For some reason, the modern-day Chevrolet El Camino in the U.S. market seems to be a very popular topic. Unfortunately, the closest thing U.S. drivers got to a Chevrolet El Camino was the stillborn Pontiac G8 ST, a vehicle that was to be based on the Australian-born Holden Commodore Ute. Thankfully, new evidence is pointing towards an eventual comeback of the El Camino.
According to Jalopnik, multiple sources have confirmed that GM’s product planning department is indeed looking to incorporate a ute into the Chevrolet portfolio for the U.S. market and would most likely bring back the El Camino moniker.
The speculation is that if the El Camino arrives, it would be somewhere in the vicinity of the 2014 calender year. By then, The General’s much anticipated Alpha platform will be underpinning the Cadillac ATS and CTS as well as the Chevrolet Camaro. That said, we could see the all-new RWD architecture support the next generation set of vehicles that currently ride on the Zeta platform – including the current generation Holden Commodore Ute – as there have been no announcements to develop a new Zeta platform.
Source: Jalopnik
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Comments
Although I have fond memories of the el camino from decades back, I believe it would have limited sales success.
If the desire to build such a vehicle is based off of just creating a halo vehicle. …I think it might be interesting…but as a sales success? I have my doubts..
Two seats…are the limiting factor..
Just take a look at the corvette sales for the past two years. I believe they are half of what they were for most of the C5 and C6 production run. Two seaters in this economy are very very risky.
For some reason as the economy is in a recession……..consumers tend to be more practical with their purchase decisions….even if they don’t really need to be..
For the most part…consumers want the ability to carry 5 people …at least those that are shopping in large numbers..
Crew cabs…and four door pickups truly should be and I believe are the volume leaders in the consumer pickup market.
Interestingly enough….I remember back in the 80’s when Jeep pioneered the four door Jeep Cherokee…It was a big deal…and if I remember correctly that was just about the time the SUV craze began to take off…the practicality of the four door SUV was what lit the fuse for what the american market enjoyed for decades….
The four door SUV truly caught the market(and all Jeep competitors) by surprise and the two door version of SUV’s were forever relegated to an also ran status in the sales race..
IE.. the ford bronco and chevy blazer were two door SUV’s that were quite popular percentage wise at the time before the four door Jeep Cherokee..
Two seat pickup vehicles like the Elcamino pictured here would be cool…and probably would sell better than the last GM effort…as the SSR’s were a bit expensive with the folding hardtop..but all in all…..I tend to think it was the two seat capability or in this case limitation that sealed its fate….
I hope GM finds a way to offer the new El Camino as a value priced halo vehicle and has no expectations of large sales volume..
Just my two cents on whether this would in fact be a profitable vehicle for GM..
Thanks for the heads up.
JB
I say do it, park them between the Caprices on the boat from Adalade, when the fad is over, stop bringin them. Why not make a quick buck with a well desighned engineered and made vehical, nobody looses.
yeah buddy ive been wating for this
I’ll be the first to buy one, if the El camino is brought back ! RBP