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GM Trademarks “Nomad” Name

Australia may not be anywhere close to being GM’s biggest market, but at the same time, it holds a few exclusive and coveted vehicles. And while people of Oz may refer to one of their gems as the Holden Commodore, we Americans all-too-briefly knew it as the Pontiac G8, whereas Great Britain recognized it as the Vauxhall VXR8. Sadly, those days are gone.

Soon, however, the United States will get re-acquainted with Australian culture in the form of the Chevrolet SS, which will be a high-end derivative of the upcoming Holden VF Commodore sedan. But as many of you readers know, the Commodore also comes in sport wagon and ute variants, and not just a domesticated four-door. This is where things get interesting.

While we don’t know outright if the same plans are in store for the Chevrolet SS, we do know the following: General Motors filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on May 22, 2012 for the “Nomad” name — a moniker that was a rear-wheel-drive, V8-powered Chevrolet station wagon from a few decades ago. So even though we have yet to hear official confirmation from The General, evidence is beginning to mount that the U.S. market is in store for a Chevrolet that can lay down fast lap times as well as it can carry $400 of groceries from Costco.

This latest word should help heal the wounds from the news that the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon — and thus the CTS-V Sport Wagon — is being discontinued. Indeed, a new Chevrolet Nomad would be quite a treat for enthusiasts, and will hopefully turn more consumers to think differently about station wagons.

Another thing we await is the return of the Chevrolet El Camino — which has been rumored to be coming back for a few years now.

Former staff.

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Comments

  1. Reply
    1. YES PLEASE

      130r shooting brake!

      Reply
  2. Just wishing out loud here. But a re badged HSV Maloo would be a killer El Camino SS.
    Chevy could have a very limited release of say 2000-4000 units. For the very lucky few.
    Or just start a separate SS division. ( that sounded awkward in a Historically negative way if you are not thinking Chevy) my apologies. Nothing huge but in the sprint like SVT and SRT.
    Chevy SS
    Camaro SS
    Chevelle SS. Just wishing out loud
    El Camino SS. Ditto see above
    Malibu SS. Would be nice, hell it has the turbo engine.. Would be a easy project
    Cruz SS. That would be very nice to compete with the Focus ST
    How awesome would that be for a Chevy fans!

    Reply
  3. Two Words: Dodge Magnum

    OK: Chrysler went under – so is this smart business to bring over a Commodore wagon
    and name it “Nomad”?

    Reply
  4. Reply
  5. @ Archangel:

    Since this IS a car enthusiast site, I believe nobody but you even gave that connection
    a thought – whiiiiich kinda makes me wonder if you live up in the high woods in Idaho
    and have razor wire around your place…. 🙂

    It’s always funny to hear old car guys rant about an SS this and an SS that… It’s as if
    they believe we’re in the sixties all over again. Look around you – we’re a nation literally “owned” or “pwned” – (as the youngsters call it) by anti-democracy nations who sit on top of loads of dino juice that we NEEEEEED to power …uh, these SSs.

    Buy an electric, or electric-assist ( EREV-PHEV ) vehicle, and when you punch it,
    you’re not killing a U.S. soldier stationed in some unGodly place to protect our
    access to foreign crude oil…And when you punch a Tesla, or even a Volt – you feel
    immediate surge of power – 100% torque at 0 rpm, with no heavy, complex, expensive
    gearsets or slush box to shift down.

    SS could stand for Super Stupid, but I do defer with respect to those hot looking,
    classic cars from our past – they were great and make super collectibles to be taken’
    out on sunny weekends and put back in the garage when our electric daily drivers do
    the yeoman’s work of daily use.

    Drool all you like at cars sold to older males trying to regain their youth — But a
    Super Sport line of cars in today’s world should be completely different than those
    gas-sucking beasts you remember from your childhood. Give an “SS” a sporty feel
    and possibly electric assist for instant zoom from the stoplight – but don’t fantasize
    about a big bore, gas hog that would’ve…could’ve got you that hot cheerleader
    you lusted over in high school….y’know?

    Growing up isn’t boring – it’s great… Money cannot buy wisdom. Don’t be Super Stupid by flooring it from stoplight to stoplight to prove you’re “a man”…. lol

    Bottom line is business — GM needs to keep it’s head in the game and look what it’s
    chief rivals, Toyota, Ford and Honda are doing. They are pragmatically producing cars
    that are more efficient – do more for less, have higher quality, are safer and last longer. Sport model garage queens do not make a company escape bankruptcy. GM has enough “halo” cars already – they must concentrate on mainstream big sellers.

    Reply
    1. Do you seriously think that the above mentioned SS cars if built today would have monster V8’s? And would be gas hogs? I dont know about you but I live in a world of turbocharged 4,6and 8 cylinder engines. Turbo 4’s put out large v6 numbers and turbo 6’s put out V8 numbers with Very GOOD gas milage. ect..and for your information I was in Iraq fighting for your precious oil so don’t presume to lecture me about Sacrificing.
      You Sound like a tree hugging hippy who opposes any form of Confrontation especially at stoplights.
      Buts that’s for a different website. Now I do agree in electric power for cars, and new hybrid sports cars, the Porsche 914 and new Acura NSX comes to mind but could you afford one? The Honda CRZ is a good start but when a Toyota Camry can eat your lunch not such a hot car is it? And the Hyundai Veloster turbo Is more powerful and has better gas mileage.
      But in time they will come down in price. Also your right This is a site for car enthusiasts. GM Enthusiasts, And this post is for Chevy enthusiasts. Enthusiasm seems to denote excitement for something.
      I have grow up to Appreciate performance in my automobiles.
      Ford seems to be think Performance is okay for their main stream automobiles look at the ST twins and SVT dodge with the R/T cars And SRT lets see theres AMG BMW M the S line for Audi. TRD for toyota. Nismo for Nissan Abarth for Fiat, STI for Subaru SS for Chevy, F sport for Lexus I could go on….so yes there is a market for performance cars. you want to go ahead and save the planet go ahead and drive your Prius I’m sure there’s a automotive website for hippies.

      Reply
  6. Malibu stresses my point: GM had to pull out a big hit with Malibu
    in one of the hottest market segments there is – midsize sedans.
    Malibu was a bust – just like I said it was before they rolled out
    the first “Eco” Malibu many moons back — when the flop 2-mode
    system can only match Ford’s base 4 cyl. gas mileage for Fusion.

    GM has to pull it’s head out of Camaro-land and get real. The 18
    month “refresh” of Malibu proves I’ve been right all along.
    Even GM fanboys have to be realistic and see that the General
    is making a lot of wrong decisions lately and Ford is cleaning
    their clock.

    Right now GM has no answer for the upcoming, made in USA
    T-Series commercial vans and RV platform. Ford finally jumped
    off the Chicken Tax bandwagon and will give us efficient vans.
    GM’s answer: None. The Renault-designed Euro van that’s been
    seen testing in Canada is years off – because it’ll have to be
    built in the USA ( due to Chicken Tax ) to be profitable and ….
    it’s a RENAULT!!!! ICK!!!! This equals – not good.

    GM has no answer for the Prius-V beating ( sales in October-Nov )
    C-Max and C-Max Energi plug-ins. GM has been sitting on superior
    Voltec CUV designs it’s had since 2009 but will not build ( MPV5).
    GM’s reasons for this and not selling the Cruze-based Orlando here
    are they don’t want to mess with Equinox/Traverse sales. Look around,
    Equinox and Traverse sales fall behind monthly and yearly Ford CUV
    sales!!!! Face it, GM is getting their arses handed to them.

    The upcoming Silverados seen testing all over look like a huge box
    to push the wind at freeway speeds. Talk of a “new” V-6 or adding
    more diesels don’t make the new big trucks F-150 beaters….They’ll
    need a leapfrog tech ( Like Bob Lutz’s V-Trux from VIA ) to surpass
    Ford’s truck dynasty. And folks, it aint happenin’ – In Lutz’s book,
    “Car Guys vs. Bean Counters” he explains it quite purely: In GM
    today, the beancounters and old-thinkers are ruling the day.

    GM is in trouble folks — big trouble. I wouldn’t be buying any stock.
    They had a lead with Voltec and all they can think of producing is
    …. AN ELR?!!! – This is just not smart thinking at all.

    I know I’m speaking to a big group of GM fanboys so I’ll get negged
    and negged and criticized – but as a voice of reason I say
    I like GM and don’t want them to fail. But they are on the wrong
    path and no sporty niche models will bring them back.

    Reply
    1. Sounds like we have ourselves a Ignorant Ford guy here doesn’t it….
      But he can’t help himself there is no treatment for Trolling….

      Reply
  7. James, first post very good points, not going to attempt to read the disertation second post…

    Reply
  8. @Yabadabadoo –

    Thanks for the thumbs up – missing the second post >
    You’re missin’ out! 🙂

    Sorry for the lengthy writeup, but it must be said.

    Reply
  9. @ Archangel –

    Go to YouTube and watch Tesla Roadsters whip Porsche Turbos.

    Take any SS ANYTHING GM has produced and match it at a
    stoplight with Tesla’s Motor Trend Car Of The Year Tesla Model S
    – Made in USA by a bunch of “hippies” in LA. The Performance
    Series Tesla is gonna cost you – yet 4.0 seconds to 60 in an
    absolutely beautiful car that seats 7 is remarkable! Spend more
    for an AMG or M Series equivelant, go slower and profit the
    Europeans for 19th Century, explode and bang tech.

    A “Performance Sticker” no matter what a manufacturer calls it
    is a tool to extract more money from the buyer for what oft
    results in body cladding and a stiffer suspension. You can buy
    their version or have better buy purchasing these things in
    the aftermarket. Any way you label it, it’s marketing to increase
    sales volume by adding sex appeal. It’s not an automaker’s
    bread-and-butter, and this is my ENTIRE POINT.

    As a conservative Christian investor with two homes and short
    hair – I sure make one out-of-stereotype hippie!!! LOL

    God bless America!

    Reply
    1. Can you afford a Tesla? Probably not……..and I rest my case.

      Reply
  10. @ Archangel –

    I also own a ’57 Chevy pickup garage queen ( they don’t make ’em like that anymore )
    and I do own an American made Volt. – HOW ABOUT THAT?!

    Crude oil is a non-sustainable resource. Mexico was our second ( or third, depending
    upon year ) largest supplier of imported oil. In 2009 they reached PEAK PRODUCTION, meaning every year since we’ll see less and less oil from their wells.
    It’s the same world over. Conservatives who preach “energy independence” – or 2008’s “drill baby drill!” are stupid or just greedy and lying to you and I. Data is readily available that shows you that if we drilled the entire USA from N. Dakota to the Gulf of Mexico, to the shores of California to the pristine lands of Alaska — we still would only be putting a 20% dent in the oil we use today. Since oil needs rise each year, this makes no sense. Getting that oil doesn’t happen overnight – it takes 5 – 9 years to get this in place. It’s a losing battle – we’re running out of oil – it’s non-sustainable.
    Tip: Don’t listen to politicians.

    Makes a lot more sense to move on from oil, and use an energy source that is sustainable from many means, hydro – geo-thermal, wind and solar. Even nuclear-sourced electricity makes more sense than being beholden to Hugo Chavez and Saudi Arabia, don’t you think? Dirty coal detractors don’t realize that shipping
    raw crude around the world to be refined in America, then trucking it to all points
    is far more polluting and innefficient than even the dirtiest coal plant – to wire to wheel.

    Thank you for your service in Iraq. We shouldn’t have had to go there – but again,
    you know it wasn’t for “democracy” it was to secure our access to our #4 source
    of crude oil. I support our troops even though I don’t support the reasons we
    send them over there. Tell me you agree with the reasons we’re still in the
    Afghanistan hell hole…

    Reply
    1. Thats all fine and dandy so lets say I do and can afford a tesla.
      Problem 1 There is about 1000 miles to my nearest tesla dealer. So I go fly to them because I’m rich ?
      Problem 2 So I buy one everybody is happy and crap 200 miles later I’m the middle of nowhere without any were to charge… Lets say I plan ahead and stop for 8-12 hours every 200 miles to recharge until I get home.. Talk about a long trip.
      And this is my point. Once the infrastructure is in place the no problem. But it’s not and until that day is is gasoline is with us……so Instead i buy and drive a car with a 450 mile range and fill up twice takes about 6 minutes tops. Oh wait there are various car dealers of all sorts of brands with in a 15 mile radius….Bonus!

      Reply
  11. Manoli good article and to all the other writers there is more to the story than just SS there is a resurgence going on within GM and I am very proud to be associated with a company going through many good changes. we know the history of the SS and are treating the future of the mark very carefully and this includes some other iterations of product that the general public hopefully will enjoy. Those days in GM were some of the best and we want to get back to them. As you know we have trademarked many older past names of our cars and you may see some or all on product as we try to get back what we once had a great and diverse product range, there will be some misses like the Malibu and this miss in my eyes is like hitting a bullseye and inch off center, the base car is great it is the details some do not like we will work on that. I will guess that all will like what is going to be released and shown in concept form and production form, there will be alot of suprises but the article is a really good guess.

    Reply
  12. “Can you afford a Tesla? Probably not……..and I rest my case.”

    Tesla builds it’s cars, and RAV4 EVs in the NUMMI plant in
    Fremont, CA – formerly a GM/Toyota co-run plant that
    employed 1300 workers. Those workers were laid off, yet
    Tesla is bringing 800 of them back, and more to come.

    Tesla is an American success story and their goal is
    to build an affordable ( $25-30,000 ) family car you and I
    can buy for 2015. This goal is attainable if they can sell
    the luxury-class Model S, and crossover Model X to
    folks this current administration is trying to tax up the yang.

    Model S comes in three battery pack sizes – 40kw, 60kw
    and 85kw. The first models off the factory floor are filling
    preorders from successful folks who make more than we
    do. The 40kw Model S should be in full production mid
    2013 and MSRPs for around $55-60,000 so right in
    entry-level Corvette to 2013 Cadillac ELR range.

    The entry-level model is achievable for me, but the
    Chevy Volt offers extended range ability and 40-50
    electric travel for far less. This makes Volt my
    choice as a gas range extender makes sense for
    my lifestyle.

    Down the road I certainly will be in the market for
    their more affordable “mainstream” Tesla, and
    it’s timing will be perfect for my then 3 year old
    Volt. ELR is such a niche product that it
    isn’t a realistic goal – two doors and inferior
    ELR is a sexy looking car, no doubt, I just think
    there aren’t enough retired golfers in America
    in this sick economy to make it a good
    business prospect for GM.

    Reply
  13. @ Archangel:

    “I’m the middle of nowhere without any were to charge… Lets say I plan ahead and stop for 8-12 hours every 200 miles to recharge until I get home.. Talk about a long trip.”

    Just to get you up to date: Elon Musk invented PayPal and now he’s the only guy
    to get a privately-built spaceship to dock with the International Space Station. So he starts a new kind of car company and has everyone up in arms – cool! Might we
    compare the guy to great American inventors like Edison, Henry Ford, or …perhaps…Nikolai Tesla himself? Enteprenuer, Rocketman, Electric Car Rogue?

    A couple months back Elon introduced the “Supercharger”. He quipped that Motor Trend drove a Model S from LA to Vegas but had to limp along without A/C and made
    a funny lark story about how it was doable, but not advisable. The story failed to mention that halfway between LA and Vegas was a 240V charger at a rest stop, and
    a quick lunchbreak charge would’ve allowed them a comfortable speedy trip the rest of the way…But, then again MT named the car, COY….So just sayin’…

    Musk unveiled the “secret” Superchargers that had ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED in
    7 locations around California. The 480v fast chargers give the biggest battery Model S
    an 85%+ charge in 30 minutes. When you guestimate the pure cost of such development in such a little timeframe – Tesla is mind-boggling in what it has accomplished. You can drive anywhere, anytime in California RIGHT NOW and only
    need a latte, or lunch stop to fill up your Tesla for another 265 miles! His next
    announcement was just as astonishing – Tesla plans over 70 more of these filling
    stations around the country by 2015! Even more astonishing is that if you buy a
    car from him, your fillups are free!

    So don’t be so negative. I recomment a documentary film you can rent from NetFlix that will change your car-guy life as it did mine. It’s called “Who Killed The Electric Car” – the story of GM’s EV-1. Then check out the newer film: “Revenge Of The
    Electric Car”… If you are brave enough to watch these films they will change your life.

    Electric car history is moving SO FAST – it’s hard to keep up with all the developments. I forgive you for being a bit “yesterday” in your opinions and observations. I encourage you to not be a dinosaur and be up with the times. It’s a very exciting time to be a car guy – it just might take some getting used to – to roll
    with the changes and embrace change for the better.

    Reply
    1. Wonderful hurray for you! I don’t live in California! I’m far away from your utopia

      Reply
  14. I have to note that there are no TESLA DEALERSHIPS. In fact, they are locating their
    showrooms in shopping malls and city centers.

    So everyone is near a “Tesla Dealer” because you can view a car at your leisure when you can and then order it online or by phone to be delivered personally to your door wherever you live in all 50 states. The delivery price is baked into the MSRP.

    The N.A.D.A. has hired lawyers and supposedly, in service to local conventional dealers has sued Tesla and tried to force them to close these showrooms. So far
    both lawsuits have lost – because Tesla does no hard sell or selling at all in these
    locations.

    Read the reviews in all the Car Guy magazines. People cannot deny the Model S
    is for real.

    Reply
  15. @ Archangel.

    I have to work. But it was nice sharing these facts with you.

    I’ve never hugged a tree…but I do breathe air. And clean
    air is really good for you – and your children, in case you
    didn’t think of that.

    Go USA!

    Reply
  16. @Archangel you sure seem to be a magnet for debate don’t you agree?
    Just kidding, I agree with you mostly but we all are entitled to opinions right?
    I was sure he was a Ford guy.

    Reply
  17. Can we just go back to discussing the potential arrival of the Holden V8 Wagon…..

    I’m no Christian or Hippie James, but will pray that its released to the General Public rather than just Police Departments.
    When do the order books open?

    Reply
  18. I can’t believe how excited everyone is getting over a bland-looking station wagon?

    Reply
    1. That’s what makes me facepalm.

      GM registers the ‘Nomad’ nameplate. Everyone loses their minds thinking it will be Zeta based, fire-breathing SS monster that will decimate Ford.

      It’s a re-registrtion of an old nameplate. Concusion, “DA GOOD OLD DAYTS R BAK!!!”

      There isn’t even a damn picture of anything!

      Reply
  19. Wasn’t Pontiac going to have G8 El Camino and maybe wagon before the 2008 crash? I can only state my car likes. I would rather have a wagon than an SUV. I don’t plan on going off pavement. I would rather have an El Camino than a pickup. I’m not a contractor and don’t haul a lot. But again, just my preference. Have only owned GM vehicles 30 years.There is Blazer Xtreme, 2wd & 4X4 S10’s, and HHR in the driveway.

    Reply
  20. I’m about 75% of my way through my restoration of a 1956 Chevy Nomad (LS engine, etc). Maybe we’ll launch together!

    Reply
  21. I honestly hope they do NOTE put the Nomad name on that car. I think my ’57 will roll over in shame. =( I think there are some things that are better left to history, although they did a decent job with the Camaro. I don’t think the car pictured begins to live up to the Nomad name, however.

    Reply

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