Holden, GM’s Australian subsidiary, has unveiled the Thunder Ute. Thunder special edition models represent up to $3500 in extra value and are available on S Ute, SS Ute and SS Crewman. The Thunder SS models are powered by Holden’s new Gen 4 V8 engine which delivers 260kW of peak power at 5600rpm and 510Nm of peak torque at 4400rpm. The Thunder S Ute boasts the advanced 172kW Alloytec V6 engine made at Holden’s Port Melbourne engine plant. The Thunder models add sporty visual upgrades to the interior and exterior. GM’s Bob Lutz recently speculated a new El Camino could be based on the Ute if a new body was applied. See images of the Thunder Ute after the jump…
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03/29, 8:06 AM
posted by:
TW
Maybe GM should move to Australia.
03/29, 8:28 AM
posted by:
Beavis
As stupid as the SSR…
03/29, 8:28 AM
posted by:
Summerwolf
WHY wont they bring this thing here!!! I’d be first in line to buy a new el camino. Keep the GTO rims, keep the GTO looking front end, market it as a GTO with a truck bed same hood scoops same everything just a truck bed. Put a 400 HP motor in it with a T56 and some T-tops….I’d grow a mullet and lay down the greenbacks….no problem
03/29, 9:03 AM
posted by:
JD
If there’s an automotive deity out there, please keep the El Camino in it’s grave.
03/29, 9:26 AM
posted by:
Summerwolf
Well, the holden UTE has been sold in australia for a while now with some success…. GM needs to bring it here, maybe not call it an el camino, but have a Chevy or more like I said a Pontiac version of this (since its based pretty much off the current GTO) I would buy one in a heart beat. 400 HP, T56, and a limited ability to be somewhat practical with a half ass truck bed….I’d love the sh*t out of it
03/29, 11:03 AM
posted by:
TJ
ugly just like every other trucks out there
03/29, 12:47 PM
posted by:
Summerwolf
but its not a truck….its a car with a truck bed…its both practical AND fun
03/29, 1:25 PM
posted by:
JD
Practical? Probably. Fun? Possibly. Appealing to look at? Certainly not.
03/29, 1:40 PM
posted by:
captain america
thunderugly…as with the gto it looks like its from the early 90s..no buy
03/29, 1:47 PM
posted by:
Summerwolf
well, without the GFX the holden UTE is a beautiful car….the thunder version, I don’t like its GFX, but you can always do away with those….its a gourgeous car, and something with an LS2 and a T56 would be fun to drive no matter what its in
03/29, 4:03 PM
posted by:
manny
loooks a little funny, but tell me what 260 kW is in horsepower and i might buy one, ifi had the cash…
03/29, 4:21 PM
posted by:
yozzie
Hey Manny – 260kw works out to about 400hp. Put that through the rear wheels, with only a pickup bed over it, and you have the recipe for fun, fun, fun…
03/29, 6:08 PM
posted by:
Phil
That thing looks goofy. If Subaru sold the Baja in Australia, I’d like to know how it did there. Then, I could decide whether a modern day El Camino would make a good business case here.
03/29, 6:09 PM
posted by:
Phil
Oh yeah, and how do you open that tailgate? That’s a Holden logo on the back, not a door handle.
03/29, 6:48 PM
posted by:
yozzie
Oz didn’t get the Baja, but the old Brat sold its butt off there, and so does the Holden Ute. It’s useful for carrying large amounts of stuff, and the sports models are the Australian guy’s equivalent to Mustangs, Camaros, etc, which we don’t get – two doors, big motor, rear-drive. Check out the hot-rod model, the Maloo, at hsv.com.au, which will kick the ass of just about any American factory muscle car currently on the market, bar the Z06.
You could make a decent business case for the US by pointing out that it’s a truck, which Americans seem fond of, but rides, accelerates, handles and gets mileage like a traditional American car. The double-cab model is pretty useless, though – awful rear seat and a prick to park. The four-wheel-drive model takes all those bad qualities and adds lousy mileage.
And you open the tailgate by lifting the tonneau cover (which is a little douchey-looking, but it’s based on the tonneau from a speedster-style Ute concept a few years back) and using the handle inside the tailgate itself.
03/30, 4:45 AM
posted by:
Ozzzie
Yes the holden ute is considered a good car by our standards, americans might see this differently, and find it a sucky thing, but we australians love it, its probably the best local car we can get, you hate it fine, but we love it…:/
03/30, 8:34 AM
posted by:
Summerwolf
I love the thing to death….have since I seen it in a magazine with GTO styling, an LS1, a T56, and a truck bed…
now they put a LS2 behind it….retarded fun
Theres a quad cab and a 4wd version using normal truck motors?? I’d like to see those
03/30, 1:08 PM
posted by:
yozzie
What’s up Ozzzie – I’ve tried to tell the Yanks that it’s beaut to have a root in a ute, but they don’t get it lol
03/31, 10:41 PM
posted by:
saddles
how do u open the tailgate?
from the inside there is a handle
u have to open the tonneau cover then the tailgate
probably the best ute ive ever owned
drags off that rice burner crap easily hahahah
aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi
02/15, 3:51 AM
posted by:
dirtsettlers
I’m about to buy a Thunder. I can afford to buy the new 2007 model (and it’s about time) but I hate the mags on the 2007 model. The 2006 has way better mags. Silver colour for me. Nothing so ‘loud’ as yellow. The new VE Ute has a crappy back design.
If it’s not one thing it’s another. Crap mags on some, crappy interior colours on others and they all sit to high…ya gotta lower the mothers even further. I love Holdens but I think they have to many different people working on different design aspects…who has the last word.
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03/29, 8:06 AM
posted by:
TW
Maybe GM should move to Australia.
03/29, 8:28 AM
posted by:
Beavis
As stupid as the SSR…
03/29, 8:28 AM
posted by:
Summerwolf
WHY wont they bring this thing here!!! I’d be first in line to buy a new el camino. Keep the GTO rims, keep the GTO looking front end, market it as a GTO with a truck bed same hood scoops same everything just a truck bed. Put a 400 HP motor in it with a T56 and some T-tops….I’d grow a mullet and lay down the greenbacks….no problem
03/29, 9:03 AM
posted by:
JD
If there’s an automotive deity out there, please keep the El Camino in it’s grave.
03/29, 9:26 AM
posted by:
Summerwolf
Well, the holden UTE has been sold in australia for a while now with some success…. GM needs to bring it here, maybe not call it an el camino, but have a Chevy or more like I said a Pontiac version of this (since its based pretty much off the current GTO) I would buy one in a heart beat. 400 HP, T56, and a limited ability to be somewhat practical with a half ass truck bed….I’d love the sh*t out of it
03/29, 11:03 AM
posted by:
TJ
ugly just like every other trucks out there
03/29, 12:47 PM
posted by:
Summerwolf
but its not a truck….its a car with a truck bed…its both practical AND fun
03/29, 1:25 PM
posted by:
JD
Practical? Probably. Fun? Possibly. Appealing to look at? Certainly not.
03/29, 1:40 PM
posted by:
captain america
thunderugly…as with the gto it looks like its from the early 90s..no buy
03/29, 1:47 PM
posted by:
Summerwolf
well, without the GFX the holden UTE is a beautiful car….the thunder version, I don’t like its GFX, but you can always do away with those….its a gourgeous car, and something with an LS2 and a T56 would be fun to drive no matter what its in
03/29, 4:03 PM
posted by:
manny
loooks a little funny, but tell me what 260 kW is in horsepower and i might buy one, ifi had the cash…
03/29, 4:21 PM
posted by:
yozzie
Hey Manny – 260kw works out to about 400hp. Put that through the rear wheels, with only a pickup bed over it, and you have the recipe for fun, fun, fun…
03/29, 6:08 PM
posted by:
Phil
That thing looks goofy. If Subaru sold the Baja in Australia, I’d like to know how it did there. Then, I could decide whether a modern day El Camino would make a good business case here.
03/29, 6:09 PM
posted by:
Phil
Oh yeah, and how do you open that tailgate? That’s a Holden logo on the back, not a door handle.
03/29, 6:48 PM
posted by:
yozzie
Oz didn’t get the Baja, but the old Brat sold its butt off there, and so does the Holden Ute. It’s useful for carrying large amounts of stuff, and the sports models are the Australian guy’s equivalent to Mustangs, Camaros, etc, which we don’t get – two doors, big motor, rear-drive. Check out the hot-rod model, the Maloo, at hsv.com.au, which will kick the ass of just about any American factory muscle car currently on the market, bar the Z06.
You could make a decent business case for the US by pointing out that it’s a truck, which Americans seem fond of, but rides, accelerates, handles and gets mileage like a traditional American car. The double-cab model is pretty useless, though – awful rear seat and a prick to park. The four-wheel-drive model takes all those bad qualities and adds lousy mileage.
And you open the tailgate by lifting the tonneau cover (which is a little douchey-looking, but it’s based on the tonneau from a speedster-style Ute concept a few years back) and using the handle inside the tailgate itself.
03/30, 4:45 AM
posted by:
Ozzzie
Yes the holden ute is considered a good car by our standards, americans might see this differently, and find it a sucky thing, but we australians love it, its probably the best local car we can get, you hate it fine, but we love it…:/
03/30, 8:34 AM
posted by:
Summerwolf
I love the thing to death….have since I seen it in a magazine with GTO styling, an LS1, a T56, and a truck bed…
now they put a LS2 behind it….retarded fun
Theres a quad cab and a 4wd version using normal truck motors?? I’d like to see those
03/30, 1:08 PM
posted by:
yozzie
What’s up Ozzzie – I’ve tried to tell the Yanks that it’s beaut to have a root in a ute, but they don’t get it lol
03/31, 10:41 PM
posted by:
saddles
how do u open the tailgate?
from the inside there is a handle
u have to open the tonneau cover then the tailgate
probably the best ute ive ever owned
drags off that rice burner crap easily hahahah
aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi
02/15, 3:51 AM
posted by:
dirtsettlers
I’m about to buy a Thunder. I can afford to buy the new 2007 model (and it’s about time) but I hate the mags on the 2007 model. The 2006 has way better mags. Silver colour for me. Nothing so ‘loud’ as yellow. The new VE Ute has a crappy back design.
If it’s not one thing it’s another. Crap mags on some, crappy interior colours on others and they all sit to high…ya gotta lower the mothers even further. I love Holdens but I think they have to many different people working on different design aspects…who has the last word.