Keep Holden on

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Here's the timeline: the facelifted VY Holden Commodore's new front and rear-end styling will carry through until 2004, when the last of the VT-based models, the VZ, appears. The VZ in turn will carry the Commodore colours through until the all-new VE is launched in 2006.

Holden released the first official photos of the VY Commodore range 48 hours ago. It will go on sale in New Zealand in November, when prices will be announced. A new model, the SV8, joins the range.

Holden Australia has kept prices on nearly all models at present VX levels. Whether Holden New Zealand will do the same remains to be seen.

The VY gets a more angular front and rear end, styling changes that bring the new Commodore into line with General Motors' corporate look.

Up front, the larger Holden Lion badge in the middle of the new single trapezoidal grille blends with a bolder and wider, Monaro-inspired air intake and new sculptured V-shaped bonnet. On performance models, the grille is bisected by a sports bar.

At the rear, a prominent lip on the trailing end of the bootlid, flanked by triangular new-look tail-lights, gives the car a squared-off look. Holden says the new tail also improves aerodynamic performance.

The middle section of the car, the doors and roof, is carried over from the VT and VX and remains largely unchanged.

"VY is the logical evolution of a model that already possesses excellent credentials," said Holden Australia chairman and managing director Peter Hanenberger.

"We have built on the strengths which make Commodore Australia's [and New Zealand's] number one car." Commodore has been the best-selling model in New Zealand for 25 months.

Inside the VY there is an all-new dashboard, featuring a single binnacle housing a new instrument panel with a single or triple window, depending on the model. The trip computer has a stopwatch function.

The centre console is angled slightly towards the driver and features new switchgear, including three large rotary air-conditioning dials. A Blaupunkt audio system replaces the Eurovox unit.

There is a new range of seat and door trim fabrics and a new woven material replaces the ageing headlining and is said to improve cabin ambience considerably.

Holden says engineering improvements include new chassis dynamics, better build, upgraded safety and a reworked 5.7-litre V8 engine offering a 10kW/5Nm boost in the sports models.

The steering has come in for special attention, says the carmaker, with revised ratios to provide better response, with less driver inputs on the straight-ahead. There are new bumper and headlight designs identifying entry-level, mid-range and sports models. This all adds up to different faces, different rear ends, different front and rear bumpers, different headlights and tail-lights.

Confusing? Not to Hanenberger, who says Holden's philosophy is to produce more variants and niche models in what is becoming a more diverse car market.

"Holden is looking to the world from a strong base in Australia and our vision for this new niche manufacturing era begins with the introduction of this expanded VY range."

The range includes the Executive, Acclaim, Berlina, Calais, and sports models the S, SV8, SS. There is also the Ute.

The standard 3.8-litre 152kW V6 engine remains largely unchanged, except for technology to reduce shift shock.

The supercharged 171kW V6 gets what Holden calls a "Dampolater" - a crankshaft damper aimed at improving smoothness above 4000rpm. The optional 5.7-litre 225kW V8 engine remains the same.

The SV8, SS and Ute SS models get the 235kW version of the Generation III engine, with its improved induction and twin exhaust system, mated to a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

The SS sedan gets standard 18-inch wheels and the SV8 gets 17-inch alloys. Acclaim gets wider (15-inch) alloys and Berlina 16-inch.

Standard features across the range include anti-lock brakes, automatic headlight control, road-speed sensitive intermittent wipers, dual airbags, and spot reading lamps (all but the Executive).

Berlina, Calais and SS (sedan and Ute) offer a six-disc, in-dash CD player, and a new electronic park-assist feature is standard on Calais.

There are 12 exterior colours, with three - martini, turbine and berry - making their debut. The hothouse green finish introduced with Monaro can now be specified on Commodore S and SS and Ute S and SS.

A new mobile phone outlet under the centre armrest powers the phone charger, out of sight, leaving a second socket to power other items. Calais has an extra lidded compartment for mobile phone and other small item storage.

All sedans now feature a shadeband across the top of the rear windscreen; Calais and Berlina come with two extra cupholders which pop out from the dash, as well as a sunglasses holder mounted above the rear view mirror.