First test of the Pontiac G8 Sportswagon....
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
First test of the Pontiac G8 Sportswagon....
...... if Bob Lutz hadn't killed the idea of importing it here. 
Commodore Sportwagon website:
http://www.holdencampaign.com.au/calendar/
First drive: Holden's sporty new VE wagon
Holden targets SUV buyers with sportier, more compact VE Sportwagon
By JAMES STANFORD 11 July 2008
PRIVATE customers are the prime target for the sleek new Holden Sportwagon, which goes on sale nationally from next week.
Fleets accounted for 90 per of the previous Commodore wagon sales, but Holden is determined to spread the appeal of the new wagon beyond company car barriers.
Holden spent $105 million on the new Sportwagon over and above the $1.03 billion it laid down for the VE Commodore program and officially calls it the VE Sportwagon, although the Commodore badge is still present on the boot.
It designed a smaller, more attractive and, as the name suggests, sporty car than the VZ Commodore wagon that was phased-out towards the end of last year.
Previous Commodore wagons were based on the long-wheelbase platform, which gave the cars a massive cargo area, but also brought disadvantages like handling trade-offs and made them harder to park.
The new Sportwagon is built on the same platform as the Commodore sedan. In fact, the wheelbase has even reduced slightly, from 2939mm to 2915mm, while the track is wider by 43mm at the front and 31mm at the back.
It is 4897mm long, making it 136mm shorter than the previous model, but is 53mm wider at 1899mm.
The attractive Sportwagon has a sloping tail that looks more like a hatchback than a traditional wagon and the cargo space has been reduced as a result.
With the rear seats in place, the Sportwagon has a bootspace of only 895 litres compared to the whopping 1402 litres for the previous model. When the rear seats are folded down, the Sportwagon can carry 2000 litres of gear versus 2752 litres for the VZ.
GM Holden sales and marketing manager Alan Batey said existing fleet customers are not worried about the reduced cargo space.
“We’ve had a lot of fleet customers in over the last 12 months and taken them through the car individually because obviously they need to be able to carry what they need to carry,” said Mr Batey.
“They have no issues with the car. They love the rear tailgate from an accessibility point of view and the users (user-choosers) just look at it and say they want to drive it.”
Chief designer Richard Ferlazzo said the Sportwagon still had a large amount of useable space and added that both the old Commodore wagon and the existing Ford Falcon wagon were bigger than required.
“The Falcon and Commodore wagon are the largest kind of (car-based) wagon in the world, no-one else builds them that big,” he said.
“They had their place, but they were designed in the 1990s and the world has moved on.”
Unlike the previous Commodore wagon, the Sportwagon is purely a five-seater and there is no seven-seat option. Holden says that customers requiring seven seats can opt for a Captiva SUV instead.
While fleets are still expected to make up a large proportion of Sportwagon sales, Holden is not offering an LPG option with the new model.
Holden hopes that the improved handling and attractiveness of the Sportwagon will win over SUV customers. Despite selling around 1000 Captiva SUVs a month, Holden will have a crack at that style of vehicle with an advertising campaign that suggests SUVs are “so 1994”.
The new Sportwagon represents a $1000 premium over a comparable VE Commodore model, whereas the VZ wagon carried a $2000 premium. The specification of the Sportwagon models is identical to the equivalent sedans, but all Sportwagon models gain rear parking sensors as standard.
While Holden only offered the VZ in three model grades, the Sportwagon is available in seven model guises, from Omega to Calais V V8. There is even an SS manual.
The front half of the Sportwagon is the same as the sedan, with the rear doors, roof and tail section being unique. In all, there are 72 wagon-specific parts.
The tail-lights may look like those from the Holden Ute, but they are a slightly different shape, and those on the SS and SV6 are slightly darker than other Sportwagon models.
Rear headroom is greater than in the sedan and the Sportwagon has more knee and legroom than the VZ wagon, despite the shorter wheelbase.
Holden says access to the boot is aided by a tailgate hinge point that is much further forward, requiring less space (apparently just 268mm) behind the vehicle to open the hatch.
A cargo blind, which can be vertically adjusted, comes standard, along with two shopping bag hooks, a 12-volt power outlet and a low-mounted light that casts light on the area even when the cargo blind is in place.
Of course, the Sportwagon use the same powertrains as the sedan equivalents, but there is a fuel economy penalty because they are around 90kg heavier.
The Omega and Berlina use an average of 11.1L/100km, the SV6, Calais V6 and Calais V V6 use 11.3L/100km, the SS auto, SSV auto and Calais V V8 auto use 13.8L/100km and the manual SS and manual SSV use 14.4L/100km.
All models use the ‘FE1’ suspension while the SS and SSV have the firmer ‘FE2’ set-up.
Holden engineers have tweaked the rear suspension, modifying spring rates to cope with the extra weight and fitting three cross axle ball-joints instead of two for improved toe link stiffness to help prevent oversteer.
Holden had plenty of time to test these settings, with engineers notching up 513,000km of wagon-specific testing in an 18-month period using 60 test cars. They also carried out 1500 virtual barrier tests and four real-life barrier tests to ensure the safety of the wagon matched the sedan.
Like the sedan, the Sportwagon comes standard with electronic stability control and front, side and curtain airbags.
Holden VE Sportwagon range pricing:
Omega $37,790
Berlina $41,290
SV6 $42,290
SS $46,290
SS (a) $48,290
SS V $53,790
SS V (a) $55,790
Calais $46,790
Calais V V6 (a) $55,290
Calais V V8 (a) $60,290
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25748300088E64
Holden targets SUV buyers with sportier, more compact VE Sportwagon
By JAMES STANFORD 11 July 2008
PRIVATE customers are the prime target for the sleek new Holden Sportwagon, which goes on sale nationally from next week.
Fleets accounted for 90 per of the previous Commodore wagon sales, but Holden is determined to spread the appeal of the new wagon beyond company car barriers.
Holden spent $105 million on the new Sportwagon over and above the $1.03 billion it laid down for the VE Commodore program and officially calls it the VE Sportwagon, although the Commodore badge is still present on the boot.
It designed a smaller, more attractive and, as the name suggests, sporty car than the VZ Commodore wagon that was phased-out towards the end of last year.
Previous Commodore wagons were based on the long-wheelbase platform, which gave the cars a massive cargo area, but also brought disadvantages like handling trade-offs and made them harder to park.
The new Sportwagon is built on the same platform as the Commodore sedan. In fact, the wheelbase has even reduced slightly, from 2939mm to 2915mm, while the track is wider by 43mm at the front and 31mm at the back.
It is 4897mm long, making it 136mm shorter than the previous model, but is 53mm wider at 1899mm.
The attractive Sportwagon has a sloping tail that looks more like a hatchback than a traditional wagon and the cargo space has been reduced as a result.
With the rear seats in place, the Sportwagon has a bootspace of only 895 litres compared to the whopping 1402 litres for the previous model. When the rear seats are folded down, the Sportwagon can carry 2000 litres of gear versus 2752 litres for the VZ.
GM Holden sales and marketing manager Alan Batey said existing fleet customers are not worried about the reduced cargo space.
“We’ve had a lot of fleet customers in over the last 12 months and taken them through the car individually because obviously they need to be able to carry what they need to carry,” said Mr Batey.
“They have no issues with the car. They love the rear tailgate from an accessibility point of view and the users (user-choosers) just look at it and say they want to drive it.”
Chief designer Richard Ferlazzo said the Sportwagon still had a large amount of useable space and added that both the old Commodore wagon and the existing Ford Falcon wagon were bigger than required.
“The Falcon and Commodore wagon are the largest kind of (car-based) wagon in the world, no-one else builds them that big,” he said.
“They had their place, but they were designed in the 1990s and the world has moved on.”
Unlike the previous Commodore wagon, the Sportwagon is purely a five-seater and there is no seven-seat option. Holden says that customers requiring seven seats can opt for a Captiva SUV instead.
While fleets are still expected to make up a large proportion of Sportwagon sales, Holden is not offering an LPG option with the new model.
Holden hopes that the improved handling and attractiveness of the Sportwagon will win over SUV customers. Despite selling around 1000 Captiva SUVs a month, Holden will have a crack at that style of vehicle with an advertising campaign that suggests SUVs are “so 1994”.
The new Sportwagon represents a $1000 premium over a comparable VE Commodore model, whereas the VZ wagon carried a $2000 premium. The specification of the Sportwagon models is identical to the equivalent sedans, but all Sportwagon models gain rear parking sensors as standard.
While Holden only offered the VZ in three model grades, the Sportwagon is available in seven model guises, from Omega to Calais V V8. There is even an SS manual.
The front half of the Sportwagon is the same as the sedan, with the rear doors, roof and tail section being unique. In all, there are 72 wagon-specific parts.
The tail-lights may look like those from the Holden Ute, but they are a slightly different shape, and those on the SS and SV6 are slightly darker than other Sportwagon models.
Rear headroom is greater than in the sedan and the Sportwagon has more knee and legroom than the VZ wagon, despite the shorter wheelbase.
Holden says access to the boot is aided by a tailgate hinge point that is much further forward, requiring less space (apparently just 268mm) behind the vehicle to open the hatch.
A cargo blind, which can be vertically adjusted, comes standard, along with two shopping bag hooks, a 12-volt power outlet and a low-mounted light that casts light on the area even when the cargo blind is in place.
Of course, the Sportwagon use the same powertrains as the sedan equivalents, but there is a fuel economy penalty because they are around 90kg heavier.
The Omega and Berlina use an average of 11.1L/100km, the SV6, Calais V6 and Calais V V6 use 11.3L/100km, the SS auto, SSV auto and Calais V V8 auto use 13.8L/100km and the manual SS and manual SSV use 14.4L/100km.
All models use the ‘FE1’ suspension while the SS and SSV have the firmer ‘FE2’ set-up.
Holden engineers have tweaked the rear suspension, modifying spring rates to cope with the extra weight and fitting three cross axle ball-joints instead of two for improved toe link stiffness to help prevent oversteer.
Holden had plenty of time to test these settings, with engineers notching up 513,000km of wagon-specific testing in an 18-month period using 60 test cars. They also carried out 1500 virtual barrier tests and four real-life barrier tests to ensure the safety of the wagon matched the sedan.
Like the sedan, the Sportwagon comes standard with electronic stability control and front, side and curtain airbags.
Holden VE Sportwagon range pricing:
Omega $37,790
Berlina $41,290
SV6 $42,290
SS $46,290
SS (a) $48,290
SS V $53,790
SS V (a) $55,790
Calais $46,790
Calais V V6 (a) $55,290
Calais V V8 (a) $60,290
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25748300088E64
http://www.holdencampaign.com.au/calendar/
Last edited by guionM; Jul 14, 2008 at 11:15 AM.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 164
From: Korea
That looks nice, especially for a wagon.
Not to hijack, but have there been any rumors of a hybrid/more fuel efficient G8 coming out? If GM would make one that got low 30's on the highway I'd sell my Civic to my Mom and buy one...because I really like the looks of the G8, but not so much the fuel economy.
Not to hijack, but have there been any rumors of a hybrid/more fuel efficient G8 coming out? If GM would make one that got low 30's on the highway I'd sell my Civic to my Mom and buy one...because I really like the looks of the G8, but not so much the fuel economy.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
Another First test.
2008 Holden Sportwagon First Drive
First steer by Paul Maric.
GM Holden has taken a pretty bold move with the introduction of its new VE Commodore based Sportwagon. The previous VZ’s target market of commercial users saw the wagon stereotyped as a bland, boring ‘rep-mobile’.
Enter 2008 and the successful VE Commodore. Holden wants to clear that ‘rep-mobile’ image with a Chrysler 300C-esque station wagon that appeals to a broader market, including families and people with active lifestyles.
Speaking at Holden’s media launch of the Sportwagon, Chief Designer Richard Ferlazzo said the design philosophy was to create a vehicle that was tailored to those buyers considering an SUV. The Sportwagon is considered by Holden to be a compromise between function and form, with an emphasis on ride quality and design.
Holden’s Sportwagon is based on the Commodore short-wheel-base platform and not, as in the past, on the WM long-wheel-base platform. The Sportwagon maintains the same length as the sedan but still manages to be one of the most spacious wagons on the market.
The tailgate cuts into the roofline to allow easy access when parked against walls and other cars. The Sportwagon needs just 268mm of clearance to swing the tailgate open, meaning that hectares of room aren’t required to load the shopping or the kid’s soccer gear.
$110-million was poured into the development of the Sportwagon (on top of the $1.03-billion spent on Commodore and $105.1-million spent on the Utility program) with just over half a million kilometres spent on the road testing.
The sporty design comes at a cost to interior volume though. The outgoing VZ station wagon could house up to 1402-litres with the rear seats up, while the Sportwagon can facilitate just under two-thirds of that volume at 895-litres. The rear is more accessible though, with the load height being increased by some 36mm.
The drive route had the assembled journalists drive across a variety of surfaces including bumpy asphalt, gravel and twisty mountain roads.
I started off in a Berlina. The bleak looking interior and monotone LCD screen did nothing to detract attention from the lifeless four-speed automatic gearbox featured in Omega and Berlina variants. The gearbox is mated to the 180kW Alloytec V6 which struggles at time to find the right gear for the terrain. I often found myself sinking the boot right in to keep momentum up, while overtaking took a bit of a run up.
Luckily though, it was a different story in my next ride, the SV6. The five-speed automatic transmission feels light-years ahead of the archaic four-speed and works brilliantly in unison with the 195kW high-output Alloytec motor. Sport shift can be selected by flicking the lever into the sequential mode, providing more apparent downshifts and retention of gears for upshifts.
It wasn’t long before I found myself in the luxo V8 model of the pack – the Calais V-Series V8. Here, 270kW of raw V8 power is delivered via the six-speed 6L80E automatic transmission. Generally speaking, it’s a decent unit which adapts to your driving style quite well. It too features a sport mode which improves shift quality for brisk driving.
The SS V-Series hero model was the most enjoyable of the bunch from a driver’s perspective. By chance our particular test route in nthis car featured some gravel, which simply amplified the SS V’s very impressive on-road dynamics. This particular vehicle featured a tight six-speed manual gearbox, which proved pleasurable to switch through cogs.
The general driving feel of all models was quite positive. You would be hard pressed to realise that you were in fact driving a station wagon. Even during the latter part of the day when the heavens opened, all vehicles remained firmly planted to the road, without even a hint of the regular light-end feel of a station wagon.
One of the vehicles (the Berlina) had a rattle coming from the rear roofline which became more apparent as we trekked over rougher terrain.
Sportwagon’s model range mirrors its sedan counterpart both in terms of features and model designations. The only difference being the addition of alloy wheels for the base model Omega.
Pricing was a keen talking point. Holden were keen to point out that Sportwagon is up to $5600 cheaper than the VZ station wagon it replaces. With prices maxing out at $60,290 for the V8 Calais V, it also makes the Sportwagon an affordable prospect for families looking at mid-size SUVs in a similar price range
Although Holden wouldn’t speculate on competitors in this segment, it’s quite clear that one of the main – if not only competitors – is the Chrysler 300C wagon. With most sales planned to be heading toward females, it will be interesting to see if the familiarity of a Commodore will sway buyers over American muscle.
We can also expect to see a HSV derivative of the Sportwagon in the near future. HSV is working on an R8 specced version of the Sportwagon to be sold alongside its range of V8 powered VE sedans.
Fuel consumption remains quite similar to the sedan range of vehicles. During the launch the recorded fuel consumption figures were very similar to the average figures quoted by Holden. Although it’s positive that the figures are accurate, more can still be done to bring these figures down to levels achieved by Toyota and Honda V6 engines.
Holden wouldn’t comment on future products, but rest assured that if a diesel or E85 motor is introduced, it will almost certainly make its way into Sportwagon.
Displacement on demand for the V8 range will also be introduced later in the year when the VE receives a refresh. Holden delayed introducing the fuel-saving technology because it wanted it to feature in the model refresh, opposed to the introduction of a single variant.
Safety features such as Electronic Stability Control, dual stage front driver and passenger airbags, side impact airbags for driver and front passenger and side curtain airbags are all standard fitment across the range.
All in all, Holden’s new Sportwagon is really a stellar family car. The increase of head room and radical styling will ensure it sings the right tune with the public. It won’t be long before every man and his dog gets their hands on a Sportwagon. In fact, even boss Mark Reuss has ordered a Sportwagon for his family – his wife wasn’t a big fan of the out-there Atomic colour though!
http://www.caradvice.com.au/14358/20...n-first-steer/
First steer by Paul Maric.
GM Holden has taken a pretty bold move with the introduction of its new VE Commodore based Sportwagon. The previous VZ’s target market of commercial users saw the wagon stereotyped as a bland, boring ‘rep-mobile’.
Enter 2008 and the successful VE Commodore. Holden wants to clear that ‘rep-mobile’ image with a Chrysler 300C-esque station wagon that appeals to a broader market, including families and people with active lifestyles.
Speaking at Holden’s media launch of the Sportwagon, Chief Designer Richard Ferlazzo said the design philosophy was to create a vehicle that was tailored to those buyers considering an SUV. The Sportwagon is considered by Holden to be a compromise between function and form, with an emphasis on ride quality and design.
Holden’s Sportwagon is based on the Commodore short-wheel-base platform and not, as in the past, on the WM long-wheel-base platform. The Sportwagon maintains the same length as the sedan but still manages to be one of the most spacious wagons on the market.
The tailgate cuts into the roofline to allow easy access when parked against walls and other cars. The Sportwagon needs just 268mm of clearance to swing the tailgate open, meaning that hectares of room aren’t required to load the shopping or the kid’s soccer gear.
$110-million was poured into the development of the Sportwagon (on top of the $1.03-billion spent on Commodore and $105.1-million spent on the Utility program) with just over half a million kilometres spent on the road testing.
The sporty design comes at a cost to interior volume though. The outgoing VZ station wagon could house up to 1402-litres with the rear seats up, while the Sportwagon can facilitate just under two-thirds of that volume at 895-litres. The rear is more accessible though, with the load height being increased by some 36mm.
The drive route had the assembled journalists drive across a variety of surfaces including bumpy asphalt, gravel and twisty mountain roads.
I started off in a Berlina. The bleak looking interior and monotone LCD screen did nothing to detract attention from the lifeless four-speed automatic gearbox featured in Omega and Berlina variants. The gearbox is mated to the 180kW Alloytec V6 which struggles at time to find the right gear for the terrain. I often found myself sinking the boot right in to keep momentum up, while overtaking took a bit of a run up.
Luckily though, it was a different story in my next ride, the SV6. The five-speed automatic transmission feels light-years ahead of the archaic four-speed and works brilliantly in unison with the 195kW high-output Alloytec motor. Sport shift can be selected by flicking the lever into the sequential mode, providing more apparent downshifts and retention of gears for upshifts.
It wasn’t long before I found myself in the luxo V8 model of the pack – the Calais V-Series V8. Here, 270kW of raw V8 power is delivered via the six-speed 6L80E automatic transmission. Generally speaking, it’s a decent unit which adapts to your driving style quite well. It too features a sport mode which improves shift quality for brisk driving.
The SS V-Series hero model was the most enjoyable of the bunch from a driver’s perspective. By chance our particular test route in nthis car featured some gravel, which simply amplified the SS V’s very impressive on-road dynamics. This particular vehicle featured a tight six-speed manual gearbox, which proved pleasurable to switch through cogs.
The general driving feel of all models was quite positive. You would be hard pressed to realise that you were in fact driving a station wagon. Even during the latter part of the day when the heavens opened, all vehicles remained firmly planted to the road, without even a hint of the regular light-end feel of a station wagon.
One of the vehicles (the Berlina) had a rattle coming from the rear roofline which became more apparent as we trekked over rougher terrain.
Sportwagon’s model range mirrors its sedan counterpart both in terms of features and model designations. The only difference being the addition of alloy wheels for the base model Omega.
Pricing was a keen talking point. Holden were keen to point out that Sportwagon is up to $5600 cheaper than the VZ station wagon it replaces. With prices maxing out at $60,290 for the V8 Calais V, it also makes the Sportwagon an affordable prospect for families looking at mid-size SUVs in a similar price range
Although Holden wouldn’t speculate on competitors in this segment, it’s quite clear that one of the main – if not only competitors – is the Chrysler 300C wagon. With most sales planned to be heading toward females, it will be interesting to see if the familiarity of a Commodore will sway buyers over American muscle.
We can also expect to see a HSV derivative of the Sportwagon in the near future. HSV is working on an R8 specced version of the Sportwagon to be sold alongside its range of V8 powered VE sedans.
Fuel consumption remains quite similar to the sedan range of vehicles. During the launch the recorded fuel consumption figures were very similar to the average figures quoted by Holden. Although it’s positive that the figures are accurate, more can still be done to bring these figures down to levels achieved by Toyota and Honda V6 engines.
Holden wouldn’t comment on future products, but rest assured that if a diesel or E85 motor is introduced, it will almost certainly make its way into Sportwagon.
Displacement on demand for the V8 range will also be introduced later in the year when the VE receives a refresh. Holden delayed introducing the fuel-saving technology because it wanted it to feature in the model refresh, opposed to the introduction of a single variant.
Safety features such as Electronic Stability Control, dual stage front driver and passenger airbags, side impact airbags for driver and front passenger and side curtain airbags are all standard fitment across the range.
All in all, Holden’s new Sportwagon is really a stellar family car. The increase of head room and radical styling will ensure it sings the right tune with the public. It won’t be long before every man and his dog gets their hands on a Sportwagon. In fact, even boss Mark Reuss has ordered a Sportwagon for his family – his wife wasn’t a big fan of the out-there Atomic colour though!
http://www.caradvice.com.au/14358/20...n-first-steer/
http://www.caradvice.com.au/14358/20...first-steer/4/
Last edited by guionM; Jul 13, 2008 at 03:10 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 632
From: NC
That looks nice, especially for a wagon.
Not to hijack, but have there been any rumors of a hybrid/more fuel efficient G8 coming out? If GM would make one that got low 30's on the highway I'd sell my Civic to my Mom and buy one...because I really like the looks of the G8, but not so much the fuel economy.
Not to hijack, but have there been any rumors of a hybrid/more fuel efficient G8 coming out? If GM would make one that got low 30's on the highway I'd sell my Civic to my Mom and buy one...because I really like the looks of the G8, but not so much the fuel economy.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,306
From: Jersey Shore
Fleets accounted for 90 per of the previous Commodore wagon sales, but Holden is determined to spread the appeal of the new wagon beyond company car barriers.
Hrm...good luck to Holden trying to turn a fleet queen into a main line success.
I really dont think Lutz was dumb to not bring this over.
IMO, sent it to Europe instead with the 2.9 diesel, badge it as an opel, bring some 3.6/6spd auto/manual sedans along with teh V8 models as well, and have Opel/Vaux's flagship luxury sedan.
Hrm...good luck to Holden trying to turn a fleet queen into a main line success.
I really dont think Lutz was dumb to not bring this over.
IMO, sent it to Europe instead with the 2.9 diesel, badge it as an opel, bring some 3.6/6spd auto/manual sedans along with teh V8 models as well, and have Opel/Vaux's flagship luxury sedan.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,154
From: All around
And only $1000AU more for a wagon over a sedan...
While it has yet to be seen if Lutz made the right move or not -- he made that decision before the SUV/Truck crash. Things may be different in a year or two, especially once the Holden hybrids go online and/or the VE gets a diesel.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 215
From: ********.com
I was under the impression that Lutz was in favor of bringing it over, and the beancounters vetoed it since there isn't a strong market for stationwagons in the US.
I'd rather have the Pontiac El Camino anyways.
I'd rather have the Pontiac El Camino anyways.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,448
From: Irving, TX
It seats 5. But, as people are trading in their SUV's, they are probably going to go to 5 seaters. Since crossovers don't get much better mileage than full size SUV's, I think wagons will make a comeback for the extra cargo room.
It all remains to be seen.
And, I personally think the G8 ST was a bad idea. I don't think you would see more G8 ST's around than a G8 wagons if they were both offered.
It all remains to be seen.
And, I personally think the G8 ST was a bad idea. I don't think you would see more G8 ST's around than a G8 wagons if they were both offered.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 445
From: Livonia, MI
I'm not that big a fan of the Wagon. I really liked the Magnum when it first came out; and apparently so did a lot of other people, because they were pretty popular around the metro Detroit area. Now I may not even see one a month! If the magnum won't sell being the only offering in the wagon dept. (I seen Benz has one too, but that has to be pretty low volume in the US), I don't see a G8 variant doing any better. Granted, times have changed and people are downsizing from SUVs, but taking the cost and effort to import a low quantity vehicle probably wouldn't turn very good profits, if it did manage to sell.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 681
I have an 04 GTO. They have been criticized for their small truck. However, I can fit a week's worth of groceries for a family of 4 in it.
My wife has a Rendezvous with the 3rd row of seats. We use it all the time! It's nice if grandma and grandpa are in town, we can take just one car. If my kids invite friends over, we need the extra room.
I think it would sell much better if it had a small jump seat in the back that 2 kids could fit in.
Minivans originally replaced the wagon. SUVs then replaced the minivan. The only way that we can go full circle is for the wagons to be able to seat more than 5.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,030
From: Frankfort, KY U.S.A.
I really don't understand GMs logic in bringing over the ST and not the Sportwagon. Sure wagons don't sell well in the US, but a lot has changed in the last several months and things are only going to get worse. What are people getting as family vehicles when trading in their gas guzzling SUVs. Lutz should review the case for the sportswagon because a lot has changed in the past 6 months. Plus Pontiac's only family type of vehicle the Torrent is going away shortly.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,030
From: Frankfort, KY U.S.A.
Holden VE Sportwagon range pricing:
Omega $37,790
Berlina $41,290
SV6 $42,290
SS $46,290
SS (a) $48,290
SS V $53,790
SS V (a) $55,790
Calais $46,790
Calais V V6 (a) $55,290
Calais V V8 (a) $60,290
Omega $37,790
Berlina $41,290
SV6 $42,290
SS $46,290
SS (a) $48,290
SS V $53,790
SS V (a) $55,790
Calais $46,790
Calais V V6 (a) $55,290
Calais V V8 (a) $60,290
Example Camaro
Camaro Sport Coupe
Camaro LT
Camaro Berlinetta
Camaro RS
Camaro Z28
Camaro IROC-Z
