Magnum and Senator

[motomk]

Ok, they aren't the Vauxhall versions but they are GM. Last Australian built cars for the foreseeable future, as the local manufacturing industry has closed down. This has become one of my favourite sections of the forum. I spent hours reading about the Alvis Stewart. Another afternoon on the Corvette for little money, the Mustang that likes money and the brilliant Jag. I have read a lot of the other cars to, including the ones we don't have here.

Sadly, these two break some of the "rules"! They are new and in boring colours, and I haven't modified either of them this time around.
Looking for an older one for that as there are spares in the garage for one!

AMG Magnum



2017 Holden Commodore Magnum Ute.
V8 LS3 6.2 engine 304kw or just over 400hp.
It is a big blingy for me but I like the specs so it stays and anyway it's grown on me now.



Its little friend, more sedate looking but packs a punch.
2017 HSV GEN-F2 30th Anniversary Senator Signature.







Engine in this one is an V8 LSA - 6.2 Supercharged 410kw or close to 550hp



Wheels big 20 inch.
Brakes biggish but you could get bigger.



Out with a friend, built on the same day at HSV.



motomk

[sjc]

Right up my street both those.
I bought brand new in 2001 HSV GTS-R one of only 12 imported by a chap called Rod Clausen.The closest to a 4 door TVR you could get, and kept it four happy years ( the longest I’d kept a car by some margin ).

[Dannbodge]

Not a fan of all the chrome bits on the senator but apart from that very nice.

[BricktopST205]

How are newer versions of these going to be built? I am sure the ute is still reasonably popular over there?

[Truckosaurus]

BricktopST205 said:

How are newer versions of these going to be built?

I believe it's going to be a version of the Insignia platform.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(ZB...

[motomk]

BricktopST205 said:

How are newer versions of these going to be built? I am sure the ute is still reasonably popular over there?

Truckosaurus said:

I believe it's going to be a version of the Insignia platform.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(ZB...

Truckosaurus got it right, the new Commodore is the Insignia, although we get a V6 version.
Having driven the Turbo 4, they shouldn't have bothered with the V6. I think the V6 was built just for Australia.
I guess because they thought buyers wouldn't like going from a V8 to a Turbo 4 but could cope with going from a V8 to a V6.
People would think I am bias but the Insignia isn't that bad a car. Probably won't be my next car, not sure where that is going.
HSV are converting Camaro's and Silverado's to Right Hand Drive. 550 Camaros are being converted this year and only the 2SS version in Auto.
Ford are selling 7000 Mustangs a year.
No more Commodore Utes, we are drowned in 4WD Dual cab utes (pickups) Hilux/Ranger/Colarado size.

[exelero]

I like the looks of both, but that Senator is just a nice thing to look at

[Shakermaker]

Both very cool cars.

I have an eBay search for old Vauxhall Senators, as a big fan of them, but every so often one of these pops up on it where someone has put "NOT VAUXHALL GM FORD VOLVO" or similar in the title, like a moron. Would definitely own one if I could

[BricktopST205]

motomk said:

BricktopST205 said:

How are newer versions of these going to be built? I am sure the ute is still reasonably popular over there?

Truckosaurus said:

I believe it's going to be a version of the Insignia platform.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(ZB...

Truckosaurus got it right, the new Commodore is the Insignia, although we get a V6 version.
Having driven the Turbo 4, they shouldn't have bothered with the V6. I think the V6 was built just for Australia.
I guess because they thought buyers wouldn't like going from a V8 to a Turbo 4 but could cope with going from a V8 to a V6.
People would think I am bias but the Insignia isn't that bad a car. Probably won't be my next car, not sure where that is going.
HSV are converting Camaro's and Silverado's to Right Hand Drive. 550 Camaros are being converted this year and only the 2SS version in Auto.
Ford are selling 7000 Mustangs a year.
No more Commodore Utes, we are drowned in 4WD Dual cab utes (pickups) Hilux/Ranger/Colarado size.

So the UTE is all but dead now. Also now Opel/VX is now french owned where is Holden going to get all its rebadged cars from? Quite a shame really. Last time I went to Australia was ten years ago and was lovely to see all the big saloons which have all but vanished over here and replaced by SUVs

[matrignano]

motomk said:

motomk

Why does it look like the car's doing an emergency stop from 200mph?
Is it normal that the rear "looks" so raised up?

Also how long/tall is it, the wheels look relatively small for being 20 inchers!

[motomk]

exelero said:

I like the looks of both, but that Senator is just a nice thing to look at

Shakermaker said:

Both very cool cars.

Thanks for the comments.

matrignano said:

Why does it look like the car's doing an emergency stop from 200mph?
Is it normal that the rear "looks" so raised up?
Also how long/tall is it, the wheels look relatively small for being 20 inchers!

lol., The senator is like the luxury version of the blue car. It does have magnetic ride so it is a bit like driving a magic carpet,
I thought I had the same springs as the blue car but it appears I don't when we checked the numbers on them.
There are a couple of cars above both of these or there was. The GTS (430kw) and the later GTS-R (435kw) These were the main ones you could get over there in the UK, badged as Vauxhalls.
Size, had to look this up. It isn't small, so weighs in at 1850kg, just under 5 metres long, 1.4 metres tall. 1.9 metres wide. The Ute is 5.1 metres long.

BricktopST205 said:

So the UTE is all but dead now. Also now Opel/VX is now french owned where is Holden going to get all its rebadged cars from? Quite a shame really. Last time I went to Australia was ten years ago and was lovely to see all the big saloons which have all but vanished over here and replaced by SUVs

Yes, the Ute has stopped which is why I will probably keep this one for a while. I did own a couple before it, the first one I regret getting rid of.



The second was a HSV version but I didn't fit inside it very well as the seats were too tall for me. Luckily on this last one they put the seats from the American cars in them which are much nicer.

With regard where Holden is going? Don't know. When they sold Vauxhall, I would have thought Holden would have been with them. GM Daewoo used to supply a lot of the cars to the Australian market but GM didn't spend any money on them like Hyundai and Kia have done, so Daewoo makes cars that aren't really desirable.
Don't worry Oz isn't far behind the UK, every other car is an SUV. The large saloons left are German, Kia Stinger or I guess you could include the Toyota Camry as that has survived the close down and is imported from Japan now.
My friend with the blue car is waiting for the Supercharged Camaro to arrive if it ever does. He reckons the Impala should have come here or at least the performance version. They haven't sold many of the new Commodores. A lot of people reckon the Commodore name should have ridden off into the sunset. Personally, I tend to agree, but only so that the Insignia had a chance on its own two feet.

Another SUV has just arrived, Acadia. Add that to Equinox, Captiva, Trax, Trailblazer and Commodore Tourer.

[Jimmy Recard]

Very cool cars OP. I love them both.

I was sad when it was announced that Holden would stop building cars, even though I had already realised that it was a question of 'when', not 'if'