wonderbot
03-14-2008, 11:20 PM
Filed under: New York Auto Show (http://www.autoblog.com/category/new-york-auto-show/), Sedans/Saloons (http://www.autoblog.com/category/sedans/), Trucks/Pickups (http://www.autoblog.com/category/trucks/), Pontiac (http://www.autoblog.com/category/pontiac/)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/x10pn_g8003_opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/698573/)
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Pontiac G8 ST
After more than two decades, the ghost of the El Camino has finally risen from the grave, at least for U.S. drivers. It never actually went away in Australia. Now that the Pontiac G8 has ushered in a new era of affordable rear-wheel-drive performance at General Motors, the car-based pickup truck, or Ute as they are called Down Under, is coming back. Rumors have been flying for months about a G8 Ute and GM even showed the GMC Denali XT concept at the Chicago Auto Show last month - a four-door ute with a two-mode hybrid power-train that may or may not see production.
What we will definitely see in showrooms late next year is the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck. The G8 Ute gets a 6-foot 2-inch long cargo bed behind its two-passenger cab. Compared to the sedan, the pickup has a four-inch longer wheelbase plus two more inches hanging behind the rear axle. The box that's unified with the passenger compartment comes with a color matched soft tonneau cover to enclose the 42.7 cubic feet contained within the composite bed. That's nearly double the volume of the late and unlamented Chevy SSR. The G8 can haul almost 1,100 lbs and tow 3,500 lbs, that latter figure also 1,000 lbs more than the SSR.
This time around GM isn't skimping on the power in the initial offering, with immediate availability of the 361-hp 6.0L V8 from the G8 GT sedan. That will push the G8 to 60 mph in about 5.4 seconds. No word yet on whether they will offer up the 3.6L V6 as a base engine, although that does seem likely whether its the direct-inject version or not. There's even 8.5 cubic feet of room inside the cab behind the seats to protect valuables.
You might be wondering about that rather lame G8 Sport Truck name. Since so many people were clamoring for GM to bring the Ute to the U.S., the company has decided to let fans name the new vehicle. They've set up a site at www.pontiac.com/namethiscar (http://www.pontiac.com/namethiscar) where you can submit your ideas. The winning name will be announced on April 15. We imagine "El Camino" has a pretty good shot at winning.
If we haven't satisfied your U.S. Ute craving yet, check out Pickuptruck.com (http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/2010/pontiac/g8/firstlook/page1.html) for more info and Jalopnik (http://jalopnik.com/366699/2010-Pontiac-G8-Sport-Truck-The-El-Camino-Is-Back) for more exclusive pics like the ones in our high-res gallery below.
Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/00_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699043/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/01_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699044/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/02_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699045/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/03_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699046/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/04_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699040/)
[Source: General Motors]Continue reading New York '08 Preview: 2010 Pontiac sports truck, GM wants you to name it! (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/15/new-york-08-preview-2010-pontiac-sports-truck-gm-wants-you-to/)
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/15/new-york-08-preview-2010-pontiac-sports-truck-gm-wants-you-to/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1137496/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/15/new-york-08-preview-2010-pontiac-sports-truck-gm-wants-you-to/#comments)
Read more... (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/15/new-york-08-preview-2010-pontiac-sports-truck-gm-wants-you-to/)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/x10pn_g8003_opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/698573/)
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Pontiac G8 ST
After more than two decades, the ghost of the El Camino has finally risen from the grave, at least for U.S. drivers. It never actually went away in Australia. Now that the Pontiac G8 has ushered in a new era of affordable rear-wheel-drive performance at General Motors, the car-based pickup truck, or Ute as they are called Down Under, is coming back. Rumors have been flying for months about a G8 Ute and GM even showed the GMC Denali XT concept at the Chicago Auto Show last month - a four-door ute with a two-mode hybrid power-train that may or may not see production.
What we will definitely see in showrooms late next year is the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck. The G8 Ute gets a 6-foot 2-inch long cargo bed behind its two-passenger cab. Compared to the sedan, the pickup has a four-inch longer wheelbase plus two more inches hanging behind the rear axle. The box that's unified with the passenger compartment comes with a color matched soft tonneau cover to enclose the 42.7 cubic feet contained within the composite bed. That's nearly double the volume of the late and unlamented Chevy SSR. The G8 can haul almost 1,100 lbs and tow 3,500 lbs, that latter figure also 1,000 lbs more than the SSR.
This time around GM isn't skimping on the power in the initial offering, with immediate availability of the 361-hp 6.0L V8 from the G8 GT sedan. That will push the G8 to 60 mph in about 5.4 seconds. No word yet on whether they will offer up the 3.6L V6 as a base engine, although that does seem likely whether its the direct-inject version or not. There's even 8.5 cubic feet of room inside the cab behind the seats to protect valuables.
You might be wondering about that rather lame G8 Sport Truck name. Since so many people were clamoring for GM to bring the Ute to the U.S., the company has decided to let fans name the new vehicle. They've set up a site at www.pontiac.com/namethiscar (http://www.pontiac.com/namethiscar) where you can submit your ideas. The winning name will be announced on April 15. We imagine "El Camino" has a pretty good shot at winning.
If we haven't satisfied your U.S. Ute craving yet, check out Pickuptruck.com (http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/2010/pontiac/g8/firstlook/page1.html) for more info and Jalopnik (http://jalopnik.com/366699/2010-Pontiac-G8-Sport-Truck-The-El-Camino-Is-Back) for more exclusive pics like the ones in our high-res gallery below.
Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/00_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699043/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/01_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699044/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/02_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699045/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/03_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699046/)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/04_g8st_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-p-o-n-t-ianda-c-gpontiac8-sport-truck/699040/)
[Source: General Motors]Continue reading New York '08 Preview: 2010 Pontiac sports truck, GM wants you to name it! (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/15/new-york-08-preview-2010-pontiac-sports-truck-gm-wants-you-to/)
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/15/new-york-08-preview-2010-pontiac-sports-truck-gm-wants-you-to/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1137496/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/15/new-york-08-preview-2010-pontiac-sports-truck-gm-wants-you-to/#comments)
Read more... (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/15/new-york-08-preview-2010-pontiac-sports-truck-gm-wants-you-to/)