TT36 Design

[SSbaby]

I love the look of the Concept car. Well done to the design team! :thumbsup:

It reminds me of a more aggressive Lexus IS300 front with an Audi A4-like rear (please don't take offence, that's just my opinion ;) ). Given my view on its supposed looks, I wonder how well you perceive this design will age given that it's similar in design to some cars we currently see on the road?

[VooDoo]

IS there a pic of the engine bay? Id be interested to see the location of the turbo's. Ie down low and to the rear of the engine or up high and front of the engine. IS there a photo of the engine on a engine dyno or one showing placement anywhere??

[Febs]

IS there a photo of the engine

There is.
Someone in the OCAU Motor Show thread got a few shots of the engine bay. Nothing fantastic...but engine bay shots nonetheless.

[LSX-438]

http://gm.wieck.com/forms/gm/previewpage?021231

can't really see any turbos in this pic though

[Drizt]

I love the Torana concept car.... just wondering what went into the make up of the car....

as in which parts came from what donor cars (vectra mostly ?, astra ?)

what parts are completely new (like the hand built tt system)

and what the p;atform is (zeta, pontic mx5 competitor soltise ?, combo of both)

[ssberlina]

I love the concept of the hatchback torana and the SSX.

The question really is whether Holden is teasing us with this or if they are going to actually put the Torana out in replacement of the Vectra. I have heard this is the case but unfortuately I have also heard that is willbe in 2.2l 4 cyl, 2.8 V6 and maybe 2.8 turbo (same engine as the one produced for the saab)

This may be OK but it would ruin the name of the Torana. To me Torana means a V8 or TT 3.6 only. I know the toranas had 4 cyl etc but everyone tries to forget them as they were a bad joke.

I wonder if Holden is looking at an awd version of the torana sized models as well.

A question for Holden - Why the trend to light coloured interiors. Surely the white leather although it looks good when new would look very dirty in a short period of time. I would love to see the sales figures. Personally this was a major turn off on the first CV8R and this opinion was shared with my dealer who commented that the shale leather was a sales mistake.

[Holden]

I love the concept of the hatchback torana and the SSX.

The question really is whether Holden is teasing us with this or if they are going to actually put the Torana out in replacement of the Vectra. I have heard this is the case but unfortuately I have also heard that is willbe in 2.2l 4 cyl, 2.8 V6 and maybe 2.8 turbo (same engine as the one produced for the saab)

This may be OK but it would ruin the name of the Torana. To me Torana means a V8 or TT 3.6 only. I know the toranas had 4 cyl etc but everyone tries to forget them as they were a bad joke.

I wonder if Holden is looking at an awd version of the torana sized models as well.

A question for Holden - Why the trend to light coloured interiors. Surely the white leather although it looks good when new would look very dirty in a short period of time. I would love to see the sales figures. Personally this was a major turn off on the first CV8R and this opinion was shared with my dealer who commented that the shale leather was a sales mistake.

Currently the Torana is only a concept and there are no plans for it to be made into a production car. The reason that a show or concept car is made is two fold. It tests public reaction as to whether there is a market for a particular product and also acts as an experiment for potential styling and features in the public arena.

If public reaction is very favourable, it is therefore an incentive for the company to take the next step and look at production.

As a showcar is a one-off, it allows the designers to experiment with styling, materials and features without having to worry excessively about the practical day-to-day problems of car maintenance. Showcars are purely about pushing boundaries and trying new ideas - the idea being that the good ideas can then trickle down directly into production cars. Without showcars, designers would never be able to accurately gauge public reaction to new and progressive design - consequently the cars that were produced would be very conservative.

Holden as a company is committed to the continued progression of its products and this is shown partly by the effort it puts into continually producing concepts. I guess the simple answer to the white leather question is that as you have mentioned - it looks good!

[Holden]

I love the Torana concept car.... just wondering what went into the make up of the car....

as in which parts came from what donor cars (vectra mostly ?, astra ?)

what parts are completely new (like the hand built tt system)

and what the p;atform is (zeta, pontic mx5 competitor soltise ?, combo of both)

The car is built up of various components, mostly locally sourced or manufactured in Australia. There are actually no Vectra or Astra parts in the car, but the suspension components were sourced from GM North America.

The platform is a completely new lower dominant steel structure comprising full length 'rails' and a strengthened centre tunnel. The engine is an experimental 3.6 V6 Twin Turbo, which was hand-built here in Australia.

Ewan Kingsbury
Holden Design

[Holden]

I love the look of the Concept car. Well done to the design team! :thumbsup:

It reminds me of a more aggressive Lexus IS300 front with an Audi A4-like rear (please don't take offence, that's just my opinion ;) ). Given my view on its supposed looks, I wonder how well you perceive this design will age given that it's similar in design to some cars we currently see on the road?

Thanks for your comments. Although there are elements of the designs of the cars you refer to in some aspects of the Torana, overall it’s a completely fresh design, whilst still remaining loyal to Holden design philosophy. As you mention, it is aggressive and this is a major part of the character of the car.

This comes as a result of the type of car that the Torana is - front engine, rear drive, sports hatch, big power - the package demands an aggressive look. I guess the key is preserving the aggression whilst still maintaining a degree of sophistication and subtlety - it shouldn't be too raw and unrefined.

As for your comments on age, I think it would age fine - but obviously for now it's still only a concept.

Ewan Kingsbury
Holden Design

[FunkyPig]

OK, so lets say all goes well, Torana is approved for production. Is there any chance it would be made in Australia? This seems a long shot to me. Maybe if Holden make it on VE's mechanicals (with obvious increases in the SA plant's production, if that is even possible). But if it is a fundamentally a different car to the Commodore it would be of little advantage to build it in Oz and not in the US or Europe (or both) where most would sell. To be honest I would obviously prefer it made locally, but if Holden can still heavily tailor it to this market (and not a 'tweak the suspension' job like they do on Vectras now), than I don't mind if they come from Korea or Europe (somehow I would doubt it would be built well if it came from the US!)
I realise this probably can't be talked about it, but thought I'd ask anyway! Thanks.

[SSbaby]

I like the idea of the indicators being positioned behind the external side mirrors, it's a nice touch. Although a minor quibble of mine, I've never been a fan of having the side indicators located on the front quarter panels.

[Nawdy]

Not being able to view the car in the metal, what are some of the notable innovations within the car?

And is it designed as a four seater?

It's good to see you use the Torana name on a sports-oriented vehicle!!!

[Drizt]

I love the design, just wondering if there are talks of bringing the car into reality how long it would take to have it in the show rooms ? 2006? 2007?

And for gods sake make sure a LS2 makes it way into the engine bay...

I know if there is a V8 version i will be lining up for one of the first models to hit the show room floor

And keep the total weight BELOW 1500kgs, preferably 1400kgs

[V82xist]

I just want to say, I really like the Torana but most of all I am getting very excited at the fact Holden is wanting to hear our opinions and answer questions etc. I think it's fantastic and for someone who's first words were probably Holden & Brocky, thank you for keeping Holden's exciting and great cars.
I love my SS.
:cheers:

[Holden]

Not being able to view the car in the metal, what are some of the notable innovations within the car?

And is it designed as a four seater?

It's good to see you use the Torana name on a sports-oriented vehicle!!!
Nawdy, I'm sorry you weren't able to view the Torana TT36 in the metal because it's always hard to truly form an opinion on something without seeing it at first hand. Torana is innovative in a number of respects, primarily in regards to the overall package and the use of new and exciting materials. As you may know, TT36 uses a lower dominant structure to keep everything in place - its not a monocoque platform like the current Commodore. This allows greater flexability for the platform itself and also provides packaging advantages. TT36 has the same interior space as the current Commodore and yet is a mid-size car externally. Other innovations include the use of colour both inside and out, plus the wide use of LED interior and exterior lighting.

As it is a showcar, the TT36 was designed as four seater. This allows greater freedom for trying new ideas in rear passenger accomodation.

Regards,
Ewan Kingsbury
Holden Design

[Nawdy]

Nawdy, I'm sorry you weren't able to view the Torana TT36 in the metal because it's always hard to truly form an opinion on something without seeing it at first hand. Torana is innovative in a number of respects, primarily in regards to the overall package and the use of new and exciting materials. As you may know, TT36 uses a lower dominant structure to keep everything in place - its not a monocoque platform like the current Commodore. This allows greater flexability for the platform itself and also provides packaging advantages. TT36 has the same interior space as the current Commodore and yet is a mid-size car externally. Other innovations include the use of colour both inside and out, plus the wide use of LED interior and exterior lighting.

As it is a showcar, the TT36 was designed as four seater. This allows greater freedom for trying new ideas in rear passenger accomodation.

Regards,
Ewan Kingsbury
Holden Design

Ewan, thanks for the response - you can always send the TT36 up to Darwin so we could have a look for ourselves :D !!! Every Holden fan within one day's drive would would turn up for a look I think....

One more question if I may - were there any other electrical/electronic innovations included in the TT36 (besides LED - that's really cool) that isn't on the current Holden range that would be worth mentioning?

Thanks again - I, like others on this forum, really appreciate the fact that we have a direct line of communication to the design team!!!

[Holden]

One more question if I may - were there any other electrical/electronic innovations included in the TT36 (besides LED - that's really cool) that isn't on the current Holden range that would be worth mentioning?

Nawdy - TT36 offers a 3D instrument layout with floating IP dials which can be customised to the driver's taste. It has an interactive infotainment screen to control functions such as phone, CD, SatNav, DVD, address book and other Bluetooth compatible features.