Holden fans rejoice. A Holden badged, V8, rear-wheel drive sedan could live on after the death of the VF Commodore in 2017 if a plan to produce a next-generation Chevrolet SS gets the green-light, according to Motoring Australia.
General Motors is considering building a next generation SS on a version of the Alpha platform that underpins the Cadillac CTS and ATS . If the plan comes into fruition, it would be sold in Australia simply as the Holden SS.
Seeing as Alpha is classified as a “premium” architecture, quite a bit of cost would have to be stripped out of it for a next-gen SS to make sense from a business standpoint. A cheaper version of the chassis is already under development, slated to underpin the sixth generation Camaro due in 2015.
“If you wanted to do that [build a second generation SS] then this architecture [Alpha] could do that,” chief GM engineer David Leone told Motoring Australia at the Detroit auto show this week. “If you are a performance enthusiast then rear-wheel drive is the way to go and that’s the place Alpha will play. So you guys connect the dots about where else we might use it.”
The VF Commodore and Chevrolet SS are  currently produced at the South Australian Elizabeth plant. With the facilities inevitable closure happening in 2017, GM will have to develop a next-gen SS if they wish to continue the models lifecycle for longer then three years.
Comments
Great to hear about a Holden/Chevy Alpha, but sad to see the Commodore branding being dropped. I think calling a car the “SS” is really stupid and confusing. SS should be reseved for preformance versions of Chevys and not a model brand. In fact, I would like to see Chevy use the Commodore branding rather than reusing Caprice (which sounds very dated and the last few generations of Caprice were awful styling wise).
What makes the platform ‘premium?’ Is it the materials to make it lightweight? Certainly a Chevy should not be on par with a Caddy, so heavier materials could be used to make it less than premium. But didn’t that have to happen anyway since a Camaro will be built on Alpha?
Hard to beleive it pays to make a cheaper chassis. Wouldn’t you think there would be more money to save on the rest of the car but keep the excellent underpinnings?
Cost recovery on a ‘premium’ platform comes in the form of model sharing. Having a Holden SS on Alpha only increases the platforms profitability
The commodore isn’t going away from what i read on another site, if the article is correct the commodore will go on epsilon 2 or its replacement so yes, it would be fwd and then there will be another dedicated rwd v8 performance oriented vehicle to slot above it like how Chevy has done with the SS and Impala. There is too much equity in the commodore name to just let it go too waste and be cast aside. Allegedly, this model would essentially be the 2nd gen SS with all new sheet metal on alpha becoming a global performance model. Now the low cost version of alpha is already underway, and that shouldn’t be an issue if this truly going to be a global performance model than the cost should be absorbed through being sold through various brands Chevy, Holden, Vauxhall, Buick (hopefully). And doing traditional trims with various engine choices and transmissions instead of a one size fit all approach to it would certainly attract more buyers! This is really a true no brainer decision, just work out the details
Chances are that they will call the Alpha based performance sedan the Monaro. Which considering they just made an alpha based ATS coupe is a strong possibility. Though I stand with Aussies, in keeping production in Australia. Considering while true they are owned by GM, but they do have obligations to creating jobs in the country. Though still a small win never the less.
So, does this mean it won’t be anywhere near as good as the Commodores are to drive?
Told you this was coiming.
Here is the deal. The Alpha will be used much like the SS un the states is now as a performance model only. You will see a version I believe of the Impala and it could be renamed a Commodo? You will also get a Camaro that could remain a Camaro or be renames a Monaro. the next loss will be the production in country and the loss of the Ute that is being killed by Colorado sales.
The Alpha even in Holden form will take advantage of the investment by Cadillac just as Chevy will.. A good example now is the Investment into the XTS Cadillac has made the most refinded and one of the best sedans in America with the Impala.
Now Gm knew ahead of time to make the Alpha it may be called premium but it was also going to be a Chevy and more so much of the weight loss was not done with exotic metals and mostly through good design that went to the point they even accounted for the weight bolt by bolt and screw.
What you will not get in the Holden or Chevy is some of the high end features like the Magnetic Suspension unless you opt for a top end package. Things that you would normally pay for in a model will not be on all models but the top end.
If you have not driven a ATS or CTS you do not understand how far this platform has come since Zeta and Sigma. The Cadillacs are proof of what they can do and they will bring this to Chevy and Holden.
You can piss and moan all you like about not being built down under but the end product will be a great car and better car due to the time and investment GM could afford on this program vs. past programs. The lighter weight will not only help acceleration but also make them stop faster and handle better. Mass is a killer and you can only mask so much. Knock 400-600 pounds out and you will see a great advantage.
The car will do well down under and people will be glad to have it as a majority in time few will care where it is from.
I would not be suprise if a Buick/Opel model or two may show up in the Holden line too. The Where here to stay had a Buick Opel pictured in the background.
Note too you will get special tuning and trim for all Holden versions so you will not just have a Chevy minus the bow tie.
I wish they could have built it there but it is what it is. I hate to see people lose their jobs but at least you will still have a great car. We here as a majority wish the present SS was built here but now that the car is here most people do not care. The worst thing for us is the cost because of the exchange rates but that should be better going the other way.
Unfortunately the exchange rate difference will be absorbed by the manufacturer & the dealers, I priced a jeep GC overlander V8 & Diesel 4×4, both are 77k on the road in Victoria, then alpha does arrive adding 50% to the US price will be the au price.
Alpha will also give HSV something to work with.
But as always, wait and see what happens.
Thanks Scott,
Speaking of the XTS. What is the deal with that anyway? Seems like a strange anomaly in the Cadillac line up from this side of the world. A bit like the ES in the Lexus range. Is that eventually planned to be replaced by an Alpha or Omega based vehicle?
@AP Sloan: SS is the abbreviation of “Schutzstaffel”, SA for “Sturmabteilung”.
Quite strange to call a car by those acronyms.
What does is say about the American public that GM has gone to 2 and 3 letter model names for much of it’s product? I think it says more about GM and it’s marketing people, and all of it is bad.
As far as ‘SS’ and ‘SA’ goes…, come on!
Michael
The XTS is just a left over project from pre chapter 11 GM. The had the car mostly done and moved forward with to fill in for a lack of cars since they so little product.
GM will already had a lot of money invested so there was more advantage to some return vs just trashing the program. Also it worked as a bridge from the past to the new lines.
Also It has so much focus as a service fleet car too and will pick profits from the void left by the town car . Also it will preserve cts resale vales.
Trust me GM knows what the car is and will make the best of it till it is addressed later.when you have a lemon you make lemonade. We could see something on Omega but that is tbd yet.
I don’t believe it was Chevrolet’s intent to name their performance range after a paramilitary organization. To Chevrolet, it means ‘Super Sport’ and it’s easy to see why people would object to the abbreviation.
Unfortunately, human history has stained those letters, evident by how Chevrolet can sell a Camaro SS in Germany and throughout Europe, but won’t put the badge anywhere on the car.
GM excecs don’t get it, Commodore is more than a performance car. It is a family and performance and luxury car in one. A Chevy based Alpha car is a watered down ATS and CTS. The Commodore Calais-V undercuts the presitige brands on price (by half in Aus) yet has more luxury features. Tell me how a watered down Caddy is going to have more features than the Caddy model. The fact the Commodore was RWD, luxurious, sporty and powerful was why it was the highest selling vehicle in the country for 15 years and is currently 3rd highest. No one wants a GM vehicle now not after how they treated Holden.
Often forgotten is the fact they are closing Holden engineering so the next generation SS won’t have Holden DNA at all. That’s a pie to the face to the engineers who created a car that beats its competition, some double the price, in comparisons. Are GM execs are basically saying that NA can do a car better? Who gave them the reborn GTO, the G8 and now the SS? Who was their experts in RWD?
Matt
You need to get in touch with reality.
First off GM can do anything Holden did anywhere they choose as we’ll as cheaper . Holden had no secret knowledge of rwd that any others part of GM has. Holden was the last hold out for rwd after the great GM purge of the 80’s and 90’s.
GM has already shown what they can do with a new platform with the proper funding.
The reality is the Zeta is over 10 years old and in the current market is at the end of its life. The Alpha has yet to show all it can and will do.
Now I like VF as I was just in a SS two days ago. But I also have time in the Alpha and it is a much finer platform as any new platform should be.
In the end you need to not be so sentimental and be more logical to retain ant credibility .
This is a case where the new car will in time prove you misguided .
The Zeta and Holden did a good job of sharing the platform when money and time were short but today GM can address this area just fine with all new more flexible platform.
Sorry but it is a global market and Australia is not the center any longer.
Still don’t give a shit GM your killing off our HOLDEN you’ve lost all respect from Holden people in Australia we will never buy a NON Aussie produced car from you ever
It’s funny, that’s kind of what people were saying about the Japanese manufacturers when they entered North America.
Once GM and Ford have closed their manufacturing in Australia, you won’t have anymore any choice between imported and non-imported.