Upon the unveiling of the Chevrolet SS performance sedan over the weekend, Australia’s Drive.com.au caught up with GM North America President Mark Reuss, who hinted at what could be next for the Zeta platform in the U.S. market. Unfortunately, a ute (El Camino) won’t be on the docket.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the same for a wagon version of the Chevrolet SS. While it doesn’t radiate with as much cool-factor as a ute does, there are few vehicles that make us grin as much as a rear-wheel-drive station wagon with an output north of 400 horsepower.
“It’s not too late for the wagon,” Reuss said. Our thoughts echo his words.
Comments
Damn, sucks to hear that the Ute really seems to be dead in the water. I would have thought that more people would be up for that versus the wagon as GM doesn’t really have any entry-level pickup in the States right now. I feel like I used to see a ton of high school and college aged kids with Chevy Xtremes back in the early 2000s…
Sorry — just realized we still do have the Canyon/Colorado… thought they were going away for some reason…
Despite the fact that kills my argument, we still need a Ute! Why? Because racecar…
I’m thinking that if they did bring over the Ute, it would be pricey, far from an entry level pickup. It could serve as a replacement for the SSR pickup – high performance, high dollar – but probably not much of a business case.
If you bring the HSV Maloo R8, it would make sense.
tjs: I agree with you that a pickup based on the SS sedan would probably be too expensive. A shame really. I would love to see GM build an entry level RWD pickup with a small diesel engine. Perhaps the 2013 Cruze diesel engine could be modified for a RWD pickup based upon a Camaro. If they kept the base vehicle price under $20K, it could haul 4 x 8 sheets, and it performed in crash tests as well as a Camaro, GM could have a winner.
if they could come up with a small diesel in a small pickup, it would probably get close to 40 mpg on the highway and should help the overall truck mpg average. If it’s an inexpensive stripper, I bet fleets would be all over that, too.
After dropping the Cadillac sport wagon, if Reuss is willing to bring an SS wagon, why is he then so gun-shy about bringing over the Cruze Wagon from Europe? I think it looks really good compared to the hatch (which seems squeezed in the rear to me). Give it the diesel or the 1.6 Turbo and we would have a really nice car for the masses — a car whose parts could be sourced here in the U.S.. It would definitely top my list to replace our aging 2002 Saturn LW-300.
We could easily afford a Chevy SS Wagon and live in an area where rear-wheel-drive would be fine, maybe even preferred, but we do care about fuel consumption. Reuss and the rest of America should care about that too.
I would really love to have a updated wagon and really is a wagon and not one of those half-a$$ed ones that more of a large hatch back. They will never make one to contain all the stuff required for a family trip across the country let alone one as big and cool as my ’57 Nomad. 🙂 I do like the look of this one and would seriously consider it were it available.
I’d like a wagon with the pop-up seats in the floor of the trunk ala the 1987 Chevy Celebrity Eurosport Wagon. Sigh… my first car in high school… thing was almost as much of a tank as a Volvo…
Agreed. that’s why I ended up with a Ecoboost Flex. Big like an old wagon, not high up in the air and pretentious like a SUV. Just a good, old fashioned, big American wagon. If it makes Ford feel better to call it a crossover so be it. Those who own them know what they really are…Full Size station wagons.
I think we might still see an SS à la HSV.. Like an SS GTS with 7spd.. even if they keep the LS3, just giving it the HSV treatment in appearance would be a sweet package
When I was a kid, late ’70’s, the El Camino was my favorite car (or truck). So how about a service model wagon (two door) with (service van) style sliders on the sides and panel doors on the back? No, ok just bring it, the ute that is. And you could put a retractable rag on top for moving the tall stuff!
The wagon pictured does put the Magnum to shame, makes it look old!
I’d be interested to see what the take-rate on the CTS-V wagon was. Great car for hooning in theory, but don’t these bouts of wagon-obsessiveness come and go?…. Case-in-point the Dodge Magnum?
Didn’t they just trademarked the El Camino?
I for one am more interested in a wagon than an ute. The US market needs more wagons. It also needs more smaller pick ups, but selling a wagon will definitely make me interested in buying GM, which is saying a lot coming from me.
Hmmm We have seen how many wagons fail here of late?
Mark spend your time on getting the DI engine and manual tranny the car should have had in the first place.
I like Mark but it over sold this car.
Lets hope the new one in 2016 makes up for this.
I love the idea of bringing the zeta wagon stateside. I don’t think they would sell a lot but high sales volume isn’t necessary to make this a good business case. Just please make the manual transmission available in this and the SS sedan.
I am with Verano Hatch, the Nomad would be nice, but come on already with the Cruze wagon… I know people that have bought the Ford Flex love it… There is definately a case for the right type of Wagon…