Auto Mobiles

So apparently, GM’s relented to the masses demanding a stateside version of the Holden VE ute, pictured above. Not the wagon, but the ute. And as a Pontiac, rather than a Chevrolet. Whatever. I’m betting it’ll be one of the three “all-new” Pontiacs that GM will debut next week at the New York International Auto Show. If you follow new cars, you’ll know that the ute rides the same chassis as the Holden VE Commodore, which has already landed on our shores as the new Pontiac G8, pictured below.

I also cracked the whip on slave boy/Photoshop dude Jon Gulley and had him whip up a Pontiac-grilled ute, below, for an idea of what this new creation will look like.

But we’re an old car blog, not a new car blog, so why should you care? Because, according to the press release below, Pontiac wants to leave it up to the masses to name the forthcoming Pontiac sedan pickup. And we have an idea.

You see, Pontiac’s never had a sedan pickup (though they’ve tried and tried in the past). But they’ve been allied with GMC for several decades now, and GMC did indeed have an El Camino derivative, first called the Sprint from 1971-1977, then the Caballero from 1978-1988.

And, as Pontiac fans should know, the Division used the Sprint name for a sport package on its 1966-1969 Tempests (and 1967-1969 Firebirds) that included a four-barrel carburetor on the overhead-camshaft six-cylinder.

So why not resurrect the Sprint name? Yeah, some of the manufacturers’ attempts to resurrect dead names as of late have represented sheer laziness on their parts, but this resurrection at least makes sense. If you agree, let Pontiac know through the site they’ve set up as a sort of contest.

Besides, something like “Sprint” would sure beat “G8 sport truck” or Pontiac’s current alphanumeric naming convention.

NEW YORK – The 2010 Pontiac G8 sport truck blurs the line between cars and trucks and is creating an all-new segment in the North American car market. This dramatically different vehicle blends the sporty handling of a performance coupe with the cargo capabilities of a light truck.

Based on the all-new Pontiac G8 performance sedan, the newest member of the G8 family has a longer wheelbase and a cargo bed suitable for either work or recreation. The G8 sport truck significantly stretches Pontiac’s commitment to style and performance and is expected to arrive in dealers’ showrooms in late 2009.

“Pontiac has never shied away from offering segment-defining vehicles, going back to the original GTO,” said Jim Bunnell, Buick-Pontiac-GMC general manager. “There’s simply nothing else like the G8 sport truck on the road today, and we definitely believe that there are customers who will be excited by its distinctive design, performance and cargo capabilities.”

Consumer named

Another unique aspect of this new vehicle is the fact that it will be named by a consumer. Beginning today (March 15, 2008), consumers can visit www.pontiac.com/namethiscar and submit their name ideas. “As an important part of the G8 family, we know that ‘sport truck’ doesn’t fully describe the vehicle’s ability to blur the lines between sports car and truck,” said Craig Bierley, Pontiac marketing director. “Because its fans will surely be as unique as the vehicle itself, we’re giving them a voice in selecting a name that reflects its appeal.” The winning entry will be announced April 15.

Taking a road trip with your friends or family can be exciting. However, you need to plan ahead so you would not be caught in the middle of nowhere without the right equipment in case your vehicle breaks down.

So what you do is you take out a map and note which route you are going to take. You can make use of the Internet to check which roads would bring you faster to your destination. Mapping out your route would not only help you reach your destination faster - it would also help you save on gas.

Equip your vehicle with the right tools in cases of car breakdowns. Jumper wires, tire sealer, a tire gauge, rags, a flashlight, screwdrivers, and pliers might just do the trick. But also have a map, a compass, extra fuel, a blanket, water, and food with you. Being prepared is a good thing always.

Before you head out to the open road, have your car checked. You may need to bring in your car for a total check-up two weeks before your scheduled trip so any repairs needed could be done. If there is a need to replace some parts, go ahead and do so. As they say, “Prevention is better than a pound of cure.”

During the 78th Geneva International Auto Show, Japan’s Hitachi, Ltd. announced that it has had an agreement with the General Motors Corporation that the former would supply lithium-ion batteries which would be used by the automaker in its hybrid-electric vehicles. GM also disclosed that it would be manufacturing over 100,000 HEVs each year and these vehicles would be available in the North American auto market by 2010.

GM’s order for a supply of lithium-ion batteries reflect the car maker’s trust in the products that Hitachi manufactures. In the history of Hitachi, the company has created lithium-ion batteries and other technology using the mentioned batteries. These products have been known for their performance, safety, and durability. Despite having such a high reputation, these Hitachi products also come with an affordable tag price.

Since 2000, the automotive market has received over 200,000 units of lithium-ion batteries and technologies and has benefited greatly from these Hitachi products.

Browsing through pics of the Weare 2007 rally that I linked to yesterday, I caught sight of a couple Command Cars and kicked myself for forgetting all about them. The Dodge Command Car Page helped kickstart my memory.

Patton’s Command Car

While the CMP represented the utmost in boxy, cubist military truck design, the Dodge Command Car had a more graceful, curvy design while still looking about as beefy as a plate of Argentinian steak. The third generation of Command Cars, the 3/4-ton units that Dodge built from 1942-1944, the WC-56, WC-57 and WC-58, look especially bulky.

Charles Flick’s photo of a Command Car in the Phillipines

Many were left behind after the war overseas, mostly in Europe. And, unfortunately, all I see in the Hemmings classifieds right now are M-37s. May have to keep an eye out.

While we definitely dug Greg Steinmayer’s photos of Warhoops junkyard and the GM Motorama cars in it, we’re getting just as much, if not more, of a kick out of the transparencies he inherited from his grandfather, Edward T. Satory, and thus scanned in for us to enjoy.

My grandfather worked for Jam Handy from the 1930’s through the 1960’s as a professional photographer. All of the car pictures were for dealer announcement shows, NOT for catalogs or public consumption (and as such, there might be some minor variations with actual production cars). My grandfather is the bald-headed gentleman on the left in the overhead picture of the studio set-up for the ‘61 Chevy.

I would have loved to hear more from Mr. Satory about how and why they went about setting up all these different shots, but Greg informed us that his grandfather died in 1984.

The all new Tundra proves to be an even bigger failure with American consumers. Auto insiders admit the failure plagued Tundra was another embarrassment to the oriental car company. ...