The plan was for Holden to export our ute to the USAa as a Pontiac G8 ST (Sports Truck) starting mid/late 2009 (as a 2010 model?). At least one pre production model was shipped to the US in 2008 to be shown off before mass production arrival. There were no plans for exporting a wagon to the USA.
Unfortunately the GM bankruptcy along with the death of the Pontiac brand and other GM mishandling put an end to the G8 ST export plans (and after the sale of Opel, ultimately to Holden itself).
As
@figjam said, the baton was picked up by 3rd party coach builders within the USA who imported Holden utes bodies and used G8 sedans to Frankenstein a non factory G8 ST… There was a few coach builders and one build 16 examples.
https://www.goauto.com.au/news/hold...mes-pontiac-sport-truck/2008-03-16/18330.html
https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1025366_yes-you-can-get-left-hand-drive-holden-utes-in-the-u-s
and a few pictures of the G8 ST here
https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1031537_report-pontiac-has-killed-the-g8-st
Well that’s what I just read on the www so not sure what you mean by ”
they did 1500 in total of the body range so 500 of each all being manual”. Who are “they“ and what exactly did they build; utes, sedans, wgons? when did ”they” export them?