VE Commodore & WM Statesman Launch News Thread - July 2006

[JoeT]

Holden VE/WM Design & Prices

GM Media
18 July 2006
www.media.gm.com

There are a number of creative disciplines within Holden Design – creative exterior and interior designers, color and trim designers, clay and digital modellers, visualisation designers, technical designers and design quality specialists.

Exterior Design

The exterior design concept for the VE Commodore was largely set in the late 1990s by previous Design Director Michael Simcoe and lead designer Peter Hughes.

The VE design direction was selected through an internal design competition in 2002, which attracted a range of ideas including sketches by Simcoe. A t eam of designers then honed every aspect of the car to deliver the all-new 2006 model.

Chief Designer Richard Ferlazzo, best known for his work on the stunning EFIJY concept in 2005, summarises the VE Commodore’s exterior theme in two words: proportion and stance.

“VE is a mature design which exploits the benefits of a large rear-wheel-drive platform, delivering classic proportion and athletic stance,” Ferlazzo said.

“It includes subtle sporting details such as the fender vents and dual exhaust outlets which are indicative of the ‘driver’s car’ image and a tribute to Holden’s motorsport heritage.”

Hughes: “I take a large amount of pride in the realisation that this uniquely Australian car is world class. The end result symbolises the dedication, talent and drive that makes the Holden Design team something very special to be part of.”


Interior Design

The interior team was charged with developing flexible, progressive, contemporary, high quality and high value interiors for VE. Stolfo, who was Chief Designer for VE interiors before being appointed as Design Director in 2004, said the team also worked hard to minimise material cost, investment and plant complexity through a flexible design strategy.

“Near enough was never good enough with the new Commodore. We designed for greater flexibility to give the buyer greater choice across the range. We wanted to personalise every model to ensure we met and exceeded their expectations,” Stolfo said.


Color and Trim

Color and Trim Chief Designer, Sharon Gauci: “Color and trim is about designing finishes for any surfaces inside or outside the car that a customer can see and touch. We take the design and make it relevant for the consumer by careful selection of finishes, materials and textures.

“Our tools of design are soft trim – fabric, leather and carpet, interior and exterior color, decorative finishes and surface texture. Our job was to create something visually new, integrated and considered that would signify an all-new car.

“Researching trends and exploring design are integral to the job of a Color and Trim designer because we work at least four years before start of production. Our designs need to be relevant and have longevity when they finally hit the marketplace.”


Technical Design

The technical design team defines vehicle configuration, occupant location, spatial dimensions, overall vehicle dimensions and legislative compliance requirements. It liaises with engineering and manufacturing departments and suppliers to ensure products retain design objectives.

VE Chief Technical Designer Rick Martin, who led the technical design team, said Holden had a clear brief for the all-new Commodore.

“We had to maintain Commodore’s excellent interior space without expanding the exterior footprint, achieve a stiffer body structure and improve boot capacity and useability. We had to achieve the intents of an aggressive stance and largest possible wheel and tyre package,” Martin said.

“VE is a new and exciting architecture which holds true to the vision. It will serve to provide the framework for a multitude of new and exciting products well into the future.”


Key design dimensions: exterior

VE Omega
VE to VZ Difference

Overall length
4894mm
+ 18mm

Wheelbase
2915mm
+ 126mm

Front overhang
846mm
- 90mm

Front wheels

Forward 67mm

Rear overhang
1133mm
- 18mm

Rear wheels

Rearward 59mm

Track width front
1602mm
+ 33mm

Track width rear
1618mm
+ 41mm

Height
1476mm
+ 20mm

Width (excluding mirrors)
1899mm
+ 57mm

Trunk capacity
496 ISO litres
+ 31 litres

Key design dimensions: interior

Couple distance
863mm
+ 6mm

Front leg room
1071mm
0mm

Rear leg room
1001mm
+ 15mm

Rear knee room
102mm
+ 6mm

Front head room
985mm
- 7mm

Rear head room
965mm
- 1mm

Front shoulder room
1501mm
- 14mm

Rear shoulder room
1499mm
- 8mm


Holden today released pricing for the all-new 2006 series of Holden Commodore, highlighting several significant reductions compared with equivalent models in the previous generation.

Prices were also announced for the upcoming WM Statesman and Caprice, with Caprice moving under the $70,000-mark and the V8 flagship version priced at less than the previous V6 model.

Holden released the information after briefing almost 300 Holden dealers at a national event in Queensland today.

The VE and WM pricing schedule reflects the revised model lineup for the all-new Commodore and represents outstanding value in every model. They include the new Omega model and flagship VSeries models, plans for which were announced at Holden’s VE reveal event on Sunday.

Buyers are now able to purchase SS performance or Calais luxury for $6800 and $8400 less respectively than their VZ equivalents.

The 2006 Holden Commodore series will be priced from a recommended retail price of $34,490 for Omega. This is a price increase of just $500 or 1.5 per cent while offering all the structural and technological advances of the new generation Commodores.

Pricing for the new Berlina has been rolled back $3900 to a recommended retail price of $39,990 despite offering more prestige, technology and value.

Holden also announced plans for a special model for private buyers, the Commodore V-Series, to be offered from September to celebrate the release of the fourth generation Commodore family.

Holden’s Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, Alan Batey, said Holden had designed a model structure which offered compelling choice at every level of purchase.

Batey said the pricing left no doubt about Holden’s intent in Australia.

“Commodore has always represented exceptional value for money and Holden has added even more value with the all-new models,” Mr Batey said.

“Almost 40 passenger car brands are competing for market share and we need to consider more competitors than ever before in setting our pricing structure.

“Our model lineup enables us to make SS and Calais more accessible to buyers, while allowing room for differentiation with the new V-Series variants.”


Commodore V-Series special model

Mr Batey said the Commodore V-Series was Holden’s gesture to celebrate the first all-new Commodore in nine years.

He said Holden had defined the practice of regular special edition releases and Commodore VSeries was the best possible way to mark the company’s biggest milestone for many years.

“Special edition models have long been a part of our plan. Commodore V-Series is designed for private buyers to celebrate the arrival of VE and recognise Commodore’s compelling value,” Mr Batey said.

“The Commodore V-Series will be on sale for the rest of this year and we expect there will be strong demand.”

Based on the Omega model, the Commodore V-Series includes air conditioning, 17-inch alloys, rear spoiler, body color mirrors and door handles. The commodore V-Series is for sale to private buyers only.


Fleet consultation

Mr Batey said Holden had already consulted widely with major fleet buyers and was confident its pricing would also exceed expectations for fleet and user-chooser markets.

“The consultation process has been extremely valuable,” he said.

“We have put together a package which continues to represent strong value for fleets with specification level and key price points meeting the needs of diverse fleet policies.

“The pricing and model repositioning strategy will support long term value in these vehicles and ultimately maintain a strong residual value position over its competitors.”

Mr Batey said corporate buyers had shown particular interest in key safety features, including the standard provision of Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) and the availability of side impact and curtain airbags in all models.

“We have put in what is important to our biggest customers in each model,” he said.

The 2006 Holden Commodore range will go on sale across Australia in August 2006. The Commodore V-Series special model will go on sale in September.
A full list of features for the WM Statesman and Caprice will be released closer to the start of sales in September 2006.


2006 VE COMMODORE RANGE FEATURES - HIGHLIGHTS

Holden’s Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, Alan Batey, said the 2006 VE Commodore range established a clear identity for each model. “Each car has a stand-alone position in the market, a unique set of features over the model below and logical price gaps around its position,” Batey said.

“Holden buyers know they can buy a VE Commodore with advanced safety and technology built into every car, along with Euro-style looks and a major focus on exterior and interior quality.

“They also have defined choices about where in the range they wish to purchase and whether they are seeking prestige or performance.” Key features for each model are as follows -


Omega

“Omega is an extremely well packaged, value for money entry level car for our new range. Omega is high on standard safety with passive and active features thanks to Electronic Stability Program and the structural rigidity and crashworthiness built into every VE Commodore. It comes with the capability to build in even more safety with an optional pack of side impact and curtain airbags and active head restraints,” Batey said.

“Omega is also high on comfort which provides significant incentive for fleet, lease and private buyers alike. The replacement of two models with one has created a great first step into the all new Commodore range.” Standard features on Omega include -

- 3.6L V6, peak power 180kW, peak torque 330Nm, four-speed automatic
- Electronic Stability Program, Electronic Brake Assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
- 16-inch steel wheels
- Dual stage front airbags; side and curtain impact airbags optional with active head restraints
- Cruise control
- Single disc CD player with MP3 compatibility
-Four-way power drivers seat
- Multi-function display with trip computer – five-inch screen
- Power windows front and rear


Berlina

“Berlina is a more significant step up in the VE range despite coming down significantly in price compared with the previous car. The realignment has allowed us to give Berlina greater personality with far greater standard specification. We can see great potential for this car in corporate and lease fleets as well as driveways around the country,” Batey said.

Berlina has all Omega standard features in addition to -

- Optional 6.0L V8, peak power 270kW, peak torque 530Nm, six-speed automatic
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Additional cluster displays
- Six-inch multi-function display screen
- Side impact airbags; curtain airbags optional with leather trim seats
- Rear Park Assist
- Bluetooth connectivity
-Six-disc in-dash CD player, MP3 compatible
- Leather wrap steering wheel
- Dual zone climate control


SV6

“The Holden model which created such a positive impact with its introduction in the VZ range in 2004 has stepped up another gear with the all-new Commodore,” Batey said.

“The High Output Alloytec V6 engine and choice of two highly regarded transmissions has equal appeal to retail and corporate customers. It rides on 18-inch alloy wheels and features dual exhausts, sport suspension and rear spoiler.

“SV6 really looks the part and has the V6 performance to compete with anything in the market. We have delivered one of Holden’s most impressive six-cylinder sports models in recent years.”

- 3.6L V6, peak power 195kW, peak torque 340Nm, six-speed manual or optional five-speed automatic with Active Select
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Dual stage front airbags, side impact airbags; curtain airbags optional with leather trim seats
- Sports suspension
- Sports fascia, body kit and rear spoiler
-Front fog lamps
-Body color mirrors and door handles
-Dual exhaust with chrome tips
- Leather wrap steering wheel
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Power windows


SS

There is no question in our minds that the Holden SS is the king of the Australian sports sedans. The new price position of this car is going to cause a real stir in the market,” Batey said.

“It has 270 kilowatts of peak power and six-speed automatic and manual transmissions which are shared with the Chevrolet Corvette. We have rolled back the price of this car almost $7000 and made quality performance more affordable and value-packed than ever.”

- 6.0L V8, peak power 270kW, peak torque 530Nm, six-speed manual with optional six-speed automatic with Active Select
- Quad exhaust with chrome tips
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Dual stage front airbags, side impact airbags; curtain airbags optional with leather trim seats
- Sports fascia, body kit and larger rear spoiler
- Sport suspension
- Sports seats
- Unique SS seat trim and logo
- Six-disc in-dash CD player with MP3 compatibility
- Leather wrap steering wheel


SS V

“SS V is Holden’s king of the jungle, the new hero of our performance range. It also delivers front, side and curtain airbags, multi-function color LCD screen, premium stereo system and the ability to choose color-coded interiors,” Batey said.

“This is a powerful example of how the V Series concept can be applied. It takes what is already stunning value and shifts it to new heights.”

SS V has all SS features in addition to –

- Projector headlamps
-19-inch alloy wheels
- 6.5-inch multi-function display
- Curtain airbags
- Dual zone climate control
- 230 watt audio system with sub-woofer
- Color coded instrument cluster
- Sports gauges
-Sports profile leather wrap steering wheel
- Leather seat trim
- Alloy pedals


Calais

“Calais continues to target luxury car buyers but makes it easier than ever to become a Calais owner with prices more than $8000 below the previous model. VE Calais has sports suspension, front, side and curtain airbags, color information display and superb European design themes. It’s a truly stunning car which leaves behind other locally built prestige vehicles for value,” Batey said.

- 3.6L V6, peak power 195kW, peak torque 340Nm, five-speed automatic; 6.0L V8, peak power 270kW, peak torque 530Nm, six-speed automatic
- Sport suspension
- Projector headlamps
- Chrome bonnet header
- Dual exhaust with chrome tips
- Curtain air bags
- Six-way power driver’s seat and passenger seat with leather bolsters
- 6.5-inch full color multi-function display
- Leather grip on gear shift
- Rear seat centre armrest


Calais V

There is no question that Calais V is the pinnacle of the VE range, a car designed expressly to attract people who had previously driven European brands,” Batey said.

“We believe it is the classiest Calais we have ever delivered. It offers 18-inch alloy wheels, luxurious leather trim seats and premium stereo system. It has useful technology such as rainsensing wipers and a first for an Australian-built vehicle in zoned front and rear park assist.”

Calais V has all Calais features in addition to -

- Zoned front and rear park assist
- Rain sensing wipers
- External mirror puddle lamps
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Leather seat trim
- Single screen roof-mounted DVD
- 230-watt audio system with sub-woofer
-Priority seat and mirror memory
- Eight-way power front seats
-Sliding centre armrest

2006 Holden VE Commodore V-Series special model
RRP

Air conditioning (Omega) - $2000

Side Protection Pack – side and curtain airbags, active head restraints (Omega) - $2000

Leather trim seats and curtain airbags (Berlina, SV6, SS) - $2500

Six-disc CD stacker (Omega, SV6) - $595

Bluetooth (Omega) - $390

Full-size spare wheel and tyre (Omega) - $100

Full-size spare wheel and tyre (Berlina, SV6, SS, SS V, Calais, Calais V) - $250

Leather trim, eight-way front seats with memory, heated mirrors (Calais) - $3000

Country pack suspension (Omega – not available with LPG) - $330

Sports suspension (Omega, Berlina) -$695

Electric tilt and slide sunroof - $1690

Overhead DVD player (all models except standard on Calais V) - $1290

Metallic paint - $375

2006 WM Statesman and Caprice options pricing - RRP

Electric tilt and slide sunroof - $1690

Overhead DVD player (Statesman) -$1290

To discuss Holden new VE Commodore & WM Statesman/Caprice range, Click here

[JoeT]

Commodore Success Good For Entire Industry

Ian Porter
19 July 2006
www.drive.com.au

Parts makers, manufacturers and the Australian economy itself have an interest in the success of the new VE Commodore line.

The $1.23 billion GM Holden has invested to create the VE Commodore is the largest single commitment made in Australia to bring any retail product to market.

It is a big investment and a big risk for General Motors, given that petrol prices are rising and sales of large cars are falling. But much more is riding on the VE's success than GM's investment, as large it is.

If the Commodore fails to fire in this inclement market, the fallout will be extensive, both in industry terms and for the economy.

A worst case scenario - closure of the Elizabeth assembly plant - would put perhaps 5000 people out of work, billions of dollars added to Australia's import bill and more than a billion dollars stripped from its export income. Economic disasters don't come much bigger.

In its various guises, Holden has been one of the most important companies in the country for decades, especially in the 1950s when it vied with the old BHP as the most-profitable Australian company.

While that importance has been gradually eroded by the industrialisation of Australia and the rise of many other large employers and manufacturers, the timing of the release of the VE Commodore has once more elevated GMH to a crucial leadership role. It brings to mind the famous assertion by legendary GM chief Alfred P. Sloan: "When GM sneezes, America catches cold." Just swap "Australia" for "America".

The industry has made admirable advances in quality and efficiency since the government put its foot down in 1985 and started gradually withdrawing assistance. Yet, despite these improvements, the industry has never been more vulnerable.

Recent events have brought many automotive companies to their financial knees and threaten to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Over the past two years, rising petrol prices and the strength of the Australian dollar have combined to put the local car assemblers on death row.

While plunging new-car prices have created a car-buying feast that has resulted in four consecutive record sales years, the local makers are in danger of starving to death. The strong dollar has made imported cars cheap, with virtually all the growth in the market going to light and small cars at the bottom end of the market.

At the same time, high petrol prices and heavy personal indebtedness among consumers have made the large cars in which Australia has specialised for decades less popular and probably unprofitable.

It is an uninviting climate in which to launch a new big car; but that is GMH's lot. The plans were laid seven years ago and you don't redesign a car in just two years.

And it won't be just GMH executives who will be sweating on the Commodore's sales figures in coming months. The whole industry will be anxiously scanning the registration figures because the Commodore's success or failure may well determine whether there is a car industry in Australia by the time the current car industry plan finishes in 2015.

If the Commodore can spark the interest of its traditional customers, both fleet and retail, GMH will have a chance to recoup its big investment and continue to employ thousands of people in its South Australian and Victorian manufacturing operations. If the Commodore fails to fire and large-car sales continue to plummet at 20 per cent a year, as they have been doing, there will be a vastly different outcome.

Holden's Commodore is the biggest single consumer of locally made parts, even after the much publicised loss of some contracts to foreign suppliers. If the Commodore goes down, so does the local parts industry.

GMH has, fortunately, developed some solid export markets, especially in the Middle East, and is working up some opportunities in Korea and China.

As with Toyota, those deals will bolster its local sales and improve production efficiencies, but GMH knows only too well that no factory can rely indefinitely on exports taking 50, 60 or 70 per cent of output. Every factory must have a strong domestic base.

The industry produces about 350,000 vehicles a year, barely enough for parts suppliers to achieve competitive economies of scale. If the Commodore doesn't sell in the Australian market, there will be little reason to persist with local manufacture.

The Zeta architecture designed at Fishermans Bend for the car is intended as a world car platform for GM and is destined to go into production in other countries: the US, Korea, possibly China.

Should the Commodore seriously underachieve, it will be a simple matter to close the Elizabeth plant and import Commodores from wherever they can be built cheapest. And that will have repercussions for the whole industry. Ford, Toyota and Mitsubishi all rely on sourcing many parts from local suppliers that do have economies of scale, even at Australian volumes.

If their biggest customer shuts its doors, it will be making the same decision for the other assemblers, too.



Holden Defends Local Content

Ian Porter
19 July 2006
www.drive.com.au

Holden boss hits back at reports Commodore is using fewer Australian parts and suppliers.

GM Holden president and managing director Denny Mooney has used the launch of the company's critical new model, the VE Commodore, to hit back at criticism of GMH's parts-buying policies.

Mr Mooney said two-thirds of the Commodore, by dollar value, was sourced in Australia, which sounds considerable but is less than the 80 per cent that used to be mandated under government industry policy.

GMH and Toyota, which has been tooling up to introduce the new Camry and Aurion models, have come in for a lot of criticism for their willingness to dump local parts suppliers in favour of often unproven suppliers in China and other Asian countries.

Unions claim as many as 4000 jobs have been lost in the local parts industry as contracts have been lost to overseas suppliers, and some smaller suppliers have shut their doors or slashed their operations as a result.

"I would say two-thirds of what we buy is purchased in Australia," Mr Mooney said at the initial launch of the VE Commodore and WM Caprice last Sunday.

"Our biggest items are engines and transmissions, and we buy the transmissions from overseas, and they are big dollar items."

Holden makes all its V6 engines at Fishermans Bend but it imports its V8 engines from North America.

GMH has also been a victim of poor management in the parts industry. A key supplier to its engine operations, Ion, collapsed and went into administration last year even as it was building a new plant to start making aluminium engine blocks for Holden.

As a result of the Ion collapse, Holden has been forced to import engine blocks, and also cylinder heads, for the V6 engines, sharply cutting the local content of the motors, and the car.

"We have a lot more local content than it is played out to be," Mr Mooney said.

"Some of the suppliers that have lost some of the business for VE have been replaced by suppliers also in Australia," he pointed out, suggesting that some complaints about lost contracts have nothing to do with import competition.

Mr Mooney admitted the cost of making the Commodore would rise "because there is more content" in the car, a reference to the extra specifications and improved safety features, which all add cost.

"It's tough to reach the price points you want when there is so much content in the car," he said, adding that he believed the car's selling price would surprise people.

"There has been negative pricing in this market for two years and the reality is, as a local manufacturer, you've got to keep up. That's the way it is."

However, Mr Mooney said GMH's cost of manufacturing - that is, excluding the cost of bought-in parts - would decline.

"Our manufacturing cost will go down because this car is easier to build than the VZ, by a long shot."

He said price pressure on steel had eased over the last two years as more steel making capacity had come on stream around the world.

This means steel makers are being squeezed between soaring iron ore prices and falling steel selling prices.

To discuss Holden new VE Commodore & WM Statesman/Caprice range, Click here

[JoeT]

VE Owes Much To Holden's Torana Concept

Neil McDonald
19 July 2006
www.goauto.com.au

If you think the new VE Commodore looks suspiciously like the Torana TT36 concept car, you’d be close.

Holden "froze" the design in May 2003, well before the show car made its debut at the Sydney motor show in October 2004.

Like many car-makers, Holden used the Torana to showcase VE elements, with a number of styling cues cut straight from the VE mould.

The Torana’s strongly defined front and rear wheel arches, deep grille, rising waistline, blacked-out glasshouse and latch door handles owe a lot to VE.

GM Holden design director Tony Stolfo said the VE represented a quantum change in thinking at the company, with about 170 design staff amassing more than 520,000 hours over six years to create the new short- and long-wheelbase range.

The designers were set a task to deliver a sedan that offered performance, style, quality, safety and features – all at a value price.

Mr Stolfo said the validation of each part of the VE was harder than the VT program back in the mid-1990s.

"We found ourselves balancing proportions against safety, minimising exterior size but maximising interior spaciousness, offering flexibility and personalisation without adding complexity and cost, balancing material cost without compromising on quality, balancing size against mass and balancing style against aerodynamics," he said.

One of the few things deemed acceptable and carried over from the VZ was the interior packaging.

"Customers were happy with the space so we concentrated on improving quality and giving the interior a distinct up-market feel across the range," he said. Visually, all VE models gain the signature mudguard vents with in-built indicator lights, which leads along the car’s flanks into the rising shoulder line, but there is strong style differentiation between the Omega, Berlina, SV6, SS and Calais.

Compared to the VZ, the VE has a higher belt-line with a smaller glasshouse, and from the front the car looks smaller due to the increased track and pronounced wheel-arches. The rear pillar is distinguished by a more defined "hockey stick" shape to the rear door glass.

The base Omega gains 16-inch steel wheels, minimal bright work on the exterior, a simple grille with dominant Holden lion emblem and a serviceable dark cloth interior. A full-size spare is optional across the range - $100 on the Omega and $250 on the rest.

Without an Accent, the mid-series Berlina raises the bar with a chrome grille, foglights, 17-inch alloys, body-coloured mirrors, bright door-surround mouldings, fluted tail-lights, a single chrome exhaust surround on the V6 and quad-chrome exhausts on the V8.

The Calais builds on the Berlina features with different 17-inch alloys, projector-style headlights with black bezels, chrome grille with diamond cross-hatch grille texture, body-colour bumpers with a strip of chrome, and a full-width lower air intake incorporating the foglights and smoked tail-lights. The Calais V adds more chrome work along the bottom of the doors, 18-inch alloys and a chrome boot release.

The SV6 and SS offer sports grilles with honeycomb textures, 18-inch twin five-spoke alloys, a bodykit, rear bootlid spoilers, dual chrome exhausts on the SV6 and quad-chrome exhausts on the SS. The SS-V adds 19-inch alloys (20-inchers are optional), hi-tech tail-lights and a larger boot spoiler.

The VE’s chief exterior designer Richard Felazzo, best known for his work on the EFIJY concept, said that despite each model’s distinct look the car’s overall proportions remained sharp.

"Proportion is the foundation of good design, and the VE’s proportions looked good from any angle," he said. "It’s a mature design that exploits the benefits of a large rear-wheel drive platform."

Meanwhile, Mr Stolfo said the VE’s design guidelines were clear: push the wheels out, lengthen the wheelbase, have minimal overhangs. Also important was designing a car that would give customers a bigger choice across the range.

"We designed it for greater flexibility," he said. "We wanted to personalise every model with three distinct personalities across the range."

The "personalities" are divided into the Omega-Berlina, Calais and SV6-SS models and are more apparent in the cabin (see next page). Externally, the range provides two headlight styles, three grilles, four rear light clusters, three rear bumpers and two rear spoilers on the standard range.

At 4894mm long, the VE is 18mm longer than the VZ with a wheelbase of 2915mm, 126mm longer than the previous car. The front overhang has been reduced 90mm while the front wheels have been pushed forward 67mm.

Such is the tight under-bonnet space that the battery has been moved to the boot, behind the left rear wheel. The rear overhang has also been trimmed 18mm while the rear wheels have been pushed back 59mm.

The exterior colour palette consists of 13 choices with seven new colours: Ignition (bright red/orange), Evoke (smoky metallic grey), Sandstorm (neutral satin gold), Provence (glacial blue metallic), Red Passion (rich metallic red), Nickel (dark silver) and Crema (buttery liquid gold).

VE EXTERIOR: AT A GLANCE

Overall length: 4894mm
Height 1476mm
Width (ex-mirrors) 1899mm
Wheelbase 2915mm
Front overhang 846mm
Rear overhang 1133mm
Seven new colours

Torana TT36 Concept (left) & VE design sketches (right)

To discuss Holden new VE Commodore & WM Statesman/Caprice range, Click here

[JoeT]

VE - Four Star Car

Terry Martin
20 July 2006
www.goauto.com.au

The new VE Commodore is the safest car Holden has ever built, but it will not lift its current four-star ranking under the independent NCAP crash-test regime.

GM Holden executive director of engineering Tony Hyde has revealed to GoAuto that the VE sedan will achieve a "good four-star" result. "You can’t call it a five-star car. It will be a ‘good four-star’ car," he said.

"From our point of view, it is (the safest car we have ever built). People will argue from an NCAP point of view, but we think from an all-round primary safety and then secondary safety point of view, it is the best car we’ve done.

"And it’s been built for when accidents happen most and not necessarily some other peoples’ ideas of that – that’s their position and we have ours."

As announced earlier, ESP stability control will be fitted standard across the range. However, side and curtain airbags will be restricted, as a standard item, to the SS V, Calais and Calais V model variants. That means owners of the baseline Omega, mid-series Berlina, sports SV6 and even the SS will be required to spend extra for these.

When will Holden make them standard? The response from GM Holden managing director Denny Mooney was: "When most of our customers say that they want them standard. We still have some customers that don’t want to option up to side airbags."

Questioned further, Mr Mooney admitted that Holden’s decision to introduce ESP standard was not in direct response to customer pleas.

"I happen to think we’re a little bit ahead of what customers are going to really ask for. I don’t think customers really know the importance of ESP," he said. "I like ESP better than airbags because I frankly don’t want to get into the point where an airbag deploys, and I think that stability control is accident avoidance. I mean, how many airbags are you going to put on a car? I mean, I don’t want to hit anything.

"I don’t think consumers understand yet how important stability control is, but the data is starting to come out … and as more and more cars are equipped with stability control, and then more data comes out, they’ll get more statistical data on how many of those cars are in collisions versus how many aren’t. The data will start, I think, to become overwhelming, pretty compelling.

"I made the final decision (on ESP) but, once again, I guess I’ve had a lot of experience with ESP. There’s always some disagreement when you’re doing a product program, especially when you’ve got to add costs to a car, because you’re trying to get price points that are affordable for everybody. You know you could put all of this stuff on every car – and then your base car gets out of the affordability range."

He also pointed to the strategic location, and greater use, of super-high-strength steel across the vehicle and claimed that the car met all new side-impact requirements.

"I’m confident there won’t be many safer cars on the road than this car right here," he said. "We’re very confident of the crashworthiness of this car. Trust me."

At a glance: VE safety

- Holden expects a four-star NCAP result
- Curtain airbags optional on Omega, Berlina, SV6, SS
- Side airbags optional on above models
- ESP fitted standard to all cars
- Ultra-stiff body structure
- Expanded use of high-strength steel

Holden admits that the VE Commodore can only be a 'good four-star car'

To discuss Holden new VE Commodore & WM Statesman/Caprice range, Click here

[JoeT]

Mixed Results For Commodore Fuel Economy

Glenn Butler
24 July 2006
www.drive.com.au

It's an up and down story as Holden reveals fuel consumption figures for the VE Commodore.

Fuel economy figures released today by Holden confirm that some models in the new VE Commodore range more economical than before, despite using the same engines and weighing around 100kg more.

It's not all good news for Holden, with other models consuming between 0.2 and 0.3 litres more than equivalent VZ models. The new six-speed automatic transmission, generally expected to be more economical than the four-speed auto it replaces, appears to be the culprit.

This is surprising because six-speed automatic versions of the Ford Falcon, Holden's traditional rival, are significantly more economical than four-speed automatic Falcons.

In fact Holden is only able to equal Falcon consumption on the base model Omega. Other Falcon models like the Fairmont Ghia 6 cylinder with a six-speed auto (10.2) and the Falcon XR8 6sp auto (13.7) comprehensively beat it.

Models with the new six-speed automatic transmission developed by General Motors in North America are up across the board by 0.3 litres. Holden engineering director Tony Hyde said the problem lies with the exact gear ratios.

"Quite simply the automatic's ratios don't suit the test," he told drive.com.au.

The volume model Omega V6 is rated at 10.9 litres/100km, down 0.1 litres on the VZ Executive. Likewise the Berlina V6, SV6 manual and automatic, Calais V6 and SS and SS V manual and automatic are down between one-tenth and two-tenths of a litre.

Hyde also moved to refute speculation Holden boss Denny Mooney had misled media when he said last week he did not know the fuel consumption figures for the new Commodore.

"Denny honestly did not know the final figure at that time. In fact I know he only found out this weekend, because we only finished the validation testing on Thursday night before finalising the data on Friday."

Reports of VE Commodores wearing 11.0 litres/100km labels started filtering in to Holden fan forums early last week. When confronted with this report, Hyde chose his words carefully, not admitting that earlier tests on development cars had achieved this economy rating.

He did admit, however, that production cars are usually more economical than development cars, and that stickers on hundreds of production vehicles would have to be changed.

"We'll rip them off and we're going to put new ones on."

Hyde said the reason for the Calais V V6's increased consumption over the Calais was because its kerb weight moved it into a higher weight category for testing.

Weights for each model in the new VE Commodore range have been revealed to media, but a Holden embargo on specific portions of today's press briefing prevents us going into more detail before 5pm Tuesday, July 25.

The full range of Commodore models are their related fuel economy figure is in the table below

Omega V6 4sp auto 10.9 (-0.1)
Berlina V6 4sp auto 10.9 (-0.1)
Berlina V8 6sp auto 14.3 (+0.3)
SV6 V6 6sp man 11.0 (-0.4)
SV6 V6 5sp auto 11.3 (-0.1)
SS V8 6sp man 14.4 (-0.2)
SS V8 6sp auto 14.3 (+0.3)
SS V V8 6sp man 14.4 (-0.2)
SS V V8 6sp auto 14.3 (+0.3)
Calais V6 5sp auto 11.3 (-0.1)
Calais V8 6sp auto 14.3 (+0.3)
Calais V V6 5sp auto 11.6 (+0.2)
Calais V V8 6sp auto 14.3 (+0.3)

* All figures were achieved with air conditioning equipped and running 95RON unleaded petrol.

[JoeT]

VE Under The Skin

Mike Sinclair
24 July 2006
www.carpoint.com.au

It's official, the VE Commodore is Holden's largest and most expensive engineering project ever. And that comes from the horse's mouth, Holden's Executive Director Engineering, Tony Hyde.

A 38-year veteran of General Motors, Hyde revealed the VE's engineering budget and key statistics at the kick-off of two days of engineering briefings yesterday. According to Hyde: "VE is the best engineered, best tested, best validated, best executed and most refined car we've done. It is the car we always wanted to build… the cleanest sheet Holden ever."

Indeed, the VE program boasts numbers that are unprecedented in the local automotive landscape.

According to Hyde, VE engaged over 1000 engineers working for more than five years at a total cost of around $480m. The program involved staggering 3.42m kilometres of real world and virtual testing. Electrical systems testing and validation accounted for 41,000 hours alone. There were over 5000 virtual crash tests and 79 real ones…

Not surprising then that it dwarfs Holdens other 'clean sheet' project, the iconic early-1970s HQ. According to Hyde, just 16 HQ prototypes were constructed by Holden.

In an era where virtual development is king, there's already been 199 VE prototypes built -- at a cost of up to $600,000 each. End of argument.

Engine aside, little if any of the VZ is carried over to the VE save for small parts and assemblies 'buried' within the bowels of the new car. Such is the extent of the engineering undertaking that it's impossible to fully document all the changes and the processes involved here. You could right a book on the VE -- in fact, we're sure there's one underway!

Over the next week or so, CarPoint will spotlight some key sections of the VE engineering story for further examination. In the meantime Holden's own summary of the engineering highlights of the VE (with a couple of our additions) gives a good summary of the scope of project.


Validation -- Holden's most validated Commodore

• 3.42 million test kilometres
• Almost 11,000 subsystem validation activities
• 41,000 hours of testing for electrical systems
• 5000 virtual and almost 79 physical tests for safety

Safety -- stiffer, stronger body, and ESP standard

• Ultra-stiff body structures, multiple load path strategy, structurally optimised front and rear
deformation zones
• Greatly expanded use of advanced-strength steels -- 81 per cent of construction
• Electronic Stability Program standard on all models
• Front, side and curtain airbags available all models

Engines -- more peak power and torque

• 6.0L Generation IV V8 peak power of 270kW, peak torque of 530Nm
• Two versions of Australian-built 3.6-litre Alloytec V6 -- 195kW and 180kW
• Dual fuel LPG version planned for later in 2006

Transmissions -- new or upgraded transmissions

• New 6L80E electronically controlled six-speed automatic offered in V8 variants
• Significant revisions to T56 six-speed manual -- triple-synchronised changes for the first and second gears, double-synchronised changes for third to sixth
• Upgraded five-speed and four-speed automatic or six-speed manual for V6 variants

Suspension -- all-new Linear Control Suspension

• Front multi-link with direct-acting stabiliser bar
• Rear multi-link (four link) independent system, coil-over shock absorbers, decoupled stabilizer bar
• Steering rack mounted forward of front axle centreline

Brakes -- larger across the range

• V6 variants - 298mm x 30mm vented front rotors, 302mm x 22mm vented rear rotors; twin-piston calipers at front, single-piston units at rear
• V8 variants - 321mm x 30mm vented front rotors, 324mm x 22mm vented rear rotors; twin-piston calipers at front, single-piston units at rear
• Integrated park brake in centre console design

Wheels and tyres -- larger across the range

• Base combination 225/60 R16 and16 x 7-inch steel wheel
• Largest combination 245/40R19 and 19 x 8-inch alloy wheel
• 20x8-inch alloy wheel available as Holden genuine accessory
• Full size spare an option -- yes, unless you pay extra you're getting a space saver!

Interior -- new designs, new technology

• Five-inch monochrome to 6.5-inch full color central displays
• New heating, ventilation and air conditioning system -- 20 fan speeds, more ducts
• All vehicles and radios are navigation and telematics capable
• Roof mounted DVD system with remote control and wireless headphones available all models
• Zoned visual front and rear park assist available on Calais V
• Four-bar decklid hinge increasing useable boot space

[Univex]

Bruce Newton, drive.com.au, 25/07/06
New suspension and a vastly improved body make Holden's VE Commodore better through the bends. Not that most owners will ever find out.


Holden is claiming the VE Commodore is a vastly improved driver’s car, although it concedes most owners will never actually push the limits of its new-found cornering ability.
However, VE possessing an image as a sporting car is seen as a key to strong sales among some potential buyers.
“Cutting edge handling isn’t critical to every customer, but it is important to many customers,” said Holden executive director planning and program management Ian McCleave. “Many people are enthusiastic about their cars and enjoy that attribute of their cars.”
McCleave admitted that a sporting chassis tune also helped produce better road test reviews from the media, another influence on buying decisions.
“This (sporting ability) is an important part of the brand and important part of getting recognition from you guys (the media), and I am not ashamed to say that.
“We need to demonstrate we’ve got a world class car in terms of capability so we can attract attention to the product. We want people to talk about the car in positive terms.”
The VE is a totally new clean-sheet chassis and suspension package compared to its VT-VZ predecessor.
The core bodyshell is almost 50 per cent stiffer, the wheelbase is 126mm longer and both front and rear tracks are dramatically widened.
The multi-link MacPherson strut front and four-link rear suspensions are completely new, the latter replacing an outmoded trailing arm design. It is also compact enough to allow a flat cargo floor in the VE-based utility and wagons currently under development.
Crucially, the hydraulic power steering rack has been moved from behind the front axle line to in-front, allowing a significantly stiffer system.
Engine position is now further back and further down, while the fuel tank is positioned forward of the rear axle line. Both these initiatives aid in producing a near 50:50 weight distribution for all models with up to three passengers onboard.
Holden says the re-positioning of the engine and fuel tank also means the vehicle changes direction more easily.

Full Article http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...rticleID=18769

[Univex]

Glenn Butler, drive.com.au, 25/07/06
Drivers of Holden’s new VE Commodore could have their every move monitored and recorded by their boss, reports GLENN BUTLER.


Don’t think you can take a long lunch or go for a weekend blast in your next new Commodore: your boss will know exactly what you’re up to.
Holden has expanded its fledgling Telematics system on the new VE Commodore to help fleet owners maximise vehicle usage. But the system and the data it collects could equally be used to monitor employee work habits and driving behaviour.
The new system installed on VE Commodore, says Paul Gibson, Holden electrical engineering manager, can and will send comprehensive information on the use of the vehicle to fleet managers in real time.
Gibson says the system will give fleet managers unprecedented access to usage information on their fleets, with the aim of maximising resources. Information on kilometres covered at various speeds, operating times for the car, fuel consumption data and vehicle location will all be available to fleet managers.
Part of the system uses mobile phone technology that can pinpoint a vehicle's location any time the vehicle is in use. The system also records each time the vehicle is started or stopped, speeds the vehicle has been driven at, and usage statistics like fuel consumption and tyre wear.
In other words, drivers of fleet Commodores will have their every driving move watched, recorded and scrutinised.
Excessive fuel consumption or tyre wear could indicate aggressive driving.
Peak vehicle speeds, usage times, it could all be used to monitor employee vehicle use and potentially job performance.
Three levels of Holden Assist are available when the Commodore is ordered, or they can be dealer fitted at a later time.
GM Fleet View, says Gibson, "enables fleet owners to track and record information on all their fleet cars, and can communicate with the driver via messaging on the radio display".
Holden Assist Secure is a security package which can notify the owner of attempted break-ins or theft. It can then follow the car with satellite tracking.
Holden Assist Ultra takes this one step further, using a built-in mobile phone to contact emergency services in the event of a crash or Holden call centre after a breakdown.
Gibson says the technology itself is not sinister, it all comes down to what it's used for by fleet operators.
He said some fleet managers may choose to disclose to drivers what data will be recorded and what use it will be put to.
But he said Holden would not set operating guidelines, it would be up to each fleet operator to make their own decision.

Full Article http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...ID=18772&vf=12

[Univex]

Bruce Newton, drive.com.au, 25/07/06
New front-end design a key to cutting Holden Commodore repair expenses after shopping centre bingles.

VE Commodore

Holden is claiming the VE Commodore will be a cheaper car to repair after a low-speed accident than the VT-VZ generation it replaces.
The key to that achievement is a new front-end module that contains the headlights, horns, condenser radiator fan module supports, windscreen washer bottle and airbag sensors.
“The front-end module will … positively affect crash repair costs for low-speed impacts,” confirmed Emmanuel Vlontakis, Holden’s engineering group manager – exterior systems.
“Repairs will be more rapid because the front section is easily unbolted and replaced – as opposed to the traditional ‘weld on’ front-end design.
Holden is the first GM division globally to use this advanced, all-in-one unit and the VE Commodore is the first Australian-built vehicle to take advantage of this technology, which until now has been mainly the domain of high-end imported vehicles.
Holden is unwilling to put a figure on the repair cost reduction, preferring to wait until VE is independently tested for the NRMA’s internationally accredited annual ratings (which can impact fleet purchasers keen to reduce running costs and repairs).
Last year, a VZ Executive was ranked cheapest local large car to repair at $3320, or 9.4 per cent of its purchase price.
The test procedure utilises a specially designed pendulum device.
The weight impacts the front driver’s side, resulting in a crash equivalent to a barrier impact at 15 km/h, or a car colliding with the rear of another at approximately 30 km/h. Holden has conducted the test at up to 18km/h.
“Improvements to repair and maintenance costs are a highlight of VE design,” added Vlontakis.
The module also improves manufacturing efficiency, creating a walk-in front-end that resolves close to 30 assembly-related ergonomic issues. It also provides a more consistent fit and finish.

Full Article http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...ID=18752&vf=12

[Univex]

Toby Hagon, drive.com.au, 25/07/06
New VE Commodore puts on weight, but Holden says it’s all muscle as VE aims for five-star safety rating.


Holden has effectively traded a rise in kerb weight to provide vastly increased body strength for the new VE Commodore.
The basic ‘body in white’ or monocoque body structure including doors, bonnet and boot, is close to 50 per cent stiffer than its VT-VZ predecessor in terms of both torsional and bending rigidity.
That promises significant benefits for dynamics, refinement, noise and vibration reduction and crash safety.
While the Commodore’s handling, ride and quietness can’t be judged until drive.com.au’s first test next week, Holden has confirmed it expects VE to post four stars (out of a possible five) under the independent NCAP rating system.
Versions such as the sporty SS-V and luxury Calais models fitted with standard curtain airbags could achieve five stars.
But the body structure is responsible for 70kg out of a kerb weight rise of more than 100kg for the base model Omega.
More weight means more fuel consumption, an area of obvious concern as petrol prices head towards $1.50 per litre.

Holden’s official fuel economy figures for VE are roughly on par with the VT-VZ predecessor, actually an achievement considering the mass increase. Read all about the Commodore's fuel economy here. “Torsion and bending modes have to do with structural twisting and bending under applied loads such as road and suspensions units,” explained Richard Marshall, Holden’s manager of body structure and closures.
“The higher figure the better the result. Our initial target was 45 hertz for torsion and bending and VE has achieved 55 hertz for structure only. This is a world class result.”
A combination of high strength steels and the careful design of the body structure and its load paths were keys to the VE’s strength increase.
Eighty-one per cent of the structure is advanced steel, a much higher proportion than Holden has ever used before. The B-pillar – the central vertical pillar between the doors that is a vital part of side impact protection – is constructed using expensive ultra-high strength steel (Holden engineering director Tony Hyde jokingly refers to it as "unobtanium").
Further aids in the quest for increased stiffness include the use of tailor-welded blanks for the first time, bolting rather than glueing the cockpit into the structure, a one-piece body outer and full-frame doors.
Planning the VE’s structure began in 1999. Benchmarking was conducted against European models such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A6 and A8 and BMW 5-Series.
Criteria included active and passive safety technologies, packaging, quality, load path performance, side impact structure and pedestrian impact.
The VE Commodore also established a benchmark within GM as much of its architecture was developed in virtual reality.
The first body in white mule was built in Japan in 2002, but it only survived a couple of days as it was pulled apart to the very last weld so that every detail could be assessed.
“VE was a challenging undertaking that for most of us represented the pinnacle of our careers,” added Marshall. “We believe others will now use the VE body as their benchmark.”

Full Article http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...ID=18750&vf=12

[BBDOS CV8]

Cool slideshow, showing the Commodore undergoing hot weather testing in the Northern Territory and deserts where temps can exceed 45 deg. C or 130 F, plus heat abuse testing at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in hot, muggy conditions.

VE Test shots

[BBDOS CV8]

Finally pictures of the guts of VE - front and rear suspension and structure.

VE Nekkid

[JoeT]

VE Commodore: Space Saver Versus ESP Life-Saver

Neil McDonald
31 July 2006
www.goauto.com.au

Holden’s decision to move to a space-saver spare tyre across the VE Commodore range has met criticism from the RACV.

But it has also been praised for electing to make ESP standard across the range.

The RACV’s chief engineer, Michael Case, said he was surprised Holden, which had once branded its cars as Aussie as "meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars" would choose to fit spacesavers and then get consumers to pay $100 for the privilege of a full-size spare on the volume Omega.

"It’s not just the $100 on the base model either," Mr Case said.

"As I understand it a full-size spare on other vehicles is $250.

"That’s becoming quite expensive."

Mr Case said people still needed to be made aware of the limitations of a "temporary-use spare tyre", particularly a space-saver tyre where there are limitations on how far and fast you can drive.

RACV testing has found conclusively that space-saver spare tyres have a negative impact on handling and braking, particularly in the wet.

Mr Case said potential Commodore buyers would now need to ask dealers about what s