Pontiac G8 ST sport truck cancelled

2010 Pontiac G8 ST

GM has killed the Pontiac GE ST sport truck as part of its plans to shrink the Pontiac brand

By Alex Ricciuti
January 7, 2009 12:50 AM
Filed Under: American, General Motors, Holden, Pontiac, Production

GM has killed the Pontiac G8 ST sport truck. Yes, what was slated to be the El Camino of the next decade will never be.

GM has cited its "continuing vehicle review" as a reason for junking plans for the ST sport truck version of the G8. That is, they're reviewing which vehicles they can no longer afford to produce. GM also re-stated its intention to turn Pontiac into a niche brand.

"With Pontiac being more focused on sporty, fun-to-drive cars, we took a long look at the ST and it didn't fit with what our future vision of Pontiac would be," Pontiac spokesperson Jim Hopson said in the Automotive News story. Apparently, GM decided the ST sport truck wasn't sporty enough.

Russ Clark, who heads product marketing for Pontiac, says in the story that Pontiac will be reducing its number of models from the present six and, in the future, will have less nameplates in the range. All this will be in accordance with GM's "niche" intentions for the brand. He also said that they killed the ST sport truck because it was a "low-volume niche product". Okay, we get it now. We get why GM is in such trouble.

Source: Autonews.com (sub req)

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Comments

politz

January 7, 2009 1:05 AM

We all knew from the very start the ST was not bound to be a best seller, but it didn't seem a complex, expensive operatiion either. Maybe GM is being a little overreactive now... They already build it in Australia, and the design team has already made the modifications needed in order to make it a Pontiac... now just go ahead and (try to) sell it!

rcw

January 7, 2009 1:49 AM

I know this would have probably been a decent seller for a while, but I am not sad that I won't have to see it on the streets. Personally, I've never cared for this type of vehicle. I am all for pick up trucks for people who actually need them/use them specifically for the utility or for their business. But it just seems that many folks that drive a pick up truck don't really use the pick up part. In these situations it seems that you could get something with as much utility but in a better all around package.

lucifa

January 7, 2009 4:45 AM

this isn't really a pick up truck, it's more an aussie ute - the old urban legend of the farmer who wanted a car that he could haul his pigs around on the farm in, but still be presentable enough to take his wife into town in on the weekends. down here it's more a status symbol than a necessity nowadays.

BabyMilo

January 7, 2009 7:18 AM

Here in Australia most trades people have a a ute and use the pick upee part of it. It isnt actually a stupid idea becuase it wont use as much petrol as a full pick up and it is small and practical becuase it is as big as a normal car, so personally i think that this would of been a good car for GM to import for you Americans.

dmanero

January 7, 2009 5:04 AM

Now thats a shame, heres is a car that would sell like crazy on the american side. Well hopefully the Hoden pickup will still live on, least the Australia's have the brains to take a risk

BabyMilo

January 7, 2009 7:19 AM

this is what trades use as a pick up, so i dont think that there is any risk off them dieing off...

Alfafox5

January 7, 2009 6:40 AM

Sad, what could be more niche than this? Really!? So, instead of taking a leap and say... ditching the lame G3, they drop a car that would have actually picked up some press. What's more, the G8 series is the only machine they are making that can actually be a low priced BMW 5 Series. Maybe they will make a G8 wagon instead, and toss in a coupe, drop the G6 series, and rock out with a G8 convertible... here's hoping!

davethepetrolhead

January 7, 2009 7:31 AM

@ Alfafox5 a wagon version already exsists i think Poniac have already said no which is a shame. selling both a wagon & ute would have been a smart move.

MutantSushi

January 7, 2009 7:41 AM

It's basic core is completely practical, like the Australians here have commented: you have the cargo bed of a pickup with car underpinnings and the better mileage possible with that. "Sport" branding is tangential. Unless Australian contractors are building styrofoam houses, you really wonder about the "utility" justifications for the huge trucks driven in the USA. But GM apparently thinks good gas mileage isn't important anymore with the drop in oil along with the ponzi-economy at large. Laziness.

Schizo0223

January 7, 2009 8:15 AM

Talk about being schizophrenic! They contradict themselves in the same press release! Don't they work together when they make a decision? It looks like they had several teams and they cut and pasted the decision. Yet more proof that there are no rational brains in GM, and that the company is run by a over reactive committee who act in extremes. It is a shame. This would have been a pretty cool niche car that they can add to their range for little money. Shame on you GM! I lost yet more confidence in you! Just sell the production rights to the Camaro to another automaker and leave the industry!

carcrazy1234

January 7, 2009 8:18 AM

good decision pontiac. or GM i should say. i mean, wicked ride but not for this generation. maybe like 6-7 years ago???

effington

January 7, 2009 10:40 AM

how much would this actually cost GM to make? seeing as though they wont actually construct the car. it seems daft that they would drop this car which is, for holden at least, a nice car! a few badges and your set GM! im pretty sure the americans would love this car, it seemed they lapped up the VE commodore (this same model), so why would it be any different with the ute variant?

GM, grow a brain, a pair, and a marketing degree and you'll be able to get this to sell like hot cakes!

daviepops

January 7, 2009 3:59 PM

BIG MISTAKE !!! Firstly someone at GM needs to consult a dictionary. This is a seriously SPORTY vehicle and it would also be a NICHE vehicle as required by the "new" Pontiac brand. The G8 is the ONLY truely sporty fun car in the current Pontiac lineup. Therefore the correct decision would have been to import BOTH the ST and the Sportwagon versions of the G8/Commodore family currently available from GMHolden.

radmeister

January 7, 2009 7:57 PM

Are you guys insane? This thing sells like crap in Australia where it was invented, and you think bringing it here would be a wise investment? Look at the G8, how well is that selling?? I have seen 2 on the road here in Toronto....that's right TWO! I see more ferraris driven in the winter than G8s all year round. Scrap them all, if you can afford the gas a G8 sucks down you would opt out for the CTS-V anyways or some kind of import. I mean are you guys serious, or is this a joke? I bet none of you would actually go out and buy this car, you may say you would because when ur looking at a free picture on the net u dont really care but nobody in their right mind would buy this in the real world. Like it has the towing capacity of a 3 legged goat, sucks as much fuel as a Sierra and has 2 seats...First smart move GM has made so far, this should have been aborted at the first meeting.

James2911

January 8, 2009 2:49 PM

In Australia, thousands of these have just been repossessed from overpaid miners/workers, who'd splashed out AU$45,000 they didn't really have for a SS-V, in light of the financial crisis. They're really not that good. At all. Yes they can be used as a tradie's vehicle, but rarely. most real tradies buy a Thai-built Colorado/Rodeo.Their capacity is low because of passenger car suspension, their mileage awful (though not compared to a US pick up truck), and a sedan or wagon is far more practical, if you really MUST have a Commodore/G8.

Geramax

March 5, 2009 3:49 PM

I guess I'll have to import a UTE SSV

holden_man

September 15, 2009 9:35 AM

radmeister well maybe you need to come to australia and see how well the ute sells. it is a aussie icon and has been around since the 50s and will never die the commodore based ute has been selling well since 1990 when the were released

James2911 i see your a ford f@#!ker and ford are yet to make a decent car

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