Buick Avista concept could be the next Holden Monaro

There might not be a Commodore V8 in Holden's future, but this sleek coupe unveiled in Detroit is shaping up as a Monaro successor.

It's a new Holden Monaro, but not as we know it!

This sleek coupe unveiled in Detroit overnight is set to become the successor to the Holden Monaro.

The concept car might be wearing Buick badges but the grille has been designed to accommodate the proud Holden symbol as the company looks to source 24 new imported models from around the world by 2020.

The sporty coupe is rear-wheel-drive -- just like every Holden Monaro since 1968

While there is not a V8 under the bonnet, the next generation Holden Monaro will have a twin turbo V6 with just as much grunt as a V8. For the tech heads: that's 300kW of power.

Most importantly for performance-car fans, however, the sporty coupe is rear-wheel-drive -- just like every Holden Monaro since 1968.

Holden is yet to officially confirm the arrival of the two-door Buick -- or if it will wear the iconic Monaro badge -- but News Corp Australia understands the coupe will arrive in local showrooms in 2018 to challenge the Ford Mustang, which has become an instant sell-out success.

The Buick-sourced coupe will at least be some consolation after General Motors executives confirmed last year there would not be a V8 version of the next generation Holden Commodore, likely to come from Opel in Germany once the Holden factory in Elizabeth closes in 2017.

The Holden Commodore of the future is expected to be powered by a choice of four-cylinder or V6 power, and front-drive or all-wheel-drive only, which is perhaps why enthusiasts are rushing Holden showrooms to get the last of the V8 model.

Although Commodore sales were their second lowest on record last year, more than one-third built was a V8, the highest proportion in the nameplate's 38-year history.

Holden sold the Monaro from 1968 to 1977 based on the Kingswood, and then from 2001 to 2006 based on the Commodore.

Holden secretly designed a two-door version of the latest Commodore but it was scrapped having never seen the light of day after General Motors went bankrupt in the 2008-2009 Global Financial Crisis.