2017 Chevy El Camino 04/10/2017 update:
What does it need to succeed?
Just with the introduction of a vehicle like 2017 Chevy El Camino this car maker could offer something that is long awaited by many customers. This vehicle can be the ideal solution for those that do not need full-size truck capabilities, and they do not like the overall look of large pickups.
If Chevrolet manages to offer a car-like truck with El Camino, don’t be fooled to think that its only advantage would be the looks. A smaller model would mean lower weight while the aerodynamics would be far better than on the regular ute you would have to opt instead of this one. As a result, we are getting far better fuel economy, handling and performances.
The combination of iconic look and modern lines is something very possible, and we saw it on more than one car during the last few years. What we could be getting can be previewed with Holden Ute that is actually the successor of the El Camino in some way. Changes would be required here, but we can see in which direction it could go.
When it comes to the interior, it is the even simpler situation as Chevrolet could choose to borrow it from Holden or they could even bring something similar to what we are getting in Colorado. This could be the right choice as it would allow the price to stay competitive as the Colorado is smaller and less expensive truck of two that this company has to offer.
It is simple, if Chevy wants this one to succeed they need to combine iconic looks with modern tech bringing interesting design with competitive price in a decently capable package.
Finally. Take out the champagne, break out the wine bottles and pop open the beers: the El Camino is nearly back. Well, sort of at least. Before we dig any deeper into the details, let’s dig into the history of the El Camino first. When it was launched in the 80’s, it proved to be a reasonably big success for Chevrolet. Chevy themselves say that the El Camino is a large part of their history and a very important part at that. Not having a modern-day El Camino means that new, younger generations don’t get to experience the same excitement associated with it. Well, to fix that, Chevrolet is planning to build exactly that: a modern-day El Camino with a much newer design. As the saying goes: Legends never die. Well, if the El Camino lives again, you can be sure that’s true.
If there’s one thing people hate more than not having a revival of an iconic model, it’s the failure and letdown of a revival which doesn’t live up to the expectations. It’s, therefore, vital that Chevrolet nails the new El Camino exactly. This means a perfect mix of new technology and design but mixed with traditional El Camino features and cues. A tall order when we’re talking about a car in such a high rank. Thankfully, they seem to know what they’re doing (of course they do, it’s Chevrolet!).
El Camino is truly a wonderful vehicle and if you cannot wait for a new model to drop, you might look for the older cars. Read more here on how you can purchase your favorite model the easiest way possible.
2017 Chevrolet El Camino Platform
The El Camino will almost certainly be based on GM’s Alpha platform. This means that it will get a lightweight body which is great for stiffness and rigidity, both things you want in a car such as the El Camino.
Being an El Camino however, even the images reveal the differences from the other Alpha products: for example, there’s the small pickup bed at the back. There’s more cargo bay and it will be a two-door, two-seater exclusively. Protect your investment by using luxury seat covers to cover your existing seats and enhance your interior look.
Exterior Design new El Camino 2017
Now, we can only go as far as guessing and rendering what it will look like but the few images we’ve seen don’t seem to be that far off. Essentially, the front end to the B-pillar will be a Chevrolet Camaro (or at least similar), but that’s where the similarities end. Because where the Camaro would have a sloping rear roofline with a fat and muscular rear section, the El Camino lacks that.
Instead, you get a B pillar which is angled differently to the Camaro and the line going over the rear fenders is C-shaped. The taillights and the headlights seem to be lifted straight from the Chevrolet Camaro and the quad exhausts don’t differ too much as well. The wheels seem to be identical too but the final version (if it comes out) is almost certain to have its own bespoke ones.
Interior
The interior will be very similar to the Camaro too but being the El Camino, we can expect some cues referencing the original one. GM likes to use the same parts for their entire lineup, sometimes regardless of the price difference. This fact has thrown a lot of hate and criticism at GM from some motoring professionals who blame GM that they don’t put any effort in their much more expensive models, making them almost exactly as their base models. Recent years proved anything but that, however, and GM has improved their quality greatly, to the point where it’s now able to go head to head with the best of them.
Strictly speaking, Chevrolet is probably the least luxurious brand of GM. Not that it’s bad, but both Buick and Cadillac are much more luxurious brands, making Chevrolet sometimes seem bland and weak in comparison. In reality, however, the fit and finish are just as good as them and as almost any other brand, but the materials do suffer a bit. You can still find some cheap plastics and even the accessories can seem fake at times. The effort is there however and we can’t really complain since it’s a far cry from the old days where everything rattled and fell apart.
Being a two seater, you only get a room for two people obviously. But where the Camaro stops with its regular trunk, the El Camino keeps going thanks to a massive bed at the back. Compared to a standard Camaro boot, it should offer 200-300% more space, and that’s just in capacity up to the top of the bed, let alone passing it.
Under the Hood
The hood will hide a 3.6 liter V6 just like in the standard Camaro, but that’s for the SS version. It develops 281 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque. Although great, still a bit off from what it can be. If you desire more, you will even be able to have it with a large 6.0 liter V8 developing 361 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque.
If you can’t satisfy your need for more power and speed, there should be a special track-version (because let’s face it, there will be) with a large 7.0 liter V8 just like the one in the Z/28 Camaro, or even a supercharged (or turbocharged) engine depending on what Chevy decides to go with.
Power will be sent to the rear wheels as per usual. Transmitting it will be a six-speed manual or a six-speed auto. An all-wheel drive version might make an appearance but we wouldn’t put too much money on that one. The El Camino might resemble something like the Australian Holden Commodore Ute. It’s a very fast pickup-coupe only sold in Australia, and Holden is actually a subdivision of Vauxhall/Opel, which is, in turn, a part of the large GM Corporation so no wonder there.
2017 Chevy El Camino Price and Release Date
No word on the release date just or even debut just yet, but we’re hoping we get to see it before 2017. The price is a mystery too. A base Camaro is somewhere around $35k and that should be the price the El Camino will be aiming to as well.
Video
Check out the 1983 model while we wait for its revival.
