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El
Catalina: Pontiac to Get U.S. Version of Holden Ute
By: Mike Levine Posted:
11-18-07 23:54 PT
© 2007 PickupTruck.com
Page: [1]
Update
#1: 11-30-07 07:50 PT
The
name of Pontiac's Ute will be the 'G8 ST', short for Sport Truck.
It will only be sold with Holden's new 6.0-liter Gen IV V8.
No V6. Pricing is expected to start at $31,000. For
some first
drive impressions, check out our time behind the wheel of
the right-hand-drive 2007 Holden Ute down under. |
Ok, so it's
unlikely it will be called El Catalina, but, barring a further slide
in the value of the U.S. dollar versus the Australian dollar, Pontiac
will be the General Motors brand that sells a rebadged version of the
Holden Ute stateside.
This news
puts to rest hopes of GMC resurrecting the historic Caballero name
for a car-based pickup, according to a story in this week's Automotive
News.
Bob Lutz,
GM's Vice Chairman of Product Development, told PickupTruck.com back
in September that it looked likely the
Holden Ute would make its way across the Pacific from the Aussie factory
where it's produced. Mr. Lutz also expressed hopes that GMC would sell
the utility as the new Caballero.
The Holden
Ute is expected to join the 2008 G8 sedan and Commodore
wagon to create a family of high-performance rear-wheel-drive cars
in Pontiac's portfolio later this decade.
History
buffs will note this won't be the first car-based pickup for Pontiac.
Two prototype "El Catalinas" were used as parts
haulers around the factory in 1959, years before the GMC Sprint or
Caballero arrived. The El Catalinas were based on the Pontiac Catalina
full size sedan. Jay Leno has also custom-built a third El Catalina,
using a stock four door Catalina body.
We're expecting
the new Pontiac pickup will debut in January during the North American
International Auto Show. We'll be there!
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