The Death of the Holden Ute.

"JustWaitingForAMate" (justwaitingforamate)
10/27/2013 at 16:02 • Filed to: holden, ute, oppo

The Holden ute is about to be retired forever, after clocking up almost 65 years on Australian roads.

The Aussie icon has had its sales - and hopes - crushed by a flood of pick-ups imported from Thailand. One in five of all new vehicles sold so far this year comes from Thailand, second only to Japan.

Australian-made cars now account for less than one in 10 of all new vehicle deliveries in Australia; local production is at its lowest level since 1957. Holden Commodore ute sales are down by a staggering 31 per cent year-to-date, the lowest sales of all time. The sedan and wagon are up 15 per cent since the new Commodore arrived.

Holden cannot justify the investment in a new Commodore ute because buyers have shifted to Toyota HiLux-style pick-ups - most of which are made in Thailand, where production labour rates are one-fifth of Australia's.

Enthusiast buyers have less than three years to decide if they want a new Holden ute before it is relegated to the history books alongside arch rival Ford's Falcon ute by the end of 2016.

We have entered the end times.

Original article.

DISCUSSION (100)

dogisbadob > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:03

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

GM should sell it over here, as the new El Camino. Maybe they can even sell it over here as a GMC, to bolster that brand.

Blondude > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:05

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Australia can't sell it there's no way we'll ever get one!

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:09

We'll still have people asking for reasons why this is a dark era.

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:09

Final Edition sold in US? D:

TheDoubleClutchBandit > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:21

I feel physically ill.

SpeedSix > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:22

First the Ford Falcon and now the Holden Ute??

Kinja'd!!!

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!

FZappa > dogisbadob
10/27/2013 at 16:23

Kinja'd!!!

Bring back the GMC Caballero/Sprint!

WallCouldTalk > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:31

I finally have a moment to sit down and read Jalopnik and THIS is the bullshit I find?! Now I'll never get a ute... UGH. I'd kill for one. My wife and I have been seriously thinking about moving to Australia, and this has been a selling point for both of us. Australia, minus 1...

seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:31

so as shit as this is for Holdens Australian workers. is there any reason they cant build a manufacturing plant in Asia to continue the brand?

except that many Australians will definatly tear them a new arsehole, but between that and final death?

Atomic Buffalo > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:33

Sounds like Australia needs a chicken tax.

JustWaitingForAMate > seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible
10/27/2013 at 16:35

It was actually considered to offshore development of the Commodore platform to Asia if sales were strong enough (across all global sales). Alas, they aren't.

Mustang 'DontHitTheCrowd' GT > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:36

I'm gonna miss those flying buttresses...

JustWaitingForAMate > WallCouldTalk
10/27/2013 at 16:37

You have 3 years. I'd put money on the last run of the Commodores to be outfitted with the 6.2 liter engine over the 6.0. There's rumblings at Holden about this.

Baber K. Khan > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:39

Surely there are a few designers lurking the pages of Oppo who can show Holden how they could catch up on the changing trends of the market by making a fusion between Hilux and a Ute. I am curious.

WallCouldTalk > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:41

Originally, we wanted a Falcon Ute with the straight 6 turbo, but then defected to the Holden when found out they were dying out. I'm sure we could pick one up used, and that would probably be the more financially responsible thing to do, but the longer we wait, the rarer they'll become.

Stef Schrader > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:42

This makes coco sad.

winters4 > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:42

Sadness is a word that only begins to describe what I think upon reading this.
:(

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Atomic Buffalo
10/27/2013 at 16:42

free trade is =/= fair trade.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:43

I haz a sad. Here in Indonesia it's quite a performance bargain. You can buy the 70's Ute for 3-5k, and get an instant burnout machine. The newer one is a bit expensive, but it's still a bargain.

Kylemaro > Baber K. Khan
10/27/2013 at 16:45

basically a 2 door trd tacoma but with a supercharged 6.2? i approve, and i want

Grim99CV > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:50

As a US citizen, I really wanted to get my hands on one of these. Thanks for letting this opportunity slip by, GM.

Or should I blame Obama?

StalePhish > dogisbadob
10/27/2013 at 16:56

We almost got one, but then didn't.

Kinja'd!!!

bobrayner > Atomic Buffalo
10/27/2013 at 16:57

Why? If customers prefer something else, then let them buy something else, instead of putting up a tariff barrier which harms both countries just to make customers buy what you think they should have.

MoparIsWinYouAreFail > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 16:59

Considering that thousands have been made and it's a relatively recent vehicle, it won't be truly "dead", at least not for 30 or 40 years. There's still gonna be a lot of them roaming the streets and I'm sure they have a decent used market.

Ed H-B > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 17:02

Oh bollocks..

MoparIsWinYouAreFail > Grim99CV
10/27/2013 at 17:02

It's not like you would be able to get one anyway without jumping through a couple thousand hoops to maybe get it road legal, no restrictions. Not sure how this really changes anything.

davedave1111 > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 17:03

Yet another casualty of Dutch Disease . It really is unforgivably incompetent of Australia's governments - successive governments - to have ignored (or simply been ignorant of) a well-known and inevitable consequence of a resource extraction boom in a small economy.

davedave1111 > Atomic Buffalo
10/27/2013 at 17:04

No, they need to keep the mining income out of their economy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_dis…

Australia ought to have a Norwegian-style sovereign wealth fund.

caddyak > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 17:09

Import it stateside as the El Camino. That'd probably give them the volume they need to survive

M54B30 > dogisbadob
10/27/2013 at 17:10

Yeah! If people didn't want to buy $25k Rangers & S10s, surely they'll pay $40k+ for a Ute!

Grim99CV > MoparIsWinYouAreFail
10/27/2013 at 17:16

Which also means adding a few thousand to the premium. Besides, if they're gray market cars (which I doubt), then it won't be long before it would meet the crusher.

Dogapult > caddyak
10/27/2013 at 17:22

For $40,000, no one would buy it.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > SpeedSix
10/27/2013 at 17:28

The surge of beige is coming!!!!! Noooooooooooooooo

UncleWalty > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 17:52

This is a fucking tragedy. Wow.

BonusMaximus > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 17:55

This officially bites the root.

seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible > davedave1111
10/27/2013 at 17:56

to late. everyone's blown their money on Aston Martins, a shit sandwich costs $8 and the WA government is left holding its dick instead of a fat future fund.

Vair > Blondude
10/27/2013 at 17:56

Let me continue that no... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

speeddemon807 > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 17:59

The hell?

jrcm485 > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 18:09

Should petition To have it and the RWD commodore made in the US and shipped over. Better that than no ute at all. Plus you guys will get the beloved El Camino (motherfucker) back. Come one America help a Southern Hemisphere brother out!

caddyak > Dogapult
10/27/2013 at 18:11

It was already in the plans for Pontiac. And they had no heritage cache going for them either. I think it would sell enough to justify continued production for the Aussie and US markets.

And $40k would be where the 6.2l El Camino would be priced (In line with the 6.2l Commodore sold as the Chevy SS). They could offer it with a 3.6 and 6.0, just like the G8.

Since this is, you know, the old Commodore platform and all development costs are already absorbed, I really don't see what GM has to lose. Will it justify development of a new generation ute? Possibly, but the best way to find out is selling it in the US for the next 3 years why its still being produced.

At the very least, its a great marketing stunt. Nobody else is doing anything like this in America and the enthusiast crowd would snap up the limited production run like crazy.

AthomSfere > Blondude
10/27/2013 at 18:14

This was exactly my reaction!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*******Breathe Taken***OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

oldirtybootz > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 18:15

Kinja'd!!!

JustWaitingForAMate > jrcm485
10/27/2013 at 18:21

They could do it in Canada alongside the Camaro. Same platform, same production line.

DangerRanger > jrcm485
10/27/2013 at 18:26

Wipe it off bro!

dogisbadob > M54B30
10/27/2013 at 18:27

Yeah, honestly I think GM actually wants the Holden shit to fail over here.

The SS is top-model V8 automatic only, no V6 base model or manual or wagon.

The Caprice is fleet-only.

GM seems to not know about Chrysler's LX cars at all. Haven't they EVER seen a blinged-out 300 or a police Charger?

webmonkees > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 18:28

Dear Chevrolet: We want an additional option on that Performance page of yours for that SS. Rear seat/door/trunk delete. Make it work.

M54B30 > dogisbadob
10/27/2013 at 18:46

Biggest sign of inept leadership: setting your employees (in this case, a company) up for failure with little chance to succeed. When the SS fails to be a big seller (calling it now), it'll be fodder for GM to say "well, every time we bring you something from Australia/Germany/England/wherever it fails so here's your Cobalt."

kenhitch > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 18:47

If we can't have it, NO ONE CAN. No, but really that sucks. I was really hoping that some day they would leak back to the US and give us a new Camino.

reverberocket is nipping the apex..and gently blowing in it's ear. > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:28

Sooo...

...why doesn't GM build Utes in Thailand and export them?

OTE_TheMissile > Blondude
10/27/2013 at 19:33

AJ_Lethal > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:34

mfw:

The Stig Farmer > Blondude
10/27/2013 at 19:36

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kinja'd!!!

Eric Leonard > webmonkees
10/27/2013 at 19:36

I would even go for it if they offered it as a body in white like they do the Camaro. Give us the body, give us the parts, we'll make it ourselves.

DntPnc > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:37

I'm not even from Australia, and this makes me immensely sad, because it will now never be imported as a new chevy el camino

Hirsch > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:37

I am disappoint.

BATTLEWAGON666 > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:41

Help me pack this fat bowl, uleh. We have to rip one more celebratory skid in Peter Brock's name.

Koushiro_Izumi > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:45

Kinja'd!!!

Isn't this built in Thailand?

nettsu > seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible
10/27/2013 at 19:45

It's happened with Ford but the reality is... if people really cared they'd buy the cars. Obviously they don't care that much.

nettsu > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:45

I'm going to go buy myself a SSV V8 Ute to just watch it appreciate in value ;)

Shinji F > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:49

this is because new zealand complained about the hooning?

RatMR2 > Baber K. Khan
10/27/2013 at 19:49

They already sell the Colorado , which is a Hilux-style ute manufactured in Thailand. GM global don't give a shit where the cash comes from, and the cost of manufacturing the Colorado is less than for the Commodore (thanks to the wage differences discussed above), so they're happy to phase it out.

JustWaitingForAMate > BATTLEWAGON666
10/27/2013 at 19:49

Fully sick bro.

RustySpanner > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:49

Meh... these are horrible to drive and mostly owned by obnoxious cashed up bogans. It's a unique vehicle but the alternatives have improved to the point that it's no longer necessary. R.I.P. to the automotive mullet.

Antigonus II > davedave1111
10/27/2013 at 19:49

How is this a casualty of the Dutch disease?

It seems to me that this is a casualty of the fact that Australian buyers prefer cheaper, normal pickups to these utes, because, you know, not everyone is a car enthusiast.

RatMR2 > reverberocket is nipping the apex..and gently blowing in it's ear.
10/27/2013 at 19:49

They already sell the Colorado , which is a Hilux-style ute manufactured in Thailand.

JustWaitingForAMate > Shinji F
10/27/2013 at 19:50

Yeah, our tire smoke started to reach their coast, they're not happy.

RatMR2 > Koushiro_Izumi
10/27/2013 at 19:50

Yep.

Anon > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:51

Kinja'd!!!

Fuck.

Ben Crowe > SpeedSix
10/27/2013 at 19:52

The Commodore itself will be the next on the chopping block. Globalization in the motor industry has brought forward the last days of the Australian car as we know it today.

Dusty Ventures > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:54

But... but... but... but...

pdas1996 > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 19:59

Well, there went our chances for an El Camino...

Leleleo > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 20:05

Ohhh that's sad! but, i wouldn't blame much the guys from thailand. it's just that those people buying thai cars are not that into cars, they just want something 4 wheels that is soft like a paper. i guess. ok i'm just thinking. i've been thinking lately a lot about people wanting to buy or not cars. i'm a bit confused myself.

reijin64 > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 20:08

I'm buying a Falcon next year. It'd be very un-australian of me not to.

Supercharged 5.0L V8 putting out 335kw, 4 doors and a rockin' exhaust note.

How could I say no

Thomas Cotrel > MoparIsWinYouAreFail
10/27/2013 at 20:10

One person took a G8 whose rear-end was destroyed in an accident and grafted on the back end of a Holden Ute from the same year with a destroyed front end. Not the cheapest way to do it maybe, but in the end he had a totally US legal LHD Hoden Ute.

Brougham > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
10/27/2013 at 20:12

Besides, pre-80s Holden Ute. Only 2 units Ute that had been imported to Indonesia legally, MY 2003 and MY 2004.

James Donovan > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 20:16

That article is junk. The VF has been on sale for 4 months. Holden have confirmed they're working on the next RWD Commodore. No one was buying VE stock for the first half of the year because a) the same car had been on the market from 2006 and b) everyone knew the new model was around the corner.

If people keep "reporting" and speculating on this junk, they'll make it true by scaring off the market from buying these cars.

Just back the fuck up and let the car sell for at least a year. Then you can call it dead.

The Sparkytooth Ring Lapper > The Stig Farmer
10/27/2013 at 20:31

And it goes on...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO *Breathes* OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

*Runs out of breath.

Ok, next.

Philbert/Phartnagle > oldirtybootz
10/27/2013 at 20:37

Cried out in terror, yes. Silenced, NEVER!

pacific1 > caddyak
10/27/2013 at 20:42

They couldn't get the sedan to catch on in the states, they definitely couldn't get the ute to. As much as people here scream and shout about how if only a certain car was brought over it would be a massive success, it simply isn't the truth

Ecklesiastik > The Sparkytooth Ring Lapper
10/27/2013 at 20:44

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Josh Bailey > dogisbadob
10/27/2013 at 20:47

Making a V6 "SS" would be too much competition with the Impala which is in the same size class. The SS was designed for people who wanted a 4 door V8 with rear wheel drive instead of front wheel drive like they did recently with the SS Monte Carlo and SS Impala.

Josh Bailey > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 20:50

Unfortunately there are only a couple of years left for that. If rumors are true, the 6th gen Camaro will be moving to the Alpha platform which is shared with the ATS and new CTS. It will then share the same production line as those which is in Michigan.

seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible > reijin64
10/27/2013 at 20:56

nice. is that going to be the next model, or the current FPV on offer?

I would get a black GS in a heartbeat if I could afford it.

TGRIP > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 21:02

Bring it to the States! We'll gladly save it over here! At least give us one last El Camino before you can it!

dogisbadob > Josh Bailey
10/27/2013 at 21:05

Solution: kill the Impala

Just use the Caprice and G6 as the full-size car. The G6 could be called the Impala, and the Caprice would be there too. V6, low V8, HO V8, maybe also a diesel option. Bring over the wagon as well, including a raised-height Outback/Allroad-like variant called the Kingswood. And the Ute can be called the GMC El Camino.

Chrysler's LX cars are successful, full-size RWD cars.

reijin64 > seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible
10/27/2013 at 21:08

Depends on what the option sets are. Runout FG2 (current) is a damn good deal, and GS is easy to upgrade with brake kits and shocks to make it nicer than a GT. Leather doesn't bother me much either - I'd rather cloth as I don't slide around in it.

If the new one isn't much improvement, I'll save some coin and get a runout. you can pick up an older GS for around the 30-40k mark nowadays.

evil2win > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 21:14

And they don't even want to try and sell any in the US? If we bought enough maybe they wouldn't have to kill it.

JustWaitingForAMate > Josh Bailey
10/27/2013 at 21:15

That could in turn mean a new Alpha platform 'Commodore' or if they want to resurrect an old nameplate; Torana, being shipped back to us from the US.

I have no qualms with a twin turbo V6 aussified ATS.

MichaelLock > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 21:34

Fuck you GM, make the bloody thing in Thailand and export it to the world you herd of wankers. Ford, we know you can't because the FG isn't designed for LHD and that is sad enough let alone the Holden UTE dying as well.

This is a GLOBAL tragedy for what could have been a great car for the world if made in Thailand or the US for a much cheaper price.

Kinja'd!!!

Eric James Dougherty > The Stig Farmer
10/27/2013 at 21:44

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Patrick Shea Laking > FZappa
10/27/2013 at 21:51

Yep. Agreed.

By all means, send it to The 'Shwa... I'm sure the guys (and gals) at the plant here would LOVE to keep working.

GMC needs SOME good reason to exist.... I mean Terrain, the Lego CUV? Are you fucking KIDDING me!?!

Captain_Spadaro > Blondude
10/27/2013 at 22:01

What this guy said.

oldirtybootz > Philbert/Phartnagle
10/27/2013 at 22:02

Definitely ignored. I'm a Ford guy so I'm more upset by the Falcon news, but this is just awful as well. At the very least give us an El Camino before you kill the ute off for good. Does Zeta support AWD?

bacavoit > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 22:12

Bring them to continental America, we, the latinos, love these things, the North America market is also huge!

TFRN > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 23:18

Kinja'd!!!

Alexander Botts > JustWaitingForAMate
10/27/2013 at 23:35

GM has done what it can to alienate Millennials for some time now. We WANT El Caminos here in the States. Hell, it's even in pop culture. Read:

Kinja'd!!!

Ya, I know, it's a first gen K-van on the cover, but...

Oh, and I'll echo the others...

Kinja'd!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You bastards!

seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible > reijin64
10/27/2013 at 23:58

Falcons have always been a bargain for the second hand buyers. unfortunately for Ford that kills new car sales quite a lot. Im not holding my breath the next model will have much in the way of updated mechanicals, but if it looks great and the interior has a work over it might be hard to give it a miss.

seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible > JustWaitingForAMate
10/28/2013 at 00:02

100% fuck new zealand

seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible > MoparIsWinYouAreFail
10/28/2013 at 00:07

apart from the real classics that are maintained there's still plenty of beater 90s utes getting about as daily equipment haulers.

Maybe if people upgraded and the damn things didn't last forever...

Shanghai61 > JustWaitingForAMate
10/28/2013 at 00:27

It's surprising to me how many people in Australia bitch and moan about the state of the local car industry, and then climb back into their imported car. Most of the moaners haven't driven a locally-made car for a decade or more. Put up or shut up, ffs!