5 Holden Commodores you could have forgotten

The Holden Commodore was manufactured regionally from 1978 to 2017, after which imported till 2019, and for a few years it was Australia’s best-selling automotive.

It’s not stunning, then, that there have been dozens of permutations of the favored giant automotive, together with sedans, wagons, utes, particular editions and short-lived variants. And that’s with out counting variations of the Commodore fettled by HSV.

We’ve already seemed on the ultra-rare One Tonner Cross6, in addition to the Commodore-based Royale for export markets. Now, let’s have a look at 5 extra Holden Commodores you could have forgotten.

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VC, VH Commodore with Starfire

Is it an excessive amount of of a stretch to say this sluggish four-cylinder Commodore killed the thought of a four-cylinder giant automotive for Australian patrons?

Over twenty years later, the four-cylinder EcoBoost-equipped Ford Falcon failed to fireside regardless of being a genuinely good automobile. Have been large automotive patrons haunted by the reminiscence of the Starfire?

The Falcon EcoBoost’s turbocharged mill was actually higher than the naturally aspirated Starfire engine within the VC and VH Commodore, infamously known as the Misfire.

As was usually the case with Holden merchandise (see: Commodore, Nova, Astra, and so on), the Starfire reused a reputation from a Basic Motors division abroad.

The Starfire was a fancier model of the 98 and later 88 full-size fashions from the ‘mid-priced’ Oldsmobile model within the US, earlier than going into hibernation for 9 years and returning because the model’s new entry-level providing.

Clearly, Holden was impressed by this later use of the Starfire identify, as it will seem first in 1978 within the Sunbird, a extra inexpensive, four-cylinder model of the Torana. The Starfire, GM-Holden’s first four-cylinder engine, changed an Opel-developed 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine.

GM-H reportedly spent $17 million creating the engine, taking its by then 15-year previous overhead-valve six and lopping off two cylinders. The brand new four-cylinder shared 56 per cent of its parts with the two.85-litre six, and had the identical bore and stroke.

Up to date opinions discovered it to be an enchancment over the previous Opel 4 when it comes to driveability and economic system, and it was lighter besides.

However Wheels famously dubbed it a “misfire” and mentioned, “If that is the state-of-the-art of four-cylinder engines in 1979, then a brand new darkish age is upon us.”

With the Torana/Sunbird lineup exhibiting its age and getting the axe in 1980, and its front-wheel drive Camira substitute not set to be prepared till 1982, Holden put the brand new Starfire engine within the facelifted 1980 VC Commodore. It was slotted in under the two.85- and three.3-litre inline sixes and the 4.2- and 5.0-litre V8s.

Gross sales of mid-size, four-cylinder fashions just like the Mitsubishi Sigma have been booming on the time, and Holden didn’t need to miss out.

The engine arrived within the VC Commodore in mid-1980, just a few months after inline six and V8 Commodores. It was obtainable solely in L and SL trims, in both sedan or wagon physique types and with both a four-speed guide or three-speed auto.

Starfire-equipped fashions have been distinguished by smaller 13-inch wheels. The Commodore was a closely Australianised model of the Opel Rekord and Commodore, and had an extended nostril like that of the latter, which reportedly led Holden to think about using the shorter Rekord nostril for Starfire fashions. This didn’t come to go.

You saved round $250 getting a four-cylinder Commodore L over an equal six, and round $600 with the SL.

However whereas the VC Commodore received the brand new Part II model of the Starfire engine, this was nonetheless removed from high-tech though Holden’s advertising and marketing materials mentioned it had “the world’s most superior automotive know-how”.

Critics mentioned the Starfire-equipped Commodore was a bit quieter than the Sunbird, however it was really down 2kW. It produced simply 58kW of energy and 140Nm of torque. That was additionally 18kW and 52Nm lower than the smaller of the VC’s two sixes, although it weighed 60kg much less.

It wasn’t simply the 2 lacking cylinders that introduced down the kerb weight, as Holden additionally eliminated the rear anti-roll bar. Holden additionally used revised entrance springs given the lighter weight of the engine.

Up to date opinions praised the Commodore’s journey and dealing with, which was deemed superior to that of its Japanese-branded rivals. Gasoline economic system was pretty shut, too. What a pity it was so sluggish, then.

Holden mentioned it had “surprisingly fast” acceleration, however most shops recorded 0-100km/h occasions of between 17 and 18 seconds at a time when a 2.6-litre Mitsubishi Sigma or 2.0-litre Mazda 626 may do the identical sprint in round 13 to 14 seconds.

Launched in late 1981, the VH replace was a slightly intensive facelift that gave the Commodore a extra substantial look exterior and a extra refined look inside. The L grew to become the SL and the SL grew to become the SL/X, and as soon as once more the four-cylinder engine was obtainable solely with these two entry-level trims.

There have been some mechanical adjustments too, with Pulsair air injection added to the Starfire, and the four-speed guide ditched for a five-speed Borg-Warner unit additionally used within the rival Mitsubishi Sigma.

Whereas critics discovered the five-speed improved gas economic system and driveability, Starfire VH fashions have been down on energy and torque, which dropped to 54kW and 138Nm respectively. Peak torque was additionally now obtainable at 2800rpm, as a substitute of 2400rpm as earlier than.

Whereas the Starfire was retired from the Australian Commodore lineup after the VH, it was continued within the subsequent VK sequence in New Zealand.

There had been rumours the overhead-cam Household II four-cylinder engine from the Camira can be used within the Commodore. It was finally employed within the VN Commodore, however just for export markets.

VL Calais wagon

Automotive producers in Australia appeared to be actually averse to having totally loaded wagons, maybe having precisely predicted they wouldn’t be terribly fashionable.

Mitsubishi supplied a Verada wagon, however by no means in prime Xi trim; likewise, Toyota by no means produced a Vienta Grande wagon. Ford supplied a Fairmont Ghia wagon, however just for the XF, EA and EB sequence.

Then there was Holden. Whereas the ultimate two generations of Commodore supplied a variety of wagons, together with posh Calais and Calais-V variants, it’s essential to rewind to the Nineteen Eighties to seek out one other Calais wagon.

The Calais nameplate appeared with the 1984 VK Commodore, changing the SL/E because the flagship. The VL Commodore vary, together with the Calais, launched in 1986, however a Calais wagon didn’t seem till 1988.

The VL marked the primary (and solely) era of Commodore to be powered by inline six-cylinder engines sourced from Nissan, together with a turbocharged 3.0-litre that is still extremely wanted at present. The previous Holden sixes have been tossed on the scrap heap, although the 5.0-litre V8 continued.

The VL Calais wagon was obtainable with both the naturally aspirated or turbocharged 3.0-litre sixes, plus the 5.0-litre V8.

Solely 200 VL Calais wagons have been produced in whole by Holden, although previous to this the Holden Supplier Staff had transformed some Berlina wagons to Calais spec.

That was nonetheless greater than the final time Holden supplied a wagon model of its fanciest Commodore, with a smaller variety of VC SL/E wagons produced a number of years earlier.

VP Calais Worldwide

Vacationer, Lumina, Equipe – Holden had loads of nameplates it will mud off intermittently for special-edition variants.

Worldwide was one other, final showing on the VF in 2014. However its very first utility was on a slightly distinctive limited-run VP again in 1992.

And also you guessed it – this was one other borrowed identify, as soon as once more being taken from Oldsmobile. Amusingly, Oldsmobile had simply changed a mannequin in its lineup referred to as the Cutlass Calais – which was supplied in Worldwide trim – by the point Holden was rolling out the Calais Worldwide on the opposite facet of the world.

The 1991 VP was the primary era of Commodore to supply unbiased rear suspension (IRS), which was fitted as commonplace to Calais and SS fashions. It was additionally the primary with anti-lock brakes, which was progressively rolled out to varied Commodore fashions in the course of the VP’s 1991-1993 run, beginning in 1992 with V8 fashions with IRS.

Not like some later Worldwide fashions, then, the 1992 VP Calais Worldwide was about nearly as good as a Commodore may get. It was additionally fitted as commonplace with the fuel-injected 5.0-litre V8, mated to a four-speed automated transmission, producing 165kW and 385Nm.

Distinctive alloy wheels have been wrapped in Pirelli tyres, whereas there have been entrance and rear bumper skirts, facet skirts, a rear lip spoiler, fog lights, and a novel grille. The look was meant to make the Calais look extra European – you be the decide as as to if it labored.

Inside, a black dashboard was complemented with tan/brown leather-based and suede seat trim. Commonplace tools included a six-speaker sound system, energy home windows, cruise management and automated local weather management.

“Being priced under the posh tax degree ought to make it infinitely extra enticing than its extra extremely priced European counterparts,” the promotional materials learn.

At $43,825, the Calais Worldwide was round $4000 costlier than a daily V8 Calais, however it did undercut even probably the most inexpensive Mercedes-Benz (the 180E) and was priced up in opposition to a BMW 318i ($42,450).

In accordance with Terry Bebbington’s tome 60 Years of Holden, simply 300 examples have been produced, all in Anthracite or White paint.

VT SS supercharged V6

Holden retired the SS nameplate when it got here time to switch the homegrown VF with the imported ZB. In spite of everything, there was now not a V8, and you’ll’t name one thing and not using a V8 ‘SS’ proper?

Err, not so quick. Holden used the SS nameplate on a six-cylinder VT Commodore in 1997.

The supercharged 3.8-litre V6 was a strong mill, with an excellent deal extra grunt than the common 3.8-litre. 24kW extra energy and 71Nm extra torque, to be precise.

However with outputs of 171kW and 375Nm, it fell barely wanting the 5.0-litre V8 supplied within the SS and considerably shy of the 5.7-litre ‘Gen 3’ V8 that arrived with the 1999 Collection II replace. You additionally couldn’t get the supercharged V6 with a guide, in contrast to the atmo V6 and V8 engines, which meant a four-speed auto was your solely possibility.

The supercharged V6 had arrived within the Commodore with the VS Collection II in 1996.

The three.8-litre was primarily based on an engine that Basic Motors had first developed within the Nineteen Sixties, bought off, after which reacquired the tooling for within the Seventies, and by the Nineties it had been refined significantly – although Commodore critics are inclined to take a dim view of it as a result of it changed the Nissan inline six with the VN era of 1988.

With the VT, Holden expanded the provision of the supercharged V6, making it an possibility for S and SS fashions. Whereas each trim ranges featured the firmer FE2 suspension tune and a sporty look bundle, there have been variations in commonplace tools.

Over the S, the SS had commonplace anti-lock brakes, entrance fog lights, a entrance passenger airbag and grippier entrance seats. It additionally upgraded from 16- to 17-inch alloy wheels.

With the Collection II replace in 1999, Holden eliminated the choice from the SS, making the supercharged SS a particularly uncommon mannequin. As to how uncommon, that’s not clear as no manufacturing numbers have been printed.

VE Collection II Calais Redline

Whereas over time you may get the Calais, Holden’s fanciest Commodore, with some heady engines like turbocharged and supercharged sixes and a V8, it wasn’t actually pitched as a efficiency mannequin. This was all the time probably the most luxurious standard-length Holden.

That began to vary with the VY Collection II of 2003, when Holden gave the Calais a decrease journey top and a novel FE1.5 suspension tune – firmer than ‘common’ Commodores however not as agency as S and SS fashions – in addition to a raft of visible enhancements comparable to bolder 17-inch alloy wheels and facet skirts.

From this level on, the Calais was meant to have extra of a European-style sports activities luxurious vibe, which finally noticed it even acquire a wagon model – in any case, what’s extra European than a wagon?

With the VE Commodore of 2006, Holden even went as far as to provide the brand new flagship Calais-V the identical FE2 suspension tune of the sporty SV6 and SS fashions.

This was changed with a plusher FE1.5 tune in pretty quick order, however nonetheless the Calais – and particularly the Calais-V – now had a reasonably outlined mission to be the sports-luxury Commodore.

The revised VE Collection II arrived in 2010, bringing delicate design tweaks and a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and that yr Holden launched particular Redline variations of its sportiest (SS-V) and most luxurious (Calais-V) Commodores.

For an additional $2500 over the SS-V sedan, wagon and ute and Calais-V sedan and wagon, the Redline introduced Bridgestone Potenza tyres and Brembo brakes with four-piston entrance calipers and 355mm rotors.

The Redline fashions additionally rode on polished 19-inch solid alloy wheels used on the Pontiac G8 GXP exported to the US. GM had introduced in 2009 it will shutter the Pontiac model, which closed its doorways in 2010.

This resulted within the non permanent finish of Holden’s export program to the US, resumed later with the Caprice-based Chevrolet Caprice PPV and Commodore-based Chevrolet SS.

The G8’s distinctive front-end styling and different exterior design cues have been reused regionally on the Commodore SS-V Particular Version, whereas the HSV Maloo and Clubsport GXP reused the identify of the most popular G8 mannequin.

These G8 GXP wheels resurfaced not solely on a sedan, the one physique model that had been supplied within the US, but additionally wagon and ute fashions (Pontiac’s demise had seen plans to promote the Commodore ute there scrapped on the eleventh hour).

Redline sedan fashions featured a fair sportier “track-inspired FE3 tremendous sports activities suspension set-up” with retuned dampers and stiffer stabiliser bars, in addition to chrome window surrounds to match the shiny wheels.

The Calais Redline constructed on the spec of the Calais-V, which already included options not discovered on different Commodores together with rain-sensing wipers, heated exterior mirrors, eight-way power-adjustable entrance seats and entrance parking sensors.

Whereas the Calais-V may very well be had with a 3.6-litre V6, to get the Redline bundle the 6.0-litre V8 was necessary. Whereas the SS-V Redline may very well be had with a six-speed guide and an additional 10kW and 13Nm, the Calais Redline was supplied solely with a six-speed auto and its V8 pumped out 260kW/517Nm.

The Redline identify would proceed with the VF and VF Collection II lineups, however the Calais Redline was retired after 2011.

The Calais and Calais-V would proceed to be the sports-luxury Commodores, however Holden would by no means once more do a Calais fairly as racy because the Redline.

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