Urban Gear Works

Over the next twelve days, Urban Gear Works will be posting a wish list for the auto industry. Here's Day Ten:

Chevrolet SS, Nomad and El Camino

It's no secret that Chevrolet is getting a rear-wheel-drive sedan for the first time since 1996. The web has been buzzing ever since the Australian-built Holden Commodore returned to US shores as a police-only interceptor called the PPV. While Americans had previously sampled, and universally praised, the Holden when it was sold as the Pontiac G8 from 2008-2009, the unfortunate demise of the once-great Pontiac brand yanked it from dealer lots almost as soon as it arrived. Now, GM has seen fit to give the platform another chance, as the next generation Commodore will be sold to the American public as the Chevrolet SS.

The demand for a V-8 sedan wearing the Chevrolet bowtie is something that GM has ignored for too long, as evidenced by the still-high prices commanded by the final "true" Impala SS (seriously, name any other GM sedan from 1996 that is still worth five figures) and the buyers who quickly purchased the new police interceptors before GM could close a sales loophole. This new SS should be a new American icon, with a spiritual heritage that includes not just the last Impala and Caprice, but the Chevelles of the early 70s, the Impalas of the 60s, and even the very first small-block sedans of the 50s. Our hope and wish is that GM will see fit to bring back two other icons. Trademarks for "Nomad" and "El Camino" have been recently renewed. While it may not mean anything, as corporations routinely retain trademarks of past models, Holden does manufacture Commodore wagons and utes (car-like pickups popular with Aussies) for the home market. Since the development and manufacturing costs are already handled, it shouldn't be that hard to bring these variations to the Chevrolet lineup as well - in fact, Pontiac was actually going to do just that, if things had gone differently. Both should sell well enough to offset what should be a small additional cost, and the idea of a V-8 GM wagon at a lower price than the CTS-V is something Urban Gear Works can really get behind.

Holden Commodore Image © General Motors

Read Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day Six | Day Seven | Day Eight | Day Nine