VF Commodore revealed - Official details and pics - Part 3

[C4B]

Problems is very few of those SUV's are actually built for our conditions anyway.

That's true, most are built far exceeding any conditions they're likely to encounter in Australia.

But it's nice to know if you do hit a large pothole at highway speeds you'll still have an entire vehicle for the rest of the journey.

[Speedy Gonzales]

The first part of your comment is the most telling..... "designed specifically for Australian Conditions".

The fact is Australia has shocking roads.... And yet the current crop of cars "Designed specifically for Australian Conditions" have 17" wheels on a Berlina, 18" wheels on a Calais and 19's on an SS.

These days you'd be flat out getting a late model Commodore up a suburban gutter without taking off the front air dam or bruising a rim.

Exactly, if GMH were so dedicated to "Aus conditions" as they claim to be, why are they building cars with 19s and 20s with space savers?

Im confident I can drive anywhere in Aus and have my tyres or any parts replaced if there is a breakage, cant say the same for the current crop

[Plenty]

The roadkill test

No apologies necessary, if you cant voice your opinion in public, that speaks more as to who they are, again, I reiterate and find it interesting that people are angry at customers and not at business.

Australian manufacturing and know how wont go away, it just has to improve. That said, if Mazda want to bid to open a plant in Aus, Im happy to subsidise them as they are building cars people want to buy.



An LS1 uses less fuel, costs less to service, costs less to modify, carries less unsprung weight and size, has Macpherson strut front end and IRS which can also be adapted to coil overs, also seats 5 and has a full size spare in the boot, explain what are the advancements of the VE over the previous generation?

VE weighs more, uses more fuel, takes up more space on the road, costs more to maintain, 270kw? Most here had 300 or more in 04 and in a car weighing at least 150kg less

Wow.... To be honest i'm not sure if this even deserves the effort, if you honestly believe your VT/VX/VY/VZ is as good as a VE, you clearly have never spent any time in one.

LS1 uses less fuel? Well actually the VZ Commodore V8 Auto uses 14.6l/100km a VE II V8 Auto uses 12.3l/100km and as you said it weighs a good deal more so where are you getting your figures from?

The VE is also a much stronger and stiffer car, and is also larger than the VZ. How about the near 50:50 weight distribution, what about the new 6-speed auto's instead of that hunk of shit 4-speed.
What about 6 airbags as standard and the standard across the range ESP, EBD, BA. There is also manufacturing advances for cheaper repair, the front end module is a good example.

If your happy with your car fair enough but to try and justify your choice to stay with it by saying it's better than or as good as a VE/VF is ludicrous. It's funny, the VE was nominated for world car of the year when it was released, it also recently just won Australias best car ever..... Can't recall the VT-VZ ever doing so!

Not that i think there would be much in it anyway for servicing the VE would still be cheaper through a dealer as they now come with fixed price servicing, outside of the dealer network like i said there wouldn't be anything in it!
Aftermarket parts wouldn't be much in that either!

[Marco]

Look at the Mazda 6

What about the Mazda 6? Other than the i-Eloop stop-start-hybrid-catches-fire whatever it is system, I'm not seeing what the 6 has that the VF doesn't other than less of everything?

[Plenty]

Look at the Mazda 6

What about it? There's not much in that, that the VF doesn't have in it! Its a good car but still cramped inside even though it is almost externally as large.

[mrtockley]

What about the Mazda 6? Other than the i-Eloop stop-start-hybrid-catches-fire whatever it is system, I'm not seeing what the 6 has that the VF doesn't other than less of everything?

Ha it's no hybrid for the start. It has a KERS style capacitor for running ancillary equipment. Other than that, Mazda actually design new engines and transmissions every now and then that uses current tech instead of saying that it worked back in '06 so we won't bother improving it. Adaptive cruise, lane departure, adaptive head lights, keyless start / entry, bi Xenon, hill braking / assist, paddle shifters, front and rear parking sensors and camera, plus other features.

[mjrandom]

It amuses me to see people dismiss the VF as a soft bodied VE with a few techno bits. From what I have seen and read (internet only as I am not one of the privileged few) I think it is f@@@ing awesome. The comments could rightly be applied to say E2 to E3 HSVs where the changes in my opinion weren't enough to justify me changing but plenty of others thought differently and bought E3 / series II cars. But this is different, the snippets leaked about the VF are stunning.

Plenty is right, everyone is entitled to their opinion and go right ahead and voice it but if you were never in the market to buy a VF anyway at least be honest and say so. If you were and are now waiting for next year’s Ford or buying a Hyundai iShit because you don't like the VF then fair enough though it is a bit hard to judge if you have seen it, sniffed it or sat in it.

I'm not in the market for a VF but I am serious about its HSV brother. Serious enough to have placed a deposit...

[Plenty]

Ha it's no hybrid for the start. It has a KERS style capacitor for running ancillary equipment. Other than that, Mazda actually design new engines and transmissions every now and then that uses current tech instead of saying that it worked back in '06 so we won't bother improving it. Adaptive cruise, lane departure, adaptive head lights, keyless start / entry, bi Xenon, hill braking / assist, paddle shifters, front and rear parking sensors and camera, plus other features.

Apart from the KERS style system the VF has all that stuff too.... As for engines and transmissions we have one big problem with Holden, that's GM, they decide what get's built not Holden.

[Brett240]

Taken from Caradvice wesbsite -

The SS and SS V badges are also spread across sedan, wagon and ute. SS manuals are priced from $38,990 for the ute, or $41,990 for the sedan (the latter a $5800 cut from the old SS). The SS Sportwagon is auto only and costs $46,190 before on-roads.

All SS models adopt the carry-over 6.0-litre V8 but otherwise mimic the equipment and options line-up of the SV6.

SS V models range from $42,490 (manual ute) to $49,690 (auto Sportwagon) and bring a raft of extras that include 19-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, integrated DVD, satellite navigation, push button engine start, colour digital instrument display, fog lights and eight speakers.

i'm still clutching at straws. maybe the just SS-V wagon can be a manual? that only says the SS, and the auto sportwagon is just the most expensive SS-V,

please let it be so or my toys are going out of the pram.

[KeenGolfer]

These days you'd be flat out getting a late model Commodore up a suburban gutter without taking off the front air dam or bruising a rim.

You think? I do it all the time in the work Commodores over gutters, medians etc, sometimes without much sympathy towards the vehicle and I've never damaged anything.

[mrtockley]

Apart from the KERS style system the VF has all that stuff too.... As for engines and transmissions we have one big problem with Holden, that's GM, they decide what get's built not Holden.

Ah pretty sure the VF doesn't have all that stuff too.

[Speedy Gonzales]

Wow.... To be honest i'm not sure if this even deserves the effort, if you honestly believe your VT/VX/VY/VZ is as good as a VE, you clearly have never spent any time in one.

LS1 uses less fuel? Well actually the VZ Commodore V8 Auto uses 14.6l/100km a VE II V8 Auto uses 12.3l/100km and as you said it weighs a good deal more so where are you getting your figures from?

The VE is also a much stronger and stiffer car, and is also larger than the VZ. How about the near 50:50 weight distribution, what about the new 6-speed auto's instead of that hunk of shit 4-speed.
What about 6 airbags as standard and the standard across the range ESP, EBD, BA. There is also manufacturing advances for cheaper repair, the front end module is a good example.

If your happy with your car fair enough but to try and justify your choice to stay with it by saying it's better than or as good as a VE/VF is ludicrous. It's funny, the VE was nominated for world car of the year when it was released, it also recently just won Australias best car ever..... Can't recall the VT-VZ ever doing so!

Not that i think there would be much in it anyway for servicing the VE would still be cheaper through a dealer as they now come with fixed price servicing, outside of the dealer network like i said there wouldn't be anything in it!
Aftermarket parts wouldn't be much in that either!

I dont base fuel consumption on emission stickers stuck on the windscreen that list a figure which is run under perfect conditions in a lab, real world, dyno and AFR point to point

Last time I looked, tyres for 19s, 20s and 21s arent readily available in remote areas and cost more to purchase than 15s-18s

4L60 a crap box? Tell that to Camaro, Trans Am, GTO, Corvette, Commodore, Monaro and Statesmen owners who have push their cars to the limit here and overseas

Bigger car, dont need, 50/50 weight, dont need, 6 airbags, dont need, ESP, BA, EBD dont need, its a good chassis, Murph did set the record at Bathurst which lasted for many years and apparently there was more in it.

If its such a great car, how come it isnt selling? No point having the worlds greatest car on paper if no one buys it.

You obviously havent travelled and driven other brands of cars so when it comes to "world car of the year", I think thats an accolade Holden can share with the worlds best treasurer and the worlds best prime minister

[Drizt]

If its such a great car, how come it isnt selling? No point having the worlds greatest car on paper if no one buys it.

That doesn't address the question though, its a straw man argument.

The real question would be...

1). Would a pre ve sell better than the ve now, if it was the current car?
or
2). If the VE and pre VE cars were brought out at the same time which one would outsell the other?

I would have thought the answer to those two questions would obviously be answered in favour of the VE.

[Speedy Gonzales]

That doesn't address the question though, its a straw man argument.

The real question would be...

1). Would a pre ve sell better than the ve now, if it was the current car?
or
2). If the VE and pre VE cars were brought out at the same time which one would outsell the other?

I would have thought the answer to those two questions would obviously be answered in favour of the VE.

1. The numbers dont lie, total units sold globally VT-VZ vs VE-VF

2. Irrelevant as you build cars for the current market, which Holden isnt doing, Id like to add that they "were" doing it, and if they were doing it, it means they "can", but now choose not to

[Pickles]

As usual....LOTS of knockers here..."Tall Poppy Syndrome" I reckon.
My opinion is that VF looks terrific, & I reckon will look even better in the flesh...can't wait to see all the latest electronic "Gizmos" they've built into the car.
Holden's put a MASSIVE effort into this car, in addition to massive price drops.....it's sales success will be good for ALL Aussies, good for manufacturing, GOOD full stop......Holden have done their best.
I say GOOD LUCK HOLDEN. Pickles.