Holden Commodore 2013 News

Holden chairman and managing director Mike Devereux said the company was building a world-class car for local and export markets. "The VF represents a sea-change in terms of the type of vehicle we can create in this country, it's a class above anything that we've ever done or has ever been done in this country, we're very proud that you can export things from Australia - they have to be world-class and this fantastic manufacturing facility and the team that put the VF together have delivered on that," he said. The car is being unveiled well before it goes on sale in June as the export version - the Chevrolet SS - is being revealed in the US tomorrow. The export model, which supplies the body aesthetics for the Chevrolet NASCAR competitor, will debut at the upcoming Daytona 500, unveiled by former Holden boss, now GM North America president Mark Reuss. Mr Devereux has again defended the co-investment strategy with the state and federal governments, which was expected to reap $6 billion of local economic benefit - through component suppliers and down to workers wages - during the life-cycle of the next-generation products out to 2022. Mr Devereux said the company was conscious of providing value for the governments’ $275 million co-investment package. "It's two billion for VF and four billion for the next-gen models, between 2016 and 2022 in economic activity and injection in the Australian economy, he says. "The country understands what manufacturing means to the country, we need to fight for our right to be able to have high-tech manufacturing," he says. "We take our taxpayer assistance very seriously and we want to make sure we provided a great return on investment for everybody in the country and we believe we're doing just that," he said. SA Premier Jay Weatherill believes the $50 million co-investment in Holden's manufacturing future represented value-for-money for tax payers. "We've invested $50 million and it's going to leverage the future of 16,000 jobs in SA, I think on anybody's reckoning that is a great deal for this state - a billion worth of investment through until 2022, that's the agreement that has been reached."  

It's the SS-V muscle car that will become the next Holden hero and, in another landmark Carsguide exclusive, our five million readers are seeing it first.The V8-powered VF flagship packs all the breakthrough features of the first Commodore makeover since the arrival of the VE - from self parking and anti-collision systems to an Audi-style luxury interior - with new front and rear panels including a lightweight aluminium bonnet and boot.No-one outside Holden is driving the VF for another six weeks, but the Carsguide crew has seen the car and climbed all over both the SS-V and the impressive new Calais luxury runner. Our early verdict? It's a sure-fire winner.The VF also proves the Commodore is not dead yet, even before a fresh commitment to the car that now stretches out beyond 2020. The pricing and lineup are still a closely-guarded secret, but it's inevitable that so much new technology in the VF will mean a rise from today's $37,990 starting point.The SS-V is the standout, from its signature ‘Fantale’ hero colour and optional 20-inch black alloy wheels to a driver-focussed cabin and a tiny spoiler sitting on top of the boot. But it's the basic changes - especially in the cabin - that elevate the car way beyond anything that's worn a Commodore badge in the past.“We're back,” says Holden's president, Mike Devereux, as he introduces the VF at a secret press briefing ahead of customer deliveries in June. “This is the most technologically-advanced car ever created in this country, without a doubt. What is different about today's vehicle is both the sophistication, technology and refinement.''The arrival of the VF means the end of the working-class Commodore, as all the changes for 2013 push the car upmarket and away from its humble start in 1978. Holden admits it's now chasing people who want a Commodore on their own terms, not workers who were forced to take one as a company car. “This is a no-excuses car,'' says Devereux.Holden has spent more than $500 million to design and develop the VF, which looks more muscular and modern despite what are relatively-minor exterior changes. The mid-section of the car carries over, although you would hardly know it from the contoured bonnet, aggressive nose, raised boot and the cabin renovation that brings a new dashboard and a whole suite of new electronics.Holden has even managed to crib some extra visibility by trimming down the A pillars which have been a VE bugbear, although the mirrors are still the same and still undersized by world standards. “I wouldn't say it's more extreme, but the persona has changed a little bit,'' says Holden's hero designer, Richard Ferlazzo, talking about the SS-V.“It's not about scaring women and children, it's about looking purposeful. You don't have to apologise for this. All cars have some sort of connection with speed. It's not all anti-social, it's enjoyable.''But he also knows what wins hearts -- and buyers -- who are also considering Euro luxury cars and full-loaded SUVs. “The interior is what everybody is going to be talking about. Not just in the technology, but the premium content and the fit-and-finish,'' Ferlazzo says.The look is completely new and dominated by an eight-inch colour touch screen that controls everything from new-generation satnav to automotive Apps. There is a similar smaller screen set ahead of the driver - and standard on all models - but the Commodore now gets a heads-up display. The quality of the materials in the car is a huge improvement, the window switches are moved from the console to the driver's door, and there is an electronic parking brake. On the safety side, the VF is a landmark local car with everything from blind-spot warning to front and rear anti-collision systems, a rear-view camera and a self-parking system that works for both parallel and reverse slots.The changes to the VF reflect the changes in the Australian automotive landscape, as the car faces incredibly tough opposition on all fronts. It's not good enough in 2013 to bowl up a car that's basically just an FJ Holden for everyone. It has to be targeted, and the SS-V is laser-locked on shoppers who want Euro-style quality with Aussie muscle.“We’re back, better than ever. It's game on," says Devereux. But this is just the first chapter of a story that will run for months, so stay tuned to Carsguide for the next instalment on the mechanical developments, ahead of the all-important first drive.New look front and rearAluminium bonnet and bootLED daytime running lampsNew wheelsNew dashboard with 8-inch colour touch-screenHeads-up display for driverElectric power steering and electronic park brakeSelf-parking systemFront and rear collision warningsCommodore or Falcon, Ford or Holden? That was the only real choice in new-car showrooms for nearly 20 years. But things have changed massively over the past decade and the old-time family favourites are now retreating faster than dinosaurs facing the ice age. So, what's the VF Commodore up against in 2013 and how does it rate against  rivals that are similarly priced - or costlier - in a fragmented showroom stoush?Here are the likely suspects for the Commodore's new-age cross-shopping contest:MASTER BLASTER: BMW M5 - $229,500The SS-V is finally on the right page for luxury buyers, thanks to that gorgeous cabin. The 6-litre V8 is old-school against the twin-turbo BMW, but the Holden hero is a bargain by any measure. And there are HSV VFs to come.FAMILY HAULER: Hyundai Santa Fe - $36,990If you really need seven seats you don't want a Commodore, but lots of families have forgotten that motoring can still be fun. The VF delivers, with the promise of better efficiency than a hulking people mover.DOWNSIZER DREAM: Mazda6 - $33,460A medium-sized car delivers similar cabin space to a Commodore in 2013, and the 6 is only a little shorter overall than the Holden. The challenge now is to deliver an ownership experience to rival a Mazda or Honda or Subaru dealership.EURO SNOBBERY: Mercedes-Benz A Class - $35,600Badge buyers love the Germans, and the new Benz-BMW-Volkswagen babies are great little cars at tasty prices. They will make things tough for the Calais, but cannot match its V8 pace or cabin space. 

Holden Racing Team drivers Garth Tander and James Courtney took the covers off the new Commodore that will spearhead their 2013 V8 Supercar championship. Both drivers are hoping for a reversal of fortunes after the team’s first winless season in 20 years; HRT has not won a championship in 10 years. “We’ve hit the reset button,” says Tander, who last won Bathurst two years ago, and a championship in 2007 for another Holden team. “The new Car of the Future rules means new opportunities.” This year will mark the arrival of two new manufacturers – Nissan and Mercedes-Benz – thanks to revised reglations that allow teams to fit any sedan body over common underpinnings. Everything except the V8 engines are standardized across all teams this year. “I think we’re in with a great shot, testing has been going really well,” said Courtney, who is yet to win at Bathurst but won a championship while driving for Ford in 2010. “I think the shake-up we had last year has really prepared us for this year.” HRT tested the new VF Commodore V8 Supercar today at Calder Park Raceway on the outskirts of Melbourne, before loading the car onto a truck for the official unveiling inside the lobby of Holden’s Port Melbourne head office. Holden repeated its commitment to V8 Supercars after speculation about the future of the company’s role with the road-going Commodore likely shifts to front-wheel-drive in 2017. The new rules would allow Holden to race any sedan body, regardless of the road car’s mechanicals, just as Nissan has done with its V6 front-drive Altima, which will be unveiled in Melbourne tomorrow. “HRT has been a mainstay of Australian motorsport and will continue to be a mainstay of Australian motorsport,” Tander said. Both drivers are looking forward to getting behind the wheel of their new V8 Supercar at next Saturday’s pre-season test at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway, which is open to the public. But they’re more focused on the opening round, Adelaide’s Clipsal 500 in three weeks. “We’ve had a fantastic off-season and we’re ready to get on the track and size up against the competition,” says Tander. “Adelaide has always been strong for Holden and HRT. It’s an important race for us. It’s the start of the season and, with the new rules, we’re all going into it with more unknowns than any season before.” Despite Holden's flagship team HRT being overshadowed by the performance of Triple 8 Racing, which switched from Ford to Holden in 2010, the Commodore has had an unbeatable racing record since Peter Brock drove the first one to championship and Bathurst victory in 1980. Of Holden's 29 Bathurst wins, 22 were with the Commodore; the VE model has won the last four Bathurst 1000 races and was the first car in Australian motorsport history to win 100 championship races. This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

To quote Prime Minister Ben Chifley when he unveiled the original Holden in 1948: “She’s a beauty”. Social media is buzzing with people questioning just how ‘new’ is the new VF Commodore – but it’s a moot point. It’s as new as Holden and General Motors could afford in their financial circumstances amid falling large-car sales. The core of the VF Commodore is the same as before – the roof, doors and glass are carryover parts, only the front and rear appearance have changed. But as the saying goes, if it aint broke don’t fix it. The Commodore’s body is already big enough, so Holden gave the VF a high-class nose job and bum tuck, and added lashings of chrome for good measure. The VF looks wider because the headlights have been moved outwards – losing the previous Commodore’s bulging front fenders – but it is still exactly the same width as before. The VF looks a little longer – because it is a little longer. The designers moved the rear roof pillars further back and lengthened the bootlid for better aerodynamic efficiency at freeway speeds. It’s an elegant, BMW-like execution. The hundreds of millions of dollars Holden didn’t waste on building a new-from-the-ground-up car was wisely spent on adding technology and removing weight – about 40kg from the car’s overall mass. Which is why even though the V6 and V8 engines carry over from before, the new Commodore will also be about 10 per cent more fuel-efficient. Sure, the wagon and ute don’t come in for much love (their exteriors are largely unchanged from the windscreen back). And the crash alert system won’t slam on the brakes like it does in some European cars (the Holden system will flash and beep until you hit the brakes). But once they see it in the metal – and judge for themselves how different it looks – I reckon the VF Commodore will exceed the expectations of most Australians and Commodore defectors across the country. Holden’s done the hard yards to build the best Commodore ever – and the most advanced car designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia. The only challenge now is to convince buyers to give it one last chance when they’re in the market for a new car. This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling VF Commodore by the numbers Two The number of 12V power sockets in the new Commodore (one in the centre console as before, and a new one in front of the gear lever). $39.8 million Taxpayer dollars into the VF Commodore’s weight-saving technology such as the aluminum bonnet, boot and underpinnings. $2 billion How much economic activity Holden claims the new VF Commodore will create during its three-year lifespan. 70kg How much weight Holden managed to trim from the new VF Commodore’s body and structure. 30kg How much weight Holden put back into the car in the form of new technology such as self-parking, lane-keeping, crash alert and blind-spot warning. 40kg The net weight saving after taking some out and putting some back into the car. 2016 The year the homegrown rear-drive Commodore bows out to make way for a four-cylinder front-drive car that Holden says will wear the Commodore badge.  

What's new:Self-parking technologyForward collision warning in low-speed trafficHeads-up display on high grade modelsInternet music radio service PandoraLarge infotainment touch screenSensor key with push button startElectronic park brakeAluminium boot, bonnet and underpinningsAbout 40kg less weight overallWhat's not:The sedan's body, doors and glassThe door handlesThe side mirrorsThe V6 and V8 engines (but they are 10 per cent more efficient)The rear of the wagon and uteThis reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

The new Commodore will likely push Holden’s Elizabeth production line into overtime when it goes into production mid-year – but right now it is experiencing the calm before the storm. Holden has dramatically cut Commodore production in the first six months of this year as buyers wait for the new model. The company plans to build just 2000 sedans, wagons and utes each month – less than last year’s record-low sales rate, and a fraction of the 8000-a-month during its peak in 1998. But Holden is likely to make up for lost ground in the second half of this year, by at least doubling production as demand picks up in Australia, and as exports of the Commodore to North America recommence in November. Holden would not reveal its sales and production forecasts. However, News Limited understands Holden will build more than 4000 Commodore sedans, wagons and utes each month from June onwards, with a contingency to add overtime shifts if required. “We will be able to build however many cars Australians and, frankly, Americans want to buy from us,” the chairman and managing director of Holden Mike Devereux told News Limited. “We’ve got a lot of overtime shifts, we’ve got a lot of flexibility that we can put into our production plan.” Car factories typically plan at least 12 months in advance how many cars it will build. When asked if Holden had enough parts supply to cope with a sudden surge in demand, Devereux said: “I would love to face that problem. Give me that problem to solve and I will solve it.” The doubling of production in the last six months of the year is, however, unlikely to return the Commodore to top-seller status for the calendar year. “The time for any one vehicle … to sell one tenth the cars in any country is an illogical assumption to make,” Devereux said. “No model of anybody selling any car in this country will . The market is so fragmented now.” At its peak in 1998 Holden sold more than 94,000 Commodores (in a year Australians bought 807,000 new cars). Last year Holden sold just 30,000 Commodores, its lowest tally ever, despite a record 1.1 million new-car sales. But Holden workers should feel more pride than ever before about the new Commodore, the most technically-advanced car to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia, Devereux said. “I think is going to change people’s minds about what we can do in this country,” he said. “Australians should say ‘look at what we can do, look at how good we can be, we do punch above our weight, big time’. “Every feature that we could cram into this car, and frankly every feature that you can find on any car, is in this one. If you’re going to sell a car in San Francisco and in Sydney, or and in Miami and in Melbourne, or in Atlanta and Adelaide, it has to be world class. This is a no-excuses car.” This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

Australians will be in for a pleasant surprise when they open the door to the new Commodore. At first glance you could be forgiven for thinking you’d pressed the wrong key and stumbled into a BMW, such is the finish of the materials and the technology that’s evident.With Australians buying European cars in record numbers, Holden designers benchmarked the best from Germany to help them come up with the VF Commodore’s new interior, which shares only the console lid from the old car.Everything else is new, from the steering wheel to the indicator stalks. The clumsy handbrake is gone, replaced by an electronic switch. The colour touch screen is almost as big as a handheld tablet. The topline Calais model comes with a heads-up display, which reflects vehicle speed and other key information into the driver’s line of sight.Meanwhile few drivers and passengers will be able to resists rubbing their grubby hands on the suede material on the dash, bordered by stiched leather. The good news, though, is that the suede is synthetic, so it wipes clean with a damp cloth.The door pockets are smaller than before but the cup holders near the centre console are bigger, and there are more small pockets, including in the door-pulls on each door. There are now two 12V power sockets (one under the air-conditioning controls and another in its original place, the centre console), and dual-zone air-conditioning standard across the range.The seats are new, front and rear, but the headroom and legroom are the same as before because the core of the car has been carried over from the VE Commodore released in 2006. The roof, doors and glass are the same, but from the driver’s seat, everything looks brand-new.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

As Holden fans around Australia attempt to piece together the appearance of the new Holden Commodore in an online competition, Carsguide can exclusively reveal some of the key technology that is due to make it the most advanced car ever made in Australia.The last homegrown Holden Commodore - due to be unveiled on Sunday before going on sale in June and phased out in 2016 - will be loaded with technology normally found on luxury cars, including a system that will enable the car to park itself, and an alert that will warn the driver if they are about to crash.Although self parking technology has been around since 2005 when it was introduced on a Lexus limousine, and is now available on Volkswagens, Skodas and the new Ford Focus, the VF Commodore will become the first Australian-made car with the technology.The system uses sensors in the front and rear bumper bars to detect the size of a car space, and then steers the car automatically into position. The driver only needs to select reverse and touch the brakes. As with the latest systems it works for parallel and 90-degree parking. It’s made possible by the Commodore’s switch to electric power steering, which is also a fuel-saving measure.Other technology designed to trim about 10 per cent from the new Holden Commodore’s fuel bill includes a lightweight aluminium bonnet and boot, as well as some underbody components that trim the car’s mass by about 40kg.Inside, Holden has completely overhauled the interior to give it a more upmarket appearance, but customers will most likely welcome the relocation of the power window switches from the centre console to the door panels. The Commodore’s current clumsy handbrake has been replaced by an electronic one that is operated at the press of a button.The new Commodore will also get a heads up display that reflects car speed and key information in windscreen in driver's line of sight, similar to top end BMWs.A larger touch screen is the gateway to an overhauled entertainment system that will include access to Internet music service Pandora for the first time on an Australian-made car. Meanwhile a sensor key will enable drivers to unlock and start the car while leaving the key in their pocket or handbag.The Commodore’s crash alert system won’t automatically slam on the brakes, as it does in some European cars, but it will alert the driver if they’re about to hit the car ahead in low-speed traffic. Holden would not confirm any of the technology in the new Commodore ahead of a secret briefing to the media today inside the company’s Melbourne design headquarters. All information, including official photos of the new car, have been embargoed until Sunday morning.The ‘new’ Commodore is in fact a redesign of the VE model released seven years ago. The front and rear appearance have changed but the core of the car - the body, doors, roof, engines and transmission - are the same as before. Even the side mirrors are carried over.The upgrade was due two years ago but was delayed by the restructure of General Motors in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis. Falling sales of large cars meant that an all-new model wasn’t feasible, which is why Holden has invested heavily in technology in the updated model.The VF will be the last Australian-made Commodore after the boss of Holden told reporters in Detroit it would be phased out by the end of 2016 to make way for a new, as yet unnamed vehicle to be built alongside the Cruze small car until 2022.By the end of 2016 the homegrown Commodore will have run for 38 years, almost twice as long as the iconic Holden Kingswood it replaced in 1978, which was on sale for 20 years.For live updates on the new Holden Commodore reveal on Sunday morning, following this reporter on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

So much for the push towards greener cars. In automotive terms Australia is about to become the 51st state of the USA.Australians are moving closer to North Americans in their taste in vehicles. For the first time ever there is now almost an exact 50:50 split between the sales of passenger cars – and utes and SUVs. The same ratio seen for decades in pick-up and SUV-loving USA. Twenty years ago passenger cars accounted for more than 70 per cent of all new vehicles sold in Australia.Official figures released today confirm January 2013 was the strongest start to a year in Australian automotive history, eclipsing 85,000 deliveries for the first time – and the previous January record set in 2008 before the Global Financial Crisis.The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries reports 41,957 passenger cars were delivered in January compared to 41,595 utes, vans and SUVs – a slim gap of 362 sales, or the equivalent of just three days of deliveries for the top-selling car, the Mazda3.“The trend towards SUVs and away from classic passenger cars is all to do with their style and versatility and mass-acceptability,” says David Chalke, a cultural change analyst with AustraliaScan. “Everybody’s doing it, there’s now a fear of being left out.”Chalke says SUVs are no longer the heathens of the road thanks to their new levels of fuel-efficiency. “The new ones use comparatively so little fuel most people don’t think they’re driving a 4WD,” he said. “In fact in many cases they’re not. They are often two-wheel-drive with the appearance of a 4WD.”FCAI chief executive Tony Weber says the mining boom is also driving ute and SUV sales. “Part of is the mining boom, part of it is private buyers seeking new levels of flexibility and cars that better suit their needs.”Australia’s three local car makers – Toyota, Holden and Ford – failed to cash-in. January is typically a slow month for sales of locally-made cars but they dropped by 28 per cent to an all-new low.Just 2722 Australian made cars were delivered in January – which means the combined sales of the Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon, Ford Territory, Toyota Camry and Toyota Aurion ranked third -- an unprecedented status. Mazda3 was the top-selling car (3345 sales), followed by the Toyota Corolla (2960), the Toyota Hilux (2747), and the Nissan Navara (2474).The Ford Focus (2364) had its best month ever -- and helped drive Ford to a 33 per cent sales increase – but it outsold the Falcon by three-to-one. The Falcon (778 deliveries) is now selling at the same rate as the Mitsubishi 380 in the year before the factory closed. Ford’s Broadmeadows throughput is topped up by the production of Territory (up 44 per cent) and ute (down 22 per cent), but sales of both models are well down from their peaks.Holden says it has scaled back production of the Commodore (1650 deliveries) ahead of a new model due in showrooms in June. Toyota sold just 557 Camrys and 227 Aurion V6 sedans (down 57 and 77 per cent respectively). The FCAI’s Weber dismissed the weak sales of locally mades cars as “just one bad month, let’ see where it goes”. “We’re going to continue to see more and more market segmentation,” Weber said. “We won’t see just one car reach the massive volumes of years past.”In other highlights:Toyota was down 5 per cent but is set to lead the market for the 11th year in a row;Mazda outsold Holden to be second in the market for the fourth time ever (previous monthly second-placings: April, September and Dec 2012);Nissan is closing-in on Ford, less than 500 sales behind, threatening to push the Blue Oval brand to sixth;Honda had a blinder month, up 141 per cent from a low base – but still well down on its best year;Audi outsold BMW for the fourth January (previous wins were in ’09, ’11, ’12) and the sixth time ever (after previous wins in Feb ’11, Oct ’11) but Mercedes was top luxury brand;Sales of passenger cars fell by 1 per cent in a market that grew 11 per cent driven by surges in utes (up 43 per cent) and SUVs (up 20 per cent);The delivery of 1878 heavy trucks (up 10 per cent) takes January tally to 85,430.Top selling cars in January 2013Mazda3 3345Toyota Corolla 2960Toyota HiLux 2747Nissan Navara 2474Ford Focus 2364Hyundai i30 2006Holden Captiva 2155Mazda2 1665Holden Commodore 1650Holden Cruze 1630Mazda CX5 1625Top selling brands in January 2013Toyota 13,375 down 4.9pcMazda 8912 up 5.1pcHolden 8811 down 2.8pcFord 7721 up 32.3pcNissan 7248 up 35 pcHyundai 6816 up 4.7pcMitsubishi 4449 down 2.6pcVolkswagen 3824 up 13.6pcHonda 3816 up 141pcSubaru 3104 down 3.2pcThis reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

The countdown to the new Commodore has begun – it is just 10 days away from being unveiled – and Holden is letting fans try to piece together its appearance in an online jigsaw puzzle competition. Holden will today launch an Australia-wide “scavenger hunt” having hidden 101 virtual jigsaw pieces “in real world and online locations”. The company is offering no more clues. Players must register on a microsite (www.buildthecommodore.com.au) which will reveal clues each day to help punters find each piece of the cyber puzzle. Each person who finds one of the 101 pieces of the puzzle and shares it online will be entered into a draw to win one of the first VF Commodores to roll off the production line in June this year, when the car is due to arrive in showrooms. “The last time we launched a new Commodore, social media was in its infancy,” said Holden marketing director, Simon Carr. “Facebook and YouTube were not household names and mobile phones were for calls and texts. “Fast forward seven years and most of us have a mobile device connected to the internet. Half of all Australians are Facebook users and social networking is ingrained in how we act as consumers.” It is the first time Holden has used social media to preview a new Commodore. “What better way to re-launch an Australian favourite than engage our fans and enthusiasts in the hunt to create its first official image?” Carr said. The competition opens today (Friday 1 February) but the first puzzle pieces will be released on Wednesday 6 February, with the competition concluding as the real-life car is revealed via a live webcast on the Holden website on Sunday 10 February. Australians will see the new Commodore one week ahead of the North American reveal of the Chevrolet SS version. The Commodore will return to the US later this year as a Chevrolet after exports there stopped in 2009 in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis. More than 41,000 Commodores were sold as Pontiacs between November 2007 and February 2009, almost equivalent to Holden’s annual sales of Commodore at the time – but the deal ended when the Pontiac brand was axed in the restructure of General Motors. This time around, though, Holden has modest sales expectations for the Commodore in the US, planning to ship between 5000 and 10,000 cars a year, according to the former boss of Holden and now boss of GM in North America, Mark Ruess. The VF Commodore is slated to be the last Commodore of all time after the first one replaced the Kingswood in 1978. The boss of Holden Mike Devereux told reporters at the Detroit motor show a fortnight ago that the homegrown favourite would be phased out in 2016 to make way for a new, as-yet unnamed model. The Commodore was Australia's top-selling car for 15 years -- an all-time record -- but has been overtaken by the Mazda3 small car for two years running. Holden is hoping there will be a reversal of fortunes with the new model, which is due in showrooms in June. This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling