Holden Commodore SS Utes in the US

Hearing an American say the word ‘ute’ is weird. But hearing them become excited about a Commodore SS ute in California will warm the cockles of your heart… or something like that.

YouTuber and automotive blogger Doug DeMuro found himself in the driver’s seat of an SS Commodore, which was new for him.

Actually, to be specific, the seat is from a Pontiac G8, as are quite a few components of the car.

There are a couple of reasons for this, the first being that it’s easier to rip bits out of an already left-hand vehicle than convert RHD Holden parts to work as LHD. This means the drivetrain and dash are from a G8 to better suit our American brethren.

The second reason, for the seats especially, is that the car needs to meet US-standards, and the stock commodore seats don’t comply. The G8 seats do.

It’s funny that this SS has G8 parts, considering past whispers that the late Pontiac would be producing a G8 ute for the US market.

Without the G8 ute, America’s only other well-known contribution to the ute remains the El Camino.

But it seems our friends in the US aren’t left completely uteless, as DeMuro points out that there’s a company, Left Hand Utes in Colorado, which specialises in converting Commodore utes for American roads.

And that’s a good thing – seeing someone enjoying in the US enjoying one of the most Australian vehicles in existence puts a smile on our faces.

“It feels like I’m driving a coupe,” DeMuro remarks in his video, “If I don’t look back there, I have no idea that I’m driving anything other than a GTO.”

Now all that’s left to do is introduce him to a skidpan…