Me and Greg Murphy were talking about nothing in particular at a Holden event late last year. “Driven the two-litre Commodore yet?” he said. I hadn’t. I had had a drive of the all-wheel-drive V6 but not the front-drive 2.0-litre. “You’ll have difficulty telling whether it’s front or rear drive,” he said. “It shows nothing of traditional front-drive characteristics – it’s so … [Read more...] about Commodore Greg Murphy and the ZB affair on Pukekohe track
Holden Commodore
When a Holden Commodore is not a Holden Commodore
The origins of the Holden Commodore will have come full circle when the new model arrives early in 2018 to replace the tried-and-trusted Australian hero. The next-generation Commodore is based on the German-built Opel Insignia – the first Commodore of 1978 was based on an Opel sedan, too, called the Opel Rekord. It would replace the bigger Kingswood. The oil price shocks of … [Read more...] about When a Holden Commodore is not a Holden Commodore
Holden’s future large car will carry on the Commodore nameplate
The next Holden large car will be drawn from parent General Motors’ global portfolio and named the Commodore. The nameplate will live on after the carmaker closes its manufacturing operations in Australia in 2017, GM has confirmed. What will wear the Commodore badge is not known, although the smart money is on the next-generation Opel Insignia, the styling of which was … [Read more...] about Holden’s future large car will carry on the Commodore nameplate
The years 2004-2014: sales of large and medium cars plummeted
Back in 2004, a litre of 91 octane petrol cost a little over $1 … and New Zealanders bought 32,384 large and medium cars, models like the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon, and Honda Accord and Mazda 626 Fast forward to 2014 where a litre of 91 unleaded can cost around $2 … and New Zealanders at the end of October had bought 9610 large and medium cars, according to Motor … [Read more...] about The years 2004-2014: sales of large and medium cars plummeted
Holden’s special-edition V6 Commodore softens blow of ‘Lowndes V8’ not coming to NZ
• Above, the road-legal Craig Lowndes Commodore (right) with his Bathurst 1000 race car Five-time Bathurst winner Craig Lowndes has lent his name to a limited run of Holden Commodores – but the 6.0-litre V8-powered SS-V models are for the Australian market only and won’t be available in New Zealand. Instead, to soften the blow of unavailability of the Lowndes car on this … [Read more...] about Holden’s special-edition V6 Commodore softens blow of ‘Lowndes V8’ not coming to NZ