paulvdb

No - these cars are VERY different. The G6 is a large-medium size car and the G8 is a large car. The new G8 has 4 inches more shoulder room and 2 inches more rear leg room. The G6 is probably a Camry/Accord competitor (being FWD) which it should remain. The G8 has quite a different position being marketed solely as a large V8 sports sedan. The photos are quite deceptive re size. If you think 300C type sizing externally and larger internally then you probably get a feel for the G8 size.Keep in mind also the GM do NOT want to sell too many of these. The Holden plant couldn't build enough to meet demand if they also sold the V6 version (SV6 in Australia). This is only intended to get US guys used to RWD V8 cars again and bridge the gap before new plant mods are underway in Canada . I also don't get the arguments from guys on these forums around what they would rather see in this car - GM has how many RWD sedans with a 6L V8 in it? (a little more than zero last time I checked). Surely this car has to be better than what you currently have. I don't get the comparisons to CTS either - this is not a CTS sized vehicle, nor does any regular CTS come with LS2.

All I'm saying here is that we already know that the Aussie design team are working on a range of Zetas for NA including the Camaro. We seem to also know which plant will be making the new cars so 1+1=2. When the NA plant comes on line in a couple of years then you will see the US-specific metal. Until then you'll probably see the Calais-V and/or the Statesman/Caprice with minimal changes.

I can't see how you'll get a new shell till the new plant starts up. A new shell equals new presses + extra factory space and too many different processes.The VE Commodore has a completely pre-assembled nose in front of the guards that gets attached to the body as a completely modular unit. I reckon that is the key item that will change for NA, along with rear-end changes. I would say that the sheet metal will be 100% the same, as will the interior (which was designed specifically for LHD/RHD markets). When NA starts making Zetas then I think you'll see different metal.

Thanks. I guess at the end of the day most drivers would live with 50L less if the boot/trunk shape was more useable though. The LaCrosse looks to have a very low trunklid. I'm sure that reverse parking with an extra 5 inches of trunk would not be fun.For those with a trunk fetish in Australia the Statesman/Caprice is 535L. Again you can see here that GM has chosen to use the extra wheelbase for interior room rather than going overboard on trunk space. The rear legroom in these models is 43 inches versus 39 for the Commodore. The car length in this model is 5inches longer than the LaCrosse which you definitely don't want to reverse park. By comparison the Statesman/Caprice is nearly 5inches longer than a 7series BMW, same shoulder room, 35L more trunk space, heaps more legroom in front and rear (only 37.2 in the rear of a 7-series!). Even with Australia's inflated car prices the Caprice would come into the US at about $55k compared to $72K for the 750. If Holden were making US quantities then this price would be significantly less.

It's 5 inches shorter than the LaCrosse but has 17.5 cubic feet of trunk versus 16 for the LaCrosse - the trunk is probably wider and higher.I'm still not sure why Americans think of the Commodore as a small car. Lets look at some figures here... LaCrosse Commodore Width 73" 75" Length 198" 193" Shoulder Room 57" 59" Legs Fr/Rear 42/38 42/39 As you can see the Commodore would normally be seen as a direct competitor or possibly seen as a bigger car.