RWD Commodore D-day looms

[douglask]

Front-wheel drive on agenda for 2015 Holden Commodore as GM mulls alternatives

10 December 2010

By RON HAMMERTON

GM HOLDEN chairman and managing director Mike Devereux has confirmed that a decision on the architecture for the next-generation Commodore due by 2015 will be made “fairly soon”.

But General Motors insiders have told GoAuto that a rear-drive platform is not a certainty for the all-new version of the top-selling Australian car, with rival engineering groups within GM canvassing more fuel-efficient front-drive/all-wheel-drive alternatives for GM's Commodore-style large cars.

This could mean that both of Australia’s indigenous large cars, the Commodore and Ford Falcon, could end up on front-drive platforms in their next generation, with all-wheel-drive alternatives for high-performance models.

Ford Australia is expected to make its own decision on the next Falcon by the end of 2011 – a likely similar time frame to GM's Commodore deadline. The American-designed Ford Taurus, with front- and all-wheel-drive powertrains, is said to be one of the vehicles that could underpin the next Falcon.

Front-drive possibilities for the Holden Commodore include GM’s so-called Super Epsilon 2 platform for full sized cars that is expected to provide the base for the next Chevrolet Impala, Buick Park Avenue and Cadillac XTS.

The Super Epsilon architecture is said to be a wider and longer version of the Opel-engineered Epsilon design used under the Opel Insignia, Buick Regal and Saab 9-3.

The Holden assessment process for the next Commodore is in full swing, four years ahead of the likely start of production in 2015 at Holden’s Elizabeth plant in South Australia.

Holden is keen to sit the next Commodore on a new generation of its Australian-engineered Zeta global rear-drive platform. The current version underpins not only the VE Commodore but derivatives such as the Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle.

American car magazine Motor Trend says a new Zeta rear-drive architecture in both short and long-wheelbase variants has been given the tick of approval within GM, but says it will be aimed at up-market vehicles such as a new rear-drive Cadillac and a Chevrolet “four-door Camaro”.

GM’s global engineering and manufacturing management teams have all visited Holden’s Port Melbourne headquarters in recent weeks to discuss large car architectures, and presumably hear what Holden engineers, designers and sales and marketing executives have in mind.

But some teams visiting the Holden HQ are also said to be lobbying Holden to convince it to adopt their front-drive platforms, extolling the potential fuel savings of the lighter transaxle design over a rear-drive layout.

Fuel economy improvement is a key target of GM worldwide, with "light weighting" the buzz term.

While Mr Devereux indicated a decision on the next Commodore was due in “two to three months”, saying "we have some architectural decisions we have to make", a Holden insider suggested that did not mean the final call would be made in that time frame.

Speaking in Melbourne at an end-of-year briefing for journalists, Mr Devereux said GM was "very bullish about large rear-drive cars that can tow".

"We had our global engineering team here a couple of weeks ago and we have had our global manufacturing team here this week, and they can’t believe the incidence of having a hitch – what we call a tow bar – on the back of a sedan is here," he said.

"It is a very unusual thing – you don't see it in the United States. We (Americans) have SUVs to do that in the United States."

"Commodore is a very unique vehicle in that it can tow – it is a very big package heading to very good fuel economy levels."

Mr Devereux said Holden was aiming for 8.4 litres per 100km fuel economy for Commodore – down from the current 9.1L/100km of the 3.0-litre V6 Commodore Omega – the most fuel-efficient current Commodore variant.

“We have been talking with people about what we would do with turbo-charging Commodore or smaller engines and what not,” he said.

"Through our light-weighting (weight reduction) of this program, we should get down to 8.4 litres per 100km."

But Mr Devereux later told GoAuto that the lower fuel economy target could be achieved within two years – in the life of the current Commodore.

This indicates that Holden is set to rework the current Commodore in about 2012 or 2013, potentially with lighter construction and a small-capacity turbo V6 tuned for fuel economy using similar technology to its new super-efficient 1.4-litre Cruze four-cylinder engine due in February.

Holden already makes turbo-charged V6s for Saab, Opel and Cadillac at its Port Melbourne engine plant, although these 2.8-litre engines are primarily tuned for high performance in cars such as the Saab 9-5 and 9-4X, Opel/Vauxhall Insignia VRX and Cadillac SRX.

In the more immediate term, Holden is set to introduce a dedicated LPG version of its Commodore, replacing the current petrol/LPG dual fuel set-up in October 2011, along with an E85 ethanol-capable version of its premium 3.6-litre V6 about the same time.

Currently, E85 can only be used in the current 3.0-litre V6 and 6.0-litre V8 engines introduced in the recent VE2 upgrade.

Original goauto.com.au artical

[67impss]

Here we go again with the BS about FWD and higher MPG's

[Camino LS6]

If holden goes FWD, then all is well and truly lost.

Damn anyone who pushes this idea!

[jwbouch]

I may cry if this happens:(

[regfootball]

by 2020 I think you will see a majority of cars sold with AWD as the only drive option anyways.........this may just be a quicker path to that.

You'll have your Zeta Cadillac by then anyways. Alpha too.

[Camino LS6]

I don't want a Cadillac, nor any other luxury car.

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

Will the next Holden Commodore go front-wheel drive?

by Jeff Glucker (RSS feed) on Dec 10th 2010 at 5:01PM

Since 1978, the Holden Commodore has been roaring across the land down under. It's worn a plethora of body styles ranging from coupe and sedan to wagon and ute, brought the Pontiac G8 to American soil and sold over 44,000 units last year in Australia. During its run, the Holden Commodore has been a rear-wheel drive vehicle, but new reports state that the front-engine/rear-drive layout may not be in the cards for much longer.

The next-generation Commodore is going to appear by 2015 and it's possible that General Motors may switch it to a front-wheel drive car. The goal is increased fuel-efficiency for GM's large cars and the front-wheel drive platforms are the ones set up to deliver the highest fuel efficiency.

The Holden Commodore could ride on the Super Epsilon II platform, which will also make its way into the next Chevrolet Impala and the upcoming Cadillac XTS. Sure, we understand why an automaker would look to make this change but it doesn't mean we have to like it. We prefer our Maltidas waltzing and our Commodores drifting.

link:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/10/will-the-next-holden-commodore-go-front-wheel-drive/

[Camino LS6]

Doing this would destroy Holden.

[Robert Hall]

Somehow I think a rebadged Malibu wouldn't fly in OZ. Ford tried selling the oval '96 Taurus in OZ, it failed.

[regfootball]

I don't want a Cadillac, nor any other luxury car.

by 2020 I doubt any other carmakers will make a RWD platform non lux car.....

[Camino LS6]

by 2020 I doubt any other carmakers will make a RWD platform non lux car.....

That would be a terrible crime.

[Robert Hall]

by 2020 I doubt any other carmakers will make a RWD platform non lux car.....

Disgusting thought. I suspect the Mustang and Camaro will still be around, though.

That said, it's pretty much that way now..with Panther on the way out in '11, Ford is down to one RWD model in the US (Mustang), GM down to two out side Cadillac (Camaro, Corvette), and I have doubts that the ATS/Alpha will be RWD (I suspect it will be just be a Delta II variation).

Chrysler is the only one car maker left making 4000lb+ V8 RWD non lux models. Sad.

Edited December 11, 2010 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Intrepidation]

Next up: FWD Corvette.

[Satty]

Next up: FWD Corvette.

With a diesel. And 4 doors. And 17 cupholders

[SAmadei]

Somehow I think a rebadged Malibu wouldn't fly in OZ. Ford tried selling the oval '96 Taurus in OZ, it failed.

Agreed... If GM and Ford kill the RWD Aussiecars, and GM and Ford might as well close up shop and give the market to the Asians... just like they did in the US.

Edited December 11, 2010 by SAmadei

[regfootball]

if i werent so lazy right now i would get my phone and post that video i made at walmart yesterday in the toy aisle....

a kids toy camaro doing burnouts. but the camaro was FRONT DRIVE...lmao!!!!!!!! those wacky Chinese that make the toys sure know how to poke fun at the smoky burnout crowd!!!!

[Camino LS6]

Holden is the RWD Commodore - everything else is just standard issue GM.

Also, this is Holden's entire export volume as well as the best selling car in Australia.

The supreme idiocy of going FWD should be obvious to even the most dense of GM bean counters.

[Z-06]

If BMW can make a 2 ton 530 and 535i get get 32mpg and 30 mpg highway, respectively, why can't GM?

I guess FWD bean counters are sieging GM's last bastion.

[regfootball]

Holden is the RWD Commodore - everything else is just standard issue GM.

Also, this is Holden's entire export volume as well as the best selling car in Australia.

The supreme idiocy of going FWD should be obvious to even the most dense of GM bean counters.

the beancounters would say that one less chassis to engineer and they might also say that exporting from AU is not cost effective.

they would prefer to make fwd daewoos in china and korea and send them your way

its not gonna change until we rid our executive culture of those types.

Enjoy your front drive camaros!

IMG_2251.MOV

Edited December 11, 2010 by regfootball

[Camino LS6]

The more I think about this, the less likely it seems.