Zeta News 2.0: New VF Commodore and Chevrolet SS

[Pete05]

Yeah, sadly, a V6 & V8 ute can't compare to a turbo diesel that can tow the boat/caravan/tools/family/go off road and go the distance on fuel.

The Commodore ute, is pretty much a Corvette that can tow the jet ski. The Maloo does it much faster.

And...

A front-engined, front wheel drive ute?

 

[05XR8]

And...

A front-engined, front wheel drive ute?

Jumbuck part deux?

 

[Pete05]

Jumbuck part deux?

Almost as ridiculous as the Suzuki Mightyboy

 

[05XR8]

Almost as ridiculous as the Suzuki Mightyboy

Aww, don't pick on the Mightyboy. My wife used to drive one with the Eagle Boys pink phone on the top. Used to beat V8s across the cross walk at the lights.

 

[05XR8]

http://www.motoring.com.au/spy-pics-hsv-gts-r-w1-105274/

Propelled by Chevrolet’s riotous LS9 engine, a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 transplanted from the Corvette ZR1 supercar, the HSV GTS-R W1 could bang out circa 480kW and 820Nm outputs, depending on what HSV’s engine boffins do.

SPY PICS: HSV GTS-R W1

The last ever Aussie-made Commodore-based HSVs have been spotted in Melbourne
It’s with equal parts sorrow and joy that the last ever Aussie-made Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) will roll out of the company’s Clayton HQ near Melbourne in 2017. And what you see here is the first sneak peek of the new models.

Three new colours are just the start – shades of green, orange and grey – with the sedans and utes new front and rear fascias concealed by white tracing paper that, incidentally, appears to have been applied half-way through the HSV Christmas party.

The wheel coverings are likewise hastily added but they do the job, hiding new alloy designs effectively.

One of the vehicles in question, possibly the bright green sedan, could be the HSV GTS-R W1 first uncovered by motoring.com.au, which will be a fitting swan song for one of Australia’s best-known high-performance brands.



Featuring taped-up side vents – likely required to ensure thermal harmony for its almost 500kW V8 – the car will stand out like sauce stain on a white shirt.

Propelled by Chevrolet’s riotous LS9 engine, a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 transplanted from the Corvette ZR1 supercar

With the right tyres, the W1 could reliably achieve 0-100km/h acceleration times of around 4.0secs – exceedingly quick – and dispatch the quarter mile in roughly 12.0secs.

But you better call the bank manager first, because motoring.com.au understands this beast will cost more than $170,000, making it the most expensive HSV ever. And you can bet your bottom dollar it will be a limited run vehicle too, ensuring its collectible status – and high demand.

Australia’s fastest production car will be equipped exclusively with a heavy-duty Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual gearbox and the adjustable MRC dampers will be ditched in favour of Supashock dampers.

Made in Adelaide and used on the Holden Racing Team’s VF Commodore race car, the Supashock units will feature advanced damper tech to withstand high-speed punishment, but unlike the rest of the 2017 HSV range fitted with MRC dampers, they will not be adjustable.

Go hard or go home, it seems.

 

[CodeRedR51]

2017 Will Be The End Of The Line For The Chevrolet SS

Slow sales aside, it would have been dropped anyway since the Commodore is on it's way out.

 

[Pete05]

2017 Will Be The End Of The Line For The Chevrolet SS

Slow sales aside, it would have been dropped anyway since the Commodore is on it's way out.

And to think they never got to see it's potential in HSV form.

 

[05XR8]

And to think they never got to see it's potential in HSV form.

That's something I still can't understand. The G8 should have been a Chevy from the start.
The Commodore had SS-V branding with only Brembos and extra features. A yellow Chevy SS with a ZL-1 option or a Jimmy Johnson or Dale Jr edition with 500hp might have held interest back then til now.

 

[YSSMAN]

Wasn't this a near-certainty shortly after the introduction of the car in the US?

Shame they never cooked up a replacement on the Omega platform, but I'm sure we'll see something from Buick or Chevrolet again in the future.

 

[05XR8]

Wasn't this a near-certainty shortly after the introduction of the car in the US?

Shame they never cooked up a replacement on the Omega platform, but I'm sure we'll see something from Buick or Chevrolet again in the future.

I can only remember the Police(RMP) tests.

I do wish they'd do something with that Impala. It's such an iconic name to east.

 

[05XR8]

October 20, 2017 12 days after Bathurst. That's that.
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/237E4D3C4A47A815CA2580A7001EDE98

Holden, Australia’s iconic car-maker and for almost 70 years a symbol of the nation’s engineering, design and manufacturing ability, has set the day it will cease production as October 20, 2017.

It will leave behind a legacy of providing affordable transport to a burgeoning post-war country, a lynchpin role in motorsport, the production of unique models in both style and performance, and a list of tens of thousands of dedicated workers.

From October, manufacturing of the locally built Commodore and its variants ends at the Elizabeth plant in South Australia after starting in 1963.

Holden closed its V6 engine plant at Fishermans Bend, Melbourne on November 29 last year and ceased production of the Cruze small car at Elizabeth on October 6, 2016, with the loss of 400 jobs.

Holden today confirmed the end of its domestic manufacturing, upbeat about the end of its role by announcing that 30,000 vehicles will be built at Elizabeth before closure and that in its transition to a full importer, nearly 70 per cent of its workforce has secured employment within 12 months of leaving the company.

Holden chairman and managing director Mark Bernhard said Holden’s manufacturing workforce had set new benchmarks for quality and performance in the past four years.

“They have continually pushed to improve the quality of their work for the benefit of our customers – this commitment, continuous improvement attitude and passion have been exhibited in spades in challenging circumstances,” he said.

“It’s not surprising that their skills, work ethic and flexibility are highly sought after and they are leaving a legacy for Holden that deserves to be honoured by ensuring this company has a bright and successful future.

“Holden continues to change but we are proud to retain a significant presence in Australia for the long-term that includes more than 300 people across our local design and engineering workforces, in addition to the approximately 700 corporate staff and 10,000 people employed across our dealer network. Holden remains committed to Australia and our customers for many, many years to come”.

Holden executive director of manufacturing Richard Phillips said that Holden’s overriding priority was to give employees and suppliers advance notice of its intentions to provide certainty. “While this confirmation isn’t a surprise for anyone and we’ve been working toward this for nearly four years, we can now confirm the actual date for our people and our suppliers,” Mr Phillips said.

“Putting our people first and foremost has always been our highest priority.

“This October may bring to a close more than 60 years of vehicle manufacturing by Holden at Elizabeth but I know it will be business as usual for our manufacturing workforce until then – we have tens of thousands of world-class cars to build in coming months and I know we all want to see Holden have great success in Australia for many years to come.

“Every day our employees exhibit professionalism and passion for achieving quality.

“We are categorically building the best cars Holden has ever built and that is backed up by internal and external data. They simply are a fantastic team that will ensure our last locally-made car is also our best car ever.”

Almost 700 employees have left the Elizabeth plant since 2015 and 80 per cent have successfully transitioned within 12 months of leaving. Of that percentage, 69 per cent found employment, five per cent are in training, three per cent have retired and three per cent are with volunteer organisations.

Holden said no further layoffs will happen ahead of the final production date.

The company will retain more than 300 designers and engineers, plus 10,000 employees at its headquarters in Melbourne, the design studio, at its Victorian proving grounds and through its dealer network of 230 dealerships

Edit:

http://www.motoring.com.au/spy-pics-hsv-gts-r-w1-105428/

Sources close to the project have indicated the vehicle in question will arrive in showrooms – at least a couple of selected ones before they all go to owners – in the second quarter of 2017.

Positioned one rung above the ‘regular’ HSV GTS-R, the W1 is expected to be powered by a monstrous 476kW supercharged V8.

And forget 0-100km/h times – this car will be about 0-200km/h and quarter-mile numbers.

 

[GTracer38]

Here's a shot of the back without the covers:

I like it a lot.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

And to think they never got to see it's potential in HSV form.

We don't have to, cause we have a range of vehicles from GM performance that does that plenty. And would most likely cost as much as an HSV anyways. The only thing they lack is nearly as many kit pieces on the exterior.

 

[05XR8]

Here's a shot of the back without the covers:
View attachment 620378

I like it a lot.

Has a Honda Jazz feel about the bumper bar. Looks better on that Ute though.

 

[05XR8]

Motorsport, Magnum, Director

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/8590C632748D0E92CA2580AD0017C4CD

The Motorsport Edition is billed as a tribute to the ‘King of the Mountain,’ a mantle assumed by Holden for the Commodore on the basis of its 24 Bathurst 1000 wins.

Based on the Redline sedan, some 1200 Motorsports will be built for Australia and 151 for New Zealand. Ordered under the option code ‘KOM’ the car comes with a $61,790 price before on-road costs for a manual and $63,990 for the automatic.

The car’s most striking feature is its phantom black roof while other styling cues include a black lip rear spoiler and lairy looking red stripe around the black 20-inch wheels.

Power is unchanged over the standard SS-V Redline, with a power output of 304 kW and 570 Nm from its naturally-aspirated 6.2-litre LS3 V8, adding genuine performance promise to its Motorsport moniker.

Helping get all that grunt get traction is a magnetic ride control suspension system that will be familiar to some HSV owners, driving mode control and an enhanced high rate rear subframe bush.

The magnetic ride system employs suspension position sensors on each corner of the vehicle to read road conditions and adjust dampers up to 100 times a second for reduced body-roll but a comfortable ride depending on the driving conditions.

Pulling the car up is the familiar Redline four-piston Brembo brake package over cross drilled discs, with two-piece rotors at the front end.

The car is certified GM level 3 track capable, thanks largely to enhanced engine and transmission cooling, joining the likes of the Chevrolet Corvette, Camaro and Cadillac CTS as the most track-capable General Motors vehicles.

Alongside the Motorsport, Holden unveiled a Magnum ute – a nameplate long time enthusiasts may remember when it first rolled out on the WB Statesman Magnum, built by Peter Brock’s HDT Special Vehicles operation in 1983.

Only 240 of these will be sold in Australia and another 51 for New Zealand with the latter figure serving as a ‘tip of the hat’ to the racing number of long time Kiwi Holden hero Greg Murphy and his enduring popularity across the ditch.

Ordered under the option code ‘UTE’, the Magnum features sedan-tune FE3 rear suspension, biased towards improved ride and handling. It also has upgraded front seats, a hard lid, Magnum badging and an embroidered instrument panel.

The ute that Holden claims is its fastest and best equipped ever shares the brake and engine cooling package enhancements from the Motorsport and keen customers will be asked $59,290 for a manual example or $61,490 for an auto.

The trio of limited Commodores is capped off with the Director which is up for grabs in auto-only form priced at $63,990, serving as an unashamed tribute to Peter Brock from the company with which he endured a bitter public divorce almost 30 years ago, partly over a car of the same name.

GoAuto understands that members of the Brock family were contacted prior to its reveal and approved of the tribute to Mr Brock, with one member saying that he would have been immensely proud of the car.

Based on the Calais V sedan and ordered under the option code DIR, only 360 Directors will be built. The special version sports a black roof, paddle shifters and hood vents, along with the magnetic ride suspension as outlined for the Motorsport. It also shares the brake package and cooling enhancement from that car.

Each of these special models will be individually numbered and dealers will be taking requests, though obviously not everyone will get their first choice.

Successful customers will be offered an optional tailored soft car cover which will be customised with the vehicle’s limited edition number as well as the owners name.

Keys for the swansong Commodores are presented in a commemorative case, which comes complete with a built-in video of the special cars in action on the track, while Motorsport owners will also receive a 1:18 Biante scale model of their car.

Interested Commodore fans are advised to act fast as GoAuto understand that substantial pre-orders have been taken for the Motorsport and the Director while the Magnum is effectively already sold out.

2017 Holden Commodore pricing*

Motorsport Edition $61,790
Motorsport Edition (a) $63,990
Director (a) $63,990
Magnum $59,290
Magnum (a) $61,490
*Excludes on-road costs

http://www.motoring.com.au/holden-commodore-director-2017-review-105532/

 

[Pete05]

Motorsport, Magnum, Director

View attachment 621874 View attachment 621872 View attachment 621873 View attachment 621874
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/8590C632748D0E92CA2580AD0017C4CD


http://www.motoring.com.au/holden-commodore-director-2017-review-105532/

Want Motorsport edition

 

[05XR8]

That , #2, #05, #22 #51, #88, #97, #888, would have to get signed by their respective drivers.

 

[Spacegoat]

That , #2, #05, #22 #51, #88, #97, #888, would have to get signed by their respective drivers.

It might be a little difficult to get the #05 signed...

 

[05XR8]

It might be a little difficult to get the #05 signed...

I'm sure there are official plaques with his signature. Companies are always bringing out memorabilia with his signature.

 

[Spacegoat]

I'm sure there are official plaques with his signature. Companies are always bringing out memorabilia with his signature.

I suppose something like the Peter Brock Foundation (assuming that's still around?) could do that.

 

[05XR8]

I'd like to see which cars have which numbers(as would any collector). The very last customer car would be unreal as well.

 

[GTracer38]

And here is the business end of the HSV.

 

[05XR8]

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/latestcoverage?readformreadform

A few articles in HSV moving forward

Engines

Autonomous driving

Holden Commodore pricing

Armed with a supercar-like 474kW of power and 815Nm of torque from its supercharged 6.2-litre LS9 V8, the limited-edition HSV GTSR W1 will cap a reworked 2017 range that includes the return of the GTSR after two decades and a flock of 30th anniversary specials for the final year of production before HSV switches to modifying imported cars in 2018.

Starting in April, just 300 of the flagship GTSR W1 sedans will be built, with most already spoken for and many going straight into muscle car collections where they will serve as a reminder of what the Australian motor industry could achieve.

HSV managing director Tim Jackson said his company did not want to “go quietly into the night” when Holden’s local production of Commodore – the base car for HSV’s high-performance range – finishes in October this year.

“We did not want to do a small exit from the Zeta platform – we wanted to do something special,” he said.

Mr Jackson conceded that the design and engineering expenditure on the GTSR and GTSR W1 – about $9 million – would normally be amortised over three to four years of new-model production, not a matter of months.

But he said HSV customers had made it clear they wanted “something special, collectible, iconic” as a last hurrah for the much-loved rear-wheel-drive V8 HSV dynasty.

“We know it is a moment in time,” he said. “So we respected that.”

Priced at $169,990 plus on-road costs, the W1 is not only more expensive than the previous HSV top-shelf offering, the $155,000 limited-edition 7.0-litre W427 that debuted in 2008, but a healthy 99kW more powerful.

The 300 LS9 engines for the limited run of W1 for Australia and New Zealand – plus a few extras for development and spares – came from a stockpile left over from the sixth-generation Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 in the United States.

With the engine already out of production, HSV went on bended knee to General Motors to ask for a large slice of the precious pile, believing the LS9 was just the engine for its last VF Series II-based V8 special edition that was conceived at least two and a half years ago.

GM apparently caught W1 fever too, helping out with the engine that features lightweight forged aluminium pistons, forged titanium conrods, titanium inlet valves, hollow-stem exhaust valves, a 2.3-litre supercharger, dry sump and carbon-fibre air box. To fit the latter, the engineers had to tilt the radiator backwards, as well as come up with a new oil tank design for the dry sump return and re-engineer the exhaust system.

HSV engineers led by Joel Stoddart went to extraordinary lengths to give the W1 a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox from the Corvette, taking the rear-mounted transaxle unit and modifying it for the Zeta platform’s back-of-engine layout, complete with Zachs twin-plate clutch.

The manual-only W1 is said to be capable of sprinting from zero to 100km/h in 4.2 seconds – 0.3 seconds faster than HSV’s current champ, the 430kW GTS.

Test laps of Winton Raceway by race driver Warren Luff were completed in 1 minute 33.2 seconds – 4.4 seconds faster than the GTS.

Top speed will be electronically restricted to 250km/h, but HSV engineers say that, theoretically, the W1 could reach 293km/h at 6600rpm in sixth gear.

Despite the high pricetag for the W1 – $60,500 more than the new GTSR and $71,000 more than the GTS – Mr Jackson said he believed HSV had the right value equation, adding: “It is not a gouging exercise.”

For the first time since it was founded in 1987 by former British racing driver Tom Walkinshaw in partnership with Holden, HSV has taken the trouble to design bespoke front mudguards for the GTSR and GTSR W1, having them fashioned out of plastic by the same company that produces its front fascias.

The project not only allowed HSV design director Julian Quincey to come up with a new wheelarch flare design – “a beautiful Coke-bottle shape” – to suit the fatter 20-inch wheels and wider track but also to shift the fender air vent higher on the body and make it more horizontal.

The new mudguards blend with a new-look bumper and grille to be shared by the born-again GTSR variants that also include a Maloo ute. A fresh-look rear design includes a new diffuser punctuated by diamond-shape twin exhaust tips and topped by a redesigned Aeroflow spoiler.

The “standard” GTSR will not only share the W1’s new body parts but get an extra dose of power in its 6.2-litre LSA supercharged V8, courtesy of a free-flowing air filter.

Now making 435kW (+5kW over GTS), the LSA engine in the GTSR can be had with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

The GTSR and GTSR W1 sit on forged alloy 20-inch wheels that are nine inches wide at the front and 10 inches wide at the back. The W1’s wheels are finished in matte black while the GTSR gets a dark chrome look.

While the GTSR is shod with road-going Continental ContiSportContact 5P tyres, the GTSR W1’s comes with track-oriented Pirelli P Zero Trofeo rubber.

Sitting within the wheels of all GTSRs are enormous brake rotors – 410mm on the front – grabbed by six-piston monobloc callipers from AP Racing.

The brakes deliver a 25 per cent greater pad swept area but are 10 per cent lighter.

The W1 gets purposeful coil-over springs and dampers from SupaShock – the company that supplies the Walkinshaw Supercar teams with race suspension – in place of the Magnetic Ride Control semi-active suspension of the GTSR.

Like other models in the 2017 HSV range, the GTSR and its W1 spinoff get a throaty new exhaust note after HSV relaxed the bi-model system’s nanny controls.

Externally, the GTSR W1 is set apart by liberal use of carbon-fibre on features such as the rear spoiler, front splitter and side vents, while the GTSR uses gloss-black trim.

Inside, all GTSR variants get a new sports seat design, called Podium, cloaked in diamond-stitched Alcantara. As well, the W1 gets a similarly finished steering wheel and gear knob.

For the record, fuel economy is rated at 16.5 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, 0.8L/100km higher than the GTS.

HSV GTSR range pricing*
GTSR Maloo $96,990
GTSR Maloo (a) $99.490
GTSR $109,490
GTSR (a) $111,990
GTSR W1 $169,990
*Excludes on-road costs

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> Call me a numb-nut, but what does the (a) mean!?

 

[Pete05]

-> Call me a numb-nut, but what does the (a) mean!?

Automatic transmission.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Holden Builds Its Final Chevrolet SS

 

[05XR8]

If the owner could afford it, maybe should have gotten some HSV bits on it.

Might be a good time to get a GTO and G8, would make for a nice garage.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

:'(

^ A sad day for me.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Holden Builds Its Final Chevrolet SS

Was sad when it said it was already sold, since I've heard that they've had difficulty selling them. Not like I would have got the last one anyways.

 

[Tornado]

Not like I would have got the last one anyways.

"baka sedan"