PONTIAC NAMES ALL NEW SPORT TRUCK THE "G8 ST"

Segment-Defining Vehicle on Target for Late 2009 Launch

Detroit - After sifting through more than 18,000 possibilities, Pontiac has chosen to keep it simple, naming the recently revealed G8 sport truck the "G8 ST."

Thousands of fans submitted suggestions during a "Tame the Name" promotion, which delayed a final announcement until each possibility was considered and cleared for possible trademark use.

"Frankly, we were blown away by both the volume and quality of the names that were submitted," said Craig Bierley, BPG product marketing director for cars and crossovers. "'G8 ST' was one of the most popular suggestions, plus we noticed a far broader trend toward simple, easy-to-remember names."

"El Camino" was also a sentimental favorite, given the G8 ST's resemblance to the classic Chevy.

"We actually thought very long about El Camino," said Bierley. "In the end, we felt it was more appropriate to honor the El Camino's unique place as part of Chevy's heritage and not use that nameplate on a Pontiac."

Perhaps the ultimate reflection of the blurring line between cars and trucks, the G8 ST will create a unique niche segment in the marketplace: a sports car with truck-like cargo and towing capabilities. Sharing the basic architecture and 361 hp V8 engine as the G8 GT performance sedan, it will offer a 73.9-inch cargo bed that has 42.7 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry a payload of 1,000 pounds (453 kg) or tow a 3,500-pound (1,587 kg) trailer.

Thanks to its six-speed automatic transmission and Active Fuel Management system, the G8 ST should offer some of the best fuel economy numbers for V8-powered vehicles with similar cargo/towing ratings while still turning in zero-to-60 times of 5.4 seconds.

The G8 ST will be available in late 2009 as a 2010 model and will be backed by GM's industry best 100,000 mile, 5-year powertrain warranty. Pricing will be announced closer to availability.

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The American SUVs on the market in 1989 were quite a bit different than the generation that would take over in just two years' time. We tend to focus on their crudeness and lack of creature comforts, but more importantly, nearly all "mid-size" SUVs before the 1990s period were two-door models. The exception was the Jeep Cherokee XJ, which was developed with extra doors specifically because Chevy hadn't added them to their Blazer. The other players were either Japanese, like the Isuzu Trooper or, like the Suburban, based on a larger truck platform.

The Jeep Z5 concept will look very familiar to you.

Fortunately for Chrysler, Jeep had developed a more-refined version of the four-door SUV that we know as the Jeep Grand Cherokee all the way back in 1985, when the division was owned by AMC. Unfortunately for Chrysler, when they purchased AMC and Jeep, they put the development of the Grand Cherokee project on hold in favor of new minivans. Still, Jeep had the answer, and in 1989 they released the Jeep Z5 Concept 1, which was basically the final design for the Grand Cherokee that they would bring to market in 1992.

Contrast that with the General. For 1989, GM had two futuristic concept trucks that we assume they hoped would stir enough interest to guide them in their product-making decisions. One was the youth-oriented Pontiac Stinger compact SUV. Though it wasn't particularly powerful — its engine was only good for 170 HP — it had a high level of utility, including features such as a removable picnic table and portable radio. These types of features weren't put to use, as Pontiac wasn't going to build an SUV in the near future. Ironically, many of these ideas found a home — the ill-fated and poorly designed Pontiac Aztec.

The Stinger is certainly better looking than the Aztec, even if it isn't as practical.

The other concept truck was the Chevy XT-2 concept, which stood for the Chevy Experimental Truck #2. This futuristic-looking, performance-oriented vehicle featured a Corvette suspension, a front-engine/RWD layout built on a platform similar to the F-body Camaro, and a 4.5-liter V6 that was good for 360 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque. The V6 engine itself, which featured tuned port injection, was an important technological leap forward for GM. The TPI system not only provided more power than a carbureted engine, it was also relatively fuel-efficient. For an excellent discussion of the importance of this engine see this discussion of the XT-2 at PickupTrucks.com.

The XT-2 was designed as a pace car to be used in what was then the CART PPG Indy Car World Series, which is now a weird mix of words to see together. The truck itself went through two designs before engineers landed on the final one. The first version was fairly wild and had the engine mounted under the bed. The second version was a based on a passenger-car platform with a FWD/AWD layout and a smaller V6 engine, a concept not unlike the crossovers that would follow in the mid-2000s. So how did they end up with the final version? According to a press release provided by GM, "Given the consumer preference to small, sporty trucks, the evolution of the Chevrolet PPG XT-2 Pace Truck was natural."

So, in 1989, you had the Pontiac Stinger and the Chevy XT-2 from GM as the radically futuristic vehicles. The designers and planners clearly understood that, after the previous gas crisis, crossovers and sportier car-based trucks were the way forward. But that wasn't what happened.

In 1990, GM came out with four-door versions of their S10-based SUV's and Ford came out with the Ford Explorer. The design wasn't exactly revolutionary — the Explorer and others were the same basic body-on-frame trucks as before with an extra set of doors. The Explorer caught the imagination and dollars of Suburban families by offering car-like amenities such as leather interiors and CD players. Jeep suddenly had to rush their dusty Grand Cherokee to market in 1992 to catch up with the market.

Gas prices remained low, especially relative to the sudden increase in the purchasing power of the average American. In 1991 there were less than a million SUVs sold in the United States. By 1998, Americans were buying nearly three million a year. In 1998, the three best-selling trucks (F-Series, Silverado and Explorer) outsold the Toyota Camry, which was the best-selling car. Unfortunately, in this orgy of truck sales, nothing quite like the XT-2 was ever produced. Why make a car-based SUV or truck when you're suddenly making money hand-over-fist by adding a CD player and an extra set of doors to a body-on-frame platform you've already developed?

Fast-forward almost twenty years, to March 2008. The Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Toyota Camry bested the Ford F-150 in monthly sales, and you have your answer. Not long after, GM postponed development of their GMT-900 full-sized truck platform. It then leaked out that GM was considering a more Honda Ridgeline-esque pickup — not unlike the second version of the XT-2 concept that was never produced.

Then the news we were all waiting for: GM announced the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck in 2008. The Pontiac G8 ST will be built on the Zeta platform that underpins the 2010 Chevy Camaro, giving it essentially the same setup as the Chevy XT-2.

The General could have created car-based CUVs and sporty trucks; obviously, they thought the idea had some merit in 1989. But development and focus instead shifted to the cheaper and easier body-on-frame alternative with two extra doors. Almost 20 years later, with another energy crisis underway, it's fascinating to see how two versions of the same forgotten concepts from the late 1980s are now looking like the new way forward for an automaker desperately trying to grapple with age-old problems.

[Photos and press releases courtesy of General Motors. Special thanks to GM for providing the information, Mike Levine of PickupTrucks.com for tracking much of it down and to SmalleyXb122 for starting this whole search with his comment in the Five Ugliest Concept Trucks post.]

The Pontiac G8 ST proves Peter's maxim about originality.

In addition to the news on the name, we're hearing from our friends at G8 Nation that Pontiac is now considering an additional power plant offering aside from the 361 HP 6.0-liter V8 power plant that is found in the Pontiac G8 GT. It's no surprise then that this new engine would be the same 3.6-liter 256 HP V6 found in the G8 V6 sedan, giving it the same 17/25 mpg fuel economy as the V6 sedan.

Yes, yes, we know the arguments for why the V6 engine makes sense. It has something to do with commercial viability. Whatever. We want a sports ute, and we want it now.

So while it really doesn't make us all that happy to hear V6's may make it back under the hood, we'll be more than willing to ignore that if the name is what we always thought it should be — Pontiac G8 El Camino.

In a remarkably candid statement revealing where dealerships actually make their money, Poncho Redfern, president of San Francisco-based Thomason Auto Group, said

"...you can't outrun it in F&I. There's only so much you can honestly earn in that department. This wreaks havoc on the bottom line. We see people with $10,000 in negative equity.

A dealer does not have enough room to help the customer out of it."

"To date, El Camino has a massive head start, thanks to skillful grassroots campaigning."

After Wert basically wrapped up our New York Auto Show caminogasm with his post earlier today on The New York Times's assessment of Pontiac's intro of its Down Under Ute to the U.S. market, the commentators started weighing in swiftly and decisively. This comment, from
Ω βгåғғ™ , takes the honors because it just hit the right note, with concision and wit:

I bet the NY Post loves this car...

"Who exactly was clamoring for a two-seat, gas-guzzling pickup with the cheapest-looking interior this side of a Motel 6?"

...he misnames as the "Pontiac Sport Truck," forgetting those strong G8 roots. But he makes up for it with hackery like calling our beloved El Camino the "Like Hell Camino," the "Pontiac Wallaby" and the "Haulacious." Isn't that precious? It's like he studied at the school of me, but without the love of real cars. [New York Times]

Bob's response: "Well, I personally like the name, it has instant name recognition". We're considering nominating Mr. Lutz as Vice President of Jalopnik's Awesome Division. Perhaps we'll put his name in the masthead under the title of "El Camino Loving GM VP". Now that we know we have a man on the inside, the momentum is going to be inevitable.

We'll let them tell the story on this very serious business-in-the-front ute:

We started building our new project car, a VE SS Ute 3 weeks before Summernats. There were many late nights spent building an Engine, Strengthening the Driveline and Developing the Supercharger kit to where it is now.

The engine was stroked to 409 cubic inches, with a one off crank, rods and pistons installed to ensure the engine could withstand over 20psi of boost at 7200rpm. A Custom Camshaft and Ported Big Valve Heads were also used in the build. A custom supercharger kit was developed to allow a V7 YSi Supercharger to be driven off the crank with a 50mm gilmer pulley system. The supercharger kit install includes larger 3.5" pipework and a Custom 200mm thick intercooler with Mondo Bypass Valve mounted behind the front bumper. Exhaust Gasses leave the engine via CAPA 1 7/8" Tri-Y Extractors and a Twin 3" Exhaust.

With all the extra power up front, the drivetrain and brakes had to be upgraded accordingly, with a built T-56 gearbox, Twin Plate Clutch and Full Spool 3.45" installed. Touring Car inspired brakes help bring the Ute to a halt, with 365mm 6 Piston Front and 320mm 4 Piston Rear Brakes sitting behind 22" wheels wrapped in 245mm and 265mm wide rubber. The car sits lower to the ground using Bilstien Coil-overs specifically set up for this ute.

Additional fuel is supplied by an alloy fuel tank, 3 bosch motorsport pumps and a Vortech Super FMU.

We entered our ute in the Horsepower Heroes dyno competition, and it made 856.6 Horsepower at the wheels. The Ute is capable of producing more power, but we had some unfortunate issues with the Clutch slipping. We will be working with Xtreme to build a more powerful clutch before we run the ute up again, which should see the Ute produce over 1000 Horsepower at the wheels. We also took home the Top Super Tech Trophy, which was awarded to the best Street Car which features New Technology and High Levels of Innovation.

We're obviously pushing the "El Camino" name pretty hard and there's a reason for it. We spoke with the guys over at the National El Camino Owners Association (NECOA), we spoke with Mike Levine over at PickupTruck.com, the guys at GM and we spoke with each other. I feel like the right name was chosen, but now it's time to hear from you — was the right name chosen for Jalopnik to push as the name for the new ute?

***Remember to go and vote today for "El Camino!"

We're not going to spend a whole lot of time talking about the under-pinnings of the Pontiac G8 sport truck as it shares virtually everything but the nose, hood and interior with its brother from down under, the Holden Ute. We'll let the press release and video from PickupTruck.com handle that job. For the moment, yes, it's built on the same rear-wheel-drive platform also shared with the G8 ST's four-door non-truck brother, the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT. Fitting, don't you think, since Australia has picked up the wild-child mantle the US of A seems to have laid down as of late — and what a wild child this is. The G8 sport truck boasts the same 361 HP 6.0-liter V8 found under the hood of the Pontiac G8 GT. Plus, the sport truck will lose much of the rear weight we've been told hampers the true tire-squealing abilities of this born-down-under import so we expect once behind the wheel, we'll in no time be bathed in the glorious clouds of tire smoke billowing from beneath the six-foot cargo box. Pontiac even claims a 5.4 second 0-to-60 time and unlike it's crude Malibu-based forefather, the latest pickup car will sport a modern independent suspension and fat rubber all around. Getting sideways will still be the most fun way through a corner, but we're betting it will be a lot less suicidal now with this new Pontiac G8 El Camino. But like we said, we already knew all this. No, the real story is how we're going to make GM call this the "El Camino." We've been told Pontiac will have a special website set up in just a few short hours to allow enthusiasts to submit their suggestions and we're hoping to rig the vote.

We've spoken with a number of high-ranking officials with the General and all tell us they'd support a Pontiac El Camino if it's what "the people" want. Who knows why they didn't just call it that in the first place. Perhaps they were scared of pissing off purists who could never see a non-Chevy El Camino. Perhaps they were concerned how it would fit into the General's grand alpha-numeric numbering marketing scheme for their "performance brand." Whatever the reason, let's show 'em how wrong they were. This is an opportunity for you, the readers of Jalopnik, to rise up and truly make this the most amazing day in the history of this site — the day the El Camino returns! If you're a lover of the hoonage, defender of the truck car, and a member of the Jalopnik nation, you'll follow the link below to let GM know you want a name this car begs for. Do it for the mullet, do it for your country and our way of life. God bless America! Vote El Camino!
[Click through the graphic below to the Pontiac site and remember to vote early and vote often!]*

All Photos Copyright Chris Doane / Jalopnik
Video Copyright Mark Arnold / Jalopnik
*We kid, only vote once. But feel free to take this button and add it on your own site to remind people to "Vote El Camino!"

Video courtesy of PickupTruck.com

PONTIAC INTRODUCES SEGMENT-BENDING G8 SPORT TRUCK

NEW YORK - The 2010 Pontiac G8 sport truck blurs the line between cars and trucks and is creating an all-new segment in the North American car market. This dramatically different vehicle blends the sporty handling of a performance coupe with the cargo capabilities of a light truck.

Based on the all-new Pontiac G8 performance sedan, the newest member of the G8 family has a longer wheelbase and a cargo bed suitable for either work or recreation. The G8 sport truck significantly stretches Pontiac's commitment to style and performance and is expected to arrive in dealers' showrooms in late 2009.

"Pontiac has never shied away from offering segment-defining vehicles, going back to the original GTO," said Jim Bunnell, Buick-Pontiac-GMC general manager. "There's simply nothing else like the G8 sport truck on the road today, and we definitely believe that there are customers who will be excited by its distinctive design, performance and cargo capabilities."

Consumer named

Another unique aspect of this new vehicle is the fact that it will be named by a consumer. Beginning today (March 15, 2008), consumers can visit www.pontiac.com/namethiscar and submit their name ideas. "As an important part of the G8 family, we know that 'sport truck' doesn't fully describe the vehicle's ability to blur the lines between sports car and truck," said Craig Bierley, Pontiac marketing director. "Because its fans will surely be as unique as the vehicle itself, we're giving them a voice in selecting a name that reflects its appeal." The winning entry will be announced April 15.

Design

The G8 sport truck maintains the same sporty exterior design as its namesake sedan. Flared fenders wrap around the 18-inch wheels and give it a wide, confident stance. The roofline has a coupe-like profile that reflects the vehicle's performance pedigree.

The doors, roof and exterior panels aft of the B-pillars are unique from the G8 sedan. One-piece outer body panels give the vehicle a sleek appearance. Wrap-around taillamps and fully concealed tailgate hinges add to the sculpted look. A color-coordinated, soft tonneau cover conceals and protects items in the cargo bed from the weather.

Performance

The sport truck draws its strength from the same powerful 6.0L V-8 engine used in the G8 GT. It puts out 361 horsepower (270 kW) and 385 lb.-ft. (522 Nm) of torque. The combination of a six-speed automatic transmission and Active Fuel Management technology provides both car-like fuel economy and an unexpected 0-to-60 time of 5.4 seconds.

While these performance numbers are respectable by sports car standards, the G8 sport truck offers flexibility unlike that of a sports car. A 73.9-inch (1878 mm) cargo bed has 42.7 cubic feet (1208 L) of cargo space and a durable composite bed liner. It also can carry a payload of more than 1,074 pounds (488 kg) and tow a 3,500-pound (1,600 kg) trailer.

Structure

The G8 sport truck is based on the same rear-wheel-drive architecture as the G8 performance sedan. However, the sport truck's body structure was reinforced in key areas to support its cargo and towing duties. More than 60 new components were added to strengthen the structure. Compared to the sedan, the 118.5-inch (3,009 mm) wheelbase is approximately four inches longer and the overall length is six inches longer.

Suspension and wheels

A four-wheel independent suspension with electronic stability control delivers confident handling, whether loaded with weekend home-improvement supplies or towing a pair of personal watercraft to the lake.

The steering box is located ahead of the front axle line for a quick, direct feel. The sport truck's front stabilizer bar is one mm larger than the sedan, and the rear suspension has been enhanced to support payloads without adversely affecting handling.

The G8 sport truck rides on 18-inch machine-faced aluminum wheels with a P245/45R18 summer performance tire. All-season tires are available. An optional Sports Package includes 19-inch machine-faced aluminum wheels with P245/40R19 summer performance tires.

Brakes and steering

The sport truck shares the G8 GT's four-wheel disc brake system, featuring 12.64-inch front and 12.76-inch rear rotors. Front rotor thickness is 1.0 inch, while the rear rotors are 0.87-inch thick. Twin-piston, front alloy calipers and vented rotors and single-piston, alloy rear calipers with vented rotors are standard, as is ABS.

Comfort and convenience

Given its heritage, it's not surprising that the G8 sport truck offers many of the same creature comforts as the G8 GT, such as:

* Air conditioning with electronic dual-zone climate control
* Cruise control
* Driver Information Center
* Bluetooth connectivity
* Tilt/telescoping steering wheel with DIC and radio controls
* Power windows/locks/mirrors
* Remote keyless entry and remote start
* Theft-deterrent alarm system

Fully-bolstered, four-way adjustable cloth seats are standard. Heated, six-way leather seats are available. They can be customized with two-tone, black-and-red inserts and a coordinating gauge cluster.

Behind the seats is a surprisingly large interior cargo area with more than 8.5 cubic feet (245 liters) of storage space. There are two covered storage compartments beneath the load floor and a pair of cargo nets.

Sound system

The G8 sport truck's 230-watt Blaupunkt AM/FM/six-disc CD changer has an MP3 input and five speakers. The 6.5-inch audio display controls both the sound and climate control systems.

Safety and security

A full list of safety features are standard, including:

* StabiliTrak electronic vehicle stability system
* Tire pressure monitoring system
* Dual-stage frontal air bags with a passenger sensing system
* Head-curtain side air bags
* Side thorax air bags
* Three-point safety belts in all seating positions
* Safety belt pretensioners
* OnStar

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