Holden Commodore News

GM Holden will be shipping at least 2500 2.8-litre versions of its Australian-made Alloytec V6 engine to the Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico where the 2010 SRX is manufactured."I guess that means there will be a little bit of Aussie heart in those Cadillacs," GM Holden Australia boss Mark Reuss says.The fillip for Holden's export aspirations couldn't have come at a better time as the company is still reeling from a disastrous six months at the hands of the global financial crisis.So far this year plans to sell a Pontiac version of the VE Ute to the United States were canned, then Pontiac itself fell over the in GM global restructure taking with it more than 30,000 potential Commodore-based G8 exports.And to top it off sales of the VE into the Middle-East have also taken a hit as economic reality bites. "When you lose that sort of percentage (around 70 per cent) of half of your production it is always going to hurt," Reuss conceded at the recent launch of the Cruze small car.However, the news of the Cadillac order is just the sort of pick-me-up the local manufacturer needs. "It (the engine plant) won a GM global quality award and on the back of that came the order for 2500 of the engines for Cadillac," Reuss says. "That is pretty pleasing."There is no indication whether more orders will be forthcoming but that is a distinct possibility. Reuss says that following meetings in Detroit he is comfortable that the action plan for GM Holden will give the company the best chance of coming out the other end of the global restructuring as a working entity."We feel very good about what we have done here and where we are in the future (of General Motors)," Reuss says. "There are no guarantees in any of this. None at all ... and we have treated it that way from day one."However, he says he believes that the Holden operation and its historic position in the Australian market makes the company far more attractive to GM as an internal asset rather than as one to be auctioned off."I think it has huge value internally (to GM). Holden is a very powerful tool as a product and branding standpoint ... I would say if anything this (situation) has focussed our business on what we need to do to be a good company in Australia first and anything we do outside that as an exporter is a great thing but to have any entity fully dependent on export markets in this world we are dealing with today is probably not the right business model."Reuss says that the company has not run a survival scenario that does not include Commodore. "That is not something we have studied. We are still the best selling car here and we think the things we are going to do to Commodore over the next few years maybe makes us potentially the only game in town. Some of our competitors have revealed some questions about future business plans on their products ... and I am overjoyed (with that)."

Cancer as a boy left him blind in one eye, but it hasn't slowed him down. The 51-year-old Gold Coast businessman has owned a host of performance cars from a Mini Cooper S to his current 400 horsepower Trans-Am Mustang and has raced since he was 40. Except for the years 1998-2001 when CAMS took away his race licence because of his sight.Rigon loves a good stoush, so he took CAMS to court and won and is now the only one-eyed driver licensed to race in national events. His first car was a 1968 Mini Cooper S former NSW police pursuit vehicle."The police had GTHOs, Chargers and Mini Cooper Ss back then," he explains. "It had great handling and was very quick, but I eventually blew the engine up driving it too hard."He then moved to a Mazda RX4 Coupe "rocketship", followed by several company cars, a GTV6 Alfa Romeo in 1989 and a Porsche 911 Carrera. "The Alfa stayed with me for some time and was picked up by a collector in Western Australia, an 81-year-old lady who had it fully restored it," he said. "Being Italian it never stayed together and spent more time in the repair shop than it was on the road, but it was a great car to own."His current everyday cars are a 2007 V8 SS Commodore and an ex-police Ford Typhoon F6: "I like to buy ex-police cars because they are looked after and have a few trick bits."Rigon was a late starter to racing at the age of 40 competing in the WA Formula Ford series against eventual winner Garth Tander. He's made up for it since with a host of race cars, including two Subaru WRX STIs. But the Trans-Am Mustang he bought early last year is his favourite."It's the most pleasurable car to drive because it is not as technical as a modern race cars which are very forgiving," he says. "Modern race cars take a lot of technology to make them run quick but there is a lot more driver skill required in old cars. They tend to go sideways quite a bit.""It's something about our age group. It was the car that always appealed to me. "I was heavily inspired by Steve McQueen in Bullitt and always loved American Trans-Am (1964 to '74 American V8-powered cars) racing series as well as the Australian equivalent with Bob Jane, Allan Moffat driving around in Mustangs and Comaros. That was the style of racing I could really identify with."He's now the treasurer of the fledgling Australian Trans-Am Series which, not surprisingly, doesn't operate under CAMS licensing. "The average age of the racers is 45 to 60 and those drivers wouldn't necessarily get a CAMS licence which can take a year to get a full licence," he says.The series has 24 members with about 12-14 cars lining up on the grid. "We believe that will grow to a full field of 24 in about six months and about 34 in 12 months at any race meeting making it the largest Trans-Am series outside the US."Needless to say, his dream machine is a race car. "One of those limited edition GT3 Porsches," he is quick to answer. "I have always had a love for Ferraris but Porsches can take a pounding. They are a bullet proof car. For my driving style - while I love Italian cars - they just don't stay together." 

It was to turn his Falcon into Australia's favourite used car. Polites reckoned it was the first step in creating a blue oval carpark and a rise in demand for the then-new Falcon, as people would be drawn to the brand and eager to continue in the Ford family. But he failed. The Holden Commodore is still Australia's favourite starter car, decades after the original VB Commodore created a legend when Peter Brock drove it to victory in the Repco round-Australia trial. New figures from Bankwest show Holden is still the first choice for a first car in Australia, with both men and women. Nearly a quarter of all men have a Holden as their first car, with 16.1 per cent of women also buying into the brand. Ford is second, at 15.5 per cent for men and 13.7 per cent for women, reflecting the huge job still faced by the company in getting to terms - will it ever make the leap? - with the car still regarded as 'Australia's own'. There are no real surprises in the Bankwest information, as Toyota was third and Mazda took fourth with both men and women. Men then favoured Nissan, Volkswagen, Mitsubishi and Mini while the female choices are Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda and Hyundai. Bankwest spokesperson Adrian Bradley says men prefer a car with a bit of grunt like a classic V8 Commodore, while women go for a more fuel efficient four-cylinder Toyota. "It's probably no surprise a lot of blokes want a car you can hear before they actually arrive," he says. Bankwest went to a company called Brand Management for its research and, after talking to 1250 people, discovered 60 per cent of people save and pay cash for their first car. But 21 per cent get help from their parents and a lucky 3.7 per cent get it as some sort of gift. The average spend on a first car with 21-30 year olds was $9973, but the figure drops dramatically to $5214 for baby boomers in the 51-60 age group, who probably bought their first car more than 30 years ago.

It copped the chop this week when General Motors decided Pontiac, Hummer and Saab had to be sacrificed as part of a survival plan that is going to cost 20,000 jobs, 4000 dealerships and a couple of production lines.The last of the Aussie-made G8 sedans and utes will go to America some time next year, perhaps even earlier. Pontiac will be gone by December 2010.There is still a chance the Holden Commodore could continue as a major export for Australia.Whispers around Fishermans Bend point to a plan to keep the G8 program running by switching the Pontiac badge for a Chevrolet one. The ute would look great as a born-again El Camino.Even Industry Minister Senator Kim Carr can see the potential, but he is a man with rare vision on the motoring front.“There will be a place for Australian-made cars in the American market, whatever the badge. The Government is working closely with the industry to open new export opportunities,” he said this week.The G8 decision is a tough one but it was the only direct hit on GM Holden. White-collar layoffs are still likely as the company is “right-sized” for its future in the contracted GM world.And that proves Holden is doing a top job, as a company and as an international asset.Designers from Fishermans Bend do work for Europe, Asia and the US. Local engineers created the Chevrolet Camaro from the VE Commodore (it became a huge hit in America) and work on global projects and cars from South Korea.The list of Aussie exports runs from GM China boss Kevin Wale to ace designer Mike Simcoe in Detroit, sales chief Megan Stooke at Hummer and even a lawyer in India. There are dozens of them.It will take a while for Holden to adjust to the Pontiac decision but the best news on the production front is new boss Mark Reuss has fast-tracked the compact Cruze for the Adelaide factory.It is capable of taking up a lot of the slack from the second half of next year and is almost certain to go overseas as a new export star in Asia and South Africa.

The superstar stunt and speed driver for Top Gear television made a flying visit to Australia last month and put his skills to the test when he jumped into Garth Tander's V8 Supercar.He was an instant convert to the Holden Racing Team, running hot laps during an open test at Winton in Victoria."Having been chewed up and spat out the other side at Winton, I feel a great respect for the cars and the way the drivers race them," says The Stig.Except . . .The driver in the racer red Commodore at Winton was officially only Ben Collins, a one-time Formula Three hotshot in Britain.And his words of praise, published in motorsport bible Autosport, were reported under Collins' name.But everyone in the motor world knows Collins was outed on January 19 as The Stig by the Daily Telegraph newspaper in England. It reported his work on the top rating television show in a move which lead to the apparent 'death' of The White Stig at the end of the current series of Top Gear."We can only say that Garth's car was driven by Ben Collins," says a Holden motorsport spokesman.Even, so the Collins-Stig's assessment of the VE racer is full of praise - and respect."The V8 Supercar is unique: if you step in with your own agenda it will bit your ass!," Collins says.And the final assessment?"V8s are, indeed, 'Super' racing cars. Not just for the competitors but the spectators too."

In Australia the SS badge is synonymous with factory built performance Holdens, but it's roots were founded in Holdens parent company General Motors.The SS (Super Sport) was introduced to the American Chev Impala range in 1961 and it is credited as the first factory built muscle car. The reputation of the Impala SS quickly grew and the model became a sales success.GM marketing saw the kudos attached to the SS badge and it was subsequently introduced to other models across the range, the most successful being the Camaro.General Motors Holden introduced the SS badge to the Australia market with the HQ Kingswood and built a limit number of SS specials between 1971 and 1973. These were powered by  the 4.2 litre (253 ci, 185 bhp) and all used a four speed manual gearbox.Production of the Commodore SS began in 1982 with the third series, the VH. The VB of 1978-1980 came with optional 4.2 and 5.0 L V8's but no SS version. The single year of production VC saw the introduction of the first Brock Commodore.The VH SS used 4.2 L V8 as standard with three upgrades available 'Stage 1', 'Stage 2' and 'Stage 3' (which used the 5.0 L V8). These were built at Peter Brock's HDT factory. Power for the different Stage VH SS ranged between 100 and 126 kW.The VK  (1984) saw the replacement of the long serving L31 5.0 L V8 with the new LV2 4.9 L. The new engine was 75 kg lighter which greatly helped the Commodore to win Bathurst in 1986. The VK SS was available in upgraded versions through HDT (Holden Dealer Team) dealers as the SS Group 3 and  SS Group A , of which only 502 were made.With the VL (1986) came the SS Group A SV. Introduced to meet the Group A racing regulations. It's body kit left many unimpressed. Built by Tom Walkinshaw and his newly formed Holden Special Vehicles, which replaced Peter Brock's HDT. The Walkinshaw SS Group A saw engine output raised to 180 kW and 380 nM of torque.The completely new VN (1988) saw the SS variant released in March '89 with 165 kW as standard. Further ugraded SS variants were produced and available through HSV. This included a new SS Group A version with 215 kW and 411 nM of torque and a ZF 6-speed manual transmissionThe VP (1991) saw the introduction of another SS derivative, the V6. This variant was built in limited numbers primarily to meet requirements for entry into production car series racing.VR and VS versions followed with power remaining at 165 kW.The second major revision to the Commodore range came in 1997 with the VT. Introduced in August 1997 with a completely new body style the VT also saw the introduction of the Gen III Chev 5.7 l V8. The Gen III produced 220 kW and 446 nM of torque.September 2000 brought the VX SS with 225 kW and some very bright colour schemes and introduced colur coded interior trims and instrument fascia.The VY brought another incremental power bump to 245 kW and 465 nM of torque and introduced further refinementVZ continued the trend increasing the power to 260 kW and saw the base SS pass the $50,000 mark.An then came the VE ..... You can find our latest VE articles from the links on the left of this page.The SS Commodore has become an iconic car in Australian motoring history. Along with GT, GTS & GTHO it is a set of letters that motoring enthusiasts hold in great regard. The  SS is car a car for an Australian worker to aspire to and for those that have reached their goals to enjoy ...... with their family. 

The carmaker is working flat-out to boost Falcon sales and bridge the gap to the top-selling Holden Commodore.Under-bonnet tweaking is boosting economy and efficiency of the basic Falcon six to match the pace set by the Toyota Aurion, but the work does not stop there.There will also be an E-Gas XR6 coming later in the year. And ESP stability control will be available on E-Gas models from next month.The latest tweaked Territory, despite very minor body changes, also picks up a major economy boost.The improvement to the Falcon looks minor — just 0.2L/100km improvement — but that is enough to give the family Ford equal top billing with the Aurion in the large car class.Ford says a base-model Falcon XT fitted with the optional six-speed ZF automatic now uses 9.9L/100km, a figure that is a full 0.7 better than a Commodore Omega fitted with the four-speed auto.But there is a catch, as ticking the ZF box will cost an extra $2000 and takes the XT's price up to $40,290 against $39,290 for a base Omega. The six-speed automatic can also be selected on the G6, G6E and XR6 models.The latest changes to the Falcon come as the Broadmeadows battler was outsold 3544-1990 by the Commodore last month, despite the obvious edge from the six-speed self-shifter."The fuel economy program is ongoing. We've improved the efficiency more than 13 per cent since the BA (Falcon)," says Ford's product communications manager, Justin Lacy."Our share in the (large car) segment has actually increased over the past year. Obviously, volume is off, but as a percentage we're up.”The economy effort is a big one, with Ford's president Marin Burela claiming the Falcon now matches a four-cylinder car."Falcon XT continues to outclass its direct competitor on all the key performance measures, delivering 11 per cent more engine power and 20 per cent more torque, while at the same time using almost seven per cent less fuel," Burela says.To achieve the improvements on the inline six, Ford has fitted a new catalytic converter, revised the engine calibration for improved cold-start performance and a improved the calibration of the six-speed transmission.The ESP update on E-Gas models means they will be eligible for a five-star NCAP safety rating, although it has taken 14 months to get the necessary work done. Changes had to be made to calibration of the throttle control and spark retardation for E-gas-powered vehicles.Lacy says having stability control will lift the appeal of E-Gas range."This gives fleets that require stability control the option of considering the Falcons in petrol or E-Gas versions, so it's another competitive advantage," he says.The large-car refresh has also extended to the Territory with the SY Mark II boasting a five per cent improvement in fuel consumption on the five-seat TX and TS rear-wheel drive models. That drops their official consumption to 11.6L/100km, down from 12.2.The upgrade, previewed at the Melbourne Motor Show last month, also brings more standard equipment, with the TX picking up side curtain airbags, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels and a colour-coded bumpers, door handles and mirrors, while the TS will also have a reverse parking camera, front fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, handbrake and gearshift, and a third row seat as standard.Ghia models include an Alpine rear DVD system, side steps, rear privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The $500 million plant builds the V6 for the Adelaide-built Commodore as well as GM-Holden's export markets.But the Adelaide production cuts announced yesterday are expected to have a knock-on effect for the engine plant as well as Victorian-based component suppliers."There is no doubt there will be an impact," GM-Holden spokesman, Scott Whiffin, said."But what that will be we don't yet know."We are measuring the situation."The Industry Minister, Senator Carr, said the government would assist individual suppliers and work with unions to help alleviate any problems.He admitted that there were "serious problems with regard to liquidity for a number of firms"."There are also serious issues with workers about job security," he said."We'll talk to individual firms and work with companies and unions to ensure they move through this process as quickly as possible."GM-Holden has already announced that its four cylinder engine production at Fishermens Bend would cease at the end of this year, leaving about 400 workers without jobs.Senator Carr said he remained confident GM-Holden would rebound by 2010, particularly when Holden's new four-cylinder sedan started production later this year.Carr said he was confident that parent General Motors would not pull out of the new four cylinder car production because of its own economic woes."I'm very confident that the plan will proceed," he said.Senator Carr said GM-Holden's decision is "about jobs is about keeping people on the payroll""It's about maintaining capability and ensuring the livelihoods of Australians."Everyone would prefer that these actions were not necessary but they will help preserve long-term employment at Holden."GM-Holden's decision to reduce pay and working hours for its 3150 plant workers at its Elizabeth plant comes as new vehicle sales slumped 17 per cent last month.The VFACTS industry figures show that 75,650 new vehicles were bought last month, down 15,635 vehicles for the same month last year.Despite being the best-selling vehicle last month, Holden Commodore sales were down to 3544 for the month as buyers switch to smaller, fuel-efficient cars.However, despite the change in buyer patterns, GM-Holden chairman, Mark Reuss, said yesterday the company would continue to build its V8 Commodores despite rumours that the engine faced the axe."We're going to keep making V8s," he said.GM-Holden has sold 9188 vehicles this year, down 20 per cent compared to the first three months last year.Commodore sales are down 13 per cent for the year.When the new VE Commodore was launched in 2006 the company expected to sell around 5000 a month.The V6 engine plant was designed to build up to 900 engines a day or 240,000 engines a year.Last year 99,500 V6s were built, of which 28,000 exported. 

The only bright spot for General Motors is that GM-Holden's local Commodore, again remains the number one seller.However, the Commodore's local success is likely to do little for the woes of the parent company in Detroit.GM-Holden is believed to be close to making a decision on its immediate future with a full audit of its operations and staffing levels.A decision could be announced as soon as next week.In the past three months GM-Holden has slashed production days and further down days could be on the cards as demand for the Commodore stagnates.The company has fast-tracked production of its new small four cylinder car as buyers move to smaller cars.Senior management at the company, including boss, Mark Reuss, have already taken pay cuts of up to 10 per cent to protect jobs.Last month's VFACTS sales figures due out tomorrow are expected to show that about 3500 Commodores were sold last month, beating the popular Toyota HiLux.Despite the Commodore's success, GM-Holden and other car brand sales are tipped to be down again.However, Toyota is expected to remain market leader but its sales have also taken a battering.March sales are down about 17 per cent across the board compared to March 2008.About 75,000 vehicles were sold last month, compared to the 91,285 vehicles sold 12 months ago.But as private buyers desert showrooms, there is still some strength in the light commercial business end of the market.One analyst said most carmakers are positioning their brands for a tougher market this year."Sales this year will, in effect, be down to 2003 or 2004 levels, which is hardly disastrous and still better than some overseas markets," he said. Top 101. Holden Commodore 35002. Toyota HiLux 32003. Toyota Corolla 30004. Mazda3 28005. Ford Falcon 19006. Toyota Yaris 17007. Hyundai Getz 16508. Hyundai i30 16259. Toyota Camry 160010 Mitsubishi Lancer 1400* approximate figures  

There is more to towing than just hitching the trailer or caravan and pulling into traffic for a trip.Anyone who has lost control of a loaded trailer or caravan can tell you that getting it wrong can have serious consequences.Even taking a load of junk to the tip or picking up a box-trailer load of garden supplies can get ugly — or worse — if you are not adequately prepared.And learning to back and park with a trailer on the tail takes skill.The potential for disaster is everywhere: from choosing the right tow vehicle and preparing it for the job, to carrying too much weight, incorrectly distributing the weight of the load, or failing to maintain a trailer or caravan.STARTING POINTThe first step into tow land is to decide what you want to tow.More importantly, you need to calculate how much it weighs when fully loaded and ready for the road.This will help you work out if you can keep your existing car or whether you need to buy something new, perhaps a four-wheel-drive if you have horses or a big boat, to handle the tow work.TOWING CAPACITIESAll modern vehicles have a rated towing capacity.For example, a big 4WD such as a Nissan Patrol has a maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, but a small car such as a Toyota Corolla has a towing capacity of only 1300kg.The towing capacity includes the trailer or caravan, as well as all its contents, so people intending to tow a caravan should include everything they plan to take with them, including full water tanks.If you already have the caravan/trailer and can borrow a friend's tow car for a while, then it is easy to work out the weight of what you are towing.Just go down to a public weighbridge and roll the trailer on to the scales.Most new caravans have a rating that tells you how much the van is able to safely weigh, then you can compare this figure with the car's towing capacity.If your vehicle doesn't have a specified towing capacity (this often happens with older cars), you are allowed to tow up to 1 1/2 times the unladen mass of the tow vehicle, as long as the trailer and braking system complies with the relevant Australian Design Rule.If the trailer is not fitted with brakes, the mass of the caravan/trailer must not exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle, or 750kg.BRAKESThere are two common types of trailer brakes.The older type is mechanical, which triggers a hydraulic system that reacts when the tow vehicle decelerates.New trailers and caravans have an electric braking system that is much easier to control.Apart from being adjustable, electric brakes can be operated separately from the tow vehicle's brakes. If a trailer or van starts to sway, the driver can apply its brakes separately and have a much better chance of bringing it under control.WEIGHT-DISTRIBUTION HITCHA tow vehicle running with its nose in the air and rear almost rubbing on the ground is dangerous.Apart from all the wear and tear it causes, it also affects steering and braking.So a weight-distribution hitch is an important part of safe towing.OTHER GEARIt is a legal requirement for drivers to have a clear view of the road at all times, so you should consider fitting larger mirrors or mirror extenders, especially if towing a caravan.SPREADING THE LOADThe way a trailer or caravan is loaded is important.Put too much weight at the front or too much at the back of the caravan/trailer and it will negatively affect the handling, perhaps leading to a crash.MAINTENANCEMost trailers are stored in the back yard and are not used often, so it is important that they be regularly check and maintained.Wiring can easily corrode, causing lights to stop working, tyres can crack from old age, wheel bearings can dry up and braking systems can seize.The same goes for caravans.They may also be fitted with gas cylinders for cooking, which need to be regularly checked.GETTING IT RIGHTTow-Ed driving instructor John Eggenhuizen, who runs a national towing course, says towing accidents happen far too often.He tells of a just-retired couple who bought a $70,000 Toyota LandCruiser and a $65,000 caravan to set off on holiday, only to lose control and write them off in a crash.Eggenhuizen says such accidents are often caused by poor caravan/trailer set-up and a lack of experience.He says proper training prepares drivers for such situations, but also helps drivers with the sometimes difficult task of backing a trailer or caravan.BUYING A TOW CARBigger is usually better when it comes to tow cars.You don't need to have a giant 4WD, but they are often the best machines for the job.Vehicles designed for carrying heavy loads, including 4WDs such as the Nissan Patrol, Toyota LandCruiser and Land Rover Discovery, are the best if you have a heavy caravan/trailer.Mid-sized 4WDs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Prado are also excellent, and family machines such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are good.Ford Falcon wagons and utes make better tow cars than Holden Commodores and regular Falcons because they have leaf-spring suspensions, and the Ford Territory's extra weight and reduced rear overhang makes it a good tow vehicle.Small 4WDs such as the Subaru Outback or Nissan X-Trail are OK for towing relatively light loads.Turbo diesels are the prime engine choice for many tow cars because they have lots of torque and don't use as much fuel as a petrol engine.Six or eight-cylinder petrol engines are good because towing requires maximum pulling force. The more torque an engine has the better it will be for the job.Four-cylinder petrol engines can pull lighter loads, but often struggle with heavier cargo.TOW DRIVING TIPSAllow extra distance in traffic.Apply throttle and brakes more gently.If the caravan/trailer starts to sway do not apply the tow vehicle's brakes. If the trailer/caravan is fitted with independent electronic brakes, apply them slowly. If not, continue at a steady speed or accelerate slowly.Engage a lower gear for better control downhill.If possible, pull off the road to allow faster traffic to pass and stop more often to rest.