Omega replacement.. new VE Holden!?
Discussion
A REBADGED but barely restyled version of the forthcoming Holden VE Commodore is under serious consideration as the pragmatic solution to Opel and Vauxhall’s quest for a large sedan.
While this proposal has the support of GM executives as high as global car czar Bob Lutz, there is still the push for a ‘purist’ solution, which is a production version of the Insignia concept revealed at
Frankfurt in 2003. A decision is due by the end of the fi rst quarter of 2005. The VE goes on sale in Australia in the first half of 2006. The Australian chief of Vauxhall, Kevin Wale, appears to fall into the Lutz camp of pragmatists, while Opel chief Carl-Peter Forster is at the head of the purists.
However, to get Insignia up and flying Mr Forster has to pull together a viable business case, an obvious challenge at a time when GM Europe continues to bleed financially. Whichever way the choice goes, the Opel/Vauxhall large car that replaces the now retired
Omega will be based on the Australian-developed
Zeta rear-wheel drive architecture.
And whatever design comes out of Australia
bound for Europe it will close the loop on a
process that began in the 1970s when the original
fi rst generation Commodore was based on Opel
technology.
“I think the Commodore could easily be the
next generation top-of-the-range Opel saloon,”
said Mr Lutz. “No problem at all.”
“Basically it is the same design language and
you could argue the original chassis was derived
from the Opel Omega, so in a way it would be
returning home.
“And there is no question in my mind that
when you drive the 2005 (Pontiac) GTO that
Holden knows how to execute world class
dynamics when it comes to chassis.”
Holden is also conducting a development
program with turbo-diesel technology that would
play a vital part in any Commodore export
program to Europe. There appears to be three
front-running sourcing choices for Holden
turbo-diesel technology: Isuzu, the GM-Fiat
joint venture and a new VM Motori unit being
developed initially for use in the forthcoming
Daewoo S3X cross-over that will be sold in
Australia as a Holden.
The introduction of the sophisticated new Alloytec
engine also provides Holden with better European
petrol engine options that can be built in capacities
as small as 2.8 litres, with or without turbocharging.
Mr Wale said that an Opel/Vauxhall Commodore as
a mainstream model in Europe would assist in his
desire to niche market other Holden models such as
the Monaro and the utility.
While this proposal has the support of GM executives as high as global car czar Bob Lutz, there is still the push for a ‘purist’ solution, which is a production version of the Insignia concept revealed at
Frankfurt in 2003. A decision is due by the end of the fi rst quarter of 2005. The VE goes on sale in Australia in the first half of 2006. The Australian chief of Vauxhall, Kevin Wale, appears to fall into the Lutz camp of pragmatists, while Opel chief Carl-Peter Forster is at the head of the purists.
However, to get Insignia up and flying Mr Forster has to pull together a viable business case, an obvious challenge at a time when GM Europe continues to bleed financially. Whichever way the choice goes, the Opel/Vauxhall large car that replaces the now retired
Omega will be based on the Australian-developed
Zeta rear-wheel drive architecture.
And whatever design comes out of Australia
bound for Europe it will close the loop on a
process that began in the 1970s when the original
fi rst generation Commodore was based on Opel
technology.
“I think the Commodore could easily be the
next generation top-of-the-range Opel saloon,”
said Mr Lutz. “No problem at all.”
“Basically it is the same design language and
you could argue the original chassis was derived
from the Opel Omega, so in a way it would be
returning home.
“And there is no question in my mind that
when you drive the 2005 (Pontiac) GTO that
Holden knows how to execute world class
dynamics when it comes to chassis.”
Holden is also conducting a development
program with turbo-diesel technology that would
play a vital part in any Commodore export
program to Europe. There appears to be three
front-running sourcing choices for Holden
turbo-diesel technology: Isuzu, the GM-Fiat
joint venture and a new VM Motori unit being
developed initially for use in the forthcoming
Daewoo S3X cross-over that will be sold in
Australia as a Holden.
The introduction of the sophisticated new Alloytec
engine also provides Holden with better European
petrol engine options that can be built in capacities
as small as 2.8 litres, with or without turbocharging.
Mr Wale said that an Opel/Vauxhall Commodore as
a mainstream model in Europe would assist in his
desire to niche market other Holden models such as
the Monaro and the utility.
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