While the U.S. is in regards to to get its mainly taste of two-door, rear-wheel-drive, car-based pickups in the craft of the Pontiac G8 ST (official and cr a great deal TBD), Australians experience continued enjoying these kinds of things, referred to as utes, for decades. While Holden introduced a new version of its Commodore-based ute the preceding year, Ford has recently gotten almost to meeting the problem amongst its new Falcon-based ute. And you recognize how who means: Ford vs. GM cage balance in Koala Bear country!

Pickuptrucks.com has pitted the Holden SS Ute and Ford XR8 Ute, both top-shelf sports models, against every further in their Ultimate Sh-Ute-Out for the ages. For as similar as these kinds of utes are in levels and power, we got surprised to discover how unique properties very are. The Ford ute, for instance, is thought a good amount of of a workhorse as opposed to the Holden and hence persists in to use a leaf-sprung rear suspension alternatively of an IRS want the Holden. Apparently it is the a great deal more truckish of the two, as distinguishable by its separated cab and bed judged against to the clean one-piece design of the Holden. Both cases tested use big V8 powerplants, but the XR8’s Boss V8 was a good amount high-tech judged against to tried-and-true Gen IV pushrod.

Being who Pontiac is just about to embark on re&wshyp;selling the Holden Ute in the U.S. as the Pontiac G8 ST, right now comparo is a fantastic Beginner’s Course in the good earth of Aussie utes. And who knows, if the Pontiac G8 and G8 ST turn over well, the current may recently be the urging Ford needs to bid the Falcon stateside sooner as opposed to the next-generation model. Check out the gallery of insanely cool high-res shots based on data from the comparo below, courtesy of Pickuptrucks.com, and hit the source to was reading the comparo based on data from create to finish.

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Coupes give the impression to be something resurgent lately, and the stupendously awesome Pontiac G8 GXP is able to be set to cost a pair of doors. While who could bring in it remarkably a repeat of how came right here as a revived GTO not too for a long while ago, the and cr is not prospective to return. The uncomplicated notion has continued outlined in the Holden Coupe 60, itself begun out as an updated GTO, but changing out a great deal cooler. The neo-ponycar wars might force the fitment of the 400 horsepower LS3 to run investing in the Shelby GT500KR, Challenger, and cousin Camaro.

The newly unveiled G8 GXP serves as the benchmark for how such coupe could usual arrive equipped with. That signals big 19-inch wheels, uprated suspension, a meaner fascia and, multiple importantly, an on hand Tremec six-speed manual transmission. There might be a GT version, too, in “only” 361 horsepower, that as long as continue to come up with a central kick in the pants for narrower cash. The most massive impediment to the G8 Coupe in fact seeing the sunshine of day are looming new CAFE regulations, but we do not see how marketing a bulk of these kinds of cars investing in the still-excellent 3.6 liter V6 to diminished performance-addled clientele should be a bad thing. It’d hopefully hold off Pontiac from what i read in running afoul of the energy arena procedures additonally becoming one more car out there the present enthusiasts can embrace in a variety of flavors. Thanks for the tip, Matthew!

[Source: Inside Line, Photo illustration by Nick Wilcox, Inside Line]

Two separate alleges out of Australia say the current Holden is appearing to maximize the Commodore’s power efficiency in an struggle to stoke sales. Both stories quote General Motor’s Asia-Pacific vice president, Nick Reilly, but the separate reports, additonally sharing a usual theme, turn up to decidedly weird conclusions something like how the General plans to proceed.

The previous story based on data from the Sydney Morning Herald (thanks Patrick!) cites Reilly as arguing the Holden is seeming to hybrid technology to gas the Commodore. “[It] can be one of the chiefly hybrids such a you ought to see,” but Reilly insists too a gasoline-electric Commodore is a great deal a few ages out.

The instant article comes courtesy of Drive.com.au, who moreover spoke in Reilly and questioned if a four-cylinder version of the Commodore was in the cards. “It causes a lot of sense,” Reilly said, “and therefore we are maybe seeming at it, but I can not notify you when.” While that is far based on a confirmation overly a turbocharged thre is on the way, it coincides amidst formerly scores so the new Camaro, that shares its platform surrounded by the Commodore, should godsend of the same 260 hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter at last found in the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline.

Both stories are slightly devoid of hard details, but notwithstanding that, it may be indication overly General Motors’ operations Down Under are going to watch at a variety of solutions to address the Commodore’s slipping sales.

[Sources: SMH, Drive.com.au]

The biggest impediment to the G8 Coupe actually seeing the light of day are looming new CAFE regulations, but we don’t see how selling a bulk of these cars with the still-excellent 3.6 liter V6 to less performance-addled customers would be a bad thing. It’d hopefully prevent Pontiac from running afoul of the fuel economy rules while getting another car out there that enthusiasts can embrace in a variety of flavors.

[Source: Inside Line, Photo illustration by Nick Wilcox, Inside Line]

Like the sedan and ute before it, the Holden Commodore Sportwagon am able to furthermore quickly own a corresponding HSV performance variant. The HSV Tourer is so much an HSV Clubsport R8 Wagon, as it parts the muscle sedan’s front clip and 425-horsepower (317kW) LS3 V8 powertrain. Look for it to come show up in Australia such a October and in the U.S. as a Pontiac, well, never. (Pontiac has no plans to shoot more than the Commodore Sportwagon, remember.)

HSV admits the present the Tourer may take a couple of sells away for the Clubsport R8 upon that it is based, but so the occurrence of the wagon in the now-complete HSV lineup may much aide HSV’s dealings rates overall. notes which the Commodore Sportwagon was supposed to launch returning in March, but has carried on delayed while Holden keeps on to head out kinks through the wagon bodystyle. We project to get lots further info on the HSV Tourer closer to its launch, but today, we are more bummed as opposed to consistently this Pontiac certainly isn’t importing the Commodore Sportwagon. Imagine how the possibilities am able to have been… Pontiac G8 Safari GXP? Not bad. And unfortunately, not going to happen.
 [Sources: HSV, Drive.com.au]

APS is in the arena of constructing electricity and that’s exactly how they have wound up for the new Pontiac G8 GT and its Aussie-spec sibling, the Holden Commodore HSV. The tuner’s Stealth Intercooled turbocharger setup uses two water-cooled turbos mounted deep into the engine bay, just now ahead of the transmission, to ensure underhood temps are kept in look – road debris be damned. According to APS, the technique is a straightforward, bolt-in affair, utilizing a right-sized, aluminum, air-to-air intercooler, seven pounds of gain and a pair of TIAL 38mm external wastegates to bleed off lose gases and optimize throttle response. While APS hasn’t installed the process on a Pontiac G8 GT yet, they have strapped its own blown HSV (with a three-inch cat-back exhaust) onto the rollers of a Dyno Dynamics dyno and came up with 557 hp and 583 lb.-ft. of torque additonally running 93-octane. Pricing hasn’t continued announced yet, but consideringthis setup has the possibility to redefine the bang-for-the-buck quotient in the segment.
 [Source: APS via FreshTarmac]