Clutch22
21-01-2008, 12:54 PM
Here is an exerpt from AutoNews. Issue 17-1-08. Talking about the VE Crewman being exported to the US to see if it gets any attention.
You can make your own mind up.
"By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS in DETROIT
GENERAL Motors product czar Bob Lutz has
revealed that GM is set to display a VE-based
SUV in the form of a four-door utility.
Speaking to Australian media at the North
American International Auto Show in Detroit
this week, Mr Lutz hinted that it might herald
the unexpected return of the Crewman dual-cab
ute in Australia, not to mention a new export
opportunity to the United States for Holden.
“We will have a ute concept at the NY show,
but that is going to be badged GMC,” he said.
“That is a global design study – and a very
interesting study in that it is a GMC toughlooking
four-door ute that could then obviously
be badged as a Holden for Australia.”
In the style of the old VY/VZ Crewman – but
beefed up to look more like a US-style pick-up
truck – the as-yet unnamed concept vehicle,
which is understood to have been designed in
Melbourne, will debut at the upcoming New
York International Auto Show in March.
“It is very tough looking, with a sport-utility
look that is very low, very aggressive looking,
a blend between a sport utility and the classic
Australian four-door ute,” Mr Lutz enthused.
GoAuto understands that Holden has
played a signifi cant role in the development
of this vehicle, which uses the global Zeta
architecture. Furthermore, if the New York
motor show public reacts positively enough, a
production version of the concept is likely in
the near future.
However, Mr Lutz was also quick to water
down speculation that a Crewman will be a
sure thing.
“It is not targeted for production at this
point,” he emphasised.
Asked whether it will be a replacement for
the recently departed VZ Crewman – a car that
Holden said was emphatically not on the cards at
the ute’s launch last August – Mr Lutz said it was
up to Holden to reveal that sort of information.
“You’re going to have to ask (new Holden
chairman and managing director) Mark Reuss
whether (a VE Crewman) is dead or not,
but this concept is basically a reprisal of the
Crewman in a more modern form.”
Mr Lutz did explain that the controversial
fuel economy legislation that will come into
effect might help the VE ute and Crewman’s
cause in the US.
“We said to Holden’s designers that if we
really have to get much better fuel economy
in full-sized pick-up trucks, and we have to go
away from framed vehicles to get the lower
mass of unitised vehicles, wouldn’t you like to
do a really tough-looking Crewman, but that
is much lighter than a conventional GMC fullsized
pick-up,” he said.
“The fi rst time you see it, you might go
‘Whoa! I’m not sure I like this!’… because it
is so tough and masculine looking.
“But the longer you look at the proportions
the more right it looks for the type of image
that it is trying to portray.”
Meanwhile, the regular VE ute may also get
a guernsey at the NY show.
“It’s something that is under consideration,
but it can’t be confi rmed right now,” Mr Lutz
said on the subject.
However, despite speculation that the VE ute
may be introduced as a long-awaited successor
to the Chevrolet El Camino, Mr Lutz said that
it would make more sense as either a Pontiac
or GMC-badged vehicle."
So I hope everyone looks forward to this...
You can make your own mind up.
"By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS in DETROIT
GENERAL Motors product czar Bob Lutz has
revealed that GM is set to display a VE-based
SUV in the form of a four-door utility.
Speaking to Australian media at the North
American International Auto Show in Detroit
this week, Mr Lutz hinted that it might herald
the unexpected return of the Crewman dual-cab
ute in Australia, not to mention a new export
opportunity to the United States for Holden.
“We will have a ute concept at the NY show,
but that is going to be badged GMC,” he said.
“That is a global design study – and a very
interesting study in that it is a GMC toughlooking
four-door ute that could then obviously
be badged as a Holden for Australia.”
In the style of the old VY/VZ Crewman – but
beefed up to look more like a US-style pick-up
truck – the as-yet unnamed concept vehicle,
which is understood to have been designed in
Melbourne, will debut at the upcoming New
York International Auto Show in March.
“It is very tough looking, with a sport-utility
look that is very low, very aggressive looking,
a blend between a sport utility and the classic
Australian four-door ute,” Mr Lutz enthused.
GoAuto understands that Holden has
played a signifi cant role in the development
of this vehicle, which uses the global Zeta
architecture. Furthermore, if the New York
motor show public reacts positively enough, a
production version of the concept is likely in
the near future.
However, Mr Lutz was also quick to water
down speculation that a Crewman will be a
sure thing.
“It is not targeted for production at this
point,” he emphasised.
Asked whether it will be a replacement for
the recently departed VZ Crewman – a car that
Holden said was emphatically not on the cards at
the ute’s launch last August – Mr Lutz said it was
up to Holden to reveal that sort of information.
“You’re going to have to ask (new Holden
chairman and managing director) Mark Reuss
whether (a VE Crewman) is dead or not,
but this concept is basically a reprisal of the
Crewman in a more modern form.”
Mr Lutz did explain that the controversial
fuel economy legislation that will come into
effect might help the VE ute and Crewman’s
cause in the US.
“We said to Holden’s designers that if we
really have to get much better fuel economy
in full-sized pick-up trucks, and we have to go
away from framed vehicles to get the lower
mass of unitised vehicles, wouldn’t you like to
do a really tough-looking Crewman, but that
is much lighter than a conventional GMC fullsized
pick-up,” he said.
“The fi rst time you see it, you might go
‘Whoa! I’m not sure I like this!’… because it
is so tough and masculine looking.
“But the longer you look at the proportions
the more right it looks for the type of image
that it is trying to portray.”
Meanwhile, the regular VE ute may also get
a guernsey at the NY show.
“It’s something that is under consideration,
but it can’t be confi rmed right now,” Mr Lutz
said on the subject.
However, despite speculation that the VE ute
may be introduced as a long-awaited successor
to the Chevrolet El Camino, Mr Lutz said that
it would make more sense as either a Pontiac
or GMC-badged vehicle."
So I hope everyone looks forward to this...