If Chevy Made It Would You Buy It?

[Papa T]

Chevy (GM) does make it under the Holden brand in Australia.
It is called the HSV Maloo and it has a Corvette engine in it.
http://www.hsv.com.au/e3/home/

And No with the current body style I would not buy it.
I have owned a 1976 El Camino. They would have to give the body much more flare.

[rjdapilmoto]

No, thanks..

[heRS]

The Ute is a GM Holden Ltd product.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by L99SS

Camaro is relatively impractical from a general perspective - it's all sport. But, it certainly has the fan base, winning style, and the marketing to keep it going. Price is not factored in so much. I believe Neiman Marcus' 100 editions sold out before they were even built - at $75k per copy!

But would you not agree that winning the consumer base, as it stands now, has more to do with style and marketing more than price? Sure the economy is rough, but people are getting tired of pinching pennies and still driving Smart Cars. Eventually they will spend the money to move into something better, but not if it makes them look out of place. Americans still have a strong ideal and spirit regarding what moves them. The current economy might be breaking this country into a new shoe as it were. Australians and Europeans have a more practical outlook on what they expect from their vehicles, and have had so for a while. But it will take us Americans a bit longer before we start to embrace that same perspective.

The Camaro isn't impractical from the standpoint of what it's marketed as. It's a sports car, it does what it's supposed to, look good and go fast.

The SSR ended up being a weird mash-up of niche markets, nobody was sure if it was trying to be a sports car, a roadster, a pickup truck, or a convertible.

If the Ute was sold here, it could be marketed as an alternative to traditional pickup trucks for folks who really don't need a traditional BOF truck. Something that still had a useable, easy-to-access cargo bed, suitable for hauling small to medium sized loads on a daily basis, while still achieving decent fuel economy and car-like ride and handling. Think of it as the crossover of the pickup truck world.

I don't doubt that it traditional trucks would still outsell it, but it does open up an untapped market here in the US.

In any case, any discussion of the VE-based cars is irrelevant. The VFs are on the way.

[Papa T]

They have been talking about bringing to the US since 2007 - 2008.
Are there new rumors out??

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Papa T

They have been talking about bringing to the US since 2007 - 2008.
Are there new rumors out??

Always a Zeta rumor or two floating around.

[BackinBlackSS/RS]

Originally Posted by L99SS

2010 SSRS,

Not even the V8 saved the SSR. Just sayin'.

The SSR looked like crap, that's what killed it. The amount of people it appealed to was VERY small.

[hot_rod]

Yep, with an LS3 and / or LS99 engine.....

Old poll/thread on the subject from GmInsidenews:

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...camino-102748/

[L99SS]

Well then, we'll have to see what the Ute can do in the U.S. market. It will be interesting to see how well it takes on here.

HOWEVER

It would be more interesting if there was a fitting diesel engine in the works to match...hmmm?

[Steve Dallas]

A good remake of the El-Camino would be cool...I don't think I'd personally buy it, but I know people who would.

[Number 3]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Always a Zeta rumor or two floating around.

Yeah, Fen....................and I think they all come from you.

Originally Posted by BackinBlackSS/RS

The SSR looked like crap, that's what killed it. The amount of people it appealed to was VERY small.

Well for some it actually looked decent. If you don't like retro, yes, it looked like crap.

I think the bigger problem was the $43,000 price tag..............plus it launched with the 5.3L V8 with under 300 HP. So big dough and no show.

It was never going to be a big seller. It was basically hand built in the Craft Center in Lansing, which is now closed.

Originally it had a tight budget, built on the Trailblazer frame to save costs. The original plan was a low $30s sport truck. It went wayyyyy over budget and the sticker price had to go up.

Might have done "ok" with the lower price......................maybe.................. ....but as we know some people think it looked like crap.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Yeah, Fen....................and I think they all come from you.

Pfft, what fun would you have if I wasn't bugging you about Zeta all day.

[Overflow]

No.

[MikeSVX]

I wouldn't be interested, but I'm sure there is still a market for a new El Camino.