Holden ditches Utester concept car

Ballooning costs have forced Holden to ditch the Utester concept car.

The decision comes only a year after the carmaker's managing director Peter Hanenberger said the Utester was part of a plan to enhance the ute range.

The cost of building the Utester's folding roof alone is said to have gone from $12,000 to $21,000.

The vehicle was based on the SS Commodore ute and the roof conversion was to be done by Holden Special Vehicles in much the same way as HSV converted the Barina to a cabriolet for the Australian market. The Utester, with its solid load tray cover, broke cover exactly 12 months ago at the Melbourne motor show.

It sat on 19-inch alloy wheels and was powered by a 5.7 litre 225kW Gen III V8 engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

Its removeable glass roof panel was stashed in a luggage compartment behind the cabin, and the power rear window opened to extend the "open air" feel of the vehicle.

The cargo bed could handle full loads because it extended forward beneath the roof storage compartment.

The Utester's interior had a bold black and yellow theme. The instrument panel and steering wheel were finished in leather and the controls and instrumentation featured satin finish detailing.

Luxury custom-fitted extras include an Alpine entertainment system with DVD/VCD/CD, LCD monitor, remote control, 12-inch sub-woofer, eight additional speakers and flip-down storage between the seats.