Holden Commodore with Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
June 22, 2006 by Alborz Fallah
GM Holden has announced that ESP will become standard on the Commodore Range due for release in the third quarter of 2006. This is great new from Holden and brings the standards of Australian Built cars to a new level. There is no word from Ford Australia if they will follow Holden and introduce the ESP system in the Falcon range.
The new generation of Australia ’s best selling car, the Holden Commodore, will be the first locally built range with the acclaimed safety technology Electronic Stability Program (ESP) as standard. Holden says the Australian safety first was considered a crucial feature for the all-new Commodore, due for release in the third quarter of 2006. Holden will also make ESP standard on its upcoming Statesman and Caprice flagship cars and the all-new Captiva sport utility vehicle.
Holden has had a range of ‘firsts’ when it comes to Safety features from Australian built cars. Holden was the first to offer seat-belts, anti-lock braking, first to offer driver and passenger airbags and will now become the first to offer ESP. Holden’s Chairman and Managing Director, Denny Mooney said:
Holden is leading the Australian automotive safety agenda by offering the first locally built car range with ESP as standard. More importantly, we have chosen Australia ’s best selling car range for the past decade to deliver our most comprehensive safety package. The decision to make ESP standard in the all-new Commodore was easy because it’s the right thing to do for our buyers. ESP is all about assisting crash avoidance rather than minimising harm if crashes do occur. We hope this will create the momentum which governments and road bodies have sought to push ESP further into the mainstream.
If you want to see what ESP means to a Commodore you can watch the videos below:
why is there a pic of the old vz model? Surely you are talking about the new ve model, here is a link
http://www.drive.com.au/Editor.....TAod6VTHSg
jkuk
I’ve got a VZ Calais and the ESP works brilliantly.
I rented a Chrysler 300 over this past weekend. I want you to know that it was the scariest ride I’ve had in a while. Have you ever tested the Electronic Stability Program on ice. It not only does not work, it is extremely dangerous. I had to drive about six hundred miles on icy and windy Wyoming roads which proved to be quite scary in the 300 with ESP. Since I don’t have another vehicle of my own with this feature, it took a while to figure out why the car didn’t want to drive straight down the road, even at fairly slow speeds. These cars should have a hugh red warning sticker on the dash to warn prospective drivers that this feature is not safe to use in the wind and on ice.
Well… you did say your other vehicles don’t have this feature. I’ve diven on ice with it, no problem, try reading the owners manual next time.