiac G8. While that dalliance was only marginally longer lived than Jay Leno's move to prime time (the promised G8 Sport Truck was announced and then canceled before birth), Reuss thinks that GMC or Chevrolet could proudly park the Ute in U.S. showrooms.

Rather than let all the hard work done to bring the G8 to fruition go to waste, Reuss is also reportedly looking for a slot for that car, as well. If GM can get the Ute classed as a truck in North America, it might play a significant role in Corporate Average Fuel Economy ratings, and that may be enough reason alone to offer a neo-El Camino. A revised G8 popping up under another GM moniker would be welcomed by the auto punditry, though may still fail to move enough units to make an impact. There's no denying that niche vehicles such as the Ute and G8 have a following, but we wonder how much focus these efforts are stealing from the pivotal vehicles that must launch and continue to sell without a hitch. As exciting as a Ute might be, a flawless and successfully marketed launch of the new Chevrolet Aveo is likely far more important to GM's financial health at this point than some hoon sled.

Gallery: Holden VE Ute

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Report: GM's Mark Reuss ponders return of VE Commodore to U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: GM kills plans for unibody pickup truck

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

GMC Denali XT concept - click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has reportedly cancel plans for a new unibody mid-sized pickup truck after finding it wouldn't get much better fuel economy than existing body-on-frame designs. In early 2008, GM showed off the GMC Denali XT concept at the Chicago Auto Show. That truck was actually based on the same Zeta rear wheel drive platform used for the Pontiac G8. And unlike the star-crossed G8 ST that never made it into showrooms, the intended production truck would have been derived front-wheel drive/all-wheel drive Epsilon II architecture like Honda's Ridgeline.

GM vice-chairman Tom Stephens told Automotive News the unibody design would not give much of an efficiency boost while losing capability that buyers were willing to pay a premium for. That means the trucks would have been less profitable, something GM is obviously trying to avoid. The current four-wheel drive Chevrolet Silverado pickup has an EPA rating of 14/20 mpg while the all-wheel drive Ridgeline only gets 15/20 mpg, so there's clearly something to this.

As a mid-sized truck, the unibody would have likely replaced the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon, two vehicles that are getting long-in-the-tooth. It's not clear how GM plans to handle those products (or that segment) going forward.

Gallery: Chicago 2008: GMC Denali XT concept reveal

[Source: Automotive News - sub req'd]

REPORT: GM kills plans for unibody pickup truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Chrysler Imperial - Rampage edition

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:39:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Truck, Auctions, Etc., Chrysler, Dodge, Specialty

1990 Chrysler Imperial pickup -click above for high-res image gallery.

If you have kids, you probably know that no matter how times you tell them that two wrongs don't make a right, they still have to find out for themselves. Case in point, the 1990 Chrysler Imperial - which clearly had way more than two wrongs against it from the start - has been with a Dodge Rampage. The Rampage actually wasn't a terrible idea, although the execution left something to be desired, especially on the inside (where have we heard that one before?).

The Imperial, on the other hand, stretched the K-Car to within an inch of its life - and beyond. With ridiculous overhangs and narrow width, the front-drive Imperial was simply no match for Cadillac and Lincoln - to say nothing of Europe's luxury machines. However, we can't help thinking that if Lee Iacocca had a ranch somewhere, he might have had the Chrysler engineering staff whip up something just like this. As we write this, there are no bids on this luxurious load lugging gem, so have it. Thanks to Craig for the tip!

Gallery: Chrysler Imperial Custom - Rampage edition

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Chrysler Imperial - Rampage edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forget the G8 ST: Chrysler studying unibody pickup

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Chrysler, Dodge

Click above for a gallery of the Dodge Rampage concept

Just as General Motors announces the death of the short-lived ~~El Camino revival~~ Pontiac G8 ST, comes news that Chrysler is considering making a place for the same market with a uni-body pickup. Perfect timing, right? Considering the Pentastar brand trotted out a revived Dodge Rampage concept back in 2006 at the Chicago Auto Show, the news isn't particularly shocking. That concept was supposed to preview the direction the brand could take with future pickups, as sales of the Dakota mid-sizer were falling rapidly.

Despite the slow sales of traditional small trucks, the market isn't exactly dead. Competition for a new Rampage truck could come from Toyota, which already announced it was considering producing the A-BAT and General Motors, which could replace its GMC Canyon with a unibody truck based on the Denali XT concept. Honda is currently the only player in the uni-body truck market with the Ridgeline, though that model has been on the market since 2005, has seen few meaningful changes and hasn't set the world on fire.

Gallery: 2006 Dodge Rampage Concept

[Source: Detroit News]

Forget the G8 ST: Chrysler studying unibody pickup originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tear in my beer: GM reportedly kills off 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

Chris Paukert — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, GM, Pontiac

Click above for high-res gallery of the Pontiac G8 ST

Hold on to your Budweiser coozies: Details are scarce at the moment, but Pickuptruck.com is reporting that Pontiac has quietly euthanized plans to introduce the 2010 Pontiac G8 ST. The muscular G8-based trucklet was to signal the re-emergence of the unibody pickup in North America, a genre once populated with vehicles like the Chevrolet El Camino and Ford Ranchero, along with smaller front-drive moppets like the Volkswagen Rabbit pickup and Dodge Rampage.

The Austrailian-built rear-drive G8 ST was to arrive with V8 power, a 74-inch cargo hold, and a 3500-pound towing capacity, making it less capable than full-size body-on-frame pickups like General Motors' own Silverado/GMC Sierra twins, with the predicted trade-off of markedly better handling and fuel economy.

The ST was to launch as a 2010 model later this year, and prices were rumored to start in the low $30k range. Although we are unsurprised to learn of the truck's cancellation (as GM is actively slimming down its portfolio and the baby muscle pickup was expected to serve as a small-volume niche model), we can't help but get a little misty-eyed at the loss of what promised to be a truly epic donut-making machine. G8 ST, we hardly knew ye...

Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

[Source: Pickuptruck.com]

Tear in my beer: GM reportedly kills off 2010 Pontiac G8 ST originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodbye-amino? Pontiac could kill G8 ST; become one-car brand

Chris Tutor — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Pontiac, Holden

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Pontiac G8 ST

It's been a bad month for Pontiac fans. While begging for money from Congress, GM mentioned its intentions to sacrifice the brand to aid the General's recovery and get a few billion from the feds in the process. Now comes word that GM may keep the brand around, but cut its lineup in half... or more.

Automotive News spoke with Susan Docherty, vice president of Buick-Pontiac-GMC, who said that Pontiac's Aveo-based 2010 G3 will sticker for $15,000, but says it's a short-term product for the brand. Unfortunately, Docherty also hints the G8 Sport Truck's lifespan could be even shorter. "We would be foolish if we didn't take a second look at whether or not that is the right thing to do."

In a separate AN article, Docherty goes even further and suggests Pontiac's lineup could be pared down from six vehicles to a single nameplate. According to Docherty, "We are not going to spend tons of money on product development" for Pontiac and that the Pontiac Torrent will be dropped for 2009.

So what will Pontiac be selling? According to Docherty, the G8 is the most likely candidate for GM's performance brand, and that the ideal future for Pontiac would be "very focused, very specialty or niche."

Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

Gallery: 2009 Pontiac G3

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Goodbye-amino? Pontiac could kill G8 ST; become one-car brand originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Happy 50th Birthday, El Camino!

Alex Nunez — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Truck, Chevrolet

1959 Chevy El Camino

Yesterday was a milestone that won't be celebrated with a special edition, or a new fender badge, or some stripe package. Yesterday was the 50th Anniversary of the Chevy El Camino. As Hemmings points out in its post acknowledging the milestone, the El Camino was preceded by the Ford Ranchero by two years. But when people think of car-based pickups, it's "El Camino" that pops right to mind as a generic descriptor -- like Band-Aid and Vaseline. It's kind of a pity that GM's waiting for the '10 model year to reintroduce the concept, and as a Pontiac, no less. What a missed opportunity. 2010 Pontiac G8 ST? Sounds so generic. 2009 Chevy El Camino? Yeah. That would've been cool. Maybe even worth a 50th Anniversary Edition badge, you know?

Happy Birthday, El Camino.

[Source: Hemmings]

Happy 50th Birthday, El Camino! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Skyline R32-amino, wait... wha?

Chris Shunk — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Truck, Videos, Supercars, Nissan

Click above to view video after the jump

The Nissan Skyline R32 is a legend on the track and in the eyes of tuners around the world. There are legions of fans who have tweaked their R32s to go faster and move with more agility, but we don't think many have turned their precious Skylines into a Ute to obtain optimal drifts. Following the jump is video of a race-ready R32 that looks more Ford Falcon from Down Under than it does a super-tuned Nissan from the land of the rising sun. It may look beaten with an ugly stick, but it could be the only R32 that can hot lap a track and help a friend move in the same day. And it's a hella-good drifter, too. The video after the jump is English free, so if you have any Japanese language skills, let us know what they're saying in the comments section.

[Source: Carscoop]

Continue reading VIDEO: Skyline R32-amino, wait... wha?

VIDEO: Skyline R32-amino, wait... wha? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Pontiac G8 ST it is

Dan Roth — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:50:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, GM, Pontiac

Click above for hi-res gallery of the 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

We often go poking around General Motors' media resources, so imagine our surprise when we were searching for something totally unrelated and found fresh images of Pontiac's iteration of the Holden Ute. Still warm like just-baked cookies, the images show off a great looking dark-hued modern-day El camino. And for what do we deserve a new batch of G8 ute pics? They accompany word from on high that the official name for this trucklet has been decided. Meet the Pontiac G8 ST.

You may remember that GM solicited submissions, or rather suggestions, for what the G8 ST should be named. But after months of waiting and however many submissions, the best they could do was G8 ST? That's the name they started with! Now we feel all cheap and used, like GM knew what they were going to call this thing all along. Whatever, it will be holding court as the king of awesome in your local Pontiac dealer's showroom in late 2009 as a 2010 model. The 74-inch cargo bed and 3,500 lb towing capacity will allow you to haul more than just ass, though the V8 will surely facilitate that nicely. Pontiac's official press release can be found after the jump, and those new high-res images are in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

[Source: GM]

Continue reading Officially Official: Pontiac G8 ST it is

Officially Official: Pontiac G8 ST it is originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Pontiac G8 Sport Truck snapped in Australia

Michael Harley — Fri, 23 May 2008 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Spy Photos, Truck, Pontiac, Australia

Click on image above for more spy shots at G8Nation.

Two 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Trucks were recently spied in Australia loaded on the back of a transporter. Although seemingly dipped in camouflage decals, the profile of this not-going-to-be-named-El-Camino is easily distinguishable, even without a clear shot of the obvious Pontiac grill. Previewed at the 2008 New York Auto Show, the G8-based Sport Truck will be powered by a 6.0-liter V-8 rated at 361 horsepower. It should scoot to 60 mph in just over five seconds. Those of us in North America can expect this cargo-bedded Aussie import to arrive on our shores in late 2009.

Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck - Live Reveal

[Source: G8Nation]

Spy Shots: Pontiac G8 Sport Truck snapped in Australia originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 May 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pontiac El Cami-"NO"

Alex Nunez — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc., GM, Pontiac

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]

Pontiac El Cami-"NO" originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 May 2008 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pontoon Boat burning a hole in your pocket? Trade it for a JaguaRanger

Dan Roth — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Etc., Ford, Jaguar

Boats are typically thought of as a hole in the water into which you hurl money. It looks like this Craigslist seller realized that he was really after a boat only after sinking considerable time and money into an extensive automotive gene-splicing experiment gone horribly wrong. Take one Jaguar XJ, add half a Ford Ranger Splash, season with a carbureted 305 and stir in a steering wheel cover that's vaguely reminiscent of calimari. Bake only halfway, frost with black, and serve. In all fairness, the small, limited resolution shots on the listing show a vehicle that actually looks better turned out than the recipe for confusion stew might suggest. Whether it's truly nice, or just another 50/50 curiosity would be interesting to find out. At least you won't have to pay to dock it - and with the GM powertrain, it'll likely be far cheaper to maintain than the Evinrude on your pontoon boat.

[Source: Craigslist]

Pontoon Boat burning a hole in your pocket? Trade it for a JaguaRanger originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rendered Speculation: The El Camaro

John Neff — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:03:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Truck, Chevrolet

click above for more high-res renderings of the Chevy El Camaro

We're relatively certain that General Motors has no intention of reviving the El Camino nameplate. Fans of car-based trucklets should be happy that the General has given the green light to produce the Pontiac G8 ST and leave it at that. Of course, the mind wanders regardless and comes up with such interesting ideas as this, the El Camaro. While these renderings provided by Autoblog reader Bo Z are a bit stylized, we imagine that developing such a vehicle wouldn't require a large investment. Much like the G8 ST is simply the front end of a G8 sedan grafted onto the body of Holden Ute, the El Camero could be produced by doing the same thing with the front end of the new Camaro. We know, we know... new, more stringent CAFE regulations are right around the corner, the truck market is shrinking, etc. This is not the time to be dreaming of a Camaro with a bed. At least we've got Photoshop to help express our fanciful whims.

Gallery: Chevy El Camaro

Rendered Speculation: The El Camaro originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay find of the day: KaiserCamino?

Dan Roth — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 09:32:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Truck, Auctions

While Ford was first to market with the pickup-cum-car Ranchero, and El Camino has attained universal descriptor status, like Kleenex, it looks like Kaiser presaged the idea in 1954 with this one-off. Kaiser was one of many smaller independents that had yet to die off in the early 1950s. The independents were often more creative than the big three, pushing innovation with limited resources. This extra-special Special-based vehicle is sporting "Barris Kustom" badges on the B-Pillars, glossy light yellow paint on the flanks, and a iron-irrific Continental L-head 6 underhood. You may not be torching the wide whites off the Kelsey Hayes wires with the 118 horsepower, but it's definitely adequate, even on today's roads. Current bids stand at $7,300 for what looks like a driveable classic. It'd be an interesting vehicle to poke around at and uncover the provenance, and the story would be way more entertaining than "It came down the line in Arlington one day."

Thanks for the tip, Mike!

Gallery: Kaiser Special pickup

eBay find of the day: KaiserCamino? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Sep 2007 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pontiac G8 Ute a distinct possibility

Dan Roth — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, GM, Pontiac, Australia

Holden is planning on turning out the full capacity of 147,000 Zeta-based vehicles at its Elizabeth plant in South Australia. Part of the production increase can be attributed to the Pontiac G8's impending arrival, but there have been cagey references to importing the VE Ute, which shares the VE platform with the G8. Bob Lutz made mention of a desire to bring the Ute to the US a while back, and now GM's Asia Pacific President Nick Reilly has made a couple of cagey references to GoAuto, fueling the suspicion that we'll see a VE with a bed out back here in the US.

While discussing the Elizabeth plant's ability to meet production volume without adding a third shift, Reilly referred to US exports by saying "If they start to sell much better than we anticipated, then we would have to look at doing something else and clearly a third shift would be a possibility..." They? Hmm. When the follow-up question about just what he meant by they, Reilly sort-of clarified by further stating: "We haven't necessarily announced all the programs we have at the moment." The not-quite-confirmed multiple flavors of VE headed for the US, along with Bob Lutz's wanting to bring the Ute here as something other than a Chevy could mean that those wishing for a return of the El Camino might get their wish, minus the name.

Thanks for the tip, Ben!

[Source: GoAuto]

Pontiac G8 Ute a distinct possibility originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Dan Roth — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 17:47:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, GM, Holden, Australia

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]

El Camino may return, but it won't be a Chevy! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy El Camino could return for 2011

John Neff — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Truck, Chevrolet

Mike Levine at PickupTruck.com is speculating that there's a good chance the El Camino name will be revived in the near future. The prospects just seem too good considering that Holden, GM's Australian division, is set to soon export the Zeta rear-wheel-drive platform to the U.S. for use in the Chevy Camaro and Pontiac G8. More vehicles are likely, and the El Camino could be among them. Bob Lutz himself has reportedly talked up the business case for an El Camino comeback, and the timing could be right for an Australian Ute to finally make the long trip from Oz to American shores.

PickupTruck.com has a few renderings showing what the El Camino could look like, which isn't hard to guess considering that the new VE Commodore-based Utes are set to debut in Australia in about a month. From the A-pillars forward it would look much like the sedan on which it's based, but all body panels aft of that point will be unique to the Ute. The Australian version will have an engine lineup of V6 and V8 engines, and we suspect that concerns over fuel economy would also necessitate a V6 option for the U.S. market. That's fine, as the General's current crop of V6 engines are smooth and powerful. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper El Camino without the availability of a V8, and we know GM has a few of those lying around.

What do you think? Would there be any takers for a new El Camino in the U.S.? We think the answer is obvious, as this truck wouldn't be an SSR redux. Click on the read link to view three renderings of what a 2011 Chevy El Camino might look like and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

[Source: PickupTruck.com]

Chevy El Camino could return for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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