Holden Commodore 2006 News

The Holden Racing Team No.2 Commodore led the time sheets for the majority of the 135 minute split session, holding an advantage greater than half a second until the final flurry of quick laps when most teams bolted on new tyres.Tander had posted the fastest time of two minutes 08.9594 seconds, with Sandown 500 winner Jason Bright (CAT Ford Performance Racing) closing to be within less than one hundredth of a second behind Tander with a time of 2:08.9665.However in the final minute of the session Skaife jumped back behind the wheel and posted a scorching 2:08.1727 to extend HRT's lead back to almost a second.Toll HSV Dealer Team driver Todd Kelly was third quickest in 2:08.9803.Steven Johnson (First Rock Home Loans Falcon) fired into fourth place in the dying seconds with his 2:09.0053 lap.Steven Richards in the Jack Daniels Commodore also found late speed to move into fifth position with a 2:09.0613 - but he then crashed coming down Conrod Straight after the checkered flag.Ford's Craig Lowndes in the Betta Electrical Falcon posted a 2:09.3283 time to be sixth fastest today.Last year's Bathurst runner up Jason Richards had a terrible start to his event when co-driver Andrew Jones crashed their No.3 Tasman Commodore at the top of the mountain on his first lap of the session forcing their car to have repairs throughout the entire session.Another Holden driver Lee Holdsworth also had a lucky escape when his right tyre blew at 260km/h down Conrod straight and he lost control of his Commodore."I was just a passenger but managed to keep it off the wall," said Holdsworth."I was probably doing 260 (km/h) at the time, I was not going full pelt."AAP

Two-times Bathurst winner Richards walked away from a high speed crash at the end of the 135 minute practice session when he lost control of his No.7 Commodore coming down Conrod Straight and hit the wall.The crash caused extensive structural damage estimated at over $100,000 and the pit crew must rebuild the vehicle overnight for Richards to have any chance of qualifying.Richards had put himself into fifth position on the time sheets, but was almost a second behind the Holden Racing Team pair of Mark Skaife and Garth Tander who posted the two fastest times of the day.Richards remained optimistic the car would be ready for qualifying tomorrow."With a bit of luck we might be saved and make qualifying," said Richards."I'm pretty sure the right rear tyre blew and it turned hard left in the middle of the straight."I just closed my eyes and waited for the big hit."Holden driver Lee Holdsworth had an almost identical accident during the first half of practice, but he was luckier than Richards as his car missed the wall.Richards and co-driver Paul Dumbrell could switch to the team's other No.11 Commodore, but team owner Larry Perkins ruled it out - partly because his son Jack and fellow rookie Shane Price are racing the other entry.All teams had until late today to confirm driver entries, and Richards-Dumbrell could have been given the undamaged No.11 vehicle, but six-times Bathurst winner Perkins believes other drivers should not suffer because of Richards's error."I'm not inclined to switch," said Perkins."If that's your car, you live with it."We'll put in an all nighter and see if we can't make it to qualifying tomorrow."The late crash overshadowed a dominant start to the event by pre-race favourites Skaife and Tander in the No.2 HRT Commodore.They set the pace for the majority of the session and just when Jason Bright (CAT Ford Performance Racing Falcon) closed the gap to within one hundredth of a second, Skaife jumped back behind the wheel to extend their lead.Skaife's two minutes 08.1727 seconds lap was clearly ahead of Bright (2:08.9665) while Rick Kelly (Toll HSV Dealer Commodore) was third best in 2:08.9803.Steven Johnson (FirstRock Home Loans Falcon) was fourth in 2:09.0053, ahead of Richards (2:09.0613) and Ford's Craig Lowndes (Betta Electrical Falcon) who finished slightly off the pace in sixth with a time of 2:09.3283.Skaife said it's too early to declare HRT the fastest car on the mountain - even though co-driver Tander posted a slick 2:08.9594 on old tyres."It's only Thursday, lets not get too carried away by the gap. I'm sure everyone will close that gap," said Skaife."You can easily make up big chunks of time here."Third-placed Kelly suggested there was still plenty left in his Commodore."Everything is going to plan ... we are not trying to break records today."The V8s resume tomorrow with two half-hour practice sessions in the morning followed by qualifying from 2pm.AAP

Murphy, whose four Bathurst titles since 1996 makes him the most successful driver in the past decade, believes Ford's highest paid driver blew the Blue team's best chance of winning last year.Lowndes had the fastest car on the grid and was streaking the field until he clipped the wall in a rookie driving error before the halfway point of the race.Lowndes, whose only Bathurst win was in 1996 ironically partnering Murphy in a Commodore, finished well back in the field and had to complete the race without front and rear windscreens after a tyre smashed his window in a later incident.Holden veteran Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly eventually won the race extending Commodore's winning streak to seven years.Murphy says last year was Ford's best chance of winning the title since Jason Bright's win in 1998, and Lowndes should be stewing over the blown opportunity."(Ford) have blown a lot of opportunities in the last couple of years to win that race," said Murphy."Lowndesy blew it last year by smacking the wall when clearly he had the best car in the field."He should be very much ruing that little mistake. It was the one that really got away."He could have broken the drought last year and he didn't."With this year's Bathurst 1000 a tribute to the late Peter Brock, nine-times champion here, Murphy says it would be fitting for Holden to win the race and not Ford."Historically and sentimentally, you'd hope it was a Holden," said Murphy, with the winners to receive the inaugural and perpetual Peter Brock Trophy.Defending and five-times champion Mark Skaife agrees, saying it's only fitting that Commodore takes the checkered flag on Sunday."It'd be much better if it is Holden that win this year," he said."It would be a very appropriate tribute for us to win the race at Brock's favourite race track in a Holden."Murphy, however, has reservations over whether he can lift the trophy on Sunday.Although he has the best recent record here - with four victories (1996, 1999, 2003, 2004) and two podium finishes (third in 2000 and 2001) in the past decade - his Supercheap Auto Commodore has lacked reliability in 2006.He and co-driver Cameron McConville have struggled at every championship round but Murphy says everything has be done to ensure the car lasts the 1000km distance this weekend. "It doesn't matter what kind of year you've had you can always come here and have a different outlook on things," he said."Your guess is as good as mine (that the car will last) ... everything that can be physically done has been done."Skaife meanwhile is only focused on winning, he says victory is the best way to get teammate Garth Tander's championship campaign back on track after mechanical failure cost them victory in the Sandown 500 last month."Winning races wins championships," said Skaife."The best way to look after Garth's championship is to go and win the race."AAP

The fall, prompted by a slide in demand for small cars, confirmed the 2006 market would fail to match the record levels of the past four years, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) said."While we expect fourth quarter sales to be strong, it's clear that four years of record sales have, for the moment, come to an end," said FCAI chief executive Peter Sturrock."It's important to remember, however, that only five years ago motor vehicle sales were averaging about 780,000 per annum."So you could say that the Australian market has permanently shifted into a higher gear."In response to the September result the FCAI revised its full year forecast down 10,000 vehicles to 970,000 compared to the record 988,265 sold last year.In its VFACTS sales bulletin today, the chamber said 79,993 new cars and trucks were retailed last month, a fall of 5.3 per cent compared to September last year.That took sales for the year to 722,376, or 3.6 per cent lower than at the same time in 2005.The September result was marked by a 1.8 per cent fall in small car sales which had previously been on the rise because of high petrol prices.Australia's long-running love affair with large and medium cars was also rekindled with demand for large cars down 7.1 per cent, an improved performance for the sector which was down 21 per cent on a year-to-date basis.At the same time sales of medium sized cars jumped a healthy 11.8 per cent.Mr Sturrock said the improvement in the medium and large car markets could be attributed to recent new releases including the new Holden Commodore and the Toyota Camry.Commodore sales rose 8.5 per cent last month compared to September 2005, in the first full month of retail activity for the new model.But falling petrol prices had also played a role, with a corresponding impact on small car demand."While fuel prices clearly remain a market driver, Australians have not fallen out of love with larger cars and the launch of several new models is giving them a reason to look again at large and medium segments," Mr Sturrock said."Consumer concern may also have been eased somewhat by the recent falls in crude oil prices which are now being reflected at the pump."Toyota was the top selling company last month with 17,183 vehicles, well ahead of Holden on 12,018 and Ford on 8,977.Toyota was also well ahead on a year-to-date basis with 157,364 units, about 48,000 ahead of Holden.However, the Holden Commodore maintained its crown as the best selling car with 5,262 retailed last month.Other top selling models were the Toyota Corolla (3,852), Ford Falcon (3,563), Mazda3 (3,327), Toyota Camry (3,092), Toyota Yaris (2,043), Hyundai Getz (2,028), Toyota HiLux 4x4 (1,583), Holden Astra (1,491) and the Ford Territory (1,418).AAP

Holden young gun Rick Kelly fired the first salvo at Ford by flaunting the past seven Bathurst victories by the Commodore at Mount Panorama.

Circuit: 6.213kmAverage speed: 151 km/hMaximum speed: 292 km/hFastest point: Conrod StraightSlowest point: Forest ElbowQualifying Lap record: Greg Murphy (Holden) 2mins:06.8594secsRacing Lap record: Garth Tander (Holden) 2:08.6726Race ScheduleThursday 10.40am - 1.10pm: Practice SessionFriday 9.20am - 9.50am: Practice Session 10.00am - 10.30am: Practice Session 2.00pm - 3.40pm: Qualifying SessionSaturday 10.00am - 11.00am: Practice Session 3.40pm - 4.25pm: Top 10 ShootoutSunday 7.10am - 7.30am: Warm Up 9.00am - 9.30am: Peter Brock Tribute 10.00am - 5.45pm: Race (161 laps)Recent Winners2005: Mark Skaife & Todd Kelly (Holden)2004: Greg Murphy & Rick Kelly (Holden)2003: Greg Murphy & Rick Kelly (Holden)2002: Mark Skaife & Jim Richards (Holden)2001: Mark Skaife & Tony Longhurst (Holden)2000: Garth Tander & Jason Bargwanna (Holden)1999: Greg Murphy & Steven Richards (Holden)1998: Jason Bright & Steven Richards (Ford)1997: Larry Perkins & Russell Ingall (Holden)1996: Craig Lowndes & Greg Murphy (Holden)Most wins9: Peter Brock7: Jim Richards6: Larry Perkins5: Mark Skaife4: Allan Moffatt, Greg MurphyAAP

Few would doubt the VE is the most prodigious step Holden has taken since the 48-215 arrived in 1948.The VE is everything that all previous model Commodores since the first one in 1978 weren't.Starting from a clean slate the VE chassis is the most competent in the almost 30-year lineage of family sedans and the body is as tight as a drum.Credit where it's due, the VE steers, rides, handles and stops like a $50,000-plus Euro saloon.Recently we booked in an SV6 and an SS to drive back-to-back over two weeks at a time when all the hype surrounding Holden's August launch had subsided.Both had the 6-speed manual transmission and where one was a pleasure to use the other was like trying to stir a pot of treacle.The SV6 changed gears with efficiency and with a fair degree of certainty.The SS was like reverting to the bad old days of imprecision.It was notchy and half the time you really needed to think whether the shifter docked in first or third after fighting with the stick to find its gate.We would like to give the box the benefit of the doubt but the car had done 6000km. Any tightness should have freed up by now.The curious thing is the SS driven on the launch on a mixture of country tar and dirt roads in South Gippsland in Victoria and at Holden's Lang Lang proving ground had a kinder, looser and more precise gearbox.Then there is the gosh awful handbrake that blends into the centre console cutaway.It has an annoying propensity to jam your finger if you're not careful when you push it down.There is also a flimsy feel to the handbrake when it is engaged with a bit of sideways movement suggesting longevity may be a problem.Now we're not really experts in predicting the future but we'll have a lash and suggest there may be some sort of modification to the handbrake when the first update comes around whether it be late next year or 2008.And inherent through the range is that rotund A-pillar strategically positioned a long way forward and which hampers vision on tight corners and can even shield pedestrians from your view in certain situations.But getting back to basics, the cabins in both the SV6 and SS V, the sports luxury version that Holden has added to the VE range, are tastefully done.There are a few carryover bits from the old range which ended with the VZ such as the stalk-mounted cruise control.However, overall the SV6 and the SS V are worlds removed from the previous model.And they would want to be for the billion-dollar spend the VE program commanded.The only surprise was how invisible the SV6 was in city traffic.Hardly a stare, a second look, let alone anyone hovering close to size up one of Holden's billion-dollar babies.It melded into the masses rather than strike reactions. The SS V, however, had more of an impact, with some drivers darting up close from a long way back and signalling the thumbs up.On the SV6 drive which amounted to about 640km when the tank just about to run dry, the consumption was about 10.7litres but up to half of that was in slow, stop/start traffic.The SS V finished at 11.5litres/100km over 500km but 85 per cent of that was on the open road so realistically you would be looking at around 14-15litres.Some colleagues have reported concerns with interior fit and finish.However, the cars tried in this test seemed quite acceptable, the quality of the finish was never in question.

The range drops the Acclaim, Executive and SV8 models, but there are still three more models than the VZ.Omega is the new base model, taking over from Executive and Acclaim, and a new V variant has been added to the SS and Calais models. And for this year only, the Omega also comes in a V variant for private buyers.The V6 Berlina will remain as the "step up" from the base model with a few more creature comforts thrown in.However, with the up-spec Omega V available, sales of the Omega and V6 Berlina initially might be a little sluggish.Just look at the prices and specification levels.The four-speed auto Omega sells for $34,490 without airconditioning. With air, it costs an extra $2000.However, the Omega V costs $34,990 and includes air.For just $500 more than the base Omega you also get 17-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured door handles and mirrors, and a rear spoiler.The Berlina sells for $39,990, substantially cheaper than the VZ at $43,890.Over the Omega V, what you get for the extra $5000 is additional cluster displays and multi-function screen, side airbags, rear park assist, six-CD unit, leather steering wheel and dual zone air. Depending on what features you need, you could option up an Omega V for less money.I recently had the Berlina for a week and found it just as delightfully quiet, easy to drive, comfortable and reasonably economical as all the other VEs, with just two major concerns.The first is aesthetic. I simply do not like the plastic imitation woodgrain that runs laterally across the dashboard.It is a pale wood colour with darker grains that look like tiger stripes.Even Holden boss Denny Mooney admits it takes some getting used to. A week certainly didn't make it any less offensive to my eyes.The other major concern is the four-speed auto box. It thumps, bumps, hunts and grinds.Holden may have made improvements, but it is still inadequate.

Fuel prices may be high, but Australians still love a big car.The launch last month of the new VE Commodore has catapulted the car back to the top of the sales charts after falling behind the Toyota Corolla the previous two months.GM Holden boss Denny Mooney said he was happy with the first couple of weeks of sales of the new VE Commodore and predicted they would beat the Corolla to return to the top of the sales charts by next month.However, the sales surge saw the family favourite return to the top in August after just two weeks of VE sales.Corolla beat Commodore in June by 903 and in July by 689, but VZ and VE Commodore sales in August beat Corolla by 839.And not everyone is buying the base model Commodore."We're seeing a richer mix with more interest in Calais and SS, than base models," Mooney said."Omega (the base model) will be a good fleet car, but not necessarily the volume seller."But don't expect major discounts on runout VZ Commodore stock.Mooney said runout sales of the outgoing VZ Commodore sedan had gone well with only about 1000 left.He said the VZ ute, station wagon and Crewman would continue over the next year and gradually be replaced by VE versions.However, he said the launch next month of the Captiva sports utility vehicle could spell the end for the fuel-guzzling all-wheel-drive VZ Adventra."Some people still want wagons, but the Adventra is pretty low volume," he said.He also said the Captiva would come with a more fuel-miserly diesel engine "soon" but would not confirm whether it would be available from launch.

It takes only five minutes with the VE SS to know it is a winner. You can feel it in the suspension and steering, hear it in the thump of the powered-up 6.0-litre V8, and see it on the faces of other drivers.All sorts of people turn to stare at the new SS. Even fast Ford drivers watch to see what their Falcon has to face in the ultimate in Aussie hero worship. They can see the new car looks taut and tough.All the work on the $1 billion Commodore is translated into the success of the latest SS, which will continue the car's hero run as the spearhead of the GM Holden line.The SS has been a winner since the first day the badge was applied to a V8 Commodore, and the new car builds on that success with a good-looking new body and everything from better brakes and excellent electronic stability control to a slick-shifting new six-speed automatic gearbox.Best of all — at least for showroom shoppers — the new SS is far cheaper than the car it replaces, and there is no short-changing on equipment or driving enjoyment.The SS is not our favourite VE. That honour goes to the taut but relaxing Calais V. But it will be a favourite with a lot of Holden people and is already worrying the troops at Ford, Mitsubishi and Toyota.Only Toyota has anything new to rival the Holden, at least until the next Falcon in 2008, but even its highly touted Aurion V6 is going to battle to have any effect on the SS.The Holden hero falls short on manual shift quality, and has dials that are hard to read and some cheapie cabin finishing, but the basics are right and it is a top drive.It should also pick up the benefits if the cost of a litre of unleaded falls below $1 by Christmas.Lots of people like the idea of 270kW, the power-up result from the latest V8, but plenty were also worried by the effects of a year of rising petrol prices.Right now, it looks as if the SS cannot fail.It comes in from $44,990 without short-changing on essentials, despite a price cut of $6800 — or 13.1 per cent — from the previous-generation Commodore SS.That means everything from the thumping V8 and 18-inch alloy wheels to better brakes, a bold new body kit and rear wing, and even a much more sporty interior trim.GM Holden achieved the value-added bottom line by putting an SS-V above the basic car, but has stayed true to the basics of the SS.It costs $2000 to upgrade to the automatic, but it is a far better 'box than the clunky old four-speeder.The car now has 270kW and 530Nm of torque, improved gearing, much better suspension, brakes with better feel and a sports steering wheel with a better shape and grip.GM Holden says the SS is doing well, joining the new Calais as a popular choice with VE buyers.The new SS lines up against the XR6 and XR8 Falcons from Ford, but is much more responsive than the Blue Oval cars. Some shoppers will probably also be looking at an FPV F6 Typhoon to get the same sort of effect at a higher price.No one looking at an SS will shop it seriously against a Mitsubishi 380 GT or a Toyota Camry Sportiva. But the arrival of the VE hero has allowed Holden Special Vehicles to go even higher and harder with its Clubsport and the wonderful new GTS that sets the absolute benchmark for Australian performance cars this year.ON THE ROADLET'S get the bad stuff out of the way first. And it's easy to do, because you see and feel it when you get into the SS.The twin dials are dark red and have tiny numbers, making them hard to see (luckily there is a big digital speed reading), and there are two ridiculous red digital readouts for oil and volts in the centre of the dash.The manual shift is clunky and the centre console looks and feels cheap. We particularly dislike the hard, rough plastic on the handbrake and the electric window switches, which are in the console's centre and prone to collecting drink spills and other gunge.And that's about it.Turn the key, drop the hammer and you have to love the SS.The new chassis means the car is much more rigid, but quieter and more comfortable. That's because the suspension, though SS firm, feeds its loads into its body and not yours.So the car is taut and responsive, with light steering with plenty of feel — too light for some testers — and great brakes. The electronic stability control is a genuine safety net without reducing driving enjoyment.The ride is firm but not overpowering, and more compliant than in the previous SS Commodores. Cornering balance is just plain excellent. Previous generations of the SS always felt as if they had a hinge in the middle, with rock 'n' roll suspension and steering that required more than one attempt for a corner, but this one is rock solid and totally connected.It is more like a BMW than an earlier Commodore, which means you can turn and go in most corners. The car is responsive, but never feels as if it wants to push wide at the front or turn its rear around.The engine is responsive and has more than enough grunt for any job, though it still feels strained if you go beyond 5000 revs. Better to upshift about 4500 and rely on the torque.The manual box is still not as good as that on an import, and it is over-geared in sixth, so we prefer the new auto. We'd go for the self-shifter, because the touch-change manual mode gives you more choices on winding roads and makes the car more responsive.The cabin is comfy and supportive, but the sound system is not as meaty as that in the Calais. And we don't like the outrageous red and black in the test car. Basic black, please.Otherwise, the SS is much as we remember and much as we like it. There is space for five, the alloy wheels look good, the 18-inch tyres have great grip, and the body kit lets everyone know you're driving an SS.The scorecard looks tough on the Mitsubishi 380 and Toyota Camry, but neither car is even close to the appeal of an SS. Even the latest XR Falcons fall short.THE BOTTOM LINEEverything you would expect from an SS and the all-new VE Commodore. A winner.Final Score: 84/100FAST FACTTHE SS has been trumped from inside the Holden family, because the VE line-up also includes the SS-V with the same power pack but extra equipment.INSIDE VIEW$44,990 as testedENGINE: 6.0-litre V8POWER: 270kW at 5700 revsTORQUE: 530Nm at 4400 revsTRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel-driveBODY: Four-door sedanSEATS: FiveDIMENSIONS: Length 4894mm, width 1899mm, height 1476mm, wheelbase 2915mm, tracks 1592/1608mm front/rearSTEERING: Power-assisted rack-and-pinionFUEL TANK: 73 litresFUEL TYPE: RegularFUEL CONSUMPTION: Average on test 13.4litres/100kmWEIGHT: 1785kgSPARE TYRE: 17-inch steelBRAKES: Anti-skid, ventilated four-wheel discsWHEELS: 18x8TYRES: 245x40SAFETY GEAR: electronic stability program, traction control, anti-skid brakes, front-side airbags, pre-tensioning seatbeltsWARRANTY: Three years/100,000kmFEATURES:Air-conditioningCruise controlAlloy wheelsClimate controlLeather seatsHOW IT COMPARESFord Falcon XR8 77/100 (from $51,330)Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo 79/100 (from $46,405)Mitsubishi 380 GT 74/100 (from $44,990)Toyota Camry Sportivo 72/100 (from $33,000)