We can thank General Motor’s Australian arm, Holden, for making a few of the more memorable modern day high performance Pontiacs available here in the U.S. market; however no matter how hard they tried, the new defunct automaker couldn’t seem to keep the GTO and G8 around for too long. The latter is still available down under as the Commodore, and in the outback one of America’s favorite four door sport sedans is also available as a five door wagon and even a modern day El Camino cross between a G8 and a pickup truck better known as the Holden Ute.
The Australian automaker is currently working on series of factory tuned performance models that will carry a very interesting combination of GM high output monikers. Chevrolet contributes their Super Sport logo along with Cadillac’s V-Series lineup of sports cars so that Holden can come out with the SS V-Series Special Edition Commodore, Sportwagon and Ute models a little later on this year. The new limited edition vehicles will offer around $7,500 worth of Holden factory options at a considerable savings. The SS V-Series Commodore will get the familiar Pontiac G8 GT aggressive twin kidney grill and hood with matching scoops as well as a deck lid spoiler and a few key chrome accents. Just like the SS V-Series cars will be a limited production run, they will also be available in a limited selection of colors, like: Phantom black, Red Hot and Voodoo blue.
Unlike either an SS or V-Series powered GM car, these budget minded Holden’s are more focused on efficiency, so instead of a 426 HP LS3 V8 under the hood, the special edition Holdens are offered with a very efficient 3.6 Liter direct injected V6 under the hood connected to a gas sipping four speed automatic transmission; providing customers with everything they need and none of the excess that they don’t. The Holden SS V-Series Commodore, Sport wagon and Ute are the perfect solution to the new car buyer that wants some additional cargo room without sacrificing fun, or breaking the bank while doing it.
Even though the Pontiac G8 will be taking a leave of absence from teh U.S. market, one of the world’s greatest four door saloons is still selling strong in it’s native land down under. So well indeed that the haigh performance division of the Australian member of General Motors, the Holden Specialty Vehicles division has just taken the curtain off the all new for 2010 E Series 2 (E2) range, a lineup of automobiles that comes with quite a significantly aggressive new design as well as a number of new features that solidifies the makes position as Australia’s favourite luxury and performance car company.
Every iteration of the 2010 E2 range is powered by a ground pounding V8 making a maximum output of at least 431 HP, while the top of the line GTS models get a slight bump in power resulting in a peak output of 442 HP. For 2010 the E Series vehicles will feature driver oriented applications like Competition Mode ESC, extended cruise control, daytime running lights, Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) and four piston brake calipers up front as well as out back.
When the Australian super cars do go on sale, they will be priced as follows: The ClubSport R8 will come in at $65,990 Australian, the Maloo R8 will cost $62,990 and the ClubSport R8 Tourer will go for $66,990. The ever powerful GTS model will retail for $80,990 offering up almost 450 HP while the Senator Signature will set customers $82,990 and the most expensive member of the E2 family will be the WM Grange when it goes on sale for $87,990.
The Australian branch of General Motors, Holden, has revealed details on the 2010 Commodore, a model identical to the 2009MY one, expect for under the hood where the Australian maker placed new engines, and also for the acronym SIDI on its flanks (Spark Ignition Direct Injection). Sales will begin in September.
Holden will mostly focus on fuel economy, and will do that thanks to two new engines offering the state of the art technology, Spark Ignition Direct Injection, a first for a locally-built vehicle. An all-new 3.0-litre engine – the smallest Commodore powertrain offered to buyers in more than 20 years – and the familiar 3.6-litre displacement will be offered, depending on model.
An all-new 3.0-litre SIDI engine – codenamed LF1 - will power the Omega and Berlina Commodore sedan and Sportwagon. The 3.6-litre SIDI engine – codenamed LLT – will be available for the premium Commodore range including SV6, Calais and Calais V-Series models, as well as the SV6 Ute and the long wheelbase Statesman and Caprice range.
The BBC’s best automotive journal, Top Gear, has a problem with proper German sports saloons built for businessmen and that is that they are all just too similar. So that is why Richard Hammond decided to introduce a pair of very special GM cars from Australia. First up was the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst Edition. Aside from being the most popular track on the V8 Super car calendar, it is also a blindingly fast version of what we here in America have come to know as the Pontiac G8. The Bathurst comes complete with a set of racing stripes on the hood and a supercharger underneath it. The VXR8 wears some very race inspired bodywork to go along with the 560 HP and the bargain £44,995 price tag.
HSV revealed today a limited edition run of E-Series Senators. It will be limited to only 89 units, 30 manual and 59 auto, and prices will start from $69,990.
The Senator comes with leather onyx seats as standard and is available in Heron, Sting, Phantom, Nitrate, Karma, Voodoo and Evoke. It is powered by HSV’s LS3 317kW V8 engine, with HSV performance suspension. Nineteen inch billet silver Senator wheels host silver brake callipers incorporating the black HSV logo, while the Senator logo features on the front and rear headrests.
After seeing the American version, and also the European version of the Volt electric car, today is time for the Australian one. Production version is expected on the Australian market in 2012.
Like the Chevy Volt, its Australian brother has the ability to travel up to 64 kilometres on electricity before using petrol or producing exhaust pipe emissions.
For trips of up to 64 kilometres, Volt is powered solely by the electricity stored in its battery without using petrol or producing exhaust pipe emissions.
When the battery’s energy is depleted, a small petrol-powered engine generates electric power for the vehicle to travel hundreds of additional kilometres .
Advanced technology enables the vehicle’s battery to be charged in less than three hours on a standard 240v power outlet. Charge times are reduced if the battery has not been fully depleted.
The Australian International Motor Show that is going on now through next week is sometimes overlooked because its smaller and only a week after the Paris show. But real car fans won’t miss it because they know the Aussies are all about power. Local creations such Ford’s FPV 5th Anniversary Falcon GT and HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) GTS are not to be missed.
At the show is a special edition of the GTS to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first Australian Gran Turismo Sportivo (GTS). The majority of this package on this $80,170 (Australia) car is just little add-ons like stripes, 40th anniversary commemorative logos everywhere and special red or white paint. The reason it doesn’t get any performance upgrades is because the GTS need none. It already has the 6.2-liter LS3 V8 from the Corvette.
If you who feel like the the lucky Aussies get all the sleeper sedans, then you haven’t been paying enough attention. Pontiac will release the G8 GXP for 2009. It’s built Holden’s facility in Australia and stuffed with the same V8 making 415 hp.
HSV launced on the Australian market the ClubSport R8 Tourer, the company’s first wagon since the all wheel drive Avalanche was released in 2003. A manual ClubSport R8 Tourer is priced from $65,990, which is just $1000 more than the equivalent ClubSport R8 sedan. Automatic transmission is an additional $2330.
The Tourer is powered by the high performance LS3 engine producing 425 hp of power and 550Nm of torque, making this one of the most powerful wagons produced anywhere in the world.
HSV will build around 120 ClubSport R8 Tourers for the Australian market in 2008.
Looks like things aren’t tough everywhere for General Motors. GM’s Australian unit Holden has rolled its seven millionth car off the production line. The red Commodore sedan (cousin to the Pontiac G8) was revealed with a focus on green energy solutions and fuel efficiency, being fitted for dual fuel LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas — a sorta mixture of propane and butane.) It was rolled out amid a crowd of workers, executives and government officials.
Holden built Australia’s first mass produced car, the 48-215, in November 1948 at Fishermans Bend in Port Melbourne, Victoria. Its one millionth car rolled off the production line almost 14 years later in October 1962. The Commodore was launched in 1978 and has been Australia’s best selling car for the past 12 years.
HSN today officially revealed the W427, a model that was first unveield at the Melbourne Motorshow in ‘showcar’ format. The car began production at the company’s Clayton based facility this week and sales of the seven litre 375kW ‘Supercar’ have begun in dealerships around Australia. The car is limited to only 427 units, and the entire 80 units for 2008 have been pre-sold and will retail for $155,500, plus on road costs.
The W427 is powered by a 7.0 litre LS7 V8 engine with specific HSV calibration that delivers 502 hp. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual TR6060 high strength transmission.
It features: Front Driving lamps, Projector headlamps, 3 piece rear spoiler in carbon fibre, Unique W427 front fascia, Quad exhaust outlet with active bi-modal rear mufflers and Metallic Paint.
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