Better fuel economy is always welcome but how is the reliability of Holden?

Wait now GMC is possibly getting the UTE? Well at least they are getting a four door version, because that somewhat goes with their image. I still don’t really understand why Pontiac is getting the Ute and having it named the G8 ST instead of Chevy getting it and maybe calling it the El Camino again. I know they want Pontiac categorized for its performance offerings but when they don’t even have a GTO or a Firebird available, when Chevy is going to have the Camaro and already has the Corvette it just doesn’t make sense to me. This will be interesting to see.

ME NEITHER SS4LIFE, why the heck is pontiac in the truck market, it kills their immage, you know the one they barley have left.

So we get this instead of a wagon? Lutz, I usually respect your decisions, but you are way off base on this one, old man.

golf4me, Wagons are hated here in the states. It would never sell. Dodge tried with the macho magnum and it didn’t sell. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE wagons (A Caprice wagon is my daily) and if Buick Roadmaster wagons were still on sale I’d have one, but most of America despises them.

I thought the GMC was called the Caballero?

Man they are so confused at GM right now.

All I can say is “Ditto” to the above posts by SS4LIFE and CTS DRIVER. I completely agree with both of you.

SwerveEarly: I thought the same thing. The GMC version of the El Camino was named “Caballero”.

jonnycat: GM seems a little too freaked out by the upcoming CAFE standards. I realize the upcoming standards will drastically change the auto industry, but it seems like GM is using this issue as an excuse for indecision (especially with Pontiac’s portfolio). They have too much talent and ability to allow themselves to appear so hesitant and disorganized to the public.

Well Pontiac specifically said that they are getting rid of the wagon version of the G8 so we get no wagon although that would have been too cool. but they are so damn confused as to what to do with this UTE and its pissing me off. its not that hard to give it to a brand. Choose Chevy. The El Camino will Rule. Choose GMC. The Caballero will rule. Choose Pontiac. Enter them into a market never seen by a Pontiac. Enter Saturn. I’m gonna SuperBitchSmack Lutz……

Golf4Me,

Almost every sedan-based wagon I can think of has done terrible here. What the hell are you thinking? So far, Lutz is on a roll. Off base? Hardly. You continue to make some of the most ridiculous comments. Your opinions suck.

‘mazdaman’, lack of true leadership. Overlying this failure is a need to draw criticism from the general public, the sheep, to the imposition of CAFE standards.

Regardless, CAFE is good, CAFE is right.

The only good CAFE is Starbucks……I think we are gonna enter a stage here where Fuel Effiency is gonna tank proformance… like in 1970’s

ummmm…cuvs & suvs ARE wagons…

AND…how many El Caminos did chevy ever sell? Less than the Magnum, I think!

When gas prices get high enough to actually make the stupid American consumer to actually think about what they need vs. what they want, I will bet that a LOT if not all current SUV buyers will trend back toward the good ol’ wagon.

When they redesigned it for the new Malibu-type platform in ‘78, they changed the name from Sprint to Caballero, if anyone cares. That said, I don’t recall seeing either on the road, ever. If Lutz is already saying this thing might cause potential customers to be “put off”. I can’t imagine how hideous it’s gonna be and can’t wait for the NYC show so I can see..

Oh God I hope not MY Si, however I too fear the same.

I’m interested to see how ECOBOOST turns out for Ford. I’ve been complaining for many years that the domestic auto companies need to come out with smaller displacement turbo engines and just now they are catching on… The 2.0L 260hp direct injection Ecotec that GM is just starting to use will be my engine of choice for in my next ride, and while I would hope GM puts that same technology in their 2.4L Ecotec to get similiar higher HP numbers that Chrysler gets with their 280+hp 2.4L Turbo World Engine, or the 2.3T that Mazda has. Now for SUV’s and trucks this wouldn’t do anything for them, but in the Saab 9-3 Turbo X that has a 280hp Turbo 3.6L I bet they’d be able to get more HP out of a 3.6L or 4.6L turbo for that matter.

If Ford can get mid 300’s to almost 400hp out of a twin turbo V6 or whatever this engine will be then I say GM and Dodge need to follow suit.

^SS you definately make a good point. but its not only the engine thats killing the american car. its the design. yeah we do have some stylish vehicles coming out but the gas milage sucks. and the ugly vehicles like the Chevy HHR (personal opinion) get good gas mileage. i know you out of all people remember the days of muscle cars when no one gave a damn about gas mileage. the american car was fun. the american car was stylish. and now that our relationship with the people we get our gas from is going under. we need to think about other means of fuel so we can bring back the days of yore. An American engine that runs American Fuel and gets this “Good Gas Mileage” Then and only then we can bring back the true American car.

SS4LIFE,

I’d rather see GM make the small-block more efficient than use turbo-six motors. They sound like crap and do not drive like a V8. A direct-injected 4.5L small block could probably produce ~300hp easily and get damn good economy while doing so.

MY Si,
Ethanol is that answer. Domestic fuel for domestic engines.

I definitely agree with you Frylock350 on improving more fuel efficient small block V8’s. For the high power and torque that trucks need, of course turbo six motors wouldn’t cut it and I definitely wasn’t proposing that. However for less performance oriented sedans and sub compact cars, I just think that for these vehicles this would help, and still provide on par or better performance, while improving economy.

Also if tuned right turbo engines typically have the compatible combustion rate to run Ethanol. Imagine the performance and economy you would get in a turbo engine running on ethanol?

Yeah MY Si I also agree with you on how while the better looking or better designed cars are typically not offering the best economy the Domestics and I say some Foreign companies too need to improve and put a little more effort in designing more affordable cars that typically get better mileage but are in the compact or subcompact. The HHR does get good gas mileage though, even though yeah majority of people don’t prefer the looks of it.

While I wish I did remember the days of when muscle cars were in their glory days and while gas was under 50 cents a gallon and no one gave a damn about gas prices, I’m actually an 80’s baby, trying to finish my last years of college, and drive a sporty subcompact… lol I’ve just been enthusiastic about all cars since I was toddler holding a Micro Machine.

So i’m expecting a car somewhat like the Subaru Baja, but more sporty/truck like…

call it the cyclone

seems like a good change to switch it over to GMC.

That’s kind of what I envisioned jandrews90, or something like the explorer sporttrac. Seems like one of those short life models though… And you can’t really get too excited if Lutz is saying “people might be put off at first”

441Zuke, good idea. But i would keep it spelled with a “C” as you suggested instead of an “S” as the performance truck is. Just for performance heritage sake. This would have nothing in common with the all-wheel-drive, turbo charged and intercooled S-15 based truck that had no problems running through the quarter mile faster than a Ferrari 348 of its time (1991). I’m curious to see what it looks like.

Golf4Me,

The last El Camino was an enormous success for GM. The truth is that the same body was sold for nearly 10 years. What happened after that? GM made lots of mistakes throughout the late 80’s and 90’s. In fact, the company (with LUTZ), is just beginning to turn the corner now and come back strong.

The reason why there was no El Camino replacement was that the truck market took off and stayed very strong until just a couple of years ago. Now that people are looking for more refinement and better mileage out of their vehicles, the time is ripe for a car-based pick-up. I don’t think Subaru had the goods to make the Baja a big-time seller-but GM could make such a pig fly. I think it will sell like crazy.

Pscyclone!