Commodore Begins Global Tour
Toby Hagon
29 September 2006
www.drive.com.au
It's official: Holden’s Commodore is heading to America.
A Pontiac-badged Commodore will be unveiled at the Chicago motor show in 2007, signalling the start of the Commodore’s global tour.
Speaking at this week's Paris motor show, General Motors product guru Bob Lutz did more than hint that the Commodore would wear a Pontiac nose and badges before long.
“Come to the Chicago auto show and all we be revealed,” said a smiling Lutz, who earlier praised Holden and the new Commodore for being one of “the best vehicles GM has produced”.
Speculation has been rife about Commodores being built in other markets, but nothing has been confirmed to date.
However Lutz’s admission to drive.com.au confirms the rumours that the Commodore could be built in markets such as the United States to provide a large, rear-drive car to help revive General Motors’ ageing vehicles.
The Commodore’s architecture is also expected to spawn many more rear-drive cars within the General Motors world, starting with the born-again Chevrolet Camaro that was unveiled at the 2006 Detroit motor show in concept form.
The Pontiac “Commodore”, which is expected to wear a different name when it goes on sale in the States in 2007, is not the first time a Pontiac has been spawned from a Holden.
Three years ago Holden sent Monaros to the 'States with fresh noses and Pontiac GTO badges to revive one of the most famous nameplates in Pontiac’s history.
Like that car, the rebadged Commodore is expected to get some minor changes, including the classic Pontiac twin-nostril grille.
ALSO !!!!
GM to build new car for U.S. off new global platform
PARIS – General Motors Corp, will build at least one car from its new global family of rear- and all-wheel-drive cars at a plant in the United States, company vice chairman Bob Lutz revealed in an interview at the Paris auto show today.
Lutz did not say what U.S. plant would produce the car or cars, when production would begin or what brand or brands would sell them.
GM will also build a long luxury car based on the new global vehicle architecture in China, Lutz said. An architecture is a set of parts and components that can be used to produce a wide variety of models.
The new rear-wheel-drive architecture, called Zeta, will form the basis of the Chevrolet Camaro and a number of other cars for GM’s brands in North America. GM has not identified the other models, but they are likely to include large sedans for its Buick, Pontiac and probably Chevrolet brands.
The Camaro goes into production in late 2008 or early 2009 at GM’s plant in Oshawa, Ontario.
The Chinese model will be called the Buick Royaume.
Lutz did not say when the prevously unknown new models would go into production, but GM began assembly of the first car from the program, the Holden VE Commodore, earlier this year in Australia.
“We can build anything from small sporty cars to large luxury cars, maybe larger than anything we build today,” Lutz said, perched on the edge of the stage where GM had just unveiled the new Opel Antara compact SUV.
The Antara is virtually identical to the all-new Saturn Vue SUV that will go on sale in the United States next year.
GM can use its Zeta architecture to build “tall cars, short cars, long cars, all with unique bodies,” Lutz said. “We have the flexibility to do an enormous number of rear-wheel-drive cars around the world.”
Cars with rear-wheel-drive are increasingly popular in America because the layout lends itself to better handling, more power, and eye-catching styling for sporty models and cars larger than a Honda Accord or Chevrolet Malibu.
The advent of safety systems like traction control and electronic stability control helped rear-drive cars overcome the stigma of having poor handling in slippery conditions. The Chrysler 300 began the resurgence in rear-drive models from the traditional U.S. brands.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...NEWS99/60928027
Mr.Goodwrench-G.T.
Ok I'll be happy if Moraine Assembly can pick this up. LOLz
:O
I see one or two similarities
How much is the grand prix?
grand prix V8 RWD 35262hp jummii
NfamousZ24 wrote:Commodore Begins Global Tour
The Pontiac “Commodore”, which is expected to wear a different name when it goes on sale in the States in 2007....
I think it would be better if Pontiac kept the Commodore name, it would be soo much cooler than a "G7" or some other numeric name
B Malkins wrote:NfamousZ24 wrote:Commodore Begins Global Tour
The Pontiac “Commodore”, which is expected to wear a different name when it goes on sale in the States in 2007....
I think it would be better if Pontiac kept the Commodore name, it would be soo much cooler than a "G7" or some other numeric name
You mean G8. One of the reasons for going with a numeric name is to make it easier to sell Globaly.
That will be my next family car
..................Which car will hit 400 whp first???..................
that G8 is hot they need to leave it just like that. and start selling it here. ! i would buy one
^^Damnn, love that car... 20" wheels mmmmmm
~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
if all they did was stick the pontiac grill and emblems on that thing, then they would be producing the best looking v8 car on the market
I guarantee GM will mess this up somehow... The typical softer suspension, small wheels, etc..
Red 2005 Saturn Ion-3 Coupe
B Malkins wrote:NfamousZ24 wrote:Commodore Begins Global Tour
The Pontiac “Commodore”, which is expected to wear a different name when it goes on sale in the States in 2007....
I think it would be better if Pontiac kept the Commodore name, it would be soo much cooler than a "G7" or some other numeric name
Eh, I'd buy it as a G7 or G8 or G-Homie or whatever and then order Holden Commodore badging from Australia. Then I'd smash the factory badging with a sledgehammer and mail Pontiac the pieces because their new naming system sucks.
But I can't afford the car anyway so I guess I'm just talkin smack.
that is awesome. i may end up getting that when i buy a new car in 2 years.
best looking pontiac around
MIAMI HEAT
NBA CHAMPS!!!
i like the bomex front bumper.
lone_wolf wrote:I guarantee GM will mess this up somehow... The typical softer suspension, small wheels, etc..
They are messing it up
Quote:
the rebadged Commodore is expected to get some minor changes, including the classic Pontiac twin-nostril grille.
I personally hate the look of all pontiac grills
The interior is still going to be cheap looking. Don't kid yourself .... it's no where near Cadillac ... or any other expensive automobile.
dan
^^^ Including the price-tag I'll wager.
And now for something completely different... Click the Minister.
I'm just tired of automotive companies using plastic on the interior. Also, unpainted body side mirrors, door handles, bumpers. The ONLY things in my opinion they can use plastic on the parts that you can actually see with out opening the hood is air vents! Other than that ... its just cheap, imo!
dan
dubduce18s wrote:The interior is still going to be cheap looking. Don't kid yourself .... it's no where near Cadillac ... or any other expensive automobile.
dan
Are you an idiot? Have you seen the GTO's interior? Another rebadged Holden itself and it is better than any other interior out there for the price, I would even say it rivals Cadillacs interior.
..................Which car will hit 400 whp first???..................
