2008 New York Auto Show: 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck

• Competes with: Dodge Magnum, Honda Ridgeline, your uncle’s old El Camino
• Looks like: GM is serious about pleasing its mulleted buyers
• Drivetrain: 361-hp, 6.0-liter V-8 with six-speed automatic
• Hits dealerships: Late 2009

We’ve been expecting the G8 Sport Truck for some time, but finally seeing the real thing, even if just in the photos here, is something else entirely. GM actually went out and built a car with a truck bed … in the 21st century!

The sport truck is clearly reminiscent of the classic El Caminos many of us remember from our youth. Seeing one again nearly 20 years later is jarring in some respects. Helping ease our minds is the modern car it’s based on: the Pontiac G8 sedan that recently went on sale.

The sport truck shares the same powerful V-8 engine and rear-wheel drive as the G8 GT, and GM says it will get to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. It also has 18-inch wheels standard, with 19s optional. A color-coordinated soft tonneau cover is also standard. We’d still expect there to be various accessory tops to choose from when it goes on sale late in 2009.

It might not look like it, but there is a cargo area behind the seats that measures 8.5 cubic feet, which is pretty surprising. Stability control, side curtain and side thorax airbags are welcome standard safety equipment.

That late on-sale date is a killer, but it does give GM time to name the sport truck, an honor it will bestow upon one lucky consumer. If you go to www.pontiac.com/namethiscar you can submit your own idea for a name. The famed El Camino-ologists over at Jalopnik spent some up close time with this inheritor to the Camino throne and have a video and exclusive photos besides the ones provided by General Motors. Pickuptruck.com also delivers a video here. Give them both a visit and you can check a gallery of manufacturer photos and a few extra Jalopnik exclusively shared with us.

Comments

[MSS]

Seems like it is just for the older consumers in the market. Maybe the late on-sale date is due to the economy. I mean really, could something like this get anything but people shopping for unnecessary cars??

It's smart to wait it out to hopefully get the market demand up and to where more people are able to get one.

[Front ender]

I feel that the front end should at least boast a more aggressive, sturdier facade to correspond with the beefy 361 hp. 6 L V-8, how Dodge's front end do (even if they aren't powerful). This one looks, tame and suave...hmm

[Rob]

I do not think this vehicle is really new. I think it is a Ute, again coming from Australia, like the G8. It does bring back fond memories of the El Camino though.

[Lil'Tom]

The release date will give tuners plenty of time to develop a twin-turbo LS9 they can shoehorn in there.

When this thing tanks does that ruin the chances of the US getting the wagon?

I also wonder how the naming is judged: it's obviously non-binding. If I get my friends from the Crown Vic forum to all submit “Master B8” I assume it will have no effect. Who actually picks the name? If it's the same people who put together the G8 minisite we'll end up with a name like DV8. Clever considering the unorthodox (to America) nature of the vehicle, but it doesn't make me want to buy one.

Just call it a Chevy El Camino.

[WATERFORD CHUCK]

PONTIAC SURE MUST HAVE A GIGANTIC SUPPLY OF THOSE TIRESOME TWIN GRILLS TO USE UP. ENOUGH ALREADY !!!

Come on GM and give us the G8 already! We did not ask for a darn G8 truck! This will tank just like the Chevy SSR flop. We want the G8 sedan and wagon NOW!

[eagle2x]

This another SSR Chevy hot rod truck from GM. Seems like fuzzy logic invaded Pontiac's marketing department. This truck will lose money for GM. Perhaps the G8 4DR GT sedan will sell well for those who can afford high gas prices. IMO, all late model Pontiacs have the most boring and bland exterior designs in the industry.

[DodgeFan]

This is definitely a niche product but since it was already developed by Holden it should make a profit at low volumes. All we have is little adapation to U.S. Market. GM is getting smarter about bring interesting products from overseas and trying them out. If they fail its no big deal.

[Aussie Boy]

why is everyone bagging this ute, its better than most body-rolling under powered american trucks, this is a great ute, and ther may be another model, known to australians as the HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) Maloo R8, it is the fastest ute in the world, faster than the Dodge Ram SRT, so before you critisise this ute, drive it, and the pontiac grill has really lowered the look from the Holden one, heres a link to the Maloo R8, its more aggressive and powerful. if you think this version looks bad then you never will.

[Aussie Boy]

http://www.hsv.com.au/cars/ESeries/maloor8/maloor8.asp

[sodacreek]

Competes with Magnum & Ridgeline? Are you kidding? Maybe it can compete with the Subaru Baja except Subaru was smart enough to stop making that error in judgement.

Then to make a bad concept worse, they pair a V8 with rear wheel drive only on a psuedo-pickup. No intelligent person living in a snowy climate is going to buy this even if they love the idea of buying a pickup truck sans the value of a *truck*.

GM only needs to look at market research of its own El Camino and the Ford Ranchero to know this will never fly. At best, they should have rebadged it the El Camino...not that it wold matter. This concept has come and gone!

[J]

Did they learn anything from the SSR?

The Pontiac G8 Sport Truck is from GM other car manufacture (Holden) of Australia. The car is call Holden Ute and been around over 50 years and you can look it up on the website www.holden.com.au. Plus this car is more powerful and more aggressive in Australia with a performance package from Holden (GM) www.hsv.com.au.

why did thay make a small car that then put a V8 in it. it is just stupid cuz if i whant a sport car this is not going to be it, and this thing cant tow or carry as much as a full sized truck.

why did thay make a small car that then put a V8 in it. it is just stupid cuz if i whant a sport car this is not going to be it, and this thing cant tow or carry as much as a full sized truck.