Whats going on Bill?

Do these pictures mean that Bill Tuckey from Wheels magazine was wrong. Will we be seeing VE versions of the SS and Maloo Ute when for a while all hope seemed lost?

Pictures have only just surfaced of the VE Commodore Ute heavily disguised and out for a stroll. Wheels Magazine ran an article in the current edition suggesting that the VE Ute and Wagon were as good as dead. So whats going on…?

It could be that it is just a test mule and that the final green light for production is not given. Wagon sales in particular have fallen off in the last few years which would make a VE Ute a more difficult sign-off for the bean-counters given that it has previously shared the wagons platform. Assuming of course that this is still the case with VE.

The VE Commodore platform is longer than the old VZ platform which may make it suitable for repackaging as a ute. There is also the VE long wheelbase Statesman platform that could be repackaged although the photos don’t seem to show an overly long tray.

I like to think that the VE Commodore Ute has been given the green light. This of course would mean that we will shortly see the VE SS Ute and the VE Maloo. Without them, circle work would never be quite the same again.