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In an unexpected move, Holden has let us loose in a prototype of its next-generation, fully imported Commodore. And we’re allowed to write about it!
WHAT IS IT? A “65 percent” prototype of the forthcoming, German-built 2018 Holden Commodore riding on GM’s all-new E2XX platform. It’s mostly the real vehicle minus several months worth of drivetrain, suspension and NVH development, and with not-quite-production plastics and a load of clever body cladding disguising its actual shape.
WHY WE’RE TESTING IT? Because this car is beyond full circle for the Commodore – retreating back to its German roots, just like the 1978 original, but this time near-identical to its European brother in virtually all areas. Except one. At Australia’s insistence, the next-gen Holden Commodore/Opel Insignia has been engineered to feature a range-topping V6 AWD variant, which is what we’re driving here.
VERDICT A promising start for the ‘imported’ Holden Commodore, particularly its mega-Astra interior and its impressive all-wheel-drive system. While its V6 is closely related to the current car’s, and without any acoustic tuning sounds much like the VF’s engine, you can already sense the superior refinement built into this car. And its nine-speed automatic transmission is excellent. Indeed, there’s the potential for a truly great Commodore here, providing people like the way the production car looks.
THE WHEELS REVIEW MEET Frau Brunhilde. She may not be the prettiest mare in the stable but underneath all that body armour and disarming warpaint hides the next-generation Holden Commodore. Or Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, depending on where you hail from.
To put the 2018 Commodore into context, it’s almost a dead-ringer for the VT-VZ generation (1997-2006), and in a world championing smaller passenger cars (but larger SUVs…), that’s a step in the right direction.
So is the MY18 Commodore’s interior. Appearing closely related (underneath acres of rubberised covering) to the new Astra’s dashboard architecture, the Commodore gets more upmarket instruments, particularly in top-line models with their configurable TFT centre dials, and enough room to please most of Commodore’s existing fan base.
It’s the oily bits, however, that we’re dying to try. Given the strong emphasis on six-cylinder variants for Australian consumption, Holden took the lead on local development of suspension, steering and chassis-control for the AWD V6. And while Frau Brunhilde is a long way from finished – no adaptive dampers, no Sport mode for the drivetrain and sophisticated ‘Twinster’ AWD system, or any ‘dynamic wheel torque braking’ as yet – you can feel the next Commodore’s core DNA rising to the challenge of making this car feel great.
It can send up to 2500Nm to the rear wheels, and 1500Nm to each side, and while Twinster’s extremes appear relatively front-biased (the max split is only 50/50), according to Holden’s chassis supremo, Rob Trubiani, it changes 100 times a second and spends an inordinate amount of time sending drive to the rear.
On the road (well, Holden’s speed bowl and ride/handling circuit at its Lang Lang proving ground), Brunhilde shows signs of just how dynamic the AWD Commodore will be. Even with the Twinster AWD system only operating in Normal mode (Sport will introduce a much greater ‘controlled oversteer’ flavour), the MY18 Commodore feels planted, poised and smaller than its dimensions would suggest. Small-bump ride suppleness may be lacking at this stage but it’s a promising effort given this prototype is essentially Stage One for road development.
With no acoustic tuning yet, the LGX V6 still sounds like a six-pack Commodore, but it will rev cleanly to 7250rpm, sans any vibration or NVH intrusion, and at times upshifts at a heady 7100rpm.
It’s very tightly geared in lower ratios – just 400 revs apart at its closest – though the gaps widen at higher speeds. On Lang Lang’s speed bowl, manually upshifting from sixth to ninth gear at an indicated 148km/h sees the tacho drop from 4750rpm to 3500, 2500 and then 2000rpm in top.
Our final test (besides a nail-biting dirt-road rally section demonstrated by Rob Trubiani) is wet-surface traction. Nail the right pedal with a touch of steering lock on and there’s an ever-so-slight nibble from the front 245/45R18 Continental tyres, but it’s negligible and certainly nothing to fear. Given our strong affection for all-wheel-drive Subarus, Aussies are going to love the traction of the AWD V6 Commodore.
What’s missing here at Lang Lang, and likely forever from a Holden-badged four-door, is a V8 engine. And there’s no sign of the four-pot front-drivers that will open the 2018 Commodore line-up. But given Holden’s promise of “the most powerful base-model Commodore ever”, and the co-development Holden’s chassis engineers have had in tuning the entry model’s suspension (at the Nurburgring, no less), I’d say the turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel Commodores should still offer plenty for discerning Aussie motorists.
And once GM engineers the Chevy Camaro for right-hand drive, I guarantee no one will be complaining about the lack of a V8 Commodore.
SPECS Model: Holden Commodore V6 AWD Engine: 3564cc V6 (60°), dohc, 24v Max power: 230kW Max torque: 370Nm Transmission: 9-speed automatic Weight: 1580kg (estimated) 0-100km/h: 6.0sec (estimated) Fuel economy: 8.0L/100km (estimated) Price: $45,000 (estimated) On sale: Early 2018
