Zeta News 2.0: New VF Commodore and Chevrolet SS

[Philly]

Those things are really cool. I look forward to seeing them over here. The wagon could definitly give the Magnum SRT-8 a run for its money. They look pretty unrefined -- in a good way.

You Aussies have some really awesome cars down there.

 

[JCE]

-> Now thats what I'm talking about!

Holden Commodore [VE] SS-V wagon:

^ Now thats the car that will give those Audi, BMW, MBZ, and especially Dodge a run for its money. Please GM, please bring this beauty here, never mind the Ute, this is the one I want! This will compensate the lack of hi-po wagons that is not available in the US.

We can agree to disagree on the Ridgeline issue and move on I think.

And...btw...

OH MY FREAKING GOD I want one of those SS-V estate "wagons". Move over Dodge you just got owned at the performance estate game. That is just pure awsomeness.

What would they call it? I'm all for the Nomad.

+1 Seriously, the Nomad was an awsome car. We need to resurrect it.

 

[TopHat]

Brookwood, or maybe if its a Pontiac, Safari.

 

[YSSMAN]

More G8 photos?





There is talk about whether or not it will use the all-silver Pontiac badge like the "concept" did, as other G8 prototypes have had it (namely the red one from Woodward). Its still a shockingly good-looking car, something that I would be putting money down on right now if I had the cash...

 

[Tornado]

There is talk about whether or not it will use the all-silver Pontiac badge like the "concept" did

If that's all the talk is about, then I'm guessing this will probably be a pretty good car. I'm glad they didn't use the nasty transparent taillights on the Commodore SS-V, either.

 

[YSSMAN]

For some reason Pontiac fans were all up-in-arms over the badges, mostly for stuff I didn't understand. Some people were saying that it took away from the history of the car, others were saying it was symbolizing a new era for the brand...

Personally, I didn't care. The silver badge looks cool, but its not like I'm not going to know that it isn't a Pontiac. My guess is that GM will make it a part of an appearance package, or maybe make it available on certain colors only.

Me? I'd still order it in red...

 

[Tornado]

For some reason Pontiac fans were all up-in-arms over the badges, mostly for stuff I didn't understand.

Let me guess: The same fans who complained the GTO handled too well? Or the same fans who will buy anything with a Ram Air hood?

 

[High-Test]

Let me guess: The same fans who complained the GTO handled too well? Or the same fans who will buy anything with a Ram Air hood?

Oh.. My.. God.. I haven't been that excited about a car ever. They BETTER bring that Estate to the US. It would dominate its segment, if the wagon segment even exists here anymore. They could go retro with the names, level 1 would be Brookwood, level 2 would be Nomad, and level 3 would be the Kingwood. Although, Nomad SS has a certain ring to it. But, definitely bring a sedan delivery variant as well.
They could probably make great commercials about the car blowing away the stigmas associated with wagons. They could have a line of 1970s LTD country squires and caprices getting their doors literally blown off by the new car on the higway.

 

[JCE]

More G8 photos?





There is talk about whether or not it will use the all-silver Pontiac badge like the "concept" did, as other G8 prototypes have had it (namely the red one from Woodward). Its still a shockingly good-looking car, something that I would be putting money down on right now if I had the cash...

Psh, apparently Victoria IS the freaking place to be for your G8 goodness. Man, that G8 is really stunning in blue!

 

[YSSMAN]

I'm still waiting for a Purple one, but the Blue is nice. I believe the technical name for this color is K-Pow Blue, the only other interesting color at launch being Ignition Orange. I'm still waiting to see a Green or Purple.

If they can push the G8 GT out the door for less than $30K, its going to be the deal of the decade. Weigh the options in the same price bracket, you're likely going to be disappointed, or stuck with a "lesser" model of an already good car.

 

[Blackbird.]

Psh, apparently Victoria IS the freaking place to be for your G8 goodness. Man, that G8 is really stunning in blue!

Damn I must be colorblind because that looks purple.

 

[Crash]

More G8 photos?





There is talk about whether or not it will use the all-silver Pontiac badge like the "concept" did, as other G8 prototypes have had it (namely the red one from Woodward). Its still a shockingly good-looking car, something that I would be putting money down on right now if I had the cash...

Are left hand drive cars required to have a left hand drive sticker on the back of the car in Australia?

 

[Casio]

Are left hand drive cars required to have a left hand drive sticker on the back of the car in Australia?

In Victoria you can't drive or register a LHD vehicle on the road unless it's for engineering evaluation, it's older than this law (1970-something), or you get special permission.

I'm not sure about the other states.

 

[Jay]

Psh, apparently Victoria IS the freaking place to be for your G8 goodness.

They make them in the state of South Australia but mainly test and develop them in the state of Victoria (hence the vic plate spottings)

In Victoria you can't drive or register a LHD vehicle on the road unless it's for engineering evaluation, it's older than this law (1970-something), or you get special permission.

I'm not sure about the other states

LHD is legal for cars over 30 years old (in SA atleast but quite sure that is Australia wide aswell)

Also temp and special permits are available for LHD cars if you have a legitimate reason.

 

[YSSMAN]

Is driving an awesome American or German-market car considered reason enough?

(ha ha)

 

[Joey D]

Good news everybody!

Pontiac G8 Ute a distinct possibility

Holden is planning on turning out the full capacity of 147,000 Zeta-based vehicles at its Elizabeth plant in South Australia. Part of the production increase can be attributed to the Pontiac G8's impending arrival, but there have been cagey references to importing the VE Ute, which shares the VE platform with the G8. Bob Lutz made mention of a desire to bring the Ute to the US a while back, and now GM's Asia Pacific President Nick Reilly has made a couple of cagey references to GoAuto, fueling the suspicion that we'll see a VE with a bed out back here in the US.

While discussing the Elizabeth plant's ability to meet production volume without adding a third shift, Reilly referred to US exports by saying "If they start to sell much better than we anticipated, then we would have to look at doing something else and clearly a third shift would be a possibility..." They? Hmm. When the follow-up question about just what he meant by they, Reilly sort-of clarified by further stating: "We haven't necessarily announced all the programs we have at the moment." The not-quite-confirmed multiple flavors of VE headed for the US, along with Bob Lutz's wanting to bring the Ute here as something other than a Chevy could mean that those wishing for a return of the El Camino might get their wish, minus the name.

 

[YSSMAN]

The Good News: Holden is happy to build the vehicles we want and knows that there are more projects in the pipe for later in the model cycles...

The Bad News: No one wants a Pontiac pickup, because plain-and-simple, it MUST be a El Camino.

 

[JCE]

Good news everybody!

Oh my god, can it be true?!

The Good News: Holden is happy to build the vehicles we want and knows that there are more projects in the pipe for later in the model cycles...

The Bad News: No one wants a Pontiac pickup, because plain-and-simple, it MUST be a El Camino.

"The Good News", of course Holden is happy to build vehicles for us. It gives them an ego boost knowing that they are infact better than America in designing and building cars. Which I agree with.

"The Bad News", Bull**** I don't want a Pontiac pickup! El Camino or not, this thing is freaking sweet! You can't tell me that even with that Pontiac front fascia that the Ute isn't a freaking sweet vehicle!

 

[YSSMAN]

No, its sweet. But, Pontiac isn't a truck company. It never should be a truck company. Thusly, I don't want the Ute as a Pontiac.

If they aren't going to make it an El Camino, the very least they could do is make it a GMC. IMO, its more important for the Ute to actually make sense in a product lineup than just "exist" for the sake of being here.

 

[Tornado]

"The Bad News", Bull**** I don't want a Pontiac pickup! El Camino or not, this thing is freaking sweet! You can't tell me that even with that Pontiac front fascia that the Ute isn't a freaking sweet vehicle!

I will say just that until you can come up with a memorable Pontiac vehicle with a bed. Or for that matter, anything that was bigger than a wagon (Pontiac has only had 2 suvs. Ever). Selling the 'Ute as a Pontiac not only wrecks any chance of an El Camino revival (which, remember, is a historic name that does have recognition), but it also simply does not fit in Pontiac's lineup, and it never has (or will). Its, quite simply, moronic, and I can't understand why Lutz is pushing it.

 

[JCE]

Maybe there should be a Chevy model and a Pontiac model. Theres nothing wrong with puting two badges on it. American car companies are known for that.

 

[TopHat]

Maybe there should be a Chevy model and a Pontiac model. Theres nothing wrong with puting two badges on it. American car companies were known for that.

This isn't the 80's and 90's anymore, most GM cars share platforms, but are different enough.

Also I know it was pretty bad with the Trailblazer clan and the Minivans.

 

[JCE]

I disagree. The G8 and the new Impala are the same damn car with only front and rear bumper/grille/fascia changes. Not to mention the countless SUVs that still look the same across the board in GM's lineup.

 

[TopHat]

I disagree. The G8 and the new Impala are the same damn car with only front and rear bumper/grille/fascia changes. Not to mention the countless SUVs that still look the same across the board in GM's lineup.

You mean the one that we don't have any real information about? Oh yeah. That one.



But the thing is, that was a Middle Eastern market Impala/Lumina. For all we know the Impala could stay FWD here.

 

[YSSMAN]

I disagree. The G8 and the new Impala are the same damn car with only front and rear bumper/grille/fascia changes. Not to mention the countless SUVs that still look the same across the board in GM's lineup.

Given the current way of GM doing things, thats a big N-O. While platform sharing is still going to run rampant across the company, products are going to attempt to be very different not only in style, but also in attitude. The problem is, having the Ute as a Pontiac goes completely against EVERYTHING that Pontiac is about (sporty cars) as compared to Chevrolet (everyman's brand). It, simply put, doesn't make sense to have one as a Pontiac.

Some complaints I've heard about the Ute going to Chevrolet is that the El Camino name doesn't have enough recognition anymore, furthermore, that it conjures up too negative of an image for people to seriously consider it. I've also heard complaints that it not being a four-door would put it out of competition, not to mention the fact that it would have to swim with the Colorado and the Silverado in the Chevrolet lineup.

IMO, it doesn't matter to me. Bring 10K over the the United States a year (make them mid-east market models for all I care), and I'm sure they'd sell.

 

[Joey D]

Bad news, everyone!

High Aussie dollar threatens more Holden exports

Before you start sweating, rest assured Holden's VE Commodore will be heading Stateside as the Pontiac G8, but as for other models such as the two-door Ute, things are looking in doubt. GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz is a key backer of bringing the Ute to the U.S. but revealed at this week's Frankfurt Auto Show that the export program could be in doubt because of the strong Australian dollar. Either the car-based pickup would be priced out of the market or GM would have to subsidize it, something that's not going to happen, Lutz informed.

Plans to import roughly 50,000 Pontiac G8s are unchanged but the margins made on the car will be very slim, meaning there's no room to add a variant priced below it. This will come as a major blow to Holden staffers. Almost half of its annual production of 147,000 cars is exported and gaining a foothold in the lucrative U.S. markets has been one of its key goals over the past decade.

 

[TopHat]

Awww crap. How long will it take for a plant to open here?

 

[Joey D]

It shouldn't really take any time since GM could just streamline one plant into another and open up a free building.

 

[McLaren]

Regarding to the Ute, I think GM's getting a bit ahead of themselves. IMO, I think they should release the G8 and maybe a few more Aussie vehicles before introducing Utes.

Baby steps, GM. Baby steps.

 

[JCE]

Umm, I think releasing the Ute within a year or two would be a brilliant thing. Its something new and different--and it looks somewhat like a pickup truck--which means it will sell in America ten-fold.