Utes aka Coupe Utilities aka Car-based Pickups

[Populuxe]

I'm surprised there is no thread dedicated to Utes, those wonderful car-based Coupe Utility pickups that are so evocative of Australian car culture, but have also thrived in other parts of the world. So show them off. Let's see every car that ever had a pickup bed stuck on the back of it.


1982-7 Chevrolet El Camino

1972-3 Chrysler Valiant Utility VH


1983 Dodge Rampage


1960 Ford Ranchero


1977-9 Ford Falcon Sundowner XC


1974 Holden Belmont Sandman HQ


1989 Subaru Brat


1981 Volkswagen Pickup

 

[GranTurNismo]

Pontiac G8 Sport Truck. This car was actually supposed to enter the US market in 2009 until Pontiac pulled the plug last minute.

 

[Jezza819]

The Plymouth version of the Dodge Rampage. The Plymouth Scamp

 

[Centroid]

Mini Pickup

 

[Volksauto]

1937 Hudson Terraplane Utility Coupe.

 

[bjl23]

@Populuxe Cowboy I'm sad to report that the car based Utes are dead here in Australia, no one makes them (or any car for that matter) anymore.

 

[Populuxe]

@Populuxe Cowboy I'm sad to report that the car based Utes are dead here in Australia, no one makes them (or any car for that matter) anymore.

Sadly, I am aware of that. I know these are dark times for Australian car fans. I'm glad Forza Horizon 3 was in Australia so non-Australians like myself got a chance to enjoy a broad selection of Australian cars and appreciate what we were losing.


1998 Ford Falcon (XH_II) Longreach GLi utility


1974-1976 Holden One Tonner HJ


1976-7 Chrysler Valiant CL Sportspack

 

[05XR8]

M5 Ute

Edit: Hyundai Pony

 

[Robin]

I think the UK's most recent Ute was the Vauxhall VXR8 Maloo that came from Holden.

 

[JC_Dude]

I think the UK's most recent Ute was the Vauxhall VXR8 Maloo that came from Holden.

Huh, I never realised they left Australia. I guess it makes sense, as it's also a RHD market. Were these ever offered in LHD?

 

[Robin]

Huh, I never realised they left Australia. I guess it makes sense, as it's also a RHD market. Were these ever offered in LHD?

Yeah we got the Saloon and UTE versions as Vauxhall's in various guises on and off for a decade from 2007-2017.

Not sure about LHD, as @GranTurNismo touched on I think was supposed to launch in the US under Pontiac but never happened.

 

[Inferno251]

Obligatory:

That one-off M3 Ute from 2011. When it was spotted at the Nurburgring people thought it would be put into production, but in reality it was only a commissioned one-off and BMW used it as an April Fool's joke. Here are more pictures of it.
As mentioned here already, various BMW's have been converted into utes as one-offs over the years. BMW themselves have made other one-offs as well (idk it looks more like a pickup to me).
With the classic 'ute' pretty much gone the only thing left are dual-cabs and pickup trucks marketed as 'utes' but these will never look, feel or be the same.

 

[Inferno251]

Mercedes have also been converted into utes in the past:


And a more recent example:

I guess now they have the X-Class marketed over here as a 'ute' when in reality its a luxury pickup

 

[GranTurNismo]

Holden Crewman. The Subaru Outback of utes.

 

[05XR8]

Yeah we got the Saloon and UTE versions as Vauxhall's in various guises on and off for a decade from 2007-2017.

Not sure about LHD, as @GranTurNismo touched on I think was supposed to launch in the US under Pontiac but never happened.

Didn't Richard Hammond test the sedan in Top Gear? I think it was. white one. So long ago.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

I think the UK's most recent Ute was the Vauxhall VXR8 Maloo that came from Holden.

Technically speaking it was the Gen-F Maloo LSA (that's an E3-Series Maloo R8 with "only" the LS3).

 

[Robin]

Didn't Richard Hammond test the sedan in Top Gear? I think it was. white one. So long ago.

I think so a long long time ago, I know Hammond also tested the Maloo on Top Gear.

 

[eiriksmil]

Euro ute

 

[Robin]

Euro ute

I've seen a few of those around, absolutely hideous

 

[Jezza819]

Look what made a recent appearance at the Nordschleife.

 

[eiriksmil]

I've seen a few of those around, absolutely hideous

Such an awful 90s thing it's actually cool these days I guess lol.

 

[GranTurNismo]

Subaru Outback Baja.

 

[Joey D]

Technically it's a tractor, but I thought this was cool never the less.

 

[Volksauto]

VW made a factory Beetle pickup in the 1940s. It was called the Type 825 and they were mainly built from roughly 1940/1 and throughout the war but a few examples were built after the war to carry cars and parts around the factory. A 1946 825 seen with a 5th wheel attachment:

Other wartime 825s:

 

[GranTurNismo]

1970-1971 Ford Ranchero Country Squire

 

[GranTurNismo]

1971 Jeep Cowboy. After American Motors took over Jeep in the late 60s they considered creating an AMC Hornet-based pick-up and branding it as a Jeep Cowboy. It never evolved past the prototype phase.

 

[Robin]

Just remembered that YouTuber that made a Tesla Model 3 Ute. Would look pretty decent without the roof rack.

 

[Joey D]

Simone Giertz is pretty cool, she comes with with some interesting stuff. She also remained super upbeat after battling two rounds of brain cancer.

 

[Populuxe]

Here are some custom Packard pickups.


1937 Packard 120 pickup


1940 Packard Woody pickup


1950 Packard 200 pickup

 

[Populuxe]

I saw this over the weekend: a pickup based on a modern VW Golf.