Holden Commodore Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
The Holden Commodore is an automobile series built by the Holden division of General Motors in Australia, available as a sedan, wagon or, from 1989, 'ute' (utility or pickup truck). From 1989, it formed the basis of a luxury sedan range called the Holden Statesman, and from 2001, it formed the basis of the Holden Monaro sports coupé.
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2 VK Commodore 3 VL Commodore 4 VN–VS Commodore 5 VT–VZ Commodore 6 Commodore exports 7 Toyota Lexcen (1989–96) |
Introduced in 1978, the first was the VB Commodore which came with 2.85, 3.3, 4.2 or 5 litre engines and 4-speed manual or 3 speed automatic transmission. The original design was actually a rebadged Opel Commodore, which was GM's V-car, sold in the UK as the Vauxhall Viceroy, and the Chevrolet Commodore in South Africa.
Only minor cosmetic changes were made from the original 1978 VB Commodore to the updated VC, but the engines were upgraded to 'blue' specification which meant a 12 port cylinder head on the 6 cylinder engine, and decent electronic ignition on all engines. The VC Commodore was also the first to receive the SL/E badge, and also be used with HDT projects with Peter Brock. The VH had some greater sheetmetal changes up front.
Beyond the 2.85-litre engine, the Commodores also accommodated powerplants from the outgoing Kingswood: 3.3, 4.2 and 5-litre engines were on offer. As a reaction to the fuel crisis, the Commodore Four proved popular. This model featured the 1.9-litre Starfire engine (a 4 cyl version of the 2.85 litre 6 cyl engine) from the defunct Holden Sunbird.
A revised VH shape with plastic bumpers and accessories, and a six-light bodyshell for the sedans, were the biggest noticeable differences between the VH and VK Commodore. The same 3.3 litre 6 cylinder motor was connected to the same three-speed Trimatic transmission, however this time the engine was 'black' spec 12 port, and an EFI version was available. The 8 cyl engines (4.2 and 5 litre) were also available. The 4 cyl was dropped.
Badging was interesting: there was a three-slat plastic grille. Basic models had the Holden badge on the top slat; intermediate models on the centre one; while the Holden Calais, an upmarket model intended to fill the gap left by the departing full-size Statesman limousine, featured the Holden badge on the bottom slat. The Calais was not exported to New Zealand initially, with a Commodore Royale model offered instead.
Styling changes gave the Commodore a distinctive appearance, with the 1986 VL featuring pop-up headlights (on luxury Calais model only), while co-operation with Nissan saw the use of the Nissan RB30 3.0 L engine from the Skyline with the very popular turbo option. The 5 litre V8 was also available. Many Holden fans still regard the VL Commodore is one of best Commodores ever built. This was the last of the 'smaller' Commodores.VB–VH Commodore
VK Commodore
VL Commodore
1990 VN Holden Commodore |
This and subsequent versions took their bodywork from the slightly larger Opel Senator. The VN Commodore, released in 1988, was similarly based on the Opel Omega, but this time the European platform was widened and stretched. The Commodore could now match the rival Ford Falcon for size, and for the first time, was available as a ute, the Australian colloquialism for a pick-up truck. The Statesman and Caprice, built on an even longer wheelbase, were positioned against Ford Australia's Fairlane and LTD. The Statesman is used as an official car by government ministers in Australia, and some are also converted into hearses for funerals or limousines.
The engine was (based on?) the 90 degree Buick V6 from the US, and a 5 litre V8 was available. Both these engines used multi point GM EFI. A fuel-injected, two-litre VN Commodore Four was offered for some export markets, sharing an engine with the Opel Vectra A.
The VP Commodore update was minor body mainly. The same 3.8-litre V6 and 5 litre V8 from the VN Commodore was used, however power was raised slightly with the Ecotec motor.
Holden later released the sleeker and more modern looking VR and VS Commodores, with safety enhancements (such as ABS) and revised styling. From the side, the biggest change was the use of a round rear wheelarch, instead of a squared-off one. The rear-end treatment saw raised lights, apparently for safety reasons.
The VT Commodore, released in 1997, was similarly based on the Omega (GM2800) platform, and saw a coupe version, the Monaro, which resurrected a famous Holden brand name from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as a four-wheel-drive version of the Commodore wagon, the Adventra. A long-wheelbase, four-door ute called the Crewman is also available. This Monaro is available in the US as the GTO.
The VZ Commodore of 2004 débuts a new generation of 175 and 190 kW 'Alloytec' engines which may even wind up in Alfa Romeos. These engines are completely new and feature DOHC.
The Commodore was also assembled in New Zealand, but is now exported completely built up. It has also traditionally been also exported to other right hand drive markets in the region such as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Indonesia and Brunei. It is sold in South Africa and Thailand, badged as the Chevrolet Lumina. The Chevrolet Lumina is also produced in left hand drive for the Middle East (with the Statesman being branded as the Chevrolet Caprice), and to Brazil as the Chevrolet Omega. Today, export success means that there are more VT–VZs outside Australia than within.
VT–VZ Commodore
Commodore exports
| Preceded by: Holden Kingswood | Succeeded by: Still in production |
1990 Toyota Lexcen |
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