Things are slowly coming to a close in Australia. Holden will cease manufacturing cars in October of this year, a Holden Dream Cruise is planned to send the locally-built Commodore out with a bang, and new endeavors hang on the horizon for Holden.
The brand has announced its final engineering touches are being placed on the 2018 Holden ZB Commodore, formerly referred to as the “NG” Commodore. Based on the 2017 Opel Insignia Grand Sport, North America’s 2018 Buick Regal Sportback, it will be the first time a Holden Commodore will be built outside of Australia and imported into the country.
Like all of its most-recent products, Holden declares the ZB Commodore is not a simply badge engineering gig. Instead, it’s gone through thousands of kilometers of testing to ensure it’s up to snuff for Australian driving conditions.
“We’ve worked on a more direct and responsive steering feel to give drivers greater confidence and a more engaging experience behind the wheel. That’s in addition to changing the dampers and suspension tune on both 3.6-liter V6 and 2.0-liter turbo variants so the car feels planted and well-balanced,” Lead Dynamics Engineer, Rob Trubiani, said.
The ZB Commodore lineup will feature the liftback sedan, Sportwagon and Tourer variants when it arrives in early 2018. The Holden Commodore VXR will join the lineup at a later date and replace the revered “SS” badge, which was once reserved for V8-powered Commodores.
Comments
Put any GM badge on this car that you see fit – just NOT a Holden badge.
Regardless of how great it is, this car is NOT a Holden and it is NOT a Commodore.
Loyal, life-long Australian Holden supporters are being ignored, GM in Australia has now sealed their fate.
We have moved onto other brands and Holden is now just a fond memory of the past and not in our future.
You’ve moved on to FWD 4 cylinder imports. Nothing to be proud of Aussie.
@Joe G.
Way, way way off the mark there, fella! Never ever in a million years!
To clarify :
I have always owned many models Australian cars over the years and replaced them with newer Australian cars, with only one exception.
Currently my garage consists of:
– a 25 year old Commodore with over 500,000 kms on the clock and Australian built V6
– a VT Commodore with the last Australian produced V8
– a Ford Territory Ghia Turbo with AWD and Australian inline 6 (GM’s SUV’s were only Captiva and Trax in this class at that time and are both Korean and utter rubbish)
– 3rd Gen Pontiac (Norwood built)
These are cars I am PROUD of.
If I am ever to purchase another car, it will be Australia built up to 2017.
Anything after this date will be a Tesla.
I fully agree with you “Holden is Australian’. One last trek to Bathurst before I start looking elsewhere. So much for 40 years of loyalty. The ZB is NOT a Commodore. Bring on the Stinger
When my VE Sportswagon comes time for replacement I won’t be wandering into my friendly Holden looking for a replacement. Mainly because there won’t be any Holdens there to purchase.
Holden will stick a badge on anything if it thinks there’s a dollar in it, then when it reveals itself as a piece of rubbish (as has happened so many times ) Holden replaces it with another piece of rubbish and sticks a Holden badge on it.
The imported Commodore will never be a Commodore just as Holden will never make another car.