Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, GM, Pontiac
Next Pontiac Grand Prix beholden to Holden Commodore SS V?
Since the unveiling of the new Holden VE Commodore range yesterday, Australian website Drive.com.au has uploaded a dizzying amount of content on the new car. Amongst the press releases, photo galleries and videos is a small piece about how General Motors of North America may use the Commodore in its U.S. line up.
Drive.com reports that pending a sample drive by the GM board in early August, the Holden Commodore will likely appear in the U.S. as the next Pontiac Grand Prix. And it won't be just any Commodore, the next Grand Prix will be the Commodore SS V with a 6.0L V8, six-speed auto or Tremec manual transmission, and available 19- and 20-inch wheels.
The return to rear-wheel drive would no doubt be welcomed by throngs of GM and Pontiac faithful, but the website reports converting the Commodore SS V to U.S. standards would cost around $20 million. Holden's chairman Denny Mooney will be in Detroit this week and is expected to talk up the new Commodore to GM execs.
Of course, the Commodore SS V coming to the U.S. is largely dependant on whether or not the Elizabeth assembly plant in South Australia has enough capacity. We should also note this is a completely separate deal to the development of the car's rear-wheel drive platform, which is already earmarked for use in GM vehicles around the world, including the U.S. The Grand Prix would likely be more of a rebadged Commodore SS V in the same way the GTO was a rebadged Monaro.
[Source: Drive.com.au]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
risingsun 8:09PM (7/16/2006)
Ford needs to follow suit and bring their Aussie products over here, at least in some form or another.
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Michael Karesh 8:31PM (7/16/2006)
It's essentially an updated, four-door version of the GTO that has failed to sell well here. That said, a second pair of doors would broaden the car's appeal while putting a dent in Cadillac CTS-V sales. Except that by then the next gen CTS-V will be just around the corner, with a much nicer interior and perhaps the engine from the Z06.
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doug 8:55PM (7/16/2006)
Ford is just now committing to a new Austrailian RWD platform with an eye towards the US, so we have several years to wait for them - AGAIN...
A RWD Grand Prix (G8?) with a 6.0l V8 undercutting a new CTS-V by $10,000? Sounds good to me. A lineup could be 3.9L 242hp SE, 3.6L DOHC 267hp GT, 6.0L 400hp GTP. The new Buick could be the 3.6L DOHC 267hp and the 4.6L Northstar with 320hp.
GM could build them in the US. They want the Camaro to be good for 100,000 units, then add the Grand Prix, the GTO, and the Buick and you have enough for 1 plant. The RWD Impala can take another plant. Why build them in Austrailia?
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Phelix 9:02PM (7/16/2006)
That's a great looking car.
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amorak 9:44PM (7/16/2006)
Holy sh*t - I would buy one in a second if GM goes through with this!
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Matthew King 10:09PM (7/16/2006)
This is a great looking car. They have borrowed some smart design ideas from other cars such as rear bumpers that integrate with the tail lights (Audi), front wheels pushed forward (BMW), front and rear proportions from Ford's Falcon. The flared wheel arches demostrate Holden's willingness be aggressive. The Euro interior is wonderful for those who are able to appreciate elegantly simple design
I agree that the Stateman/Caprice models have a big arse, but a nice arse nonetheless. My choice would be the Calais rear end with the Stateman/Caprice front end (I'm sure the front panels are interchangeable). If you haven't already done so take the time to look at the side and rear pics of the Calais and Commodore. It looks like what the BMW 5 series would look like if Chris Bangle hadn't got involved.
I look forward to the diesel engine they add in 2008 (VM Motori V6?).
All GM need now is a smaller version to complement it given high fuel prices. If you haven't already seen it (the Torana Concept from the 2004 Sydney Motor Show) go to http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/conceptcar?modelid=20004
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donald douglas 10:31PM (7/16/2006)
so when is this gonna happen ? 2009 2011 2015 ? YAWN, make this news when it happens instead of teasing us all day and years upon years of what if's !
also if the pontiac may be built in oz it will be overpriced ! so it needs to be built here ( fast ) soon not in 5 years ! and with the other rear wheel drive cars on this platform ! tommorrow gm not in 5 years ! soon !!! fast !!!! not in 2011
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Jim 10:40PM (7/16/2006)
I currently own one of those slow selling GTOs and love it. IMO, the only reason it sold lower than expected is because they called it a GTO. Had it been the 2 door Grand Prix, it probably would have been fine. With the retro stang out there, the GTO seems off that mark (I still love mine either way).
With that said, rebadge that new holden and I'd take one. I would love a 4 door GTO (with the kid and all). I say 18 months to do a makeover like they did on the GTO and a G8 will be on the roads Mid 2008. DO IT GM!
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JGN 10:48PM (7/16/2006)
Holdens are not bad cars. They are large segment vehicles, which are slightly better than SUVs. If the quality is good, I can see them selling.
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ed 11:08PM (7/16/2006)
donald douglas,
You don't much know about the stock market, do ya now?
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AMcA 11:22PM (7/16/2006)
Those two pictures sum up the entire game: the GP is FWD. The Holden isn't.
That space between the front wheel and the door is everything. And the GP hasn't got it.
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ckm 11:23PM (7/16/2006)
From the drive.au article link:
"The future of the plan, which estimates a $20 million cost to legalise the car for North America, could rest on a sample drive by the General Motors board of directors in Detroit early in August."
Why does GM's BOARD OF DIRECTORS have to be involved with this decision? That's their problem right there, in black and white. The f'n board of directors is making product decisions! Now I've heard it all.
Perhaps they should just let the product and brand teams do their jobs instead of trying to micromange them like this. Now I understand why GM is going down the drain.
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epp_b 11:26PM (7/16/2006)
["1. Ford needs to follow suit and bring their Aussie products over here, at least in some form or another."]
Absoutely. PLEASE bring over the Falcon and that sweet orange Focus!
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JGN 11:38PM (7/16/2006)
GMs basic issue is quality. Not the amount of features they can pack into a car. It's the quality. Just make a quality product.
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Josh Oliver 12:28AM (7/17/2006)
#12...are you high? It's quality? Exactly what are you referring to? The 80's I sincerely hope. As GM has consistantly taken top awards for quality in key segments.
Wasn't it GM that took 5 of 7 awards for JD's latest Initial Quality Survey? I know it was a lot, but I am going off the top of my head, sorry if I'm not correct in my #'s but the fact is GM consistantly ranks amongst the best automakers in terms of quality and has made tremendous strides in the Harbour Reports published annually.
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UK-KID 1:05AM (7/17/2006)
The Holden is already built in Australia, So why should the Grand Prix be built in the US??
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TriShield 3:21AM (7/17/2006)
I'll be in the market for a brand new car in two to three years and absolutely love the new VE Commodore.
I would hate to see this car get pig-piled in the US because GM puts a name on it that it was never engineered to wear or that's impossible to live up to.
If they call it a Pontiac Commodore, G8, or whatever, it should do very well. Just don't repeat the same mistakes that were made with the Monaro. Don't remove all the features, don't mess with the styling, and don't put the fuel tank in the damn trunk. Do replace the L76 Vortec 6.0 (yes, the VE is packing the Vortec out of GM's trucks) with the LS2 6.0.
I'll be the first in line to buy one. Unless of course the VE Ute is sold here as a Chevrolet, then I'll pick one of those up instead.
Ford needs to get the Falcon here ASAP. As the Falcon with no changes except more power.
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Matthew King 3:28AM (7/17/2006)
In addition to improved quality General Motors have a lot of heritage they can draw on. And RWD helps to differentiate their products from the Japanese competition. GM now understand this. I just hope there is enough time left for them to do it to fend off a takeover.
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Chris 4:19AM (7/17/2006)
The LS2 will be in the HSV's unveiled in a month or so TriShield. They have to use the less powerful version of the V8 in the standard Holden model to not slaughter the V6 which they stupidly refuse the turbocharge (as Ford have done with the Falcon, very successfully I might add). The HSV's should have around 430hp or so from the LS2, with the top of the line model using the LS7 from the Z06, in sedan and eventually coupe form.
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That other Chris 6:47AM (7/17/2006)
GM has yet to prove it can build reliable yet high quality cars. multiple water cooler surveys tell me people I work with think the same thing. Well, all except for bob, GM fans do not see what most other people do. They will tell you that GM cars look and drive better than any import. I liked the last Holden we got here in the US. I can see why the styling did not sell. Had it been brought out in 1996 and sold as a big brother to the Cavalier it would have sold like crazy. I still think it had the best interior of any GM product in the US. Hope the new SS V does make the trip across. I wouldn't change a thing on it. Very simple to remove the Holden badge and put a Pontiac or what ever on it.
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