Holden Commodore 2014 News

Holden revives Peter Brock-style limited edition with his protégé Craig Lowndes. Holden has confirmed that its star V8 Supercar driver Craig Lowndes will put his name to a special edition Holden Commodore SS, continuing the legacy left by his fallen hero Peter Brock who put his magic touch on thousands of Commodores in the 1980s and 1990s. Lowndes' name will appear on a limited edition version of the Holden Commodore SS-V Redline, and each car will be individually numbered, just like the original Brock-enhanced Commodores. Although Brock Commodores typically were made in batches of 500, the Lowndes Commodores will be much more exclusive. Holden plans to build just 161 Commodores to commemorate the number of laps in the Bathurst 1000. The special edition is also designed to pay tribute to Lowndes's 20th anniversary of his first Bathurst 1000 race in a Holden. In 1994, a young Lowndes and his seasoned teammate Brad Jones came second in the Great Race in his rookie year. Carsguide understands the Lowndes edition V8 gets no power upgrades but it does come loaded with all the available technology in the latest Commodore, including a heads-up display, crash avoidance alert, and keyless go, among other features. It will also get race-bred Brembo brakes front and rear; until now the Brembo calipers have only been fitted up front. Visual highlights include a black finish for the alloy wheels, mirror scalps, fender vents and rear wing. There are also three thick black stripes on the bonnet and a flash of black along the doors on both sides. Production is due to start in November with deliveries due before the end of the year. In a Holden statement, Lowndes said: "I've had a lot of success on the racetrack behind the wheel of Commodores and to celebrate that with this special road-going version is a great privilege. I know fans and customers all over the country are going to love it."

Just 21 cars separate Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 in the 2014 new-car sales race.New-car bargains are set to continue as sales slowed for the sixth month in a row and dealers remain overstocked.Affordability may be at a 38-year-high and prices already at 20-year lows, but new-car deliveries are down by 2.1 per cent in the first seven months of this year (to 649,818 deliveries) compared to the same period last year.Figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show new-car sales dipped by 0.4 per cent in July compared with the same month last year, with 89,867 vehicles finding new homes.Experts say the downturn could be a "hangover" from last year’s all-time record, with 1,136,227 vehicles reported as sold.Industry insiders believe the official data has been distorted because a number of big brands declared cars as sold last year even though they hadn’t actually been delivered to customers.At least one company, Nissan, has admitted it is delivering more new cars this year than what it is reporting to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, so that it can balance its books. Mitsubishi and Honda are believed to be doing the same."If you look at (the official sales figures) it may look like we’re falling behind, but the truth is we’re clearing stuff that was already counted," Nissan Australia boss Richard Emery told industry journal GoAuto."So the (official sales figures) you’ve been seeing from us is understated compared to what we’ve actually been putting across the (kerb)." One source who asked to remain anonymous told News Corp Australia: "The industry has digested most of the cars declared as sold last year, even though they were still in dealer stock, so you will start to see the reported sales numbers pick up later in the year."With the Australian dollar likely to strengthen later in the year, according to economists, and with interest rates remaining at record lows, sharp deals are expected to continue across most makes and models.At the top of the sales charts the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 are in a tighter battle than the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore ever were.The last time the Ford Falcon outsold Holden Commodore in a month, in September 2003, it was by just 48 sales (7409 versus 7361).The Toyota Corolla -- last year’s top seller -- has taken the lead in the new-car sales race for the first time in 2014, just 21 cars ahead of the arch rival Mazda3.The Mazda3 was Australia’s favourite car for two of the past three years and ended the Holden Commodore’s 15-year winning streak in 2011.Official sales figures for July show the Corolla was the top selling car for the fifth month in a row, but it is the first time it has topped the year-to-date tally after the Mazda3 posted an unusually high number of "demonstrator" deliveries at the start of the year.However, only four of the Top 10 brands posted sales gains, and Holden’s 10th month in a row of sales surges came to an end, posting an 11 per cent drop in July compared with the same month last year.The Holden Commodore has also posted its first monthly sales decline for the first time since the new model went on sale a year ago. But at least there was a silver lining for Holden: it had three cars in the Top 10.As a sign of the changing times, in the luxury segment Mercedes-Benz’s AMG division has outsold Holden Special Vehicles so far this year; figures show HSV sold 1056 cars to June (with the supercharged HSV GTS accounting for almost half of the brand’s sales) compared with 1208 AMG Mercedes-Benz cars.Top 10 cars in July 2014Toyota Corolla 3800 -- down 3.7 per centMazda3 3421 -- down 1.2 per centToyota HiLux 3140 -- up 5.6 per centHolden Commodore 2469 -- down 12.7 per centHyundai i30 2434 -- up 6.3 per centFord Ranger 2023 -- up 13.5 per centMazda CX-5 1895 -- up 15.7 per centToyota Camry 1806 -- down 12.4 per centHolden Cruze 1747 -- down 29.2 per centHolden Colorado 1443 -- down 14.8 per centTop 10 brands in July 2014Toyota 16,486 down 5.4 per centHolden 8990 down 11.3 per centHyundai 8351 up 4.3 per centMazda 8048 down 5.6 per centFord 6210 down 7.8 per centNissan 5451 up 7.5 per centMitsubishi 5042 down 10.4 per centVolkswagen 3991 up 0.6 per centSubaru 3121 up 0.6 per centHonda 2708 down 1.4 per centSource: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, percentage change compared with the same month last year.

Holden is recalling 25,000 Commodores because the seat could wriggle loose.

Holden revives Peter Brock-style limited edition with his protégé Craig Lowndes.

Ute sales boom to new record in June but not everyone was a winner.

Forget record high petrol prices: Aussie revheads are rushing to buy V8-powered Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons in record numbers as the iconic sedans near the end of the production line.

Australian cars not affected by faulty ignition which can cut out and disable airbags.

Holden Commodore resurgence means the factory won't close early. Holden says there are no plans to shut its factory earlier than 2017 even though sales of the Cruze small car have fallen sharply this year and hit a new low last month. The Holden Cruze, which is built alongside the Commodore in Elizabeth, has struggled against imported cars buoyed by the strong Australian dollar and Japanese brands boosted by an artificially devalued Yen. The tally of 1346 deliveries is the lowest since production of the Cruze switched from South Korea to South Australia four years ago. A statement from Holden said: "Over time, Cruze has been a very strong seller both for Holden and GM globally. Holden has just released (special edition) models and there have been no changes to our manufacturing plans." The locally-made Cruze is expected to be phased out about a year before the Commodore because it is due for a model change-over.  However, Holden is yet to decide if it will extend the life of the locally-made Cruze to boost efficiency at the Elizabeth car factory, or replace it with an imported model and manufacture only the Commodore through to the end of 2017.   In the meantime, the Commodore has once again become the driving force behind Holden sales.  The company has been propped up by a resurgence of the Commodore -- sales are up 60 per cent after last year's record lows -- and a boost in Holden's imported vehicle line-up.  Holden was one of only three brands in the Top 10 to post a sales surge in May as the rest of the new-car market recorded its fifth month in a row of decline. The Commodore, which until three years ago was Australia's top selling car for a record 15 years in a row, managed to maintain fourth spot behind the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 small cars and the Toyota HiLux ute. The Commodore was the best-seller of the locally-made cars (2648), with sales of the Melbourne-made Toyota Camry down by 21 per cent (to 1522 deliveries) and the Ford Falcon flat-lining with just 700 deliveries (the same as last year), putting it well outside the Top 20. Despite the Commodore's recovery, General Motors will not reverse the decision to end local production because it is not selling enough to keep the Holden factory running efficiently. Although the Commodore's fourth placed result is commendable given the buyer preference for small cars and SUVs, it is still only selling at only a quarter of its ideal production rate. The rest of Holden's sales surge in May relied on imported models, as the company prepares for a future without locally-made vehicles. Last month was a record May for Holden Colorado ute sales and the best ever result for Holden Trax compact SUV. Despite record low interest rates, sales of new cars were down again in May, after a hitting a two-year low in April and starting 2014 behind last year's sales rate. Official figures released Wednesday show 94,562 new vehicles were delivered in May, a decline of 2.3 per cent compared with the same month last year. Top 10 brands in May 2014Toyota: 17,246 -- down 9.2 per centHolden: 9012 -- up 8.7 per centHyundai: 8403 -- up 4.7 per centMazda: 7751 -- down 4.7 per centFord: 6950 -- down 4.0 per centNissan: 6281 -- up 6.0 per centMitsubishi: 5780 -- down 17.6 per centVolkswagen: 4918 -- down 11.0 per centSubaru: 3202 -- down 8.6 per centHonda: 2539 -- down 30.0 per cent Top 10 cars in May 2014Toyota Corolla: 3871 -- up 6.3 per centToyota HiLux: 3313 -- down 9.5 per centMazda3: 3291 -- up 7.8 per centHolden Commodore: 2648 -- up 60.8 per centHyundai i30: 2553 -- up 1.6 per centFord Ranger: 2317 -- up 35 per centVolkswagen Golf: 2301 -- up 46.1 per centMitsubishi Triton: 2254 -- down 13.5 per centMazda CX-5: 1715 -- down 3.5 per centHolden Colorado: 1689 -- up 22.5 per centNissan Navara: 1541 up 2.5 per cent 2014: The year so farJanuary: down 3.7 per centFebruary: down 3.8 per centMarch: down 0.1 per centApril: down 5.2 per centMay: down 2.3 per cent Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, all percentages compared to the same month the previous year.

Holden has beefed up value equation with more features in the SV6 and SS Commodores, launching Storm special editions that for a limited time will replace the normal spec with features borrowed from the SS-V and Redline shelves.Additions for Storm include as standard: satellite navigation, front foglights with chrome trim (from the SS-V), 18-inch alloys with dark finish, red stitched upholstery and dash accents (from Redline) and Storm embroidery and badges.The Storm editions raise the price by $500 over the donor SV6 and SS sedans, wagons and ute, but the package offers more than double that in value."The total value is around $1200 -- the satellite navigation by itself would otherwise be a $750 option," Holden executive director of sales, product and marketing, Philip Brook, says.Holden will offer the Special Editions through May and June, with about 4000 cars in total being specced across the three body styles: 1600 sedans, 1200 wagons and 1200 utes."The SS V8 version of the utes is stronger than the six, but in the sedans and wagons we expect the SV6 to dominate," Brook says. "The SV6 is always quite strong -- it accounts for more than a third of the Commodore volume -- and should do quite well as a Storm Edition.“So far this year, VF sales are up 62.3% which is over 3,000 units. That’s more than any other car in the market and the Storm Special Edition will help add to that success.”The Storm editions area available only on petrol models, with no Storm upgrade for LPG cars. All SV6 Storm Editions are powered by the 210kW/350Nm petrol six-cylinder, while the SS Storm Editions get the 6.0-litre V8 delivering 270kW/530Nm with the six-speed manual form and 260kW/517 with the six-speed auto.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincottHolden Commodore Storm Edition list pricesHolden Commodore SV6 Storm (man) $36,490Holden Commodore sedan SV6 (auto) Storm $38,690Holden Commodore Sportwagon SV6 Storm (auto) $40,690Holden Commodore SS Storm (man) $42,990Holden Commodore SS Storm (auto) $45,190Holden Commodore Sportwagon SS Storm (auto) $47,190Holden Ute SV6 Storm (man) $33,490Holden Ute SV6 Storm (auto) $35,690Holden Ute SS Storm (man) $39,490Holden Ute SS Storm (auto) $41,690 

THE new boss of Holden has boldly claimed the company will be Australia's top-selling car brand by the year 2020 -- just three years after shutting its factories. Holden hasn't been number one for 11 years, has just posted a 20-year low, and currently sells a little more than half the number of cars as market leader Toyota.Despite this, Holden boss Gerry Dorizas has bravely set his targets high barely five weeks into the new job. It seems like a tall order when the claims are judged against Holden's current model line-up.But behind the scenes the company is searching every corner of the globe to bolster its showrooms once Holden doesn't have a car factory to protect beyond 2017. That means all bets are off and Holden executives are going through the entire General Motors catalogue to fill every possible niche to win back buyers who've defected to other brands.Some of the cars listed here may seem fanciful based on Holden's recent history. But make no mistake, anything is possible in Holden's new era.As with all car makers, Holden refuses to discuss its future model plans and these cars are by no means confirmed. But this list has been compiled with some inside knowledge and a review of how Holden has done business in happier times, such as the late 1990s and early 2000s when European and US models helped drive it to Number One.Here are the 10 cars that could power Holden to the top of the market over the next six years.1. CamaroYou read it here first: Holden executives told dealers in a secret meeting late last year it's hopeful of getting the next generation Chevrolet Camaro in local showrooms by 2018, just after the homegrown Commodore fades from view.Normally such hot news would be kept under wraps, but Holden was trying to give dealers a confidence boost after announcing the 2017 factory closure.A right-hand-drive version of the current Chevrolet Camaro was under development when it was axed in 2009, in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis.Now that Ford has confirmed the Mustang is coming to Australia (due in late 2015) Holden is believed to be fighting hard for a right-hand-drive Chevrolet Camaro to meet its rival head-on.And the iconic Corvette? Former General Motors CEO, Dan Akerson, told Carsguide in January 2013 a right-hand-drive version was coming -- only to be corrected by his second-in-command Tim Lee less than 24 hours later.It's unlikely there will be a right-hand-drive version of this generation Corvette, but the head of General Motors global product development, Mark Reuss, a former Holden boss, told Carsguide in January 2014 he wants right-hand-drive versions of all Chevrolet vehicles in the future.2. Cascada convertibleIn the same top-secret meeting Holden dealers were told about the Camaro, they were also told the Opel Cascada convertible will be coming to Holden showrooms by year's end.The Cascada -- Spanish for rain or waterfall, unusual for a convertible given that they're about sunshine, except when they leak -- was supposed to be introduced as an Opel before General Motors pulled the German brand from sale locally last year, less than 12 months after it launched. All Holden needs to do is fit Holden badges, get cars to dealers and starting printing brochures.The Cascada is the spiritual successor to the Astra convertible, which Holden sold across two generations from 2001 to 2010.Holden is yet to decide whether the convertible will wear the Cascada badge or if Holden will use the Astra name for the convertible.Holden dealers have told Carsguide they would prefer the Astra badge because of its recognition, but Holden executives have been referring to the car by its Opel name in preliminary meetings.3. Astra hatchThe Holden Astra is going to return to showrooms, it's just a matter of when. At the moment, Holden doesn't want to dent sales of the locally-made Cruze but the Astra is on stand-by, ready to go.Holden dealers had to clear the unsold Astra stock once the Opel brand was withdrawn from Australia, so the network has already handled the new model.The three-door and five-door hatch versions of the Astra are likely starters, but the Astra sedan will probably be left behind, leaving the next generation Cruze sedan to fill the void.4. Cruze sedanHolden will import the next generation Cruze sedan once the locally-made model goes out of production. It will opt for the Cruze sedan (over the Astra sedan) because it will give Holden a strategic price step through the small-car range.The Cruze sedan will likely be the price-leader at close to $20,000 while the Astra hatch will likely be priced closer to fellow European, the Volkswagen Golf, at about $23,000.General Motors is yet to commit to a new version of the Cruze wagon.Although the current Holden Cruze wagon is well priced and regarded as a sound vehicle, it is selling in small numbers, with buyers favouring SUVs.5. Trax faceliftThe recently-released Holden Trax compact SUV is well-equipped and sharply priced but hasn't proved popular with buyers.It seems not everyone is a fan of its cutesy Dumbo Elephant looks. But a fix is a phone call away.The Trax's twin, the Opel Mokka, was due to go on sale locally until the brand was withdrawn late last year.The Mokka has a more European design inside and out even though it comes from the same South Korean factory as the Trax.Holden could simply fit Trax badges to the better-looking model on a “facelift” for a sales boost.6. BarinaAs one of the best-priced and roomiest cars in its class, the current-generation Barina is another Holden that deserves to be selling better.But it is heavy and thirsty compared to the class leaders. And while the attractively designed interior looks good in brochures, the plastics are hard to the touch and feel cheap once you're behind the wheel.The next Barina will likely continue to come from South Korea (rather than sourcing the European Opel Corsa) because it will enable Holden to keep prices low.Better quality plastics will improve the interior's appeal, while a more efficient engine and a lighter body will improve fuel economy, giving the next Barina a better chance in the cut-throat light-car class.7. Captiva SUVAn all-new Captiva SUV can't come soon enough. Most cars have a model cycle of five-to-six years. The Captiva is entering its ninth year on sale and a new-from-the-ground-up model is still about two years away.The current Captiva is selling well because it is the cheapest ticket into a seven-seat full-size SUV. But the new model will have to step up to newer competition, especially if it loses its current $10,000 price advantage.The other key to the Captiva's success is the two-model strategy: a slightly smaller five-seater and a slightly bigger seven-seater.Holden would like to continue with two models given the SUV market is still booming, but General Motors is likely to consolidate to one model globally.The Captiva is critical to Holden's 2020 Number One target: it accounts for almost one-third of sales and is currently the biggest selling model behind the Commodore and the Cruze.8. Next CommodoreHolden has scrapped plans to share the next generation, front-wheel-drive Commodore with a Chinese Buick.Now that the Commodore (or whatever Holden chooses to call its next large sedan) is no longer going to be built locally, Holden has the luxury of choosing between the Buick, Chevrolet or Opel versions of the same car.Expect four-cylinder and V6 power for the front-drive sedan, but there will no longer be a Commodore V8, wagon or ute.The Camaro is expected to fill the V8 void, while Commodore wagon customers will either downsize to a Cruze or step up to a Captiva SUV. Commodore ute buyers will have to learn to love the Colorado.9. Colorado uteThe Holden Colorado is travelling ok but it's still not selling as well as the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton. That means there is still plenty of sales potential.The Colorado is being held back at the moment because it doesn't drive as well as its peers and the cabin isn't as user-friendly or as upmarket as the newer competition.It also doesn't look like a tough truck. Making it drive better will take some chassis tuning, but making it look tougher is not as hard as it sounds.General Motors in North America redesigned the nose for the Chevrolet version of the 2015 Colorado, to make it look like a full-size pick-up. And guess what? The parts clip straight on to the Holden Colorado. Simples.10. Tahoe/SilveradoHolden has been trying to get right-hand-drive versions of General Motors' full-size SUVs and pick-ups from the US for more than a decade. Since, in fact, the Chevrolet Suburban was discontinued after being sold here between 1998 and 2001.Back then, when the Australian dollar was weaker than it is today, the “Holden” Suburban sold for between $64,000 and $87,000.At today's exchange rates, the prices for the Tahoe SUV and Silverado pick-up would likely be between $50,000 and $75,000 -- smack bang in the middle of Toyota Prado and Toyota LandCruiser territory, which last year accounted for more than 10 per cent of Toyota's sales.General Motors is yet to confirm right-hand-drive versions of its full-size pick-ups and SUVs -- but former Holden boss Mark Reuss, now the head of GM's global product development, told Carsguide in January this year he wants right-hand-drive versions of all future models.If they became available, Holden would grab them with both hands.What about HSV?Holden's performance-car division will continue to build the Clubsport sedan and wagon, Maloo ute, Grange limousine and GTS super-sedan until the very end of Commodore production in October 2017.Carsguide understands it may even stockpile enough cars to run into 2018 because once these homegrown heroes go, there will be no more.In the meantime, HSV is looking to broaden its model range. Don't be surprised to see the high performance Opel Astra OPC hot hatch and Opel Insignia OPC sedan and wagon appear in Holden showrooms wearing HSV badges.HSV has sold Opel's high performance Astra before and the Astra hatch and Insignia were sold here last year as Opels before the brand was withdrawn from sale.That means they've been approved for Australian Design Rules and there is already parts availability. All that's missing are the HSV badges.Friends in high placesHolden boss Gerry Dorizas believes Holden will get more support now than ever before from its overseas head-quarters.Former Holden boss Mike Devereux is in charge of sales for the Asia-Pacific region, and the man who saved Holden from extinction during the GFC, Mark Reuss, is now in charge of General Motors' global product development.The new president of General Motors, reporting directly to CEO Mary Barra, is New Zealander Dan Ammann, who grew up around Holdens.Will Zafira make it?Opel was poised to introduce the latest Zafira people mover in Australia before the brand was withdrawn suddenly late last year.Holden is understood to be evaluating whether the Zafira can be priced competitively against the other seven-seater family wagons before introducing it locally.Holden sold the Zafira in Australia between 2001 and 2006 but was dropped from the line-up as buyers began to favour seven-seat SUVs.Today, the people-mover category represents just 0.9 per cent of the new-vehicle market.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling