New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute

artrix · 01-22-2008, 03:46 PM

Australian outlet GoAuto is reporting that GM Car Czar Bob Lutz has confirmed that a four-door ute concept based on Holden's rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform but wearing a GMC badge will debut at the New York Auto Show in late March. From Bob's description, the vehicle is much like the Holden Crewman, which was a version of the Holden Ute with its wheelbase stretched to accommodate a second row of seats and two more doors (all-wheel-drive was also eventually an option).

The concept debuting in Detroit will be wearing very masculine GMC styling cues, however, and sounds as if it will be billed as a unibody pickup. This gives the GMC four-door ute a good shot at production since GM knows that demand for trucks in the future has to be satisfied with vehicles that are more fuel efficient than body-on-frame trucks. A recent spate of unibody truck concepts like the Toyota A-BAT Concept and Ford Explorer America Concept show that automakers are very interested in switching to lighter unibody platforms for vehicles that have traditionally been truck-based.

Lutz also points out the obvious upside that if the GMC four-door ute is popular with the public, it can be sold in Australia as Holden's replacement for the Crewman, which wasn't updated along with the rest of the Ute lineup last year.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/22/n...or-holden-ute/

**paul8488** · 01-22-2008, 03:54 PM

Ah this is weird... it seems like they're designing this thing as a GMC, and not as a Holden... and that possibly they could send the GMC to Australia at a later date! Seems kinda backwards from what I expected! Either way, both markets might get a 4-door Ute! Yay!

Buick61 · 01-22-2008, 04:03 PM

And also, gross.

lio45 · 01-22-2008, 04:03 PM

Should it be named Sprint, or Caballero?

GMCdriver · 01-22-2008, 04:17 PM

If this thing could be on store shelves by late 2009 as a 2010 model it is the most likely replacment for my Canyon when the lease comes due at that time.

zl-1 · 01-22-2008, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul8488

Ah this is weird... it seems like they're designing this thing as a GMC, and not as a Holden... and that possibly they could send the GMC to Australia at a later date! Seems kinda backwards from what I expected! Either way, both markets might get a 4-door Ute! Yay!

USD/AUS exchange rate.

Ambalanche · 01-22-2008, 04:26 PM

GMC-70 · 01-22-2008, 04:27 PM

If it has some sort of a mid-gate then this thing may be a winner!

Ambalanche · 01-22-2008, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buick61

And also, gross.

What are you basing that comment on? Have you seen the truck? I don't think anyone here has yet. I hope it's something influential because I'm sure more car-based trucklets are going to be the norm because of cafe etc.

CBECK · 01-22-2008, 04:28 PM

This is a bad idea. Nowhere is this professional grade. It's a down-grade truthfully

Mcmflow · 01-22-2008, 04:40 PM

I think as long as it looks kind of truckish and not like the G8 in the front it might have a chance.

DonDono63 · 01-22-2008, 04:53 PM

I was hoping the UTE would be available as a crew cab. Thumbs up from me, GM.

Don
Boston, MA

jcgable · 01-22-2008, 04:54 PM

The model in the photo looks like a 90's Volvo with a bed in the back.

milton112c · 01-22-2008, 04:54 PM

It's got a big chance to be a success and hopefully this will be a nice looking truck and not that terd called the A-BAT

GMCdriver · 01-22-2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBECK

This is a bad idea. Nowhere is this professional grade. It's a down-grade truthfully

It can tow more and carry more payload then a Canyon/Colorado. I'm not sure how that is a downgrade or un-professional.

01-22-2008, 03:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
artrix 5.3 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: EU Drives: 1996 Rover 620Si Posts: 1,270	New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute Australian outlet GoAuto is reporting that GM Car Czar Bob Lutz has confirmed that a four-door ute concept based on Holden's rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform but wearing a GMC badge will debut at the New York Auto Show in late March. From Bob's description, the vehicle is much like the Holden Crewman, which was a version of the Holden Ute with its wheelbase stretched to accommodate a second row of seats and two more doors (all-wheel-drive was also eventually an option). The concept debuting in Detroit will be wearing very masculine GMC styling cues, however, and sounds as if it will be billed as a unibody pickup. This gives the GMC four-door ute a good shot at production since GM knows that demand for trucks in the future has to be satisfied with vehicles that are more fuel efficient than body-on-frame trucks. A recent spate of unibody truck concepts like the Toyota A-BAT Concept and Ford Explorer America Concept show that automakers are very interested in switching to lighter unibody platforms for vehicles that have traditionally been truck-based. Lutz also points out the obvious upside that if the GMC four-door ute is popular with the public, it can be sold in Australia as Holden's replacement for the Crewman, which wasn't updated along with the rest of the Ute lineup last year. http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/22/n...or-holden-ute/ __________________

01-22-2008, 03:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
paul8488 GMI Staff Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: France Drives: 2007 MBK Flipper Scooter Posts: 13,397	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute Ah this is weird... it seems like they're designing this thing as a GMC, and not as a Holden... and that possibly they could send the GMC to Australia at a later date! Seems kinda backwards from what I expected! Either way, both markets might get a 4-door Ute! Yay! __________________ *The department of redundancy department.*

01-22-2008, 04:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
Buick61 7.0 Liter LS7 V8 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: DC Metro Area Drives: 58 Belvedere; 61 LeSabre; 96 Fleetwood; 07 SRX Posts: 8,495	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute And also, gross. __________________ Used to own: 1959 Cadillac Series 62, 1960 AMC Rambler Six, 1998 Chevrolet Malibu, 2000 Saturn LS2, 2005 Chrysler 300C, 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP

01-22-2008, 04:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
lio45 6.0 Liter LS2 V8 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sherbrooke, Québec Drives: 1995 Chevy K1500 and various other vehicles Posts: 4,774	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute Should it be named Sprint, or Caballero?

01-22-2008, 04:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
GMCdriver 3.8 Liter Supercharged V6 Join Date: Oct 2006 Drives: 2007 GMC Canyon CrewCab 4x4 Z71 Posts: 572	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute If this thing could be on store shelves by late 2009 as a 2010 model it is the most likely replacment for my Canyon when the lease comes due at that time. __________________ The fastest way to kill a thread is a direct injection of verifiable facts.

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01-22-2008, 04:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ambalanche 5.3 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pensacola, Florida Drives: '07 Corvette Z51 Posts: 1,472	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute __________________ GM better hope the Volt is a runaway success, because *all* the eggs are in that basket!

01-22-2008, 04:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
GMC-70 3.8 Liter Supercharged V6 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: USA Drives: 07 HHR and a 96 Formula Convert Posts: 672	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute If it has some sort of a mid-gate then this thing may be a winner!

01-22-2008, 04:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
CBECK 3.9 Liter V6 Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 770	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute This is a bad idea. Nowhere is this professional grade. It's a down-grade truthfully

01-22-2008, 04:40 PM	#11 (permalink)
Mcmflow 3.8 Liter V6 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Texas Drives: 2008 Honda Accord EX V6 2002 Ford Ranger I4 Posts: 403	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute I think as long as it looks kind of truckish and not like the G8 in the front it might have a chance.

01-22-2008, 04:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
DonDono63 2.5L Iron Duke Join Date: Jun 2006 Drives: 2003 Saturn L300 2006 GTO Posts: 19	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute I was hoping the UTE would be available as a crew cab. Thumbs up from me, GM. Don Boston, MA __________________ 2003 Saturn L300 2006 GTO

01-22-2008, 04:54 PM	#13 (permalink)
jcgable 3.5 Liter V6 Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 264	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute The model in the photo looks like a 90's Volvo with a bed in the back.

01-22-2008, 04:54 PM	#14 (permalink)
milton112c 2.2 Liter ECOTEC Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY Drives: 97 Grandprix GT 01 Grandprix GTP 05 Envoy XL Posts: 70	Re: New York '08 Preview: GMC to show four-door Holden ute It's got a big chance to be a success and hopefully this will be a nice looking truck and not that terd called the A-BAT __________________ New car- 07 Aura XE 3.8 V6 Supercharged GTP 3800 GrandPrix GT -GreenfireGT

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