Holden to make Commodore hybrid

A diesel version is also likely while a four-cylinder turbo-charged model was a “sensible suggestion” said Nick Reilly, General Motors Group vice president and president GM Asia Pacific.

Mr Reilly said that, like the car industry in general, GM and Holden were keen for the federal government to offer incentives for people to shift to more environmentally-friendly vehicles.

“Diesels we already have in several of our cars in Australia.

“We don't yet have a diesel in a Commodore but that will come.”

Mr Reilly said GM's strength in hybrids was in larger cars and he expected a hybrid Commodore to be one of the first off the production line.

“I would put a time frame on that of probably a couple of years,” he said.

Holden's commitment to a hybrid Commodore comes on top of the work Toyota has done on producing a hybrid version of the Camry in Melbourne.

Mr Reilly said Holden needed both a diesel powered and a hybrid Commodore

He said alternative-powered cars would likely be offered in addition to existing petrol-powered models.

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