Continental
Commodore

By BRUCE NEWTON
A REBADGED but barely restyled
version of the forthcoming Holden
VE Commodore is under serious consideration
as the pragmatic solution to
Opel and Vauxhall’s quest for a large
sedan.
While this proposal has the support
of GM executives as high as global car
czar Bob Lutz, there is still the push
for a ‘purist’ solution, which is a
production version of the Insignia
concept revealed at
Frankfurt in 2003.
A decision is due by the
end of the first quarter of
2005. The VE goes on sale
in Australia in the first half of
2006.
The Australian chief of
Vauxhall, Kevin Wale, appears
to fall into the Lutz camp
of pragmatists, while
Opel chief Carl-Peter
Forster is at the head
of the purists.
However, to get
Insignia up and
flying Mr Forster
has to pull together a
viable business case,
an obvious challenge
at a time when GM
Europe continues to
bleed financially.
Whichever way the
choice goes, the Opel/Vauxhall
large car that replaces the now retired
Omega will be based on the Australian-developed
Zeta rear-wheel drive architecture.
And whatever design comes out of Australia
bound for Europe it will close the loop on a
process that began in the 1970s when the original
first generation Commodore was based on Opel
technology.
“I think the Commodore could easily be the
next generation top-of-the-range Opel saloon,”
said Mr Lutz. “No problem at all.”
“Basically it is the same design language and
you could argue the original chassis was derived
from the Opel Omega, so in a way it would be
returning home.
“And there is no question in my mind that
when you drive the 2005 (Pontiac) GTO that
Holden knows how to execute world class
dynamics when it comes to chassis.”
Holden is also conducting a development
program with turbo-diesel technology that would
play a vital part in any Commodore export
program to Europe. There appears to be three
front-running sourcing choices for Holden
turbo-diesel technology: Isuzu, the GM-Fiat
joint venture and a new VM Motori unit being
developed initially for use in the forthcoming
Daewoo S3X cross-over that will be sold in
Australia as a Holden.
The introduction of the sophisticated new Alloytec
engine also provides Holden with better European
petrol engine options that can be built in capacities
as small as 2.8 litres, with or without turbocharging.
Mr Wale said that an Opel/Vauxhall Commodore as
a mainstream model in Europe would assist in his
desire to niche market other Holden models such as
the Monaro and the utility.
“The ideal arrangement for us would be to do one
across Europe so we could use that as a somewhat
mainstream product and leverage the derivatives
off that,” he said. “And we know how to do low volume
derivatives and the Monaro has been a
great exercise to prove to us that we can do that.
“Obviously I am biased,” he added. “I know
the Zeta is a terrific car and would do very well
there (Europe). There are a lot of requirements
for compliance with European conditions and
particularly a diesel engine and emissions. So it is
always an expensive exercise full stop, and that’s
probably the biggest issue.
“Styling-wise, yeah, I think one of the strong
potentials is it could be similar to the Australian
styling, but that is not the only one that is being
considered.”
While Opel/Vauxhall appears a strong chance to
take the VE Commodore, Mr Lutz revealed there
was no guarantee it would be built in Australia, a
direct result of the global architecture plans that
GM is putting in place.
“If we did it, would Opel want to assemble it?
Would they want to duplicate the tooling? Would
they take it directly from Holden with Opel badges
on it? Would the parts go to GM South Africa?
We could use the low labour rates in GM South
Africa and then export to Europe because there are
no duties for South African product coming into
Europe.
“We are playing all those games now and analysing
business plan opportunities.”



Sizing up Saab
WHILE a role for the Zeta architecture is locked in
with Opel/Vauxhall, and possibly the VE Commodore
sedan package, Mr Lutz says Saab is not quite
so clear cut.
The premium brand’s replacement for the ageing
9-5 large car has been linked to Zeta, but Mr Lutz told
GoAuto that the Australian-developed technology
was more likely to be seen under something larger.
“It (a Zeta-based Saab) would need to be pretty
premium. It would be 9-5-and-a-half, because you
would want all-wheel drive because you wouldn’t
want to have to explain to the world why Saab is
suddenly rear-wheel drive,” he said.
Mr Lutz also flagged the proposition that such
a car would probably not be built in Sweden, and
potentially not even in Europe.
“With this whole thing of global architectural
integration, any Zeta plant should be able to build
any other Zeta, so were we to decide to do a 9-5-anda-
half, or 9-6, or 9-8, or whatever you want to call
it off of Zeta, it could come out China, or Korea,”
he said. “But that doesn’t mean Saab designers
wouldn’t do the design, the detailing, the interior, the
safety standards.
“We have got to start sourcing globally, we no
longer have the option of being able to tell ourselves
that Saab is Swedish and every Saab must be built
in Sweden.
“Sweden is just about the most expensive country
in the world now to build cars in. If it is one world,
we are going to be treated as one world.”
�� Interestingly, Mr Lutz’s concerns about having to
explain a rear-wheel drive Saab to the world is not
shared by his boss, General Motors chairman and
CEO Rick Wagoner.
“I personally think they (the issues of building
a rear-wheel drive Saab) are manageable, but we
just need to work through it a little bit, ” he told
GoAuto.
“But it is certainly a possible solution for that (large
car) segment for Saab, and it may be the best way.”
– BRUCE NEWTON