Autoblog

Click either image to view high-res gallery of the Ultimate Sh-Ute-Out

While the U.S. is about to get its first taste of two-door, rear-wheel-drive, car-based pickups in the form of the Pontiac G8 ST (official name still TBD), Australians have been enjoying these things, called utes, for decades. While Holden introduced a new version of its Commodore-based ute last year, Ford has just gotten around to meeting the challenge with its new Falcon-based ute. And you know what that means: Ford vs. GM cage match in Koala Bear country!

Pickuptrucks.com has pitted the Holden SS Ute and Ford XR8 Ute, both top-shelf sports models, against each other in this Ultimate Sh-Ute-Out for the ages. For as similar as these utes are in price and power, we were surprised to learn how different they actually are. The Ford ute, for instance, is considered more of a workhorse than the Holden and thus continues to use a leaf-sprung rear suspension instead of an IRS like the Holden. Apparently it's the more truckish of the two, as evident by its separated cab and bed compared to the clean one-piece design of the Holden. Both models tested use big V8 powerplants, but the XR8's Boss V8 was more high-tech compared to tried-and-true Gen IV pushrod.

Being that Pontiac is about to start selling the Holden Ute in the U.S. as the Pontiac G8 ST, this comparo is a good Beginner's Course in the wonderful world of Aussie utes. And who knows, if the Pontiac G8 and G8 ST sell well, that may just be the urging Ford needs to bring the Falcon stateside sooner than the next-generation model. Check out the gallery of insanely cool high-res shots from the comparo below, courtesy of Pickuptrucks.com, and hit the source to read the comparo from start to finish.


[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Reader Patrick McCarron sent us a link to the LS1GTO.com Forums, where one of the posters there uploaded a few shots of a pair of Holden VZ Utes that took part in the fun at the Woodward Dream Cruise. The Ute shown above appears to be the hot-rodded HSV Maloo R8 version, and the one you'll see after the jump is is the regular SS Ute.

All we can think if is how cool they'd look with El Camino badging. Do the pics mean anything? Nope. There's no plan at all to bring this thing over. Still, the Ute is mighty cool. Imagine the sheer badassedness of it all if both it and its Aussie-market rival, the Ford Falcon Ute, were to come here and rekindle ElCo vs. Ranchero...

Thanks for the link, Partick!

[Source: LS1GTO.com forums]