Holden Commodore VF: VE facelift
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From: Charleston, WV
Holden Commodore VF: VE facelift
Could this be what GM is waiting for before they bring it over as a Chevy or Buick? That would give them time to sell off the remaining G8's as well....
http://carsguide.news.com.au/site/ne...f_ve_facelift/
The Holden VE II – or VF – will be the VE Commodore's first facelift since its introduction in 2006.
The new car is hiding more under the skin than on top.
A new, high-tech direct-injection V6 could be destined for the big sedan late this year when the car gets a refresh. The VF Commodore is likely to get a range of improvements designed to lift fuel economy and further develop the company's ‘Ecoline’ strategy.
Visually the car may also borrow some design elements from Holden's Coupe 60 concept car, like the repeaters in the rear view mirrors, deeper grille and restyled lower bumper air intake to give a smoother look to the front end.
GM-Holden is not revealing details yet but the company has a choice of two DI engines of either 3.0-litre or 3.6-litre capacity that substantially reduce emissions and improve fuel economy.
The 3.0-litre delivers 190kW/298Nm, which is 15kW more than the current 3.6-litre Commodore engine but 27Nm less torque.
The bigger 3.6-litre DI engine delivers 225kW/369Nm and is available in GM's Cadillac models.
However in an effort to respond to changing consumer tastes, GM-Holden may also choose to downsize the Commodore V6 by introducing a smaller capacity 2.8-litre version of the Alloytec engine that could be badged ‘Ecoline’, part of Holden's solution to tackling fuel efficiency.
The entry engine could be available as a ‘fleet’ model on the base Omega to help bolster Commodore sales.
A 2.8-litre V6 with variable valve timing is available in some General Motors vehicles and generates 151kW at 6800 revs and 246Nm at 6300 revs.
More economical V6s are just some of the initiatives GM-Holden chief, Mark Reuss, is instituting to lure buyers back to the Commodore and ensure the car rebuilds its credentials from the current car slump.
These include E85 ethanol engines, dedicated LPG cars and frugal turbo-diesels.
The DI engines could be mated to six-speed automatic gearboxes to deliver sub-10.0 litre/100km fuel economy.
GM's direct injection technology not only improves fuel economy but quietness.
Rubber isolators are used with the fuel rail to eliminate metal-to-metal contact that would otherwise transmit noise and vibration from the high-pressure fuel system.
Along with direct injection, the 3.0-litre gets variable valve timing to improve power and economy.
GM-Holden is confident the new engine technologies for the V6 can deliver fuel economy comparable to some of the larger capacity Japanese four-cylinder engines.
The facelifted Commodore may also have gone on a diet to help improve economy.
GM-Holden's high-feature Alloytec V6 is truly a world-class engine...
Apart from powering a family of Commodores, versions of the company's Fishermens Bend engine finds their way into various Cadillac, Saab and Alfa Romeo models.
The Saab engine is a single turbo 2.8-litre variant developing 188kW/350Nm. A 294kW twin-turbo version was developed for the Saab Aero-X concept car.
Alfa Romeo's 190kW/322Nm 3.2-litre version of the Holden V6 is heavily modified and uses direct injection and lean-burn technology.
The new car is hiding more under the skin than on top.
A new, high-tech direct-injection V6 could be destined for the big sedan late this year when the car gets a refresh. The VF Commodore is likely to get a range of improvements designed to lift fuel economy and further develop the company's ‘Ecoline’ strategy.
Visually the car may also borrow some design elements from Holden's Coupe 60 concept car, like the repeaters in the rear view mirrors, deeper grille and restyled lower bumper air intake to give a smoother look to the front end.
GM-Holden is not revealing details yet but the company has a choice of two DI engines of either 3.0-litre or 3.6-litre capacity that substantially reduce emissions and improve fuel economy.
The 3.0-litre delivers 190kW/298Nm, which is 15kW more than the current 3.6-litre Commodore engine but 27Nm less torque.
The bigger 3.6-litre DI engine delivers 225kW/369Nm and is available in GM's Cadillac models.
However in an effort to respond to changing consumer tastes, GM-Holden may also choose to downsize the Commodore V6 by introducing a smaller capacity 2.8-litre version of the Alloytec engine that could be badged ‘Ecoline’, part of Holden's solution to tackling fuel efficiency.
The entry engine could be available as a ‘fleet’ model on the base Omega to help bolster Commodore sales.
A 2.8-litre V6 with variable valve timing is available in some General Motors vehicles and generates 151kW at 6800 revs and 246Nm at 6300 revs.
More economical V6s are just some of the initiatives GM-Holden chief, Mark Reuss, is instituting to lure buyers back to the Commodore and ensure the car rebuilds its credentials from the current car slump.
These include E85 ethanol engines, dedicated LPG cars and frugal turbo-diesels.
The DI engines could be mated to six-speed automatic gearboxes to deliver sub-10.0 litre/100km fuel economy.
GM's direct injection technology not only improves fuel economy but quietness.
Rubber isolators are used with the fuel rail to eliminate metal-to-metal contact that would otherwise transmit noise and vibration from the high-pressure fuel system.
Along with direct injection, the 3.0-litre gets variable valve timing to improve power and economy.
GM-Holden is confident the new engine technologies for the V6 can deliver fuel economy comparable to some of the larger capacity Japanese four-cylinder engines.
The facelifted Commodore may also have gone on a diet to help improve economy.
GM-Holden's high-feature Alloytec V6 is truly a world-class engine...
Apart from powering a family of Commodores, versions of the company's Fishermens Bend engine finds their way into various Cadillac, Saab and Alfa Romeo models.
The Saab engine is a single turbo 2.8-litre variant developing 188kW/350Nm. A 294kW twin-turbo version was developed for the Saab Aero-X concept car.
Alfa Romeo's 190kW/322Nm 3.2-litre version of the Holden V6 is heavily modified and uses direct injection and lean-burn technology.
)
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Greenville, SC
I don't know what the hell is wrong with GM. That car is perfect for NA. It wouldn't even need a new nose like the G8. Don't change a damn thing, put a bowtie where the lion is and there's your next gen Impala.
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Posts: 1,215
From: Coppell, Texas
Does anyone else think that a Chevy version would likely sale significantly better than the Pontiac one? I know there are a lot more Chevy dealers, and Chevy is more "mainstream" than Pontiac was over the past decade. It seems like such a no brainer to me. Especially if they do indeed get a 260hp 30mpg V6 version.
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From: Charleston, WV
Does anyone else think that a Chevy version would likely sale significantly better than the Pontiac one? I know there are a lot more Chevy dealers, and Chevy is more "mainstream" than Pontiac was over the past decade. It seems like such a no brainer to me. Especially if they do indeed get a 260hp 30mpg V6 version.
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Without a doubt! The average person probably doesn't even know the Pontiac G8 exists. Ask if they've heard of an Impala or Malibu and you'll at least get some sort of recognition.
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From: Sandy VJJville
Well, that's not really a fair comparison. Impala and Malibu have been around for ~50 years, so even if they couldn't pick out a 2010 model Impala or Malibu, they might still recognize the name from the previous half century of the nameplate's existence.
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,215
From: Coppell, Texas
My father is in the used car business, and when I was looking for a vehicle to replace my HHR, he and I looked at some G8s. When he first called me about one of them, he was stunned (in a good way) by how it looked in person. It reminded him more of a BMW than a Pontiac, and granted he'd seen pictures of it, but in the flesh it had a much more striking appearance.
To my point, I don't know what more GM could have done to market this car. I saw lots of TV adds during NCAA games, tons of print adds in various magazines, but in the end it wasn't enough to sell the thing out. Granted as others have pointed out, sales have been good, but I can't help but think that had the G8 been an Impala or Caprice or Lumina or whatever from the beginning, would it have sold better? I think this is kind of telling about the state of Pontiac over the last 5 years or so. They had two incredible vehicles (G8 and Solstice), and it still couldn't compensate for the indifference that the GP, G6, G5 had with the buying public. The demise of Pontiac can be contributed to many things, but I think this is a scenario that illustrates how far the brand had fallen. To echo what Brendan and Guy have mentioned about the fall of Pontiac, imagine if the G6 was more aggresively styled (like the G8) and had been a hit like the Aura or Malibu? Would that have saved Pontiac?
Sorry to derail this into another Pontiac death theory thread.
To my point, I don't know what more GM could have done to market this car. I saw lots of TV adds during NCAA games, tons of print adds in various magazines, but in the end it wasn't enough to sell the thing out. Granted as others have pointed out, sales have been good, but I can't help but think that had the G8 been an Impala or Caprice or Lumina or whatever from the beginning, would it have sold better? I think this is kind of telling about the state of Pontiac over the last 5 years or so. They had two incredible vehicles (G8 and Solstice), and it still couldn't compensate for the indifference that the GP, G6, G5 had with the buying public. The demise of Pontiac can be contributed to many things, but I think this is a scenario that illustrates how far the brand had fallen. To echo what Brendan and Guy have mentioned about the fall of Pontiac, imagine if the G6 was more aggresively styled (like the G8) and had been a hit like the Aura or Malibu? Would that have saved Pontiac?
Sorry to derail this into another Pontiac death theory thread.
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