They're not planning to sell tens of thousands of these. If they sell 2-3,000 of these a year, and 2-3000 GXPs you're up to 25,000 G8s a year. I think that's all they're ever intending to sell.
Nothing is as much fun to screw around on a dry road with as a Ute. All that power, no weight in the back and RWD with an LSD, traction/stability control off - tons of fun. Starting to appear in Drift events, childsplay to go sideways.
I'd say there'd be plenty of people, maybe young, outdoorsy and single, maybe as a second vehicle for family guys who'd buy it, rather than have something that struggles to get double-digit fuel economy and has the driving - and parking - dynamics of a whale.
Yesterday on the news they were saying due to a fall in demand for commodities like steel, aluminium, iron, coal from China the Oz dollar may fall as low as 40c US, where it hasn't been in ten years. All of a sudden, the G8 looks like a much better propostion for Pontiac - earlier this year we were almost at parity, for the first time since the 1970s.
You never know - the Sportwagon is selling 1 in 4 and getting very good reviews as an alternative to small SUVs here. That might even end up over there. There's another potential few thou a year.
Good thing about all of them, they drive almost like the G8 (i.e. very nicely, sedan like) and common parts and servicing means no special arrangements. Anyone who can support a G8, can support the whole range. Underneath on a hoist they all look pretty much the same, V6-V6, V8-V8.
And the customising possibilities are endless - GXP bits on ute, wagon. Lotsa small service joints here run a V8 ute as their gofer vehicle, and use the same vehicle as a rolling advertisement for their services. Hence things like the 1000hp - 1022hp at the treads - CAPA VE (G8) Ute.
HSV has versions of both - the Clubsport R8 Tourer (basically a G8 GXP wagon) is only just released but the Maloo is their biggest seller.
A pair of haulers that will dust most 'sports' cars on the road - not just in a straight line!