GM kills the modern El Camino, drops plans for Pontiac G8 pickup

January 7, 11:09 AMDC Car ExaminerBrady Holt

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Although the Chevrolet El Camino hasn't been sold in the United States for more than two decades, Australians continue to buy the two-door two-seat pickup-cars they call "utes": big sedans with an open pickup bed instead of a rear seat and trunk.

General Motors had planned to see if Americans had any interest in the "ute" niche by importing 5,000 VE Utes from its Australian Holden division, sold under the name Pontiac G8 ST (Sport Truck).

But the automaker has since been forced to ignore its minor niches to focus on core products, and has canceled the G8 ST, which would have gone on sale later this year as a 2010 model. It would have joined the G8 sedan in the Pontiac line, a car that is also sourced from Holden.

As planned, the G8 ST would have shared the sedan's 361-horsepower V8 engine good for a 0-60 time of a too-fast-for-a-truck 5.4 seconds, yet also come with a 74-inch-long cargo bed and 3,500 pounds of towing capacity. It would have started between $30,000 and $35,000.

But until GM's financial health improves, it seems the ute will remain an Australian phenomenon. Ford, which sells a similar product in Australia, has not announced any plans to bring its ute to the United States.