Holden teases ‘new’ Commodore – promises local tune
Holden has released camouflaged images of the ‘next-generation’ Holden Commodore testing at Lang Lang in Melbourne.
BILLED AS THE next-generation Commodore, the re-badged Opel Insignia has nothing to do with the outgoing Commodore other than the name and that it will continue with a V6 engine. Indeed, the flagship Commodore when it’s launched here early in 2018 will get a V6 producing 230kW and 370Nm of torque.
“The first ever imported Commodore will honour the legendary nameplate by being the most technologically-advanced Holden ever,” Holden said. The new engine will be mated to a nine-speed automatic and the Commodore will be available with all-wheel drive. Smaller 2.0L petrol and diesel engines will also be available on new Commodore which will offer liftback and wagon body styles.
While the base vehicle is an Opel Insignia, Holden said its engineers had had a hand in local tuning.
“Holden has been engaged in this program from the outset to ensure the next-generation Commodore lives up to its legendary nameplate,” said Jeremy Tassone, Holden’s Engineering Group Manager for Vehicle Development.
“We know the first imported Commodore will come under a lot of scrutiny and we know we have a lot to live up to – this car delivers in spades”
“Although we remain in the early stages of the Holden development process, this is an absolutely world-class car. We’ve taken a precision-engineered German car and endowed it with Holden DNA. It drives like a Commodore should.
“We’ve had our Holden engineers engaged in this global program from the outset and we’re continuing to do extensive tuning and development, racking up thousands of kilometers, at our Lang Lang proving ground in Victoria to ensure it’s got that Holden magic.
“The genuinely cutting-edge all-wheel-drive system using active torque vectoring provides incredible traction and handling finesse. The key is what is dubbed the ‘Twinster’ rear drive module. Essentially, the traditional rear differential has been replaced with two individual clutches that not only save weight and improve packaging but provides virtually instantaneous active distribution of torque to the required wheel.
“The overall system monitors inputs from vehicle sensors 100 times per second and constantly adjusts accordingly, it’s extraordinary,” Tassone said.
Question: Should Holden have kept the Commodore name for its import?
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4 Comments
Will flop on our market, like every other large sedan from OPEL/Daewoo etc
Keep making the Aussie Commodore till the orders dry up, insane to stop making something that is still in high demand.
The V8 [40% of sales] are a cash cow, why would you turn off supply, oh thats right the company has a history of going bust….
Holden will most likely fall out of a top ten selling brand with this, well done Detroit!
DON’T INSULT US, this will NEVER be a Commodore, PERIOD
Have a ounce of honor GM/H and call it Insignia and not Aussie Made and engineered RWD Commodore, be like Ford and kill the name.
Why all the total nonsense of body and interior camo, you can just go to the OPEL or Vauxhall websites and see it fully inside and out
LOL at Holden pretending to “engineer” the vehicle to make them feel warm and fuzzy and b/s media nonsense, they have done nothing, oh i suppose they designed the Lion-King badge
Personally I think this should be badged Insignia and pitched as an alternative to the Skoda Superb or Ford Mondeo, and not as a Commodore…..
Having said that, it does appear to be a great car in its own right, I just find it hard to see it as a replacement for the VFII….
Oh Isaac, have you been conned by a media event? How old are you mate? Just imagine Isaac, what a real Holden could have come up with over the past 10 years? 8 speed trans, aluminium tech, RWD, AWD that the VE should have had (for the little boys), V8 rear drive for us real Aussie women, utes and no stupid, huge overhangs??? GM just leave, you are a US and German taxpayer funded joke!!!
fwd, we don’t need a large Camry clone. The only car on any interest is the hero model, the twin-turbo V6 with awd and tipping the scales at around 1600kg. If true it may be pretty darn good, but as for the rest of range not of interest at all.