Holden's next-gen Commodore: This is It

THE wait is over and now we know exactly what the next-generation (NG) Holden Commodore will look like at last.

An Opel Insignia.

Launching in early 2018, the sleek German-designed and engineered family car will take the 38 year-old nameplate in a very different direction to what has worn the badge before.

Except for the Holden grille, the NG Commodore you see here is a carbon copy of the Opel it is based on. Just like the 1978 VB Commodore then…

Many Holden purists, of course, are up in arms about the lack of rear-wheel drive (it’s a front-driver after all, no matter how much of an all-wheel drive spin you put on it, with the four-cylinder turbo or V6 mounted sideways across the front axle). That there are no options of a V8 or even manual transmission further fuel their discontent.

But, the truth is, the Commodore has merely come full circle. The very first VB model launched in late 1978 was so Opel the Germans even provided Holden with some of the body panels for the earliest cars. Sure, the Fishermans Bend team toughened the original European body considerably to cope with our tough conditions, but except for the (albeit very important) fact that it was made here using the (breathless old) engines from the Torana and Kingswood, the similarities bookending the nameplate’s 40 years are striking. 

The rear shows off the Astra-esque lines best, with an elegant three-box liftback silhouette, sculptured lines, and a clear focus on aero efficiency. It’s a beauty, to paraphrase ex-PM Ben Chifley at the original 48-215 launch in November 1948.

As, of course, is the shape – a sleek aero five-door ‘Liftback’ and ‘Sportwagon’ to use Holden nomenclature – with overtones of the existing Insignia (launched in 2008 globally, 2012 as an Opel in Australia, and then in mid-2015 as the flagship VXR AWD wearing the Holden logo) as well as the all-new BK Astra hatch.

Also to be marketed as the Buick Regal in the United States and Canada, the Insignia ‘B’ will make its world premiere sometime in the first quarter of 2017 – probably at the Geneva Motor Show in March – before taking over from the existing VF II Commodore when Holden ceases all local manufacturing in the last quarter of next year.

Holden says there was some input from GM Design Australia team based at Holden HQ, but the reality is that the Commodore/Insignia is a true world car, engineered to meet global needs.

Like the Opel Insignia on which it is based upon, the NG Commodore will offer four-cylinder turbo engines driving the front wheels and a V6 AWD flagship (as shown).

So improved fuel efficiency and lower carbon dioxide emissions were top priorities, meaning that the newcomer is up to 175kg lighter than the Insignia it replaces (and over 200kg beneath the weight of the VF II).

Slightly shorter and narrower than the latter, cabin space is nevertheless expected to be a real highlight, with considerable amounts of front and rear legroom (to almost rival the vast Skoda Superb, we hear), soft-touch surfaces to give the Commodore a “premium feel”, and hitherto unheard of comfort features in a VF, such as front seats with heating, ventilation and massaging functions, heated rear seats, one-touch folding seats in the second row, a powered tailgate and ‘active noise cancellation’.

Like the latest BK Astra, the Commodore dash is high on tech and connectivity, witness the high-set touchscreen; it is an elegant and well presented environment that should have real showroom appeal

Naturally, look for the latest multimedia and connectivity systems that seem to be so important to consumers nowadays. That’s what the 8.0-inch configurable LCD instrument cluster is for, providing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, while a head-up display and optional LED Matrix headlights are part an extensive options pack.

Still on technology, as with higher-end versions of the latest Astra, the Holden will also usher in advanced active driver-assist systems, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, side blind-spot alert and a surround-view camera.

GM’s D2XX front-to-AWD architecture lurks underneath, with MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear end; adaptive dampers are optional – so the NG Commodore should be a classy handler as well as great ride.

One area where there will be a direct connection between Commodores old and new will be under the bonnet – at least in the flagship versions, thanks to the 230kW/370Nm 3.6-litre V6. Though turned sideways obviously, a nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmission will drive all four wheels, aided by a torque vectoring system for optimal traction and control.

As for the front-drive bread-and-butter versions, Holden is being a bit more coy, but we understand that the confirmed 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine will produce around 180kW, while the first-ever turbo-diesel in a Commodore will most likely be a 120kW single-turbo or 145kW bi-turbo expected in some of the Insignia variants overseas. Note that these will most likely use an eight-speed auto. And, as we said, not a manual in sight. Boo!!

Here is the car that the NG Commodore is based on – can you spot the differences?

Another Commodore-first will be adaptive dampers, as well as a Drive Mode Control system, providing a trio of settings that sharpen or loosen-up the (electric power) steering, throttle response and the shocker absorbers according to Standard (auto), Sport, or Tour (comfort) requirements. Can you imagine what a Kingswood owner would make of such technologies?

Finally, there is the suspension. Based on General Motors’ new E2XX global D/E-vehicle architecture, it is essentially a completely overhauled version of the existing Insignia’s platform, so we’re expecting MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear suspension system. A little later on a jumped-up crossover AWD version will also be released, to rival the Subaru Outback.

This and the facelifted VF Commodore that replaced it are the only true non-Opel inspired designs on a big Holden since the demise of the Kingswood in 1980

My, things sure are changing!

So that’s all we know so far about the NG Commodore – the most eagerly anticipated new car to be launched in Australia since the final-ever all-new vehicle designed and engineered in this country was released in the still-handsome shape of the 2006 VE Commodore. No sedan. No utes.

The last Holden Commodore to offer a four-cylinder engine was the Starfire-equipped VH from 1981 to 1984; this mistake started with the VC series of 1980 (pictured)

But it’s a different world now, a global village where what we lose in local identity and know-how we gain in efficiency, technology and safety. It’s a tough and heartbreaking reality that many of Holden’s staffers have had years to face now, but we’re still having to get used to it.

At least, on the strength of how special the VF II Commodore still is today, the Fishermans Bend crew will try their hardest to make it great. Just in case, though, you’d better be quick if you want a slice of Australiana if it’s not to be lost forever.

Because this is it, folks.

Byron Mathioudakis GoAuto.com.au

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