Holden HDT Calais Reviews

Peter Brock's most unique road car is expected to fetch a record price at auction.

The Gold Coast will be the home of a new shrine to race legend Peter Brock.

Nissan unveiled the concept version of the Frontier – known as the Navara in Australia -- at the motor show with a new Cummins 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine and a ZF eight-speed automatic. The Cummins is being used to gauge reaction to a diesel mill in the US, where the big ute is sold only with a 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine.However, of more interest to us is the appearance of the ZF automatic, with an eight-speed currently the province largely of premium vehicles – with the upmarket Volkswagen Amarok the only ute to sport it in Australia.The addition of the transmission to the Navara would give it an extra selling point over rivals in the field, where the Nissan is second only to the Toyota Hilux in the 4x4 category, but trails not only Hilux but also Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton, Mazda BT-50 and Holden Colorado in the 4x2 category.There would also be some advantage in the Frontier concept’s all-round disc brakes, which could give it an edge over even the Amarok, which like the Colorado, Ranger, BT-50 and other rivals have stuck with rear drum brakes – although without threatening their 5-star safety ratings.However it’s unlikely the concept’s four-cylinder Cummins will ever appear in our Navara. While the new diesel’s 149kW and 475Nm has a slight output superiority over the Renault-sourced 2.5-litre 140kW and 450Nm in our current Navaras, it’s no match for our flagship ST 550, which will deliver 170Nm and 550Nm from the 3-litre V6 with a seven-speed automatic – although at a hefty cost of A$62,990.But if Nissan's alliance with Cummins did bear Navara fruit, it could give our ute the grunt to outgun rivals like the Ranger / BT50 and Colorado, without recurring to the thirst - and price tag - of the V6 diesel. This could also be an opportunity for the Navara to match rivals' 3500kg towing capacity, where even the V6 diesel Navara is only rated at 3000kg despite having the most power and torque in its segment.

A decision on Holden's future is a mere pen-stroke, email or phone call away -- and it could now happen before Christmas after the Federal Government increased its pressure on the iconic car-maker.News Corp Australia understands the global CEO of General Motors, Dan Akerson, based at the company's headquarters in Detroit, has the sole discretion to sign away Holden's manufacturing operations and with it the jobs of 1760 factory workers.Contrary to earlier reports -- and protocols at other companies -- the Holden decision does not need to go to the General Motors board, which meets monthly.Mr Akerson is a $12 million-a-year man who served as an officer on a US naval destroyer in the 1970s.  In just three years he has developed a reputation in Detroit as not being afraid to make tough calls, such as shutting factories or axing entire brands, such as Pontiac and Hummer and the sale of Swedish icon Saab.A self-confessed "non-car guy", Mr Akerson has helped reshape General Motors globally since it came out of bankruptcy, driven the company to record profits and, as of yesterday, finished repaying the $50 billion loan from the US Government, which sold its remaining shares in GM.In a recent interview with USA Today, when asked about the secrets to his success and the transformation of General Motors, Mr Akerson said: "You can't live in a crisis mode … fundamentally I've got to run a business that's gonna turn profits."Holden has lost $432 million over the past five years and the company openly admits it loses money on each car it builds locally. Mr Akerson speaks about "fortress balance sheets" and taking emotion out of decisions by being able to "define reality"."That was necessary in this industry and in General Motors," he told USA Today. "Once you define reality you have to provide a vision."With pressure from the Federal Government reaching new heights after the Treasurer Joe Hockey said of Holden in Question Time "either you're here, or you're not", General Motors is increasingly being left with no option but to shut the car-making factory that Queen Elizabeth II visited in its opening year, in 1963.It is possible an announcement by Holden could come on or before December 20 -- the last day of work for Holden factory employees before the scheduled summer shutdown, and the same day the preliminary report by the Productivity Commission is due to be released.An early announcement would alleviate the uncertainty being felt by Holden factory workers and minimise the potential damage being done to the company's brand image.When asked yesterday if Holden felt pressured by the Federal Government to announce a shutdown sooner rather than later, Holden boss Mike Devereux said: "Everything that could have been asked of me has been asked of me (at the Productivity Commission hearing). No decision has been made by General Motors."When asked by News Corp Australia if an announcement would be made before or after Christmas, Mr Devereux and Holden representatives declined to answer.A formal decision to shut the Elizabeth car making factory is believed to be a formality given the hardline stance of the Federal Government to not increase taxpayer funding to the industry, and Holden's request for more assistance.Central to the debate over the Holden shutdown is the definition of the word "decision". In car industry terms, executives may have made up their minds on an outcome, but a "decision" is a more formal process.It took Ford more than 300 meetings and seven years to arrive at its decision to shut its Australian factories, and Mitsubishi was questioned for four years before its eventual shutdown, the Federal Government is trying to force Holden to announce its bad news within months.When Ford announced the 2016 shutdown its Australian factories, the decision was made at board level and included input from executive chairman William Clay Ford Jr, and Edsel Ford, both great-grandsons of Henry Ford. It then took several days for the announcement to be made to Ford workers on the factory floor.When asked by the Productivity Commission how much extra money Holden had asked from the Federal Government, Mr Devereux said the government had the figures and would not disclose them publicly.Carsguide understands Holden had asked for an average of $150 million per year -- the annual figures fluctuate to match the progress of vehicle development.In March 2012 Holden agreed to invest $1 billion in two new cars to be built from 2016 to 2022, in return for $275 million in taxpayer assistance -- $215 million from the Federal Government, $50 million from the SA Government and an estimated $10 from the Victorian Government.However after Ford announced in May this year that it was closing its factories in 2016, Holden has asked for an increase in taxpayer support because, it says, market conditions have "changed significantly" since the original deal was signed.Holden milestones1948Prime Minister Ben Chifley unveils the first Holden car, declares “she’s a beauty”. More than 18,000 orders are held before the 48-215 “FX” Holden goes on sale. Some customers sell their place in the queue for £100.1954One in three cars on the road is a Holden.1958One in two cars on the road is a Holden.1960The first export of left-hand-drive Holden vehicles begins with a small shipment of cars to Hawaii.19621 millionth Holden sold (EJ Special sedan, Oct 1962).1964Holden employee numbers peak at 23,914 across seven facilities in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.19692 millionth Holden sold (HK Kingswood, March 1969).19743 millionth Holden sold (HQ Kingswood, June 1974).1978Holden celebrates 25 years of continuous sales leadership.19814 millionth Holden sold (VC Commodore, June 1981).19905 millionth Holden sold (VN Calais, August 1990, more than twice as many as any other Australian built car at the time).1991Japanese car-maker Toyota beats Holden and Ford to market leadership for the first time in Australia.20016 millionth Holden sold (VX Commodore SS, June 2001).2002The last year Holden led the Australian new-car market.2004Holden produces 165,000 vehicles (the most in its modern era), almost matches the 1963 peak of 166,274. Factory worker numbers in 2004: 7350.2005Holden’s biggest export year: 60,518 cars were shipped, mostly to the US and the Middle East.20087 millionth Holden sold (VE Commodore LPG, Aug 2008).2011After 15 years as Australia’s favourite car, Holden Commodore sales are overtaken by the Mazda3 from Japan. Automotive historians say it is the first time since WWI an imported car has led the new-car market.2013Toyota Corolla on track to become Australia’s top-selling car for the first time.Only five out of 100 new cars sold in Australia is a locally-made Holden.Holden is overtaken in some months by Mazda, Hyundai and Nissan.After several redundancies and a three-year wage freeze, Holden factory worker numbers fall to 1760.Despite a record new-car market, Australian vehicle production falls to its lowest levels since 1958.Holden is on track to export just 14,000 of the 84,000 cars it will make locally.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling _______________________________________ 

The proudly Australian manufacturer played up its heritage in the 1980s with this fun ad full of classic Aussie stereotypes. Whether you're a footy favouring car nut or a meatpie loving larrikin you'll love the catchy jingle. Strewth, all that's missing is a VB-swigging swagman.Watch the 1981 Holden TV ad here.Longstanding Aussie rival Ford has also aired some hilarious ads that pay homage to its homeland.See Our favourite Ford ads here.  

Aussie motorsport heritage flexed its muscles last weekend with a spectacular show of local racing champions and their cars. Held at Sydney Motorsport Park, the ninth annual Australian Muscle Car Masters once again included a gathering of our most famous racing cars and drivers from the past half-century. This rolling history spanned several categories and eras of Australian motorsport, including Group N, S, A, and C, V8 Supercar, Formula 5000, plus a variety of current historic racers.  Notable examples included the 1986 Bathurst 1000-winning Grice/Bailey Chickadee Commodore, the 1992-winning Richards/Skaife Winfield Skyline GTR, and the Perkins/Ingall Castrol Commodore driven to victory in 1997.Legendary drivers in attendance included Allan Moffat, Fred Gibson, Harry Firth, John Goss, Leo Geoghegan, Jim and Steve Richards, Kevin Bartlett, Allan Grice and Neil Crompton.The highlight of the event was easily the ‘Bathurst Grid Spectacular’ held on the Sunday, where 60-odd previous Bathurst entries lined up on the grid for an hour of high-speed parade laps, and the variety of machinery and sounds proved that Australian motorsport runs far deeper than just Ford and Holden-badged racers.There were hundreds of classic road cars also on display, plus nearly 30 individual races held over the two days.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn

Married with a daughter (who is also a Ford fan), Mr Watson currently has an FPV GT 335 sedan, the latest in a long line of Ford products."We have had around 20 Fords - various models, not just Falcons - after some Holdens. We have had many Fords, one has followed the other ever since and we have no plans to change camps," he says.Mr Watson looks at the red versus blue rivalry as something that is now generational. "When it started it was Moffat versus Brock and has grown since then to have people either red or blue, now we're talking second and third generation fans as children follow their parents," he says.The family has had an FPV GT since April - the supercharged 335kW version - and now wouldn't have anything else. "I absolutely love it, the supercharged V8 has plenty of power - we use it for normal road work, not track days, we don't push it that hard, but it has plenty of poke for overtaking," he says."We're also restoring an old XB Falcon - a full bare-metal restoration - with 393 stroker V8, that will sit proudly next to the new GT," he says.A big shed and a tolerant wife are two key ingredients to Daryl Leaker's impressive stable of Holden product. The 1998 HSV Senator Signature 220i shares garage space with a number of Holden, HSV and HDT machines."I've got a very big shed for them all, I've always liked Holdens because my father was a Holden salesman so it is in the blood I guess," he says.Mr Leaker hasn't always just owned Holdens - a Mitsubishi Pajero replaced a Ford Territory recently, but there balance of power has always been to the General, harking back to his formative years with a Holden salesman for a father."It was great when Dad was selling Holdens, I got to drive GTR XU-1s and 327 Monaros when they were brand new," he says. "When I turned 21 I bought myself an HQ GTS coupe and got some discount through my father, I wish I still had that car as well."The HSV shares shed space with a VN SS Group A and an HSV Statesman, as well as a HDT VK Brock Commodore SS in silver and an HJ Monaro four-door."I'll always be a Holden fan - I think I'd die of shock if the missus came home in an FPV GT," he says.

A hero colour chosen by the late and great race ace during his time as a carmaker is being brought back from the dead - with a twist - for the 2012 Holden Commodore. Brock chose a bright mid-blue colour for his HDT Commodore SS in 1984 during the days of the VK Commodore and it is returning with some extra metallic punch as Perfect Blue as part of the latest twist on the VE.The timing could not be better, on the fifth anniversary of the death of 'Peter Perfect' in Western Australia on September 8, 2006. The newest Commodore also gets improved economy and emissions in both V6-powered models, with some very, very minor cosmetic tweaking. By Commodore standards it's not a big deal, although the LPG model coming before the end of 2011 promises to have more impact.The new hero colours - Chlorophyl joins Perfect Blue - are the latest in a long run of bright body shots for the Commodore which reflect the changing times and impact of Australia's favourite car. It's currently facing one of its toughest showroom challenges - ironically, with the baby Mazda3 and not the Ford Falcon that's been its traditional rival - and Holden believes the changes for the 2012 model will help rebuild its support.It starts with the paintwork, which Holden designer Sharon Gauci says was an easy choice for 2012. "We designed Perfect Blue around Peter Brock's colour. We went back to the archives and this was perfect," she says. We've been doing hero colours, particularly on sports models, for a number of years. They're obviously attractive to customers that want something different, something a bit more extroverted. They are head-turning and attract attention."She says Perfect Blue - which also pick's up Brock's nickname - is a solid colour with a fine metallic content, while Chlorophyl is "more organic and nature inspired" with a colour that changes depending on how it's viewed. "On the interior we've included some accent stitching on sport and Berlina. There are minimal changes for the interior," says Gauci.Visually, there is also a new design of 16-inch alloy on the Omega a lip spoiler on the Calais V, while the Redline models get red Brembo brake calipers, a new design of polished 19-inch alloy wheel, and FE3 suspension on the Ute and Sportwagon.The real advantage in the latest change is improved economy and emissions for the two six-cylinder engines, thanks to a new gearbox and torque convertor on the 3.0-litre motor. They reduce weight and, with updated calibration, also improve efficiency. Changing the torque convertor saves 3.35 kilograms and a new gearbox in the 3.0-litre car trims another 4.2 kilograms."We reduced transmission mass. We also downsized the torque convertor," says Holden engineer Roger Athey. We've put them through a battery of testing and it came up well. It has contributed to some of the fuel economy savings. (But) all the gear ratios are the same."Holden claims 1-3 per cent fuel economy gains for the 2012 Commodore, with 1-3.5 per cent improvements on CO2 emissions. The headline number is 8.9 litres/100km for the 3.0-litre Omega sedan, as Holden also touts an 18 per cent economy improvement since the start of the VE-generation Commodore.The update also means all Commodores are now E85 compatible, meaning they are classified as flex-fuel cars that can run on bio-ethanol fuel. "It's a minor update. A minor enhancement," admits Holden spokesperson, Shayna Welsh. We're very pleased with how Commodore is going. We'll be talking about LPG Commodore later in the year. That's the only mechanical change still to come this year." 

It is widely accepted that all 1980 limited-edition Brock HDT Commodores only came in white, red or black.  But Jim's is green, two-tone green in fact, which he says is authentic and has a fascinating history.And he should know as he took delivery of it originally from Peter Brock's team, sold it and then bought it back again.  Peter Brock went into the special vehicle business in 1979 after Holden pulled out of motorsport and left him to run his own team. Brock signed up Holden dealers around the country for whom he would create a limited edition performance version of the VC Commodore.In turn the dealer support helped fund his racing operations.  Middleton says: "The first 500 cars were red, white or black. But there were also two prototypes, a blue one and a green one."The prototypes, a blue manual and a green auto, were the earlier VB model.  "My car is number one. They didn't have a builder's plate on the engine. They were numbered on the steering wheel. Mine is numbered 001 on the steering wheel."It had started life as a light green 4.2-litre VB SL Commodore built in May 1979. Middleton says it was originally driven by a Holden company executive before Brock's team acquired it and modified it as a prototype."The car came to Brock from General Motors. It was John Harvey's (Brock's track teammate) drive-vehicle at the time."  The 5-litre V8 HDT Commodores received larger valves, had modified distributors and carburettors, suspension work, a body kit that included a rear spoiler and front air dam plus special Irmscher wheels from Germany and special paintwork among other changes.In this configuration they achieved a 0-100km/h time of 8.4seconds with the engines puitting out 160kW and 450Nm of torque.  They sold for $20,000 ($200 less for a manual) and were quickly snapped up by eager punters. Middleton says the cars now fetch about $70,000-$80,000 and says his rare protototype could be worth up to $150,000.Middleton worked for Holden dealer Les Vagg at Pennant Hills in Sydney, one of the HDT dealers.  He says that in 1982 Brock and Harvey came to the dealer on their way to a race at Amaroo Park where they arranged for the dealer to sell the green prototype as they no longer needed it. By then Brock's team was making the next of their limited editions, the VH Commodore."I sold it that weekend to a mate of mine's dad. I bought it back off him in August 1993."  Middleton says the car had done over 100,000 kilometres by then and needed work."It's been the world's slowest restoration program," he says of a job that he only completed this year.  "I wasn't in a great hurry. I knew I had the first car.  It had minor damage from car parks. It really needed pulling apart and putting back together."Middleton then installed new panels, new door shells, new guards and a new bonnet and the engine and transmission were refreshed.  He took it to this year's Muscle Car Masters event at Eastern Creek where Harvey spotted it and drove it in a parade."He instantly recognised it," says Middleton.  This weekend about 70 HDT owners from around the country will be in Albury to celebrate the cars' 30th anniversary at a gathering to be known as Brocks on the Border.Middleton says about half of the original 500 road cars still exist.  A further 12 were built as racecars for a one-off race at Calder as a support event to the 1980 Australian Grand Prix. Some of them also still exist.Middleton says he will probably sell the car that has hardly been driven of late.  "It's lucky to have done 300 to 400km in 17 years."

Peter Brock’s name will always be synonymous with Holden. The late great driver forged his relationship with Holden with a string of sensational race victories in the 1970s and will forever be remembered as a Holden hero. Never was the bond between Brock and Holden stronger than it was in the early 1980s when Brock set up his own car company and produced a series of race-bred road cars based on the Holden Commodore. There were many great HDT-branded Commodores, but one of the greatest was the ‘Bluey’, the born-to-race Group A Commodore built for the new international Group A racing rules in 1985.MODEL WATCH In 1985 Australia’s touring car racing changed from the home-grown rules that has been in place since the early 1970s to a new formula devised in Europe. The local rules had moved touring car racing away from the street by allowing manufacturers wide ranging freedoms to modify their production cars to suit the track, but the new overseas rules were more restrictive and they reintroduced the requirement to build at least a limited run of production cars to qualify for racing.The VK SS Group A was the first of these so-called ‘homologation’ specials Holden built during the Group A era. It was based on Brock’s HDT SS Commodore, which itself was based on the Commodore SL, the lightest model in the Holden range. All were painted ‘Formula Blue’, hence the nick-name ‘Bluey’ by Brock enthusiasts, and featured a Brock-inspired ‘letter box’ grille and a body kit derived largely from Brock’s previous Commodore racers.Inside it had special blue trim, full instrumentation and a Mono leather steering wheel.Underneath the Group A had a similar suspension set-up to that on Brock’s SS Group Three, with Bilstein gas struts and shocks, and SS springs. Like the regular SS it had a 14 mm rear anti-roll bar, but there was a much heftier 27 mm bar at the front.Brakes were lifted from the Brock SS Group Three, while the wheels were HDT’s 16x7-inch alloys and they were wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza 225/50 rubber.Under the bonnet sat a specially tweaked 4.9-litre Holden V8. Under the Group A rules the Commodore would have been heavily penalised with extra weight had it raced with a regular-sized Holden V8, so the engine’s capacity was reduced from 5.044 litres to 4.987 litres by reducing the stroke to squeak in under the 5.0-litre limit.The rest of the engine drew heavily on Holden’s past racing experience, and included cylinder heads modified by engine guru Ron Harrop, heavier L34 conrods, heavier Chev/L34 valve springs, Crane roller rockers, a lumpy Crane camshaft, Rochester four-barrel carb, matched inlet and exhaust ports, double-row timing chain, lightened flywheel, HM headers, and Lukey mufflers.All up it produced 196 kW at 5200 revs and 418 Nm at 3600 revs, an increase of 19 kW over the regular Holden V8 with equal torque. It was also a more free-revving engine and Holden lifted the red-line by 1000 revs from the standard engine’s limit of 5000 revs. Backing up to the new engine was a stock Holden M21 four-speed manual gearbox.Tested at the time the VK Group A would reach 100 km/h in around seven seconds, and cover the standing 400-metre sprint in 15s. It was quick for its time, handled and stopped exceptionally well, and looked great with an unmistakable Brock road presence.Under the Group A rules Holden had to produce 500 cars before they could race it. These were built on the Holden production line and then shipped to Brock’s factory in Port Melbourne where it was completed.IN THE SHOP Under the Brock skin it’s a Holden Commodore and subject to the same issues that afflict regular Commodores. Under the bonnet look for oil leaks around the engine and power steering. Inside look for wear on the light blue trim as it doesn’t wear well, and check the dash pad for cracks and distortions through exposure to the sun. The good news is that most owners treasure their cars and look after them accordingly. The most important thing is to make sure it’s a genuine Group A model and not a fake.IN A CRASH Safety was in its infancy when the VK Group A was launched, so it lacked the systems now taken for granted. There were no airbags, or ABS, and stability control was still years away from reality. In 1985 cars mostly fell back on body strength and crumple zones, while drivers had to rely on seat belts in a crash. But the VK Group A did have quite good, at least for the time, active safety with its responsive handling and good-sized disc brakes.AT THE PUMP With a highly-tuned V8 under the bonnet the VK Group A is never going to be a fuel-miser, but fuel economy is something few owners would care about. The VK Group A is a sunny Sunday car, it’s not likely to be driven daily, so fuel consumption is of a lesser concern to those who own it. It requires a high-octane fuel, and unless it’s been modified for unleaded it requires an additive. Expect to see economy figures of 15-17 L/100 km, but it depends on driving style.LOOK FOR • Classic Aussie muscle• Brock cred.• Authenticity• V8 performance• Responsive handlingTHE BOTTOM LINE A great Aussie classic muscle car built by a true legend of motorsport.RATING 85/100