CD Article: 2010 Pontiac G8 sport truck

[CD_Editor]

2008 New York Auto Show:


This surprising new model from Pontiac is a mid-sized two-door "sport truck" that's sure to revive memories of the Chevy El Camino and Ford Ranchero models sold in the 50's, 60's and 70s.
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Read the article | View the photos | All The New York auto show news

[tpl]

The dinosaurs are not extinct after all then.   But I am sure that some people will consider they are doing their bit for the environment if they trade their full size "sport" pickup in on one of these.
 Each to his own.

[Mitlov]

The dinosaurs are not extinct after all then.   But I am sure that some people will consider they are doing their bit for the environment if they trade their full size "sport" pickup in on one of these.
 Each to his own.

Can't be worse for the environment than a C63 AMG or an M3 or an RS4 or a GT-R or, for that matter, an RX-8, can it?  I hate how people bring out the environmental card when we see fast toys from America but not fast toys from Europe or Japan...

[airbalancer]

Will like a SSR cool thought but no

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I love it. I feel so conflicted....

[Mitlov]

I predict it will sell well, but it will be driven by people who look like this:

[Wolverine]

We have many of these mini-pickups here in Brazil almost every car brand has at least one in its line.

Just to name a few:

VW Saveiro (derived from the VW GOL)
Ford Courier (derived from the Ford Fiesta)
Fiat Strada (derived from the Fiat Palio)
Chevrolet Montana (derived from the Chevrolet Corsa)

I really like this kind of pickup, it allows a fair amount of cargo in the bed without making you drive a full size pickup all the time.

[tpl]

The dinosaurs are not extinct after all then.   But I am sure that some people will consider they are doing their bit for the environment if they trade their full size "sport" pickup in on one of these.
 Each to his own.

Can't be worse for the environment than a C63 AMG or an M3 or an RS4 or a GT-R or, for that matter, an RX-8, can it?  I hate how people bring out the environmental card when we see fast toys from America but not fast toys from Europe or Japan...

Not many people ( here anyway in the True North) can afford one of your examples.  But you are correct, vehicle for vehicle there is probably little difference but...  M-B, BMW,Nissan,Mazda all do have a full line of very fuel efficient small cars which, as yet, the Big 3 are still struggling with, in NA anyway.  I have no problem with "Halo cars" which your examples are and to me the whole point of living in NA is to be able to buy what you want and not give a damn.  See... I am conflicted on this.

[KRS]

Not many people ( here anyway in the True North) can afford one of your examples.  But you are correct, vehicle for vehicle there is probably little difference but...  M-B, BMW,Nissan,Mazda all do have a full line of very fuel efficient small cars which, as yet, the Big 3 are still struggling with, in NA anyway.  I have no problem with "Halo cars" which your examples are and to me the whole point of living in NA is to be able to buy what you want and not give a damn.  See... I am conflicted on this.

 I was just looking at the fuel economy for the Chevrolets for my folks who are talking about a new car. Certainly Chevrolet surprised me with the fuel economy rating Natural Resources Canada rates them at. Cobalts getting 48 MPG on the highway, Malibu rated at 43mpg high way for the base car and 46mpg high way on the hybrid and the Impalas are rated at 40 MPG on the highway in the one trim. While GM still needs to bring the full model lineup up to the standard they now have with the Malibu, in the areas of fit and finish, I have to say they seem very competitive in term of being very fuel efficient here in North America.  When Chevrolet can make a full size Impala that gets the same mileage as a BMW 128i Based on the government fuel efficiency ratings, perhaps it should be Chevrolet listed as making very efficient cars and BMW who are struggling with this.

 This new G8 Is an interesting vehicle but i suspect thar for the same reasons the Ranchero's and El Camino's went out of production in the past,  the G8  sport truck have a limited production. It wouldn't surprise me if they sell like crazy in the first year and then have sells drop to the point that it's dropped by the end of it's third year

[Mitlov]

The dinosaurs are not extinct after all then.   But I am sure that some people will consider they are doing their bit for the environment if they trade their full size "sport" pickup in on one of these.
 Each to his own.

Can't be worse for the environment than a C63 AMG or an M3 or an RS4 or a GT-R or, for that matter, an RX-8, can it?  I hate how people bring out the environmental card when we see fast toys from America but not fast toys from Europe or Japan...

Not many people ( here anyway in the True North) can afford one of your examples. 

Pollution and wastefulness by the rich isn't objectionable because there won't be enough to have a large impact on society?  Isn't that like saying that it doesn't matter if albinos litter, because there aren't enough of them to fill the streets with trash?  IMO, the rich should get just as much grief as the middle-classes and working classes for buying 20 mpg vehicles.

[tpl]

You seriously expect the rich to suffer?    Well, I suppose the French and Russian revolutions ( and others I suppose, Cuba...)  did that and I suggest to you that rich have learnt a lot about keeping their money safe and keeping their heads down in troubles times.
 The real rich can buy governments as required,not the whole thing but just enough to keep themselves out of trouble.
The middling rich can hang on to those coat tails and avoid most of the rules and regulations designed to keep the poor in their place.   The next step is of course to stop the masses voting, or, more subtly to ensure that their vote is meaningless.  I think that both your country and mine manage that quite well. You with all kinds of arcane rules that effectively prevent new political parties getting mass support and mine with the way seats in Parliament are allocated to keep Quebec over represented.

 



all this 'cos I called that truck a dinosaur 

[sirAQUAMAN64]

So are CTC members going to come up with a model name for this thing?

I'd just stick with "G8 Ute" but people here may confuse that with a Sport Utility.

[Trainman]

We have many of these mini-pickups here in Brazil almost every car brand has at least one in its line.

Just to name a few:

VW Saveiro (derived from the VW GOL)
Ford Courier (derived from the Ford Fiesta)
Fiat Strada (derived from the Fiat Palio)
Chevrolet Montana (derived from the Chevrolet Corsa)

I really like this kind of pickup, it allows a fair amount of cargo in the bed without making you drive a full size pickup all the time.

Any of those have a 6 liter V8 for power?   

Not quite sure what this thing is all about but I guess GM thinks it will sell.

[Zombie]

I always wanted an El Camino.
I'm going to give this one a pass and see how it does.
I think the El Camino was popular with the Latin population or at least it seemed that way in older movies that I have seen.
Tequila!!!

[Mitlov]

So are CTC members going to come up with a model name for this thing?

I'd just stick with "G8 Ute" but people here may confuse that with a Sport Utility.

I don't understand why GM would bring this, but NOT give it a Chevy badge and an "El Camino" nameplate.  When someone says "what's a ute," I say "the modern Australian version of the El Camino and the Ranchero."

[Zombie]

They should call it the Pontiac G-Ocho and then make a similar Chevy and call it the El Camaro hahahahaha. 

[mrthompson]

Awful.