While other companies seem to have almost abandoned the big car market, Holden is going hard at it, with a raft of upgraded models in the Commodore range, including a lighter and even more powerful V8 engine.

John Oxley reports. 

There’s something very special about the roar of a V8 engine being driven seriously. It’s a sound that sends the pulse racing, and if you’re inside the car, gets butterflies whirling around inside your stomach, especially when you hear the iconic exhaust crackle and pop on overrun.

These days, though, with other people to consider, a noisy exhaust is not always a good option, and, unless you’re a motorcyclist (who seem to be immune) you could well get picked on by the boys in blue.

Enter the new Commodore VF Series II SSV Redline. Instead of an exhaust that’s loud all the time, the Aussie engineers have designed a bi-modal exhaust, an electronically activated device that lets out another 3dB of exhaust roar when you’re really nailing it, but otherwise keeps things nice and demure for when you’re not. Also included in the exhaust package is the Aussie-developed Baille Tip, which reverberates as much as 10 percent of the exhaust sound back to the cabin.

And at the same time a “sound enhancer” has been fitted into the induction ducting, and transmits the intake roar into the cabin. So it’s not just others that get the benefit of that delicious V8 note – you get it too!

However, if you don’t want all that sound, you can cut out operation of the devices using a button on the Commodore’s eight-inch touchscreen.

The Redline also gets Brembo brakes in the back as well as in front, plus bigger ducts in the front spoiler to help eject hot air out of the front wheel arches and reduce aero drag, as well as vents on the bonnet to let hot air out of the engine compartment.

And they are needed, for the Redline has a new high-revving 6.2-litre Small Block LS3 V8 straight out of the latest Camaro and Corvette, producing 304kW/570Nm, plus lower final drive ratios to get the most out of it, plus suspension improvements to enhance ride as well as handling.

We’re talking serious performance, here, too, with claimed 0-100km/h of 4.9 seconds for the manual, 5 seconds for the auto, and top speed of 240 km/h and 230 km/h respectively.

However, cylinder deactivation is not available on the LS3, which has increased fuel consumption by around 1L/100km.

Holden really walked the walk when they launched the new cars in Adelaide, and let motoring editors loose on a fantastic little hill climb at Collingrove in the Barossa Valley – a scary little piece of adrenalin-booster that showed just how well this big car handles. Did I say big car – I meant a car that’s spacious but which handles like a small and lithe sports car!

Not all the cars in the VF II range get all the enhancements, and the Evoke doesn’t get any, so here’s a quick run-down of the more important ones: all models from SV6 on get proximity key entry and a push-button starter, as well as new 18 inch wheels and the new front spoiler and grille.

SS models get the LS3 engine and its bi-modal exhaust and sound enhancer, as well as the option of performance brakes taken from the American-spec police car.
SSV models add new 19 inch wheels, a colour head-up display, and the performance brake option.

Calais versions get heated front seats with Easy Exit driver seat and memory, eight-way electrically-adjusted passenger seat, new 18 inch alloy wheels, and clear lenses on all the tail lamps.

Clear lenses or LED taillights are also featured on some of the other models.

Calais V gets the optional LS3 engine with bi-modal exhaust and sound enhancer, as well as a limited slip differential, new 19 inch wheels, and on V8 models, the performance brakes option.

Caprice V models get the LS3 engine (without bi-model exhaust), a new lip spoiler on the boot, new 19 inch alloy wheels, the performance brakes option, and the Easy Exit driver’s seat.

New colour options are available on most models, and prices start at $49,990 for the Evoke (unchanged) with minimal increases on other models, rising to a $1,500 hike on the Redline (to $75,990), the top Calais model ($73,990) and the Caprice V ($81,490).

All the changes also apply to Sportwagon and Ute equivalents.

Holden New Zealand MD Kristian Aquilina said the new models bring together what customers have been asking for. He said most of Commodore sales tended to be of the SV6, but he forecast as many as 30 percent of customers would initially opt for the new V8 models.

“We are anticipating quite a lot of buying on V8s as collectors’ cars,” he said.