[Piperka]

QUOTE

Spy cameras capture camouflaged Commodore in Sweden. This is not just another photo of a camouflaged car, it’s next year’s new Holden Commodore – to be known as the VF Commodore - and the images reveal more than you might expect. Spy photos published in Wheels magazine show us for the first time the next Commodore will be an update of the current car – not an all-new model. When the VE Commodore was released in 2006 the then boss of Holden Denny Mooney said the VE generation was expected to run “five maybe six years” before being replaced with a cleansheet design. Advertisement: Story continues below But a sequence of significant events has since conspired against the Commodore, making the current generation destined to be one of the longest-running models in Commodore history, and possibly the last as we know it. The global financial crisis, the bankruptcy and restructure of General Motors, the axing of the Commodore’s US export program and the continuing decline in large-car sales globally mean Holden has not been able to justify investment in big changes. Although the VE has had a number of minor updates since it was released, it will be seven years old before it is replaced by the VF Commodore in 2013 as a 2014 “model-year” – and even then the only visual changes to the body will be at the front and rear. Significantly, the core of the car – the doors and roof – will remain unchanged. Even the mirror housings are the same as before. By comparison, it took just five years for similar sheetmetal changes on the previous generation Commodore, when the model switched from VX to VY in 2002, with a new front- and rear-end appearance. And even that car got new mirrors. Given that the visual changes are relatively minor, Holden is taking extraordinary lengths to ensure the appearance of the next Commodore remains under wraps – even as the car undergoes stability control testing on ice roads in far away Sweden. Holden has fitted hand-made temporary headlights and tail-lights under the camouflage of this test mule to keep fans guessing. However, Holden is also working on changes beneath the surface that will trim weight from the next Commodore and save fuel. The former Federal Minister for Industry, Kim Carr, and Holden boss Mike Devereux revealed last year the VF Commodore will use aluminium for panels such as the bonnet, said to trim 8kg. The magazine also reports that other structural changes will trim a further 30kg from the car. Photos show Holden has taken some of the bulge out of the Commodore’s wheel arches to help it slip through the air more efficiently at freeway speeds. Last year Devereux said the next Commodore would sip about 10 per cent less fuel than current levels, which would edge consumption close to or below 8L/100km, similar to today’s medium-sized sedans and compact soft-roaders. Meantime Drive understands the next Commodore will also embrace a new electronics system that controls most functions in the car, bringing the Commodore in line with other models in the GM world and opening the vehicle up to new technology such as centre-mounted airbags, a self-parking system and digital radio. The next Commodore is also understood to be central to reviving Holden’s US export hopes. Last month, Chevrolet announced it would enter a new model in next year’s Nascar racing series, and that it would have a rear-drive sports sedan in showrooms to coincide with the campaign. The statement prompted speculation the likely candidate for this car would be the Commodore, badged there as a Chevrolet. The former boss of Holden Mark Reuss, now in charge of GM in North America, told Drive last year: “Somewhere along the way you’ll get a pretty big Commodore change and if we did (revive the Commodore export program to North America) we would integrate it with those changes.”

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/comm...0416-1x2bi.html

I hope they update the interior, VZ/VY interior was way better than the VE.

[Outcast]

it's funny how no one cares

[Piperka]

I know right?! Haha. Where are you Aussies?!!

[OnePiece]

The commodore has cult status in Aus BTW. If you want to be cool here thats what you drive.

[Outcast]

I would've thought so too, I remember on one episode on TG where they had Eric Bana on and they were talking about the rivalry between Ford and Holden or something.

[Piperka]

Yeah Holden Commodore's and Ford Falcons are two Australian rear wheel drive family sedans, and bogans fight over what is better They are the best value for money in Aus, then you have those Australians that think they're too good so they buy Honda Accord Euro's and base model BMW's (318i's) and make fun of people who drive Holden's and Fords when my Ford Falcon can beat their 318i or Honda Accord Euro any day in a race, and my engine is more durable.

[Outcast]

You guys also have those El Camino type ones eh?

[Piperka]

Yeah, HSV's and FPV's





Funny because one of these costs the same amount as a base model BMW 318i in Aus! haha

[Outcast]

I think the ford looks better than the holden tbh, its all in the eyes.

[Piperka]

Well according to Top Gear (and me) the Ford is better! lol

[Lurch]

What the f*ck happened to the Car News topic when you need it?

[Carlover325]

The black plastic below the headlights on the Ford looks terrible.

[OnePiece]

I wonder if those new commodore rims are standard. THAT would be cool.

[sivispacem]

QUOTE (Lurch @ Sunday, Jul 1 2012, 07:59)

What the f*ck happened to the Car News topic when you need it?

This. However, I will say that I drove the Vauxhall version of the HSV GTS (The VXR8- in this case lightly fettled as something like 40% of them are) and I really thought it was a fantastic piece of kit. I even like the looks- once you paint the plastic inserts satin black. If I were looking for a car that could only go sideways to take me to and from work, I'd have one in a heartbeat.

[chris]

I envy you Sivi mate, it's one of them cars that i just really want to have a good drive of, plenty of sideways power, an angry sounding engine with a touch of supercharger whine and it doesn't look bad atall. Some lads from the part of Liverpool i go out in nicked one a while ago and i actually saw a bit of the car chase, basically we were walking the McDonalds and heard sirens, lots of sirens, we thought someone had been shot or something because of the amount of police cars in a smallish area, we carry on walking down the side of the dual carriageway and i could hear a supercharger, as we turned around to see what was coming the VXR8 was hauling ass and flew past us at way over 100mph, we all agreed it was cool and carried on walking and about 15 seconds later two Volvo traffic police cars came past clearly not knowing where the VXR8 had gone.

[Miamivicecity]

Glad someone made this topic. You wont find a bigger Holden nut than me. I just bought a VZ SS a couple of months ago.

Holdens are better than Fords.

Anyway for some reason I could never get into the VE shape. Sure they look nice when done right, but I hate the interiors. The VF will probably be the same.

Way too European looking which is funny because Commodores up until the VZ were an Opel design and the VE was all Australian and it looks more European than the European based Commodores....



This post has been edited by Miamivicecity on Wednesday, Jul 4 2012, 08:50

[Piperka]

The VE was designed in 1999, here is a sketch from Peter Hughes (from 1999)



Now that is amazing for 1999. I used to not like the VE design, but it has grown on me. It used to look like a plastic piece of bubble, but now it looks like a futuristic piece of bubble especially when there are nice big rims on it like this:



Anyway, as for the VF, it should look slightly better than the VE, but they definitely need to upgrade the interior.

[Outcast]

QUOTE (Miamivicecity @ Wednesday, Jul 4 2012, 08:37)

Holdens are better than Fords.

and so it begins..

[Miamivicecity]

QUOTE (Outcast @ Thursday, Jul 5 2012, 04:12)

QUOTE (Miamivicecity @ Wednesday, Jul 4 2012, 08:37) Holdens are better than Fords. and so it begins..

Meh Fords aren't that bad. Early Falcons are nice, but I definitely prefer Holdens.

[visionist]

QUOTE (Piperka @ Sunday, Jul 1 2012, 06:24)

Why oh why can't this be sold in Britain...

...Mondeos are F*cking Banal as F*ck.