Comments on: Holden Commodore Sportwagon Sydney Motor Show

By: Roberts

Roberts — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:53:49 +0000

I have a 2005 VZ sedan thats done 225,000kms and have had no problems with it, however my sister in law has a new Omega Sportswagon company car and has had heaps of trouble with it after doing 30,000 kms. She had the preivious VZ executive wagon before and it was sold after hitting a huge 350,000kms with no problems (it was just 3 yrs old). She has also said that the space is horrbile as well as the blind spots compared to her VZ wagon and would prefer to drive a 350,000kms VZ executive before jumping happily into the new sportswagon. I have to purchase a wagon myself, in order to care for my grandmother, but I am definately going to look for a VZ executive wagon before even going into Holden to purchase a new sportswagon.

By: Holden VE Commodore Wagon spy photos &raquo Australian Car Advice | News Blog

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 03:04:37 +0000

[...] can only be a Holden employee’s home, the new VE Wagon is a little less spectacular than the Sportswagon we saw at the Sydney Motor [...]

By: wheelnut

wheelnut — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 09:36:54 +0000

Woz – incase you havent noticed its not Holden or Ford Oz that are in trouble its their US based parent companies. Infact compared to the parent companies nearly all of GM and Fords susidiaries are doing well.

The reason being: the old farts in Detroit are too scared to bite the bullet and streamline their operations as well as axe a couple of the slow selling cars in particular SUVs..
As well as the other “similar” cars accross their range with “similar” features etc which are competing against themselves {Chev vs Buick vs Pontiac] – Even though they know it has to be done to stay in business to compete against the Europeans and Japanese products whcih are increasing in popularity. [and the same applies to Ford]

GM for example has approx 12+ assembly plants in the USA almost half of which are operating at less than 75% capacity. In some cases one plant is making the same cars as another just a couple of 1000 miles away. [and the same applies to Ford]

Yet Holden is set to put on another shift so it will be at close to 100% capacity as they increase production of the Sedan Statesman Ute and the upcoming Torana [which are being/will be exported] plus the wagon

Plus the Fact that both Holden and Ford Oz have recently been declared Research and Development Centres for future RWD projects indicates that the locals will be here for some time to come..

Who knows it could get to the point where “Detroit” shuts down completely and all Chevs, Buicks and Fords etc sold in the USA are imports – Large RWD cars form Oz and Small cars form Europe even China or Japan

By: wheelnut

wheelnut — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 08:58:58 +0000

The reason some people still see Holden as Australias Own is because Unlike Ford Holden originally started in Australia building coaches; then car bodies before coming out with the 48/215 a car which was moresuited to Australias unique conditions compared to the US imports – which could explain why there are so many old Holdens still going today.

At the time the 48/215 was released GM had a minor shere in Holden.. it wasn’t until the mid-late 70s that GM finally bought the remaining shares in Holden. So up until that point it could still be called “Austrlais Own”

Yet; I believe that even though Ford and Holden are 100% foreign owned they are still “Australian” the same way that Lamborghini is Italian even though it’s owned by VW

By: Going Ford, Is The Going Thing

Going Ford, Is The Going Thing — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:11:25 +0000

Look, Holdenwoo Dunnydore slogan is “SH*T, SHOT, SHATTERD”
When are people going to get the message that Holden is SHIT from overseas, I know that Ford is every where, but dumbarses think Holden is “Austraila’s own car” and Ford ain’t.

By: Woz

Woz — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:30:41 +0000

Do u really want to buy a car that uses 10 year old tehcnology in about half of the cars Holdenwoo sell’s to the public, only one colour Holdenwoo’s come in now, hazy Black these are dark times for a company that did reincarnate from a weet bix box…

By: sweetrose

sweetrose — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:05:43 +0000

Can anyone tell me when I can buy this machine and what colours it comes in?

By: superh77@gmail.com

superh77@gmail.com — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:25:49 +0000

can anybody tell me can you fit 2 rotty sized dogs in the back part back seat to tailgate

By: wheelnut

wheelnut — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:35:23 +0000

Andrew – “Belt Up The Kids” was part of an [short-lived] road safety campaign in the 70s/80s. At this stage I don’t have any kids which is why I am looking at the new Ute – as our second car.

I also think; looking at the lines of the wagon it would make a great Sandman. The only modification needed would be for the rear widscreen to either open independently of the tailgate or; retract into the tailgate.

By: Bavarian Missile

Bavarian Missile — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 08:08:32 +0000

The proof of the pudding is in the taste…………. Guess you won’t know till you have a taste!

By: Mike c

Mike c — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 07:54:06 +0000

Ive waited 18months and I am not dissapointed by what I see.
If its as good as my last 7 holden wagons then I,m on a winner.
The proof is in the pudding not the cake tin.

By: Macca

Macca — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 18:49:52 +0000

It looks like a 300C with a VE front and tail lights adapted into it. No way is this an original design by any stretch of the imagination, but it does look good, cos the 300C looks good!

By: open_road

open_road — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 06:49:43 +0000

Really great looking wagon, well done Holden. The sedan is affronting in any form but SV6/SS, but this is great! For all the wagon buyers out there, you’ve been spoiled. And I’m a Ford fan, so when Orion is released and is fleet oriented, the temptation is there! This would rocket with the grommets to the surf!

Both companies: How about a 6 seat Column shifter? Why not use all the available space to seat people in a full size Australian car?? Come on, you can do it! That way 3 can sit on the front seat and the back can be full of boards and camping gear!

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 05:27:03 +0000

ah good point on the opening arc

hey i hope you dont “belt up your kids” he he he you can though buckle them from leaning back from the front seat

i dont leave it to chance if i need to load the boot i wont back in

By: wheelnut

wheelnut — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 04:22:27 +0000

Maybe..But they would also get wet whilst they were belting up the kids.. I mean standing on the footpath and leaning into the cabin to secure them in their booster seat/safety capsule.

However; having a slightly shorter tailgate makes some sense in the fact that so many people park so close to the car infront.. in a normal wagon you’d have problems getting the tailgate open
[Which is the main reason you're s'posed to leave a 1m gap - for pedestrians as well as un/loading of vehicles]

Yet with the hinges in the roof the pivot point means the tailgate lift up before swinging out in a slightly tighter arc making it easier to open in tight[er] spaces.

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 01:20:33 +0000

yeah im sure you would be able to reach it i doubt they would design something you cant use easily.

but just to look at it the bottom of the tailgate seems to be say half the height of the vehicle again above the roof line. and also it finishes flush with the bumper meaning people folding up prams etc would get wet if it were raining. just wait till someone that has a pram and upgrades from a previous wagon to this, it will be the first thing they miss

By: wheelnut

wheelnut — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 01:05:51 +0000

I don’t think closing the tailgate would prsent to much of a problem. Because going by the photos:

The roofline appears to drop off towards the rear.
Which means even though the hinges are in the roofline they would be around the same height/level as a wagon with a normal squarer rear end.. if not lower

Then there’s the angle of the rear windscreen.. It seems that when it’s closed the angle isn’t really that sharp
and given that the windscreen has a slight arc/curve in it.. when the tailgate is open the “rake” would still be fairly low.

This would mean that the bottom section of the tailgate; which I assume would have a grab handle in it would be easier to reach. Infact it appears that the bottom section seems to tilt downwards whereas the tailgate in older wagons tended to be more Horizontal

So even though the tailgate goes up a fair way to create a greater opening.. I believe that the bottom edge of the tailgate would be at roughly the same height as that on a regular wagon – which most people were/are able to reach

By: Colonel Klink

Colonel Klink — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:57:54 +0000

Would say this is better then Sedan as back wheel arch goes not only the way down to bottom of rear bumper as wagon rear bumper sticks out further from car by the look of these pics which give car better look then stupid sedan.

By: Guido UK Boy

Guido UK Boy — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:44:56 +0000

looks a bit like the Jag X-type estate wagon from some angles. Seems all manufacturers are going sporty rather than practica nowadays. I’d say my Vectra Wagon can carry load more clobber.

By: Scott B

Scott B — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 23:16:39 +0000

For me this is easily the best looking Commodore I’ve seen in a long time. Wagons have always been cooler than sedans and utes, and this one’s definitely right up there. If it wasn’t for the fact that my own Commodore is an unreliable, poorly made, wallet-draining piece of crap I’d seriousy look at one of these for my next car.