In the latest installment of the on-again, off-again, back on-again Chevrolet El Camino news, General Motors President of International Operations and VP of Global Manufacturing Tim Lee has directed the automaker’s plans back to being off-again. Sadly, despite General Motors recently renewing the trademarks of the El Camino (and Nomad, for that matter) names, it seems a business decision has been made to refrain from importing the Australian-built vehicle to the U.S. due to the value of the Australian Dollar.
“You can’t make a business case of something like that,” said Lee to CarPoint.com.au.
While the Chevrolet SS gets the green-light because of its premium price-point, a vehicle such as an El Camino would command a lower asking price, and therefore the automaker would be lucky to see any profit from selling it. Last we checked the Chevy Volt wasn’t making any money and that’s not stopping The General, but whatever.
What’s more, GM does not plan on retooling any of its North American plants to accommodate the Zeta rear-wheel-drive architecture, according to Lee. Considering Zeta’s age and lack of feasibility as a global architecture, we understand the reasoning for the decision. But to make matters more grim, GM Holden plans on phasing out the Zeta-based Commodore family (which includes the Ute) by 2016 to make room for a front-wheel-drive small crossover at the Adelaide plant in South Australia.
We can only hope that the Commodore, Ute and Sport Wagon will find a future on the Alpha platform, which is a global rear-wheel-drive architecture. That should increase the feasibility of seeing a Chevrolet El Camino and Nomad here in North America, eventually.
Comments
New technology with a high cost of development rarely makes money for a while. Plus, the Volt is an image car and a CAFE standards car.
An El Camino/ Ute being sold in NA isn’t new technology, isn’t a enviro-friendly car, and won’t sell in high numbers. Financially it makes even less sense than the CTS-V Wagon, but the ting with the wagon was they only needed to sell 12 to recoup the small development costs and they blew that number out of the water
Andrew, how does that differ from importing the Ute to the States? There are zero development costs… only the cost to make it LHD in Australia, which has already been sunk years ago with G8 production.
Like Manoli had in the article, the exchange rates, plus having the car meet US and Canadian regulations, and transpacific shipping. All for a low volume and relatively low priced vehicle.
I think it is a very cool vehicle, but it has the seating practicality of a roadster and the hauling practicality of a mid-size SUV. The only way I’d buy one would be as a second car and with the 7.0L in it, but if I were spending that kind of money I’d likely just get a Vette, especially now that the C7 has debuted and will be on sale soon.
SE – Even with the FMVSS tooling completed for G8 sedan, there are still substantial development costs to federalise the Ute for the US. Mostly crash testing and related software development.
i want him fired
GM this is again a huge let down! Listen to your customers for once PLEASE!
This Tim Lee sounds like a wanker, first denying Australia of a Corvette followed by his lukewarm response to a new gen El Camino. Can’t wait to see him fall on his sword just quietly. GM seem to be f#@$ing Holden in the arse lately and in 2012 it was well and truly reflected in the sales charts despite a plethora of new imported rebadged Chevies. I hope they pull their heads out of their arses really soon and start giving people who don’t by the Commodore some exciting powertrains, sharp handling and better build quality. The Spark, Barina (Sonic), are vast improvements on their predecessors but are still a country mile behind their opposition. Lift your game GM, Australians won’t buy the crap you can flog elsewhere…. rant over
Tim Lee has a reassignment in his future…guaranteed. He’s a little too arrogant and has a little too much voice for somebody who ain’t shit. He’s trying to build a name for himself by being “brutally honest”. He’s no Bob Lutz, that’s for sure.
He’s not going anywhere. Where is he going to go??? He already is head of International and controls global manufacturing. He’s a COO without the title.
There are huge reasons why he is the highest ranking hold over from pre-bankruptcy. He has Ackerson’s ear. He submitted his resignation to Whitacre and he refused to accept it (read Steve Rattner’s book). 43 years with the company and probably the most knowledgable exec in the entire industry. And, can we stop with thhe Bob Lutz crap!!! I would much rather be in a meeting with someone who actually stays awake. BTW, if you want to solicit the aquisition of VIN number 2 of the C7, you’ll have to buy it from Lee. Ackerson is in line at number 3
I just can’t imagine Chevy couldn’t find an adequate number of buyers for a vehicle like this. Sure, there is the El Camino factor – some will buy for that and that reason only. But, there are a few sensible people out there who might be interested in car like handling and fuel economy…with a truck bed. Roll the friggin’ dice, this bugger could be hot.
Needs a rear seat. Tally up the total number of 2 seaters sold in the US each year and you will begin to understand the problem.
Wasn’t there or is a 4-door UTE? Why am I not surprised GM would kill anything unique for the US. I would take an El Camino over a regular cab Silverado any day! GM is turning me off a little bit every time they disappoint me. They don’t listen to their soon to be former devoted customers. Where are the Camaros for Europe built? Seems like cars can be exported by N. America but not imported. Need Jon Moss to un-retire.
There was a 4-door Ute (Crewman) but not since 2005. No 4-door Ute off the current (VE) architecture. All Camaro’s are built in Canada (Oshawa, Ontario). Next Gen Camaro’s will be built in Lansing, MI so likely to come off Alpha.
people, people calm down, just because they said “it ain’t happening” doesn’t mean they don’t have plans.
the article i read stated tim lee wanted the ute, the problem is the exchange rate.
motoring.com.au
Why not have the car available in the US but made-to-order. In other words, turn up at a Chevy dealership and say you want a Ute. Pay a deposit, set up finance, choose your specs/trim etc. and wait a few weeks for it to arrive. Those who really want it, will get it.
Two problems:
Holden Ute is only available in right hand drive, and
Minimum 6 weeks OTD and another 6 weeks to ship from Oz (using a container)
Other than that, no worries.
If they were to build a credible El Camino based on the new Impala front end, and cabin, and price it around 28-30K base, they’d fly off the show room floors. There are no trucks made by ANY company that combine the functionality of a bed, with the daily drive-ability and comfortable interior of an automobile. Trucks look like trucks, inside and out, and that is what keeps me from buying one. The old El Camino’s bridged that gap nicely, sad to see they don’t have the business sense to fill that gap today. El Camino’s have a very large following, They would sell. People who love El Camino’s would buy them. Single people who sometimes need a truck but at the same time, want to drive something nice would buy them. People who don’t have need of a full sized truck would buy them. And put a sport version out there with hard bed cover with integrated spoiler, muscle under the hood, and an aero package, and sports enthusiasts, and tuners would buy them. Give the customer what the customer wants, that’s what you are in business for, not to give the customer what you want us to have.
Lawrence, a company does make a truck that combines the truck bed with the comfort and abilities of a car and it is called the Holden Ute. Everything you requested to be in a new El Camino is in the Ute. Problem is that GM are killing Holden engineering and manufacturing meaning the Ute and any real chance of a coupe utility coming to America has gone. The Impala is not suitable to be made into a coupe utility because it is FWD, the handling will be crap. If you want a good coupe utility then you need GM’s Australian operations to do it. Australia invented the coupe utility segment and have perfected it ever since. Utes are also a big icon in Australian culture, just like the Truck is in America. The Holden Ute and Ford Falcon Ute can not be beaten.
If you are unfamiliar with the Ute, look up pictures of these:
Holden VF Ute Evoke
Holden VF Ute SS-V Redline
HSV Gen-F Maloo R8 SV Enhanced
Ford Falcon Ute XT
Ford Falcon Ute XR6 Turbo
FPV FG Super Pursuit Ute
Interesting fact: the Maloo R8 SV is the fastest production truck in the world. 456hp/340kw, LS3 6.2L V8.
Matt, I am aware of the Holden Ute, and know that GM had thought to bring it to the US as a sport truck under the Pontiac badge before killing off Pontiac. However that said, it is not available in the US at all, so it might as well not even be a consideration in this conversation. As I understand it, every time they have come back with the idea of bringing back the El Camino, it is met with very favorable interest, it just baffles me, that they can make so many different vehicles, many of which are in overlapping segments, but something as singularly unique, desirable, function and multi-purpose oriented would be left on the drawing room floor. Build it, bring it to a major show, judge the appeal (which I am sure will be great), and then turn around and build it in short order. GM can do it, and do it now. If not, someone else, somewhere is going to realize that this is a great, untapped segment, be first to the dealerships with it, and sell a ton of them.
I’ve had 3 El Caminos in the past. The last one was a 78 SS with 350 and 4 speed. I was hoping to buy another SS with a rear wheel drive, powerful V8 (from Camaro or Vette), stick trans, NEW, from a dealer before I die of old age. It isn’t looking good! WAKE UP GM! Build the public something it really wants for a change!
I’m so glad this car is not going to be built
A new El Camino would be my dream car if it came out, but we know who to blame for that…..
You Can Blame The Rest Of America For Not Being Interested In The Car!
So if GM built it then you and a handful more would end up buying it and the rest would sit on car lots waiting of the sticker price drops!
Brian, you may not like the vehicles, but they are very popular, and have a significant following. I know of at least two that have been featured on the hit TV show overhauling. You see them in movies quite often, as well as commercials. They are an extremely versatile vehicle, You may not like them, but the rest of us do, and we would buy them. I seriously doubt they would sit on the GM lots for long. The SSR didn’t do well, but that was because you were buying a sport truck with a useless bed, paying corvette money. El Camino’s did well when they were out, and would do well again. They will never be built, if people find excuses for why they won’t build them, instead try and find reasons to convince them they should build them. Considering all the different designs out there now, such as the 2014 Impala based El Camino, which looked really sweet, or the 2014 Camaro based El Camino with the 5 foot bed, obviously some other people feel strongly about them too.
I’m sorry to break this to you buy cars today are about occupants! How many people can ride in a car! If a person owns a car like this they must own at least one other for the family! That’s one of the reasons they don’t sell! At least the family of 4 can ride in a camaro!
I used to like the elcamino 30 and 40 years ago but your dead wrong if you think they will sell like hot cakes!
1st they will be at least 35k if not more! People have spoken and said they will not buy a 2 seater for 40k unless it’s a vette!
Good luck with it getting built! You and the other 17 people can buy them and have lunch together on the weekends!