Auto Trader NZ
Published 3 September 2020
After sifting through more than 18,000 possibilities suggested by members of the public, US car maker, Pontiac, has chosen to keep it simple, and has named its Holden Commodore ute-based 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, Pontiac’s 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 favourite, given the G8 ST’s resemblance to the classic Chevrolet car based pick-up which debuted in 1959 and was built into the 1980s.
“We actually thought very long about El Camino,” said Bierley. “In the end, we felt it was more appropriate to honour the El Camino’s unique place as part of Chevy’s heritage and not use that nameplate on a Pontiac [does that mean a new El Camino might be in the pipeline? Ed].”
Pontiac says the G8 ST is “perhaps the ultimate reflection of the blurring line between cars and trucks [and] will create a unique niche segment in the marketplace – a sports car with truck-like cargo and towing capabilities”.
Running a 6.0-litre V8 and with a payload of 453kg and the ability to tow a 1587kg braked trailer, the G8 ST goes on sale in America in late 2009 as a 2010 model.
Pontiac says that “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-60mph times of 5.4 seconds”.
