Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[In Victoria, the fuzz gets new Commodore SS cruisers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/13/in-victoria-the-fuzz-gets-new-commodore-ss-cruisers/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/13/in-victoria-the-fuzz-gets-new-commodore-ss-cruisers/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/13/in-victoria-the-fuzz-gets-new-commodore-ss-cruisers/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click image for photo gallery

The Commodores are now in full swing, hitting police departments across Australia. We refer not to the classic funk band, of course, but to GM Holden's sweet, V8-powered, soon-to-be-a-Pontiac (maybe) sedan. Our man Dane Muldoon said it's quite the fun machine after spending a week with one in the Autoblog Garage, and we're willing to bet the constabulary won't be averse to laying down the law (and long, black strips of rubber) with their garishly-colored new toys.

The latest place to receive the new VE Commodore cruisers is Victoria. The locals call them SMART cars, but the name has nothing to do with DCX's dinky little city cruiser. It's an acronym for Special Mobile Anti- Road Toll, and they're meant to form a highly visible presence that promotes safe driving. That sounds like fancy bureaucratese to us. We'll translate it into plain English: it's a fleet of Commodore SS muscle sedans whose cop livery makes them look like V8 Supercars with light bars. And if you don't follow the rules of the road, they're gonna chase you down and bust you.

[Source: GM Holden]

Gallery: Holden Commodore SS - Victoria Police

Continue reading In Victoria, the fuzz gets new Commodore SS cruisers

In Victoria, the fuzz gets new Commodore SS cruisers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AUaustraliacommodore ssCommodoreSsholdenpolice carPoliceCarvictoria policevictoria, australiaVictoria,AustraliaVictoriaPoliceFri, 13 Apr 2007 10:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Holden VE Commodore protects, serves Aussies. Still goes fast, too.]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/22/holden-ve-commodore-protects-serves-aussies-still-goes-fast-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/22/holden-ve-commodore-protects-serves-aussies-still-goes-fast-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/22/holden-ve-commodore-protects-serves-aussies-still-goes-fast-t/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click image for 3-shot hires gallery

Even the cops in Australia have it over us. While we wait (impatiently) for the Pontiac G8 to start rolling off transport ships originating from the island continent sometime next year, the new VE Commodore is now entering fleet duty as a police interceptor. Holden released a trio of shots showing full-dress VE Commodore SSes ready for duty on the undoubtedly long stretches of road running through the Outback in Australia's Northern Territory. Boy, we would burn through a lot of gas if we were Australian police officers on patrol out there with one of these as the "company car."

[Source: GM Holden via The GM Source]

Gallery: Holden VE Commodore SS Police Car

Holden VE Commodore protects, serves Aussies. Still goes fast, too. originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>commodore ssCommodoreSsholdenpolice carpolice cruiserPoliceCarPoliceCruiserv-seriesThu, 22 Mar 2007 11:06:00 EST<![CDATA[It's official! Pontiac to get RWD platform, likely in G8]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/09/its-official-pontiac-to-get-rwd-platform-likely-in-g8/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/09/its-official-pontiac-to-get-rwd-platform-likely-in-g8/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/09/its-official-pontiac-to-get-rwd-platform-likely-in-g8/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Perhaps riding a contact high from all the heady presentations at the NAIAS, GM product Czar Bob Lutz let fly that the Holden Commodore SS will be coming to the US as a Pontiac. Lutz went on to say that the car will be known as the G8, and that GM is looking at an official amount of "a lot." In this case, a lot adds up to about 30,000 per year, with reserve capacity in case they nail it with price and features, and demand is high.

We hope that's the case, as the Commodore/G8 would certainly fill a hole in Pontiac's offerings and could really shake things up in the sports sedan segment if executed well. We expect that the execution will be near spot-on, judging from the performance we've seen out of the General lately. The GTO nee Monaro paved the way for sourcing the G8 from Holden. The Commodore was developed with export in mind, and Holden has the export game figured out already. They send more Statesman luxury models out of Australia then they sell locally. Lots more, in fact. Since the GTO broke the ice and let GM know what their subsidiary is capable of in the land where toilets flush backwards (not true), GM sounds excited to give the Excitement division a shot of, uh, excitement.

[Source: drive.com.au]

It's official! Pontiac to get RWD platform, likely in G8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Jan 2007 07:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Auto ShowAutoShowCommodoreCommodore SSCommodoreSsDetroitG8HoldenofficialPontiacSSVTue, 09 Jan 2007 07:49:00 EST<![CDATA[2006 Holden VE Commodore revealed in Australia]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/16/2006-holden-ve-commodore-revealed-in-australia/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/16/2006-holden-ve-commodore-revealed-in-australia/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/16/2006-holden-ve-commodore-revealed-in-australia/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click image for a full hi-res gallery! See the Calais V in its own gallery here.

With yesterday's launch of the all-new Holden Commodore, a series of dominos begins to fall that will ultimately shape GM's product roster for years to come. Holden has stated outright that the Commodore's platform has been developed for markets beyond Australia's borders. One of those is most assuredly the United States where the rear-wheel drive chassis will underpin many GM models here, including a host of rear-wheel drive sedans and possibly the Chevrolet Camaro.

Development of the new VE Commodore range totaled $1.04 billion, the biggest single product investment the Australian automotive industry has ever scene. The rear-wheel drive sedan now comes in seven flavors. The Omega model is new and replaces both the Executive and Acclaim models that had grown too close in content over the years. The rest of the range includes the Berlina, SV6, SS and Calais. There are now also V-Series versions of the performance oriented SS and luxurious Calais models. Holden is keeping further details on the down low until closer to the vehicle's launch in August, so full a features list, complete specs, and prices are not yet available.

Engines that will be available at the VE Commodore's launch in August include two 3.6-liter V6s generating 240 horsepower/243 ft-lbs of torque and 261 horsepower/250 ft-lbs of torque respectively and a powerful 6.0-liter V8 that develops 362 horsepower/390 ft-lbs of torque. Transmissions include a GM 4L60E four-speed automatic for the Omega and Berlina, a GM 5L40E five-speed automatic with Active Select in the Calais V6 and Aisin AY6 six-speed manual in SV6, a Tremec T56 six-speed manual in the SS and SS V, and the GM 6L80E six-speed automatic transmission first introduced in the Cadillac STS-V will be available on all V8 models.

Here's how the 2006 VE Commodore range shakes out engine-wise:
  • Omega (new) - 3.6L V6, peak power 180kW, peak torque 330Nm, four-speed automatic
  • Berlina - 3.6L V6, peak power 180kW, peak torque 330Nm, four-speed automatic; 6.0L V8, peak power 270kW, peak torque 530Nm, six-speed automatic
  • SV6 - 3.6L V6, peak power 195kW, peak torque 340Nm, five-speed automatic or six-speed manual
  • SS - 6.0L V8, peak power 270kW, peak torque 530Nm, six-speed automatic, six-speed manual
  • SS V (new) - 6.0L V8, peak power 270kW, peak torque 530Nm, six-speed automatic, six-speed manual
  • Calais - 3.6L V6, peak power 195kW, peak torque 340Nm, five-speed automatic; 6.0L V8, peak power 270kW, peak torque 530Nm, six-speed automatic
  • Calais V (new) - 3.6L V6, peak power 195kW, peak torque 340Nm, five-speed automatic; 6.0L V8, peak power 270kW, peak torque 530Nm, six-speed automatic
Holden's full press release after the jump.

[Source: Holden]

Gallery: Holden VE Commodore SS-V


Gallery: Holden VE Calais V

Continue reading 2006 Holden VE Commodore revealed in Australia

2006 Holden VE Commodore revealed in Australia originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jul 2006 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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