Holden VE CommodoreHere it is, finally. The Holden VE Commodore.
The launch of Holden's most significant new model in its 57 year history has arrived. For Holden the VE Commodore is the culmination of five years' work and the result of more than $1 billion invested in research and development.
Holden has pinned its hopes on this car. If successful it will form the basis of sedans, wagons, utes and coupes not only in Australia but on every continent on the planet – except Antarctica.
Closer to home the VE Commodore will fight hard to regain Commodore's long-held position as the best-selling new car – stolen in recent months by the Toyota Corolla.
It will also signal the opening shots in the next chapter of the ongoing Holden versus Ford fight. Bar-rooms across the country must be quaking in anticipation...
The VE will also underpin the next generation of high performance models from HSV, Australia's oldest hot-shop. Talk of 7.0-litre V8s and 400kW with Porsche-pounding performance has been heard...
Holden chairman and managing director Denny Mooney introduced the new model by saying “History counts for little, buying Australian counts for little. In this day and age cars must success on their merit, not their ancestry.”
Mooney said this was a Commodore people “really want to buy”.
“The level of differentiation between each model is more significant than ever before.”
And, with the words “allow me to introduce Holden’s 2006 Commodore range” Holden chairman and managing director Denny Mooney ushered the all-new Commodore down a catwalk for its first public parade.
The luxury Calais in new sporty V-Series guise was the first to be revealed, showing a much cleaner design that has elements of Audi design themes in a much bigger body.
Then came the “king of the jungle” the Commodore SS V-Series, with massive 19-inch wheels (20-inch wheels are an option) and a 270kW/530Nm 6.0-litre V8 engine.
The final installment – itself a surprise – was the flagship of the Holden line-up, the long wheelbase Caprice, which is expected to sell for around $80,000, although Holden isn’t talking pricing for now.
All three models were V8s, with four exhaust pipes hanging out the back.
The much-hyped VE looks noticeably larger than the VZ Commodore it will replace when it arrives in showrooms in August.
