Spied: 2007 Holden Commodore!
Holden's next-generation Commodore has been caught testing in Australia. The vehicle seen here is pivotal for General Motors' large car futures worldwide, not just Down Under. Said to be based on the upcoming Zeta platform, the underpinnings of this vehicle could see duty in everything from the next Chevrolet Impala, Buick Velite and Pontiac G8, and is expected to form the basis for the next GTO and Camaro (provided they are green-lighted).
The 'VE' Commodore seen here is said to be a line-built vehicle, with for-the-showroom units to come on line by the third quarter of this year. 'Big Daddy' versions of the Commodore will feature a new GM 6.0-liter L76 eight-cylinder engine, which may receive variable valve timing and Displacement on Demand. A six-speed automatic is expected. Lesser versions will see GM's global V6, with CarsGuide.news.com.au reporting that force-fed versions of the drivetrain could be employed in an upcoming Alfa Romeo or Saab.
[Source: CarsGuide.news.com.au]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
danny 4:51AM (5/04/2006)
The VE is 'spied' like 5 times a week. Free advertising and always with another small bit of camouflage removed each time. Best thing about the car without seeing it entirely is that for the first time ever the Commodore actually has some fender flares so that they don't all look like taxis with a spoiler.
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Justin 5:08AM (5/04/2006)
Screw all the badge engineering. Just bring the Commodore to America.
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Trav 5:16AM (5/04/2006)
They are advanced prototypes. They have come down the production line in Adelaide. They are non-saleable cars.
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Michael G 7:22AM (5/04/2006)
Cool, another failed attempt at a GTO in the works.
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Phil 7:33AM (5/04/2006)
lol... You're a moron. The Commodore has been designed by Australia, for Australia for years. The GTO was Bob Lutz's decision to bring the Monaro over to America because he was inspired by it. If you have a problem with the GTO, you have a problem with Bob Lutz, not Holden. Don't make the same mistake your parents did, use protection next time you screw your sister.
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Michael G 7:52AM (5/04/2006)
I'm fully aware that the Monaro was used for the GTO. I was joking and for you to write what you wrote was truly inappropriate.
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Jason 8:10AM (5/04/2006)
Yes, he's supposed to guess when you're joking.
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bhtooefr 8:34AM (5/04/2006)
Yeah, there's these things called "smileys" that are used to indicate humor.
A couple of good ones are ";)" or ":D" or even ":P".
Also, the text "(j/k)" is very useful for indicating humor.
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ChemEng 8:57AM (5/04/2006)
Right.......because when someone makes a nonchalant comment on a POS American/Aussie made car, he should be insulted like that.
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Jason H 9:07AM (5/04/2006)
I've been living under a rock for the past few months, working and going to school full time, so I haven't been keeping up. I'm sure this is old news, but last I remembered, zeta was still cancelled, but rumored that it might come back. Is it now definate that we will have a few full size GM RWD?
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steve 9:19AM (5/04/2006)
And just maybe,GM could Send over Holdens Ute and badge it as an El camino
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Nick 10:38AM (5/04/2006)
You think thats good. Sit on the M25 ring road round London on any Sunday and you can see Bentley testing their fleet of Continental GTCs. I saw a string the other day, one blue, one green and one silver. and the Sunday before that I saw the baby blue GTC.
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jamie 10:58AM (5/04/2006)
Holden Commode-or?
I, for one, am not very impressed. Looks to bland...and tacky too with a spoiler. Do Aussies really love these wanna-be cars? Yuk.
I think Lutz should design the Chevrolet Impala using the Zeta platform. The new Impala would then make a better looking Holden Commodore than this pale effort. GM must absolutely drop the Buick Velite and Pontiac G8 badge engineered copy-cars. No way, Jose!
As for power plants...the proper way to go is to upgrade to the more modern 3.6L DOHC V6 and 4.6L DOHC V8.
Get rid of the old 6.0L OHV V8 (except for "muscle car" special editions). What's up with the Aussie love affair with ancient technology anyway?
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Justin 11:21AM (5/04/2006)
"Get rid of the old 6.0L OHV V8 (except for "muscle car" special editions). What's up with the Aussie love affair with ancient technology anyway?"
WTF are you talking about jamie? GM's OHC 6.0 V8s put out more power per LB of weight than any of Ford, BMW or Mercedes smaller V8s in a much smaller package. And at the same time GMs V8 has much better fuel economy and its cheaper. V8s is the one thing GM does right. Do you know anything about engines other than what you read on the sales brochure?
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Hugo 12:46PM (5/04/2006)
GM V8s?! Try the 360hp 40-valve DOHC V8 from a last-generation Audi S8. Or the 340hp Infiniti Q45 aluminum alloy V8 with micropolished molybdenum-coated pistons, titanium valves, asymmetric piston sleeves, and continuously variable intake and exhaust timing. Or the 400hp V8 from the M5-with an electronically throttle butterfly for EACH cylinder and completely and infinitely variable intake and exhause valve timing. These people know how to make V8s. GM has been using the same crap blocks for 40 years.
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risingsun 1:00PM (5/04/2006)
Nicely put Hugo.
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Fabulo 2:00PM (5/04/2006)
The only problem with the GTO is the miss managed expectation. Should they have brought it in any other name in the pontiac (or chevy) stable, everybody would have applauded the RWD V8 car. When was the last time you could get a modern car with that? (Chrysler did it)
The problem is that everyone was (for not good reason) remembering fondly of the original GTO. And of course was disabpinted.
They should have called it the Pontiac Butt Kicker. Would have sold by the thousands (wait, it did) But it was a niche car in the first place.
They probably can bring the Commodore as-is and call it an Impala. Can't be worse than the last refresh they pulled on us (they made the rear end look like a cobalt, way to go GM)
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Hugo is a moron 2:57PM (5/04/2006)
Hugo do you have any idea how large, heavy and inefficient a DOHC V8 is? Probably not since all you know is internal displacement and whatever else you read on the dealer broshure.
Lets put it this way. LS1 V8 in E36.
http://www.vorshlag.com/fair/bmw_mockup09.jpg
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Hugo is a moron 3:00PM (5/04/2006)
4.4 litre BMW V8 in same chassis. The DOHC engine weighs 150lb more than the LS1 while producing less torque and burning more fuel. DOHC V8s are inherently less efficient than OHC. Everybody knows that.
http://www.edgemotorworks.com/pict0496.jpg
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MON 4:19AM (9/20/2006)
These are some of the more realistic pictures of the VE commodore. From what I heard the VE commodore is going to be 150kg heavier than the current model and GMH is trying to also increase the power output of the V6 engine by about 10 KW, the result would be poor fuel consumption. As the petrol prices have been steadily increasing Large V6 and V8 sales have significantly declined. Also with a the Toyota's Large V6 Aurion to be release at the same time, with heavy discounting it will be a hard for GMH's new VE commodore to be a success
More realistic spied pic of the VE Commodore
http://www.privatefleet.com.au/index.php?itemID=402&branch=77
Monthly Sales stats
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/30A9F8E316193A5FCA25716400043D5C
Link to Toyota Aurion Large V6 for the Aussie market
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story/0A72761CB49FFE38CA25711600020ED3?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,toyota
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story/FB518FFF551FEFB5CA25710F002F930F?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,toyota
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story/94062220706BD40ECA25712A008301FE?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,toyota
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