Way back at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, Stefan Jacoby, General Motors executive vice president of international operations, lit a fire under Holden enthusiasts. Following the remorseful announcement of Holden’s manufacturing ending, he stated there would indeed be a new V8 sports car on the way.
Since then, we’ve received nothing but mixed signals over what it could be, and when it would arrive. However, Car Advice finally got a solid word from the brand during the launch of the 2017 Holden Colorado.
Speaking first, Peter Keley, Holden executive director of sales, stated the upcoming V8 sports car would not be a Ford Mustang competitor. He did say, though, that it will blow everyone’s socks off.
“No [when asked if the V8 sports car will be a Mustang competitor]. We’re not going to say anything specific about the vehicle. We are going to launch a V8 sports car and it will blow your socks off. We can’t talk specifics,” Keley said.
For now, it sounds as if the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro will be sitting out for Oz.
Sean Poppitt, Holden director of communications, also chimed in on the matter, following up Keley’s comments by stating “I don’t think anyone could be anything but blown away by the performance and handling of the car that will become our sports car. No one is going to be disappointed by that thing.”
The statements certainly don’t seem to allude to the Corvette either, leading many to speculate there’s likely something substantial going on behind closed doors. We do know, whatever this mystery V8 sports car is, is it’s a shot in the arm loyalists need going forward.
Brace yourselves, a new V8 sports car cometh.
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Who said that a sports car can’t have four doors? I see another use of the Alpha platform, and the LT1. The looks could very well be a much refined version of the Commadore/SS. I think this might be the true Dodge Charger competitor GM has needed. It could very well be rebadged as a Chevy and branded as a “four door Camaro”.
Or maybe a Corvette inspired saloon?
Or I could be wrong and it’s a totally new car.
That Avista concept might be its inspiration…
Maybe we will see new use of either Alpha or Omega platform. I could never see Holden ending a V8 sedan for good. I agree with the top comment of Chevy getting a version and either going with a name from the past or a totally new name 4 door Charger fighter. The SS name I think is dead for good after this generation.
It will be some form of Cadillac. The brand is being launched in Australia around 2019.
I hope it will also have forced induction. If not, then these ‘blown away’ comments by GM, will be a bit ironic.
Haha, “blown away”. Maybe a higher performing variant will be blown or turbocharged, but a N/A, higher volume sports car seems more likely. There are those rumors of the Small block, twin-turbo LT5, so the possibility of forced induction is very well there. It needs to feature the one thing that really made the Commadore/SS so enjoyable: a manual transmission. Three pedals, four doors, and eight naturally aspirated cylinders make for a great car and a great sleeper, and that is a dying breed.
Hard to say what it is. GM has some real surprises coming.
The real issue as of now is the Alpha as it is has no provision for RHD.
Now could this be some thing on the CT S platform?
Or could this be a updated Alpha?
It could be a model based in the CT 6 platform The Omega should have been in my post. Sorry Auto correct in the rain at the Trans Am race was not my friend.
A car based on Alpha with the LT4 V8 and why not an open door for a RWD Impala and a Buick car…
The way they are talking leads me to suspect a AWD, small block propelled, rocket may be in Australia’s future.
There is a war on with every manufacturer right now for high h.p cars , a throw back to the late 60’s and early 70’s .
My bet would be it will arrive here in Cadillac form . Chevy is already teasing the mid-engine Corvette and playing with the Camaro , and JDN said some time ago that he wanted a sports sedan . Possibly on the Camaro and CTS’s platform !?!
GM going after the Hellcat would be very awesome . And GM’s quality is tons better than FCA .
How disappointed would everyone be if this upcoming Holden turned out to be a re-badge Regal GS and by “V8” they meant a TTV6 that “feels like a V8” thanks to GM’s 2 stage turbo? After all, they didn’t say it was RWD… lol
The Regal is not a sports car. It is a Sport Sedan if you want to continue with the semantics play.
The door is open here and it may be something no one sees coming.
It is if you’re a greedy, cynical, tone-deaf company, which I doubt GM is anymore. Hence the “lol”
I saw a number of left hand drive Cadillac CTS-Vs testing up at Mt Hotham a few months ago. Quite sure that will be the replacement.
Confimed – “Australia’s last Holden V8 will be a Cadillac with the NEW Corvette engine” (Andrew Smith, GM Designer and Australian hailing from Gilgandra, NSW)
Either Avista or Opel GT as both models have garnered great praise. Opel and Buick need semi premium sport offering for halos. Camaro and Corvette cover a unique, non premium & non European appropriate market segment.
This vehicle will use much Chevy and Cadillac technology (to cut costs). Such a move is justified much like Camaro/Fitebird once paid for itself while dominating a segment.
Back in the late 70’s we had Camaros racing at Bathurst. No need for rebadging any US muscle car to a Holden. We loved the Camaro then and we love it even more today. People of my era grew up with powerful V8s and we will spend our Super if necessary to buy a Camaro, so bring it on. The younger generations grew up with Turbo everything. They can’t appreciate a nice V8 let alone afford one. So my point is bring the Camaro here and it will sell as a Camaro because that is what we want.
A 4 door Camaro ? A Sport Coupe’ !?!
A V-8 Avista would surely bring some excitement to Buick >
Rwd aggressive body impala ss. three trim levels,to fight the charger drop a current zo6 motors in there and call it a day.