Comments on: GM’s first Zeta spied: 2007/2008 Holden Commodore VE

By: Jim W

Jim W — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 07:42:13 +0000

Holden VE ?, Whats the big fuss. I live in South Australia where these cars are made and unfortunately not much changes from model to model.

Imported cars are killing the local industry here.
Toyota’s are the big winners.
Fuel prices are shifting buyers into 4 cylinder Toyata’s, maily Camray’s and (2.4 LITRES) AND Carolla’s (2.0 Litre’s)
Mitsubishi has introduced a 3.8 litres car called the 380, which has not been well accepted.

We eagerly await the release of the new Toyota Aurion which is reputed to be similar to the Lexus 300 with all the luxeries included.

The new Camry release for Australia will take many Holden buyers from GMH. (which I am considering myself as I currently drive a 3.5 litre V6 and fuel costs are affecting my thinking ).

Anyway Mohammad ( comment #30) I’d rather drive an ugly Commodore VE, than your Ugly Camels.

By: Jack Yan

Jack Yan — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 04:11:15 +0000

Some pics from the launch plus ofﬁcial photos at my blog—www.jackyan.com/blog/ —but I have to say that I am not surprised. I thought the ofﬁcial pics would show the car at angles to make it look less bland. Maybe it’s because we have seen this theme already with Corsa D and Astra H that the new Commodore doesn’t look that fresh. Still, way better looking than the 2003 Galant (sold Down Under as the 380) and I have a feeling Ford won’t cook up anything too revolutionary when EA169 is replaced.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 21:48:43 +0000

it looks like a back ward step to me, they have attempted to show examples of the BMW 3 series, a shame as holden should hold onto the muscle car look. Oh well not every series can be a good one will stick with my S class.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 14:04:00 +0000

Stumbled onto this forum while searching for information on the soon to be released VE Commodore, which you can see in action on http://www.drive.com.au .

Keep an eye open for the HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) cars based on VE. Only these cars will feature the LS2 engine, where the milder 6.0 litre L76? will remain an option on Holden badged cars, as it does now.

Check out http://www.hsv.com.au for details of the current (ancient) range of hot Holdens, including the GTO (HSV’s version of the Holden Monaro) as you guys should have seen it.

Finally, check out V8 Supercar racing for some real excitement. This is Australia’s premier motorsport category, with 600+ horsepower 5.0 litre V8 Commodores and Falcons battling it out on race circuits all over the country, plus a few overseas events.

And one more thing. There are no kangaroos in the main streets of Melbourne, Sydney or anywhere else, and obviously we have electricity!

Dave, Melbourne Australia

By: A Muslim from Saudi Arabia

A Muslim from Saudi Arabia — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 10:08:13 +0000

it’s good …… it’s good
………….
man it’s more than good

By: Jack Yan

Jack Yan — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 12:19:26 +0000

Thank you for posting these all in one place. And I guarantee the car will look ten times better in the metal, and in the publicity pics that surely would be leaked any day now …

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 03:45:42 +0000

Mohammed, you are both pretentious and ignorant, which is a very horrific combination. General Motors, as well as Chrysler, and Ford offer many cars and trucks with rear wheel drive that are desirable, and will soon be introducing more. Vehicles such as the 300C, Charger, Magnum, GTO, Mustang, Solstice, Sky, and crossfire, as well as many trucks and SUV’s offered with multiple configurations represent the some of the rear wheel drive offerings of the big three.
Sure, independent European companies and Australian manufactures owned by the big three produce a nice product as yozzie mentioned. To say that Americans are “dumb enough to take what is given�? is a ridiculously ignorant statement, considering the fact that the US auto market, especially pertaining to cars in undergoing massive changes to put out more desirable products. But I suppose I should be content with my front wheel drive V6 since I am not sophisticated enough to make well though out statements such as “way to sophisticated then the American to deserve much superior cars.�?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 20:05:26 +0000

all GM car are ****

By: Craig

Craig — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 03:33:48 +0000

anything is better than the current crop– Corvette, Solstice and Sky excluded.

By: an

an — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 01:38:35 +0000

They are all RWD you guys should be wetting yourselves………….I am.

People will hate GM and never give them a chance, no matter what they do. This is a nice car.

By: Hal Gailey

Hal Gailey — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 23:03:08 +0000

It almost seems like we should lynch the whole management and exec branches of the american big 3 and let the aussies take over. Seriously. over the last few years I have had nothing but MAD respect for their work, and I would REALLY like to see it come over here more often. I would gladly have taken even a LHD Holden over most American GM models.

I really hope the Zeta stays close to this lok for the models that can carry it. I would definitely look into it were it to have respectable styling, Holden level interiors, and some respectable performance mated to a decent price.

It just sucks that America is so god at hobbling itself in domestic design and production. ESPECIALLY when domestic factries owned by FOREIGN Auto makers do so much BETTER.

By: yozzie

yozzie — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 21:56:57 +0000

The gold and checkered ones are the Statesman long wheelbase models. One has a Chevy badge because it’ll be sold in the Middle East as the Chevy Caprice. The red and white models are the SS, which are essentially the next Camaro, but with a four-door body. They’re running 6-litre LS2s. They’ll be sold in the Middle East as the Chevy Lumina, just like the current generations. The current generations are a blast to drive, especially with the V8, and these models should be even better – I plan to find out for myself in Oz this Christmas.

These are hot cars, and piss and moan as much as you want about the styling, they’re very significant for the US market – these are the carts GM uses to work out Zeta’s kinks before they bring the US models to market (well, being GM, they’ll leave a few kinks in, but you get the drift…)

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 11:30:40 +0000

Sampson etc – the Holden Commodores always look decent but the Falcons are just another story… I love em!

By: Thing2

Thing2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 04:02:08 +0000

This would do well in the US. If moderately priced, decently equipped and performs well, i don’t see why the beige/champagne colored one couldn’t outdo a lot of the other cars. Its got an American/Euro styling thing that really does work. I don’t think it is bland, look at the heavy creasing, its almost Audi/MB ish. But ofcourse, GM=Bad right? What really would be a shame is if they didn’t bring this over as it should be and sold as what it should be.

By: manny

manny — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 02:35:42 +0000

looks even better than the current holdens… start bringing them here! just dont call them GTOs again…

By: Derek

Derek — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:58:39 +0000

The funny thing is none of these cars will be sold in America so anyone saying they are ugly will be very pleased when Chevy and Pontiac puts exciting sheet metal on top of these top notch, mass-production, RWD platforms (think camaro concept). Australian cars are all like this, remember the rebadged Holden Monaro as a GTO? That is one of Australia’s favorite cars. This time GM knows that styling ike this will not work in the US but the performance will. Personally I cant wait until we have a RWD Camaro, Chevelle/Monte Carlo (both are designed and one will be picked), Impala, GTO, G8 (grand prix) and a buick sedan.

By: JSP

JSP — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:41:50 +0000

The white one looks good. The C-pillar looks almost like a Bimmer.

By: Ahk-Med

Ahk-Med — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:07:54 +0000

Mike,

To paraphrase you: tuck in your GM technician shirt, your bias is showing.

Are you kidding me? People are critical of the apperance of the car, something that is totally subjective to each individual, and in foaming at the mouth defense of GM you call out the Camry and Yaris.

Person A: I don’t like the Zeta(s), they are ugly.
Mike: Oh yea, well the Camry and Yaris are ugly.

How can you call me biased when you can’t even recognize your own? Again, for the record, I like the white Zeta with the wing.

By: Tibble

Tibble — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 23:36:04 +0000

thats the same body as the Cobalt, and supposedly everybody LOVES the cobalt

By: KnowItAll

KnowItAll — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 22:48:30 +0000

Mike Only one guy said that the cars looked crap so insult the whole forum why don’t you? ANd I can’t find anyone who said “Damn That’s Ugly”
These are good (for GM) if not very exciting looking cars. The gold and the white ones look nearly production ready. The interior looks good by current GM US standards.

Tha Yaris is really cool and modern looking and the Camry doesnt look bad, but no one ever said it was an exciting product.

You let your pro GM bias get in the way of objective criticism of the product.

By: mike

mike — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 22:37:57 +0000

I love the way you idiots pass judgement without thinking that “hey, maybe these are prototypes, probably dressed in assorted body panels so you don’t know what it actually is.” Nope, we jump to conclusions. DAMN! THATS UGLY! Not until the product is shown in concept and production forms should anyone be passing judgement.

Now the new camry, that’s ugly. Not as ugly as the yaris though.

By: monts

monts — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 21:37:24 +0000

#6 Cover the wing with your hand and look at it.

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 20:46:20 +0000

So it may not be the most exciting design but as long as it has a nice RWD chassis with some decent power (LS2?) and is priced in the lower end of the spectrum, they will sell.

By: Bob Down

Bob Down — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 20:42:46 +0000

The Gold one looks like a Statesman or a Caprice

By: Bob Down

Bob Down — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 20:35:20 +0000

http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/conceptcar?modelid=20004

See the Holden Concept version of the white car

By: Pruce

Pruce — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 20:25:13 +0000

Damn… that white one is beautiful!

By: Yawn

Yawn — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:47:18 +0000

Maybe the one with the CHevy bowtie is the next Chevelle Malibu

By: Northeasterner

Northeasterner — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:45:35 +0000

Interior is nice looking for a GM car. But the exterior looks like Altima meet Acura TSX.

By: Paul D.

Paul D. — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:35:18 +0000

That things’ got my vote. Two thumbs way up! That is what the Impala should have been IMO.

GM are you listening? Bring this car to the states.

By: Yawn

Yawn — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:24:48 +0000

The interior looks better than any of Cadillacs recent offerings

By: Yawn

Yawn — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:23:13 +0000

They are all RWD you guys should be wetting yourselves. The styling is based on the recent Holden Torana Concept, but these could be anyones product.

By: Sampson

Sampson — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:20:00 +0000

You guys are crazy… That white one looks damn good for a GM product… It floors me how Chevy and Ford complain about the problems they have, when they could just bring the vehicles over that they send to other countries that are so much better than ours…

By: Ahk-Med

Ahk-Med — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:19:15 +0000

It looks better than any similar sized sedan sitting on a GM lot in the US. The white one w/ the wing in the upper lefthand corner looks Toyota inspired.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:11:39 +0000

Wow. WOW! Wait, no not wow, what’s the word I’m looking for? Crap.

Jon.

By: RangeRoverBoy

RangeRoverBoy — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 19:05:18 +0000

That checkerboard one will go well with the NASCAR crowd!
And should screw with photo-radar a bit.
Looks to have good grip since it’s driving upsidedown downunder.