Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[GM releases 2011 Holden Series II family for Australia]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/31/gm-releases-2011-holden-series-ii-family-for-australia/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/31/gm-releases-2011-holden-series-ii-family-for-australia/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/31/gm-releases-2011-holden-series-ii-family-for-australia/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Holden Series II family
2011 Holden Series II family - Click above for high-res image gallery

We'll admit it - we miss the Pontiac G8. A lot. General Motors' Americanized version of the rear-wheel-drive Holden Commodore met its death with the demise of Pontiac last year, and of all the GM products that we've lost in the past twelve months, the G8 is the one we'd immediately rebirth if we could (especially the GXP). Holden, however, is still alive and well in its native Australia, and the automaker has just released its Series II family, which offers up a host of small changes to nearly the full line of products.

There isn't anything drastically different about the Series II versions of the Commodore, Calais, Caprice, Berlina or Omega - just the typical new model year additions. Most notably, the 3.0-liter V6 and 6.0-liter V8 engines are now capable of running on bio-ethanol fuel, and slight improvements to fuel economy have been made across the range. In addition, small visual tweaks have been made to the fascias of all models and new paint colors have been added.

A similar story can be told about these cars' interiors - minute tweaks to fit and finish have been made, though the big news is the addition of GM's new Holden-iQ infotainment system, available on all Series II models. Holden-iQ incorporates audio, Bluetooth and navigation functions into one 6.5-inch touchscreen interface, as well as a back-up camera (not available on the Ute).

For the full list of changes, browse through Holden's press release, available after the jump, and see the full 2011 Series II range for yourself in the high-res image gallery below. Hat tip to Neil!


Gallery: 2011 Holden Series II Family


[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM releases 2011 Holden Series II family for Australia

GM releases 2011 Holden Series II family for Australia originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiageneral motorsGeneralMotorsholdenholden calaisHolden CapriceHolden Commodoreholden ss uteholden uteHoldenCalaisHoldenCapriceHoldenCommodoreHoldenSsUteHoldenUteTue, 31 Aug 2010 13:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19614409/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/08/31/gm-releases-2011-holden-series-ii-family-for-australia/19614409/article-detail.xml 19614409 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/holdenseriesiiopt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/holdenseriesiiopt.jpg <![CDATA[PickupTruck.com drives the Holden VE Ute]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/25/pickuptruck-com-drives-the-holden-ve-ute/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/25/pickuptruck-com-drives-the-holden-ve-ute/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/25/pickuptruck-com-drives-the-holden-ve-ute/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Our friends at PickupTruck.com have posted a "first drive" report on the new Holden VE Ute, and from the sounds of things, we really, really want Bob Lutz's GMC Caballero idea to come to fruition. The wheelman for PickupTruck.com was Aussie scribe James Stanford of GoAuto, and in addition to giving us the particulars about the slick, car-based pickup, he also gives us a quick backgrounder on Australian utes in general. It's interesting. For example, while Utes cost less and seat fewer humans than the sedans they're based on, they actually have better resale values. Where many people use the El Camino as a punchline here in the US, in the land of Oz, that's simply not the case. The Ute is a desirable vehicle Down Under, and it can be infused with a healthy dollop of badassedness.

The VE Ute makes no bones about its light-duty nature, with the SS boasting a peak cargo capacity of just a smidge over 1,300 pounds (less still if you go for the killer-looking 19" wheels). This isn't a shortcoming, however, as three-fourths of Holden Utes sold are sport-oriented, anyway. In this department, the VE Ute brings the goods, pumping out 362 horses in V8-powered SS trim via a six speed transmission (manual or automatic). Rear tires can be incinerated at will if that's your flavor, but the suspension is tuned so that attacking the curvy stuff's as fun as testing the Ute's straight-line capabilities. We won't steal the PickupTruck.com's thunder, beyond that. For the nitty gritty, you need to check out the review for yourself. Then, cross your fingers and hope that this Aussie beast follows its sedan cousin over here sometime in the future.

[Source: PickupTruck.com]

PickupTruck.com drives the Holden VE Ute originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Holden UteHolden VE UteHolden VE Ute SSHolden VE Ute SS-VHolden VE Ute SSVHoldenUteHoldenVeUteHoldenVeUteSsHoldenVeUteSs-vHoldenVeUteSsvpickuptruck.comUte SsUte SS VUteSsVVE UteVeUteTue, 25 Sep 2007 11:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/997713/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/09/25/pickuptruck-com-drives-the-holden-ve-ute/997713/article-detail.xml 997713 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/09/greenute_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/09/greenute.jpg <![CDATA[High Aussie dollar threatens more Holden exports]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/16/high-aussie-dollar-threatens-more-holden-exports/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/16/high-aussie-dollar-threatens-more-holden-exports/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/16/high-aussie-dollar-threatens-more-holden-exports/#commentsFiled under: ,



Before you start sweating, rest assured Holden's VE Commodore will be heading Stateside as the Pontiac G8, but as for other models such as the two-door Ute, things are looking in doubt. GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz is a key backer of bringing the Ute to the U.S. but revealed at this week's Frankfurt Auto Show that the export program could be in doubt because of the strong Australian dollar. Either the car-based pickup would be priced out of the market or GM would have to subsidize it, something that's not going to happen, Lutz informed.

Plans to import roughly 50,000 Pontiac G8s are unchanged but the margins made on the car will be very slim, meaning there's no room to add a variant priced below it. This will come as a major blow to Holden staffers. Almost half of its annual production of 147,000 cars is exported and gaining a foothold in the lucrative U.S. markets has been one of its key goals over the past decade.

[Source: Drive.com.au]

Gallery: Holden VE Ute

High Aussie dollar threatens more Holden exports originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>A$Australian dollarAustralianDollarHolden UteHoldenUteUteSun, 16 Sep 2007 13:54:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/988526/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/09/16/high-aussie-dollar-threatens-more-holden-exports/988526/article-detail.xml 988526 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/09/holdenveute_ss-v8_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/09/holdenveute_ss-v8.jpg <![CDATA[Holden confirms G8 export (duh) and hints at return of El Camino]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/13/holden-confirms-g8-export-duh-and-hints-at-return-of-el-camino/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/13/holden-confirms-g8-export-duh-and-hints-at-return-of-el-camino/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/13/holden-confirms-g8-export-duh-and-hints-at-return-of-el-camino/#commentsFiled under: , ,



It's official, Holden's Denny Mooney has confirmed that the Commodore is heading to the US to join the Excitement division. To cop a phrase from my mother in law - no kidding, Dick Tracy. Bob Lutz let slip, and then owned up to the fact that the car is coming here as the Pontiac G8 during the Detroit show. Looking at the red G8 that posed with Mooney, our knees are all jiggly - we can hardly wait to get our mitts on one. Hopefully, it'll be outfitted with the 6-liter V8, but even the 3.6-liter V6 would be fine. What we're really interested in sampling is the fit and finish, ride quality, and road manners. We suspect that even the six will have adequate power to pull the G8/Commodore around with authority, and the V8 will be ridiculous icing on the cake, and extremely delicious at that.

Continued after the jump...

[Source: drive.com.au]


Continue reading Holden confirms G8 export (duh) and hints at return of El Camino

Holden confirms G8 export (duh) and hints at return of El Camino originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Feb 2007 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dennydenny mooneyDennyMooneyg8holdenholden commodoreholden utholden uteHoldenCommodoreHoldenUtHoldenUtemooneyofficialpontiacpontiac g8PontiacG8uteTue, 13 Feb 2007 11:36:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/752883/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/02/13/holden-confirms-g8-export-duh-and-hints-at-return-of-el-camino/752883/article-detail.xml 752883 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/mooney_g8_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/mooney_g8.jpg -1 2