bruddah_man_matt

What can I say? As much as I like the tailights and overall design, I can't help but feel that Holden's designs are just a bit too conservative. They're like mid to late 90s BMWs in the sense that they look clean, understated and quite good, but just a little too plain next to jaw dropping show stopping industry movers like the Chrysler 300. I like this cars looks but hope that if and when it comes to the US as the next Impala, GM does something with the design to make it more exciting (BUT NOT UGLY). If however GM plans on uglifying this design like they uglified the Vectra *** Malibu then nevermind. They can leave it as is. Overall the VE is a clean looking car but FFS it looks pretty much like the Holden SSX concept which was a VZ based car. Essentially this car is brand new underpinnings with an only mildly refreshed exterior. As much as I like it's clean looks, the VE seems a bit too similar to the VZ. I just wish Holden would take a chance every now and then.

Mechanically speaking I can't argue aside from the fact that the car will probably be pretty heavy to handle outback roads. Curb weight is likely to be around 2 tons which means that sucking weight out of this thing in order to put a Camaro badge on it and have us believe that it's not just another bloated, overweight Mustang clone like the Challenger will be a hell of a task for GM engineers.

Engine wise it would appear that we've found the source of GMs 3.6L DOHC V6 shortage. The Series II 3800 V6 which was supplanted in the VZ series cars by the 3.6L is nowhere to be seen. The only pushrods that go into the VE will be those found in the Generals Gen IV 6.0L V8s. There will be 3 engine options and 5 different transmissions available. Until HSV begins dropping 400hp LS2s into these things top dog is a 362hp 6.0L V8. Under that are a 260-270hp DOHC 3.6L V6 and a 230-240hp version for "lesser" versions. Yah, if only the US got a full size Chevrolet sedan where the "base" engine was a 240hp DOHC V6.

Transmission choices are a 4L60E 4 speed automatic for the "low output" V6, a 5L40E 5 speed automatic or an Aisin 6 speed manual for the "high output" V6 and a 6L80E 6 speed automatic or a Tremec T56 6 speed manual for the V8. Yah we need these drivetrain choices in the US market Impala, Pontiac Grand Prix and a full size Buick like yesterday.

Anyway, I can't wait until HSV gets its hands on the VE. And I pray GM brings this car to the states as the next Impala almost intact save for maybe a few extra aggressive styling cues. Just don't **** it up Rick.



Lost more pics than I could post after the jump.

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/16/2...-in-australia/



2006 Holden Commodore SS V

bmfcamaro

iTrader: (1)

can you find some bigger pics? very nice car though.

bruddah_man_matt

HAHAHA. Sorry about that. I didn't know they were that huge until I posted them. I've resized em now.

bruddah_man_matt

2006 Holden Calais V:

LSONE

iTrader: (1)

that fact that they refuse to bring cars like this over to america is one of the reasons they are failing. Even if it had a v6, it looks amazing compared to the **** they give us

bruddah_man_matt

How stupid do you have to be to ignore the fact or not see that the Commodores design would be perfect for a new Impala, the Calais with a few smoothed out edges would make the perfect full size Buick, and a kitted out HSV version would make the perfect Grand Prix successor? GM decision makers are too ******* stupid to be making the kinds of money that they are. 10 years ago I discovered what a Commodore was and began bitching about why the VT wasn't on US streets. And until today the only Commodore based care we've received has been the misnamed and poorly marketed Monaro based GTO. Those asshats should have kept the Monaro name instead of trying to further rape heritage with the GTO moniker. I know the original GTO was just a hotter Tempest Le Mans and that the '64 had plain jane looks but the GTOs people remember are the '66-'67 and '68-69 cars which were much more aggressive looking than the first year '64 and even the updated '65 models. The Charger is working right now because even though it has 4 doors, it's very aggressive looking, it's more practical with 2 extra doors and a huge trunk, and there are base models with V6s to reel people in who are only interested in the design and not necessarily going fast.

I pray that if and hopefully when GM brings Zeta to the US they don't drop the ball. I'm sure I'm not the only person here would can say that if they were to sell the Commodore SS V here in the states with a 6.0L Gen IV V8 and a T56 6 speed driving the rear wheels, I'd be in line for one. *sigh. And BTW, Ford is just as stupid for developing the boring, bland and slow *** Five Hundred when they could have imported the Aussie market Falcon.

Ford Performance Vehicles Austrailia - http://www.fpv.com.au/index.aspx













Oh yah, and Ford has a 4.0L turbo inline 6 model that the company doesn't want you to know is faster than it's 5.4L V8 models with minor tuning. Similar to how Audi's 2.0 TFSI is more tuner friendly than their 3.2L FSI V6 out of the box despite being down 50hp from the factory.

Hydramatic

I can't stand that round C-pillar and the bubbly roofline. If that thing had some harder edges, aka Chrysler 300, that thing would look pretty acceptable. I like it though. Pontiac will be getting a version.

bruddah_man_matt

The Long Wheelbase Caprice and Statesman models have just been introduced. IIRC the Statesman is sold in China as a Buick called the Royaum albeit minus the 6.0L V8 option under the hood. Whereas the Aussies now have a choice of a 260hp 3.6L V6 or a 362hp 6.0L V8 in these long wheelbase models, the Chinese version is only available with the V6. Meanwhile we get the "classier than the Park Avenue looking" but still FWD Lucerne here in the states.

More pics at - http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/16/l...side-commodor/

2006 Holden WM Caprice:






























2006 Holden WM Statesman:

Anonymous

Those are some good looking cars!

Are they all RWD?

WhiteKnightZ28

iTrader: (5)

RWD... Check
V8 Option... Check
Classy (IMO) Styling... Check
Good variety... Check

Import to USA..._______






Common GM! Get your heads out of your asses!

OctaneZ28

iTrader: (6)

Good looking cars.
But I agree about the similarity in styling to the former VZ cars.
Nice cars nonetheless... the underpinnings I'm sure make a difference.

Iroc313

iTrader: (1)

man **** this I'm moving down under

SSCamaro99_3

iTrader: (1)

Be patient. I bet we will see a couple of those in the near future.

TriShield

They're making the new Camaro out of the Commodore SS. Just like Chrysler is making the Challenger out of the 300/Charger.

Australian media has been reporting GM is considering straight rebadging the Commodore SS as the Pontiac G8 for the US. If they do I will be first in line to get one, provided they don't screw with the features, styling and keep the fuel tank out of the trunk this time.

Scotty-Z

iTrader: (5)

If Holden was an American company or even exported a ton of their cars to us, they'd make a killing.

Their cars always look great, have an abundance of power, and are pretty high-quality. Why can't we have any carmakers like that here?

hpjunky98

iTrader: (3)

we have cars like that here, just not at the cost we want

AussieLT1

Great post, love the pics. The new Holdens will be in the showrooms this coming August, so ill definitly go and have a browse. The SS looks real good, colour-coding the dashboard is something new to the lineup aswell. Cant wait to see what HSV will be bringing out.

bruddah_man_matt

You bastage. Post pictures of your visit. LOL.

Justin00SS

iTrader: (5)

Australia - where they build cars people want to buy.

Cheatin' Chad

iTrader: (3)

Good looking cars. Too bad it takes an Australian company to build cars Americans want....