GM Will Bring Back the El Camino If...

[djsnoflake]

Hmm, I would have to see a concept before I could comment really.

Some El Caminos looked great, others looked like @ss

[upflying]

Besides Austrailia, Brazil also has a El Camino. Called the Chevrolet Montana in that country. It's unibody, 4 cyl and front wheel drive. Ugly as hell and I say no phucking way but remember American trucks must average 26 mpg by 2016. Our government wants you to drive and own this.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by upflying

Besides Austrailia, Brazil also has a El Camino. Called the Chevrolet Montana in that country. It's unibody, 4 cyl and front wheel drive. Ugly as hell and I say no phucking way but remember American trucks must average 26 mpg by 2016. Our government wants you to drive and own this.

Okay folks...

A car-based "truck" is not automatically called an "El Camino." An El Camino was a specific vehicle built by GM way back when. A car-based "truck" is known as a "ute" or "coupe utility."

Now say what you will about the Ute's design (irrelevant since the VF-based Ute is coming soon), but it's a very viable product with today's market. Let's take a look at the current truck market.

We have GM with the Silverado/Sierra and Colorado/Canyon. Ford with the F-Series and Ranger. Ram with the Ram Pickup and Dakota. The Japanese makes are as relevant in the US truck market as the pile of cow sh*t the Holstein I judged earlier today dropped.

Now picture a suburban family that is looking for something with utility. They don't really need a full-size truck, they're just looking for something they can use to move Junior to college and back every year and pick up some stuff from Home Depot every now and then. With the current truck market, you're basically forced into a full size. The current crop of midsizers are terrible. Either they're outdated, offer fuel economy close to or no better than full-size trucks, or are priced so close to full-size trucks that you might as well go with the larger option.

A ute solves that problem. You have enough bed space to haul a decent sized payload with much better fuel economy than a truck and priced at an affordable level.

Now make no mistake, real trucks will always have a place in the North American market. GM and Ford are both working on improving fuel economy of their trucks without sacrificing power. That being said, they can't change the laws of Physics, and as it stands right now, trucks pale in comparison to cars in the fuel economy department. A ute may be a decent solution for many people until someone figures out a miraculous way to drastically improve the fuel economy of full size trucks.

[Milk 1027]

Fen, if it's such a viable option. Why was the G8 "truck" scrapped?

[pyr0b0y]

Originally Posted by Milk 1027

Fen, if it's such a viable option. Why was the G8 "truck" scrapped?

id rather see a G8 come back...

[Silverado]

The G8 truck was scrapped due to the economy, the terrible financial conditions of GM, the slow down at GM, and the eventual killing off of Pontiac.

I agree with Fen....the Ute (in some form because I'm not really sold on that one) is a viable option....however, if they price it too high, it easily becomes the same problem as the mid-size pickups....GM could easily screw up this opportunity to snag some marketshare.

[Milk 1027]

Originally Posted by Silverado

The G8 truck was scrapped due to the economy, the terrible financial conditions of GM, the slow down at GM, and the eventual killing off of Pontiac.

I agree with Fen....the Ute (in some form because I'm not really sold on that one) is a viable option....however, if they price it too high, it easily becomes the same problem as the mid-size pickups....GM could easily screw up this opportunity to snag some marketshare.

It was scrapped before the financial troubles.
From what I heard, it was scrapped because of the lack of enthusiasm behind it from consumers.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Milk 1027

Fen, if it's such a viable option. Why was the G8 "truck" scrapped?

Because the G8 sedan was introduced at a horrible time with engines that weren't so fuel efficient. GM could see that, but there was little they could do except make sure that they got the most out of importing the sedan as they could. Plus, the decision to scrap Pontiac as a whole was made far before many people believe.

Today we have a 323 HP LFX engine that does 30 MPG. That wasn't around when GM got the idea to import the Commodore and its variants to the states.

I'm not the only one who sees this as a possible new segment. Mark Reuss was quoted just last week saying that this might be a good idea.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Milk 1027

It was scrapped before the financial troubles.
From what I heard, it was scrapped because of the lack of enthusiasm behind it from consumers.

Lack of enthusiasm? There was plenty of it, particularly in the enthusiast community.

Problem is that like the G8 sedan, GM didn't do a very good job marketing it. The only way I ever saw the G8 ST was if I went to Pontiac's website and looked for it.

Furthermore, trying to throw something like this under Pontiac was just a stupid idea in the first place. Sport trucks are in the biggest niche market ever. Had GM sent it to Chevrolet or GMC and marketed it as an alternative to large trucks, it might have gained some more traction.

[Mr. Wyndham]

They've got the Ute from Australia, and they're looking for a reason to bring it back.........it'll cost next-to-nothing to do, at least compared to a full design and development project like the Camaro was....hm...clever...

No, thank you.

Chevy is nearing the point of "way too many cars"....they don't need to lose their focus, and bringing back this car, imo, lends nothing to the brand as it's position today...

[syr74]

I understand the concept but I'm not sure that I see a Holden based 'ute lighting up the sale charts here. Ironically, Reuss waxed philosophical regarding 'utes with trays on the back potentially proving a very viable alternative for tradesman despite the fact that Holden abandoned production of chassis cab Ute's for a strict diet of unibody, lifestyle 'utes this generation.

If this vehicle is going to make the grade I don't think it will be with tradesman. More likely, I would expect the lifestyle aspect to be the draw. As a car for guys this really would be a bit like owning a Camaro with a bed, and to be blunt a 'ute would easily haul and/or tow more than the average half ton pickup sold today is likely to ever see.

Still, the question is going to be whether or not people actually 'want' to buy one..because this is going to be a vehicle that survives on want. More importantly, this could absolutely steal sales away from the Camaro. That is something for GM to think about.

[Milk 1027]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

They've got the Ute from Australia, and they're looking for a reason to bring it back.........it'll cost next-to-nothing to do, at least compared to a full design and development project like the Camaro was....hm...clever...

No, thank you.

Chevy is nearing the point of "way too many cars"....they don't need to lose their focus, and bringing back this car, imo, lends nothing to the brand as it's position today...

As much as I liked the G8 ST, I just don't see it happening.

[DGthe3]

I like the idea but it would have to be done well.

Originally Posted by upflying

Besides Austrailia, Brazil also has a El Camino. Called the Chevrolet Montana in that country. It's unibody, 4 cyl and front wheel drive. Ugly as hell and I say no phucking way but remember American trucks must average 26 mpg by 2016. Our government wants you to drive and own this.

What you and I think of as 'trucks' are not always what CAFE thinks of as 'trucks'. For example, minivans, crossovers, and wagons are all 'trucks' as are SUV's and pickups. So HHRs counted as much as a Silverado.

[ECCamaro]

They did bring it back. It was called the Chevrolet SSR.

Everyone and I mean Everyone who does not know what it is immediately thinks it is an El Camino.