VE Ute pics!
08-23-2007, 10:33 PM
#31
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: The Golden State
Posts: 13,711
For those waiting for confirmation of the ute coming to the US wait til the end of this video 
http://media.drive.com.au/?rid=30988
http://media.drive.com.au/?rid=30988
08-24-2007, 02:49 AM
#34
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: OR
Posts: 2,368
So I'm thinking at V8 Crewman with a 5000 lb towing would be sufficient.
and more fun to drive the other 98% of the time.
08-24-2007, 08:24 AM
#35
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 929
It never ceases to amaze me in some of the hypocracy that appears on this site at times. 
Here we are on a Camaro website (of all places!), fans of a car that has very little practical reason for coming back. Corvette has the "Halo Car" end of Chevrolet covered, Cobalt SS has the cheap performance end covered, and Chevrolet is selling just peachy (actually reaching number 1) without GM coughing up extra money that it actually doesn't have to spare for a car that the last time it was around, sold so poorly that the low production Corvette had far more V8s shipped their way and the Monte Carlo was outselling it by almost 50%.
Yet.... there's a chorus of guys here who believe if something has a bed attached to the back of it, the thing's useless if it doesn't haul as much as a Silverado Z71 longbed or isn't at least "Ram Tough". Did you guys eat too much lead paint off of Chinese toys when you were kids or something???!
We're talking about a car that has a bed. It handles as good as a car because it is a car, not because it's pretending to be. It has a bed with enough capacity for me to move boxes, dressers, maybe even a dinning room set for the wife. Anyone who thinks a vehicle like this is for throwing into the bed & moving cinder blocks or heavy farming equptment is brain damaged.
This is the ultimate single guy's car. This is the ultimate manager's car. This is the ultimate car for anyone who needs to get the occasional couple of cases of liquor for the club, or does the emergency run to "Office Max" or "Staples", or the shop supervisor that needs to do that occasional parts run, or the guy or is starting off their apartment or has a girlfriend who frequents yard sales, and... at the same time... likes to go tear it up at the track on the weekends, grab-assing on curvy roads without worrying about ending wrongside up, or having something to pull into Spagos with a nice date that's a bit classier and head-turning than a pickup truck. This is the car for people like these who don't want or need to have a car and a pickup truck, but can use both.
If you actually haul large machinary or small buildings, you need a bigger truck just like if I need to regularly carry 4 adults, I'm going to buy a large sedan not a small coupe, but it would be ridiculous for me to tell everyone else they should buy a sedan. Same holds true comparing the El Camino with a large pickup (or even a Colorado).
As for a car like this being a "Mullet" or "Redneck" car, all I can say is this: "Hey! Ever hear of a thing called Camaro?!" If there is any car that deserves that rep, it's Camaro. However, anyone that takes more than a knat's lifespan thinking about this will realize that in both the Camaro and El Camino's instance, that reputation started because both vehicles were very cheap and plentiful as USED cars, many years after they were actually made. "Dukes of Hazzard" made the Dodge Charger the ultimate redneck car... but I don't see many driving the new Charger, so what exactly is your point??
Those who don't see the point of a new El Camino should renew their membership to Minivan Monthly, or SUV Life because Camaro is far less of a point in terms of utility.
Those who simply don't like the El Camino, it's perfectly alright. Simply don't buy one.
But to sit here and say it shouldn't exist because it's not rated to tow a fully fueled and ballasted 40 footer + trailer behind it or because you can't carry that Boeing 777 Pratt & Whitney PW4098 engine you happened to pick up at the site home with you in the cargo bed is pure nonsense.
Here we are on a Camaro website (of all places!), fans of a car that has very little practical reason for coming back. Corvette has the "Halo Car" end of Chevrolet covered, Cobalt SS has the cheap performance end covered, and Chevrolet is selling just peachy (actually reaching number 1) without GM coughing up extra money that it actually doesn't have to spare for a car that the last time it was around, sold so poorly that the low production Corvette had far more V8s shipped their way and the Monte Carlo was outselling it by almost 50%.
Yet.... there's a chorus of guys here who believe if something has a bed attached to the back of it, the thing's useless if it doesn't haul as much as a Silverado Z71 longbed or isn't at least "Ram Tough". Did you guys eat too much lead paint off of Chinese toys when you were kids or something???!
We're talking about a car that has a bed. It handles as good as a car because it is a car, not because it's pretending to be. It has a bed with enough capacity for me to move boxes, dressers, maybe even a dinning room set for the wife. Anyone who thinks a vehicle like this is for throwing into the bed & moving cinder blocks or heavy farming equptment is brain damaged.
This is the ultimate single guy's car. This is the ultimate manager's car. This is the ultimate car for anyone who needs to get the occasional couple of cases of liquor for the club, or does the emergency run to "Office Max" or "Staples", or the shop supervisor that needs to do that occasional parts run, or the guy or is starting off their apartment or has a girlfriend who frequents yard sales, and... at the same time... likes to go tear it up at the track on the weekends, grab-assing on curvy roads without worrying about ending wrongside up, or having something to pull into Spagos with a nice date that's a bit classier and head-turning than a pickup truck. This is the car for people like these who don't want or need to have a car and a pickup truck, but can use both.
If you actually haul large machinary or small buildings, you need a bigger truck just like if I need to regularly carry 4 adults, I'm going to buy a large sedan not a small coupe, but it would be ridiculous for me to tell everyone else they should buy a sedan. Same holds true comparing the El Camino with a large pickup (or even a Colorado).
As for a car like this being a "Mullet" or "Redneck" car, all I can say is this: "Hey! Ever hear of a thing called Camaro?!" If there is any car that deserves that rep, it's Camaro. However, anyone that takes more than a knat's lifespan thinking about this will realize that in both the Camaro and El Camino's instance, that reputation started because both vehicles were very cheap and plentiful as USED cars, many years after they were actually made. "Dukes of Hazzard" made the Dodge Charger the ultimate redneck car... but I don't see many driving the new Charger, so what exactly is your point??
Those who don't see the point of a new El Camino should renew their membership to Minivan Monthly, or SUV Life because Camaro is far less of a point in terms of utility.
Those who simply don't like the El Camino, it's perfectly alright. Simply don't buy one.
But to sit here and say it shouldn't exist because it's not rated to tow a fully fueled and ballasted 40 footer + trailer behind it or because you can't carry that Boeing 777 Pratt & Whitney PW4098 engine you happened to pick up at the site home with you in the cargo bed is pure nonsense.
Thanks Guy, couldn't have said it better myself!A favor guys: Someone please tell me what they said in the video, my sound is non-functional on my computer and not knowing is making me crazy!
08-24-2007, 08:51 AM
#36
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 61
I'd seriously consider the automatic V8 Crewman to replace my Avalanche.. I don't think I'm ever going to need to tow a car.. at most maybe a trailer with a motorcycle on it.. even the enclosed ones are only 1800 lbs, 3000 lbs fully loaded.. Most likely I'll be using a flatbed trailer which is much lighter..
So I'm thinking at V8 Crewman with a 5000 lb towing would be sufficient.
and more fun to drive the other 98% of the time.
So I'm thinking at V8 Crewman with a 5000 lb towing would be sufficient.
and more fun to drive the other 98% of the time.
08-24-2007, 11:11 AM
#37
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Pewee Valley, KY
Posts: 4,600
My dad came over and said, "I wish we had those in the states, I wish we had those in the states." He just keeps saying that. Well...you got it." The guy then looks straight into the camera. Then there is nervous laughter.
08-24-2007, 12:20 PM
#38
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: OR
Posts: 2,368
actually, I did some more looking around on this..
The Crewman back seat doesn't look comfortable.. Especially with the backs straight up, and doesn't appear to have much legroom.
I don't have the link, but I read a review of a AWD V8 version of the Crewman, (Cross 8 or something?) and the 0-100 km time was 8 secs? and when I converted fuel consumption to MPG, it was only like 13 mpg? (The reviewer was also very shocked)
Whats up with that? Or was that just a bad test? I'll try to find that link again..
Ute SS V-spec has a tow rating of 1600 kg (about 3000 lbs).. Pretty good for what it is.. But not that great elsewise.. The "normal" auto V8 is 2500 kg, and the auto v6 is 2100 kg.
I think the payload was 900 kg though, which is actually really good!
Its an odd combo of capabilities..
Consider this.. We have a Camaro and Avalanche.. One odd combo I can see, if I trade both vehicles in, and get the Ute Crewman for myself for a fun car(backseat would be nice, but doesn't have to be big), and able to tow a light trailer with a motorcycle on it.. and a new sedan to replace the Av for the wife.. But thats pricey!
The Crewman back seat doesn't look comfortable.. Especially with the backs straight up, and doesn't appear to have much legroom.
I don't have the link, but I read a review of a AWD V8 version of the Crewman, (Cross 8 or something?) and the 0-100 km time was 8 secs? and when I converted fuel consumption to MPG, it was only like 13 mpg? (The reviewer was also very shocked)
Whats up with that? Or was that just a bad test? I'll try to find that link again..
Ute SS V-spec has a tow rating of 1600 kg (about 3000 lbs).. Pretty good for what it is.. But not that great elsewise.. The "normal" auto V8 is 2500 kg, and the auto v6 is 2100 kg.
I think the payload was 900 kg though, which is actually really good!
Its an odd combo of capabilities..
Consider this.. We have a Camaro and Avalanche.. One odd combo I can see, if I trade both vehicles in, and get the Ute Crewman for myself for a fun car(backseat would be nice, but doesn't have to be big), and able to tow a light trailer with a motorcycle on it.. and a new sedan to replace the Av for the wife.. But thats pricey!
Last edited by Ken S; 08-24-2007 at 12:23 PM.
08-24-2007, 10:14 PM
#41
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 384
actually, I did some more looking around on this..
The Crewman back seat doesn't look comfortable.. Especially with the backs straight up, and doesn't appear to have much legroom.
I don't have the link, but I read a review of a AWD V8 version of the Crewman, (Cross 8 or something?) and the 0-100 km time was 8 secs? and when I converted fuel consumption to MPG, it was only like 13 mpg? (The reviewer was also very shocked)
Whats up with that? Or was that just a bad test? I'll try to find that link again..
Ute SS V-spec has a tow rating of 1600 kg (about 3000 lbs).. Pretty good for what it is.. But not that great elsewise.. The "normal" auto V8 is 2500 kg, and the auto v6 is 2100 kg.
I think the payload was 900 kg though, which is actually really good!
Its an odd combo of capabilities..
Consider this.. We have a Camaro and Avalanche.. One odd combo I can see, if I trade both vehicles in, and get the Ute Crewman for myself for a fun car(backseat would be nice, but doesn't have to be big), and able to tow a light trailer with a motorcycle on it.. and a new sedan to replace the Av for the wife.. But thats pricey!
The Crewman back seat doesn't look comfortable.. Especially with the backs straight up, and doesn't appear to have much legroom.
I don't have the link, but I read a review of a AWD V8 version of the Crewman, (Cross 8 or something?) and the 0-100 km time was 8 secs? and when I converted fuel consumption to MPG, it was only like 13 mpg? (The reviewer was also very shocked)
Whats up with that? Or was that just a bad test? I'll try to find that link again..
Ute SS V-spec has a tow rating of 1600 kg (about 3000 lbs).. Pretty good for what it is.. But not that great elsewise.. The "normal" auto V8 is 2500 kg, and the auto v6 is 2100 kg.
I think the payload was 900 kg though, which is actually really good!
Its an odd combo of capabilities..
Consider this.. We have a Camaro and Avalanche.. One odd combo I can see, if I trade both vehicles in, and get the Ute Crewman for myself for a fun car(backseat would be nice, but doesn't have to be big), and able to tow a light trailer with a motorcycle on it.. and a new sedan to replace the Av for the wife.. But thats pricey!
Payload on the utes seems to rely heavily on the wheels. The SSV has 19" wheels but can only take about 508kg (1120lbs) which includes passengers and fuel. But if you look at the base model auto it's payload rating is about 794kg (1750lbs). It has 16" steel wheels. The models with 18" alloy wheels are rated to 614kg (1360lbs).
The tow ratings are 3500lbs on most of the utes.
08-25-2007, 09:19 PM
#42
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: The Golden State
Posts: 13,711
Seriously, though....currently, publicly discussing export plans on the Ute is a no no, although slips about Mid-East exports are a given and the new El Camino is probally the worst kept secret (at least in Australia) since Brittney's custody dispute. Product Chairman Lutz and Holden's CEO Chris Gubbey are supposed to have the lead in announcing Ute export plans.
While the guy's job is hardly in jepordy, I'm pretty certain he's likely to get spoken to and sternly cautioned on being careful about what's said publicly..... especially on camera.
08-25-2007, 10:01 PM
#43
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 929
Just heard an interesting tidbit:
Apparently, someone at pickuptruck.com e-mailed Lutz about it needing to look more Chevy-like. It seems that Lutz responded that if it comes here, that it won't be a Chevy.
Odd that.
Apparently, someone at pickuptruck.com e-mailed Lutz about it needing to look more Chevy-like. It seems that Lutz responded that if it comes here, that it won't be a Chevy.
Odd that.