Austrailia's Impala: Meet The All New 2006 Holden VE Commodore 56k DIE
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Austrailia's Impala: Meet The All New 2006 Holden VE Commodore 56k DIE
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
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
Last edited by bruddah_man_matt; 07-16-2006 at 04:49 AM.
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Originally Posted by bmfcamaro
can you find some bigger pics? very nice car though.
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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
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Originally Posted by LSONE
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
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.
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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.
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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:
More pics at - http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/16/l...side-commodor/
2006 Holden WM Caprice:
2006 Holden WM Statesman:
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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.
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.
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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?
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?
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Originally Posted by Scotty-Z
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?
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?
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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.
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Originally Posted by 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.