Australian Resource for Car Reviews, News, Advice
September 25, 2006 by Alborz Fallah
The guys at LS1.com.au either have too much time, or really really love their Holdens! Forum member Red October came up with this photoshoped Holden VE Ute. The VE ute is set for a release mid-late 2007 whilst the wagon will come out in 2008.
Print it: 
Holden Efijy Reunion
Holden recently hosted an event to not only show off their very succesful 6.0L Supercharged 480kw Efijy concept car but
Holden VE Commodore doesn’t come with a spare
Drive put up an interesting post about why the Holden VE Commodore doesn't come with a spare. Apparently the tyres
2008 Holden Colorado (Rodeo)
With trademark issues with the Rodeo name, GM Holden is set to replace the Rodeo completely, with an all new
Holden VE Commodore Launch
Update 16/July/2006: Holden has Launched the new VE Commodore
If you are a Holden fan then tomorrow is going to
Ford Attacks Holden over Korean cars
Holden has so far escaped media outrage over importing cheap Korean cars, with the company's small, medium and SUV vehicles
I ts cute but i cant see my self buying one, and i see it too.
Jason I haven’t been able to read your posts as there does’nt seem to be any on this post or site! Take off your sensible trousers and have a real opinion ! I guess some Holden Ford and BMW owners are passionate not pathetic about their products ,as am I . So if we want to biff and barge on these sites with our opinions of ownership stories then we will. AN ARSE WHOLE!!! What a lovely thing to say to a lady ,you clearly have a high vocabulary.
I agree with B missile, jason my brother drives bmw and i drive ford and always will but he used to drive a ford.
Ford or holden lovers, who cares just accept it and move on.
hey, Bavarian Missile
i was just checking out the BMW posts and it seems like you havent posted on the last few articles. whats goin on??
why do you have to come to the ford, holden and toyota sites and speak shit about how good BMW is?
you must not have any interest in the vehicles you post on otherwise you would not talk about a car that is not on the topic.
thats like me say goin to the new barina page and crapping on how good the new falcon is compared to the barina on safety an quality etc blah blah blah.
i wouldnt do it cause it is a vehicle in a different class get it? 2 less doors and half the price so you cant expect the same thing or quality etc.
oh yeah missile my last comment was not just aimed at this posting (as you have been a bit more tamed on this one) but rather at your postings on all ford, toyota and holden pages.
What THE ?????What are you on??????????? And you are who ????
Go away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i am a big observer of your work..
what you got nothin???
Didn’t know I had a fan????????? Got nothin ?? What does that mean??? Take your hand off it. What you want pictures ??????????????????????
F… I get sick of justifying my actions to idioits. Andrew Mouth ,I assume thats what the M stands for!
Yes I am protective of the BMW name I have had them for 20 years longer than you have probably been alive. BUT I have owned a lot of other cars to voice my opinions at to compare and share against.Including SS Commodores . If people including Holden themselves ,compare BMW to Holden then why the F… cant I ? Toyotas?? Nothing wrong with them and never compared a BMW to one you knob !! Had a biff and Barge with a Fiat owner {we have since kissed and made up}Ford well have had those for over 20 years and numerous GT’s the latest in the Family is a BA that yep we have had A LOT of problems with,but still stay true to them . So Honey get use to me ranting on cause I am here to too stay!! I thought Sam ,Damo and Lazybones were my fans ????? HAHAHAHAHA Stop being sooooo serious.
well im about to take delivery of a 6ltr vz tunder ute.
very happy now that i have seen the ve. why you cant get factory gps touch screen is crazy. its been out in the jap cars for years.
if any body can help with an inbuilt let me know.
Tell holden not to be so tight on options and sunroof.
Is that the new astra convertable,oh no its not.
hey missile,
what i was trying to point out in a round about way is that in every ford and holden post you find a way to compare them to your BMWS. they are in a different class and i think it is unjust/biased to compare them the way you do. they come from a company that has had a lot of experience at making cars compared to our australian manufacturers, and for the extra in price id like to think they are better too.
i do though agree with your opinions that holden is probably the most overrated car company the world has to offer. and if holden exec’s are comparing their products to BMWS then perhaps your hands off comments should be directed towards them
and just for your giggles did you see that there is another recall notice on the new VE that has just been posted?? now i also see how you discredit the wheels car of the year system.
Hey Andy,
being female I have to TRY and have the last word!
Sorry ,but I never meant to compare the B{WORD} against the H {word } or Ford {word} ,well not in the sense you and a lot of others have taken it! Sure I was full on when I started posting ,BUT thanks to some Sam counseling, I have simmered down . {Except when people push my buttons!!!!} I dont have any problem in saying as far as bang for your buck in Australia ,BMW can’t make it ! But my point is and dare I say it in Germany a BMW is a German Holden !! There every where and nothing special in Europe at All !! So when I get twats knocking them down and ranting on about them being ssssssooooooooo expensive here and not even meeting the standards of Holdens I get a little defensive . I mean landed in Australia a C6 Vet costs $240,000 wont even mention the Stang! but know one bangs on about that !!!!!! And their bloody American ,we all know American’s make crap .
Nope didn’t see the latest recall, but I did see the latest Unique cars with a Walking-Stick optioned up version. 380kws ??????? for an extra $26,000 .GULP!!Looks like it belongs in a remake of Mad Max,not the most attracive piece of beefed up metal I have seen!
lowering my new ss thunder
my insurance company says i can only lower 1 inch 25mm
can anybody give me some input
how much can we lower them to make the ute look good but be rd practical and how
how do you get over the insurance
i also want to put a towbar and twin exaust
any suggestions
i agree totally with Andrew.M, bavarian missile, you are a douche
Go 2 inch they wont know forget about it.
Missile,
i know what females are like i have 3 sisters.
i know BMWS are like german holdens i have been there and you are right.
in fairness i must have missed the part where people were comparing and degrading BMWS, which is why i said they are in a different class here and could not possibly be compared on a fair scale.
im waiting for you to have the last word now (you know you want to)
hey missile guess what my anti spam word is BMW. are u jealous?? he he
David,
i know what you mean.
my last ute was lowered 2″ when i purchaced it. when i went to insure it i had the same problem. luckily my existing insure listed that on the quote. then i tried to shop around but the other companies wouldnt insure it. i went back to my existing insurer and queiried the 2″ aspect and they gulped. because it was already listed on the quote (im guessing by the “new girl” they honoured it, but told me it would be reviewed in 12 months time and probably not reissued.
but i upgraded with in the 12 months any way. one thing i would suggest is what some companies told me is to go with some one like “just car” insurance they deal with modified cars and will do it. dont know where you are from so i dont know if the names will ring a bell with you. “Just car” are a division of “AAMI”
also i dont know how much you want to lower it either the ss sits quite tidy on the road as is. if you head more than 1″ you will seriously compromise where you can take it.
my current ute has XR6 suspension and be buggered if i would lower it after my last ute being lowered. this is as low as i would go and remain practical.
but i depends what you do with it. im guessing you wont use it as a ute either?? am i right??
sure going over speed bumps on an angle etc is cool at the start,but it starts to get a bit frustrating. especially when you cant go up certain driveways with out scraping the bumper.
oh yeah David,
sure soprano says they wont know,
thats right they wont know until you have to make a claim.
but if you dont think you will ever make a claim then why do you want insurance.
on claim time if they can find a reason not to pay they will use it
Gee Andrew it seems I am a little late,been busy at work trying to PAY for my German Holden .HAHAHA.
As a mother of 3 I don’t get much chance to have the last word,and I doubt this will be different.
Give me a Japanese Ute anyday.
thanks for your help i have given up
ill see when i get it how i feel.
if im not happy ill just do an inch????
about the exaust well i havent even asked yet. anyway ill pick it up saturday.
have a look at the new maloo ve awesom the best since sliced bread.
hopfully ill have one in a couple of year its just amaizing in the photos
thanks to you all.
insurance companys suck
does any body know when the new ve ute ready to be delivered
David,
judging by the ugly back end on this one, i hope it doesnt get delivered
you do realise this was a holden fans photoshop image right?
looks grrrrreeeaaatttt do you think they may do a crewman pls let me know
Has anyone seen the ute in wheels magazine? It looks a hell of alot better. Who cares what the image looks like anyway, wait till the real thing comes out then judge how you like it..
Bwah ha ha!!! I hope that it does look like that. It will make Holden a bigger embarrassment to the car industry then what it already is!!! It’s got to be the ugliest thing I have ever seen! Stick with the VZ utes. Much better! And less of an embarrassment too.
iagree a holden v8 ute is an icon to australia and if you dont like it then you can go drive a bubble car ford and see where that gets you so if you cant handle the power of a holden piss off out of australia ya week bitch!
ok so you would drive it just because it is an icon/image thing not because it is a good ute…because as a ute it is quite useless and the falcon ute actually has more power so you must be the weak bitches if you choose to drive the commy
the ford ute has always been better then the holden ute
Sean: Holden has no plans at the moment to build a VE Crewman or 4×4 ute However a one tonne tray top is possible. If Holden don’t make a ute in the configuration you are after I’m pretty sure that The One Tonner Company will including Stepside Pick Up
The LWB VS Ute was mainly for Ambulances before they switched over to Merc Sprinters.. when the Ambos had enough the excess was sold off to the public.
Damo: If Pushrod V8s aren’t as good as OHC engines why is Ford switching back to them in 2010?
You think that 270-300Kw is all that can be extracted from the Pushrod V8 – Holden have de-tuned the engines slightly inorder to reach the optimum efficiency for day to day driving. Don’t Forget CAPA has an SS Ute producing 1000Hp and Ben Bray has a 2500Hp ute both using Pushrods.
As for being able to get more power from an OHC? One of the reasons V8 Supecars have stuck with Pushrods is because its easier to get more power out of them.. they’re cheaper and can last longer beteen rebuilds etc.
The HRT V8 Engine can produce 600-700BHP which is only 200BHP less than the high-tech V10s used in F1.. Which don’t sound as good or last as long as the V8s
If they didn’t want their cars to last as long or be as relaible as they are I’m pretty sure with a bit more tweaking etc they’d get even closer.
OHC Engines may use the latest technology compared to Old Pushrods.. However;the USA spent millions working on a pen theat would work in space.. the Russians took a pencil.
Further on this blog… Wheelnut 7 Aug.. I agree.. re the pushrod engines… For anyone that still gives a crap… Holden will release the VE ute arond 20 August.. there is a Crewman in the range, there is a long wheel base model… there is not likely to be a tray top… And yes Ford are going back to pushrod engines because on a worlwide basis their sale have dropped much sharper than GM companies using pushrod engines..
Ford still use straight sixes, what’s with that?..
In V8 supercar racing,.. Holden have been required for about 10 years now to carry up to 600 kilos of lead in the boot so that Ford can remain competetive or atleast give the public the illusion of competing.
As mentioned at the top of this blog, the photo has been photoshoped, the actual rear on the ute is a bit different and does not have those lights..
And anyone wanting new info… Holden will be releasing a Calais wagon.. and HSV will also be releasing a GTS wagon.. have seen both…
And just to piss off a few people on this blog… Jap cars are shit anwlays have been and well I’m taking a stab always will be.. People talk about the minor recalls by Holden… Yet when Ford should have recalled AU Falcons.. they did nothing… a number of the AU Falcons rolled over and had wheels drop due to front end suspension and steering parts that were faulty… Ford spent a lot of money keeping it quiet..
I could write much more… but I have a life too…
do you know when the wagon is getting released for sale and are there any manual models 6 or 8
Christoph, that is the biggest load of bullcrap. Oh yeah, Holden are adding a full 600 kilos into their boots just so Ford can keep up..? Hmmm, funny that, i don’t think there be enough room to have all the safety features the V8’s require and 600kg’s full of crap to weigh it down. And if this is true, then why did Ford win 3 years in a row (should have been 4)? Wouldn’t Holden have taken out the “600kg load” after 3 years?
Further more, why use lead? There are heavier elements to use then lead…
Ford currently use a straight six engine in a 5 year old model (BA/BF) that can keep up and beat the VE’s new V6 engine… Ford are still using the I6 technology in the Orion and it’s going to push out 220kw! Thats the same as a Nissan Sports Coupe (the 350Z)! And that’s stock! There is nothing wrong with the I6 engine and there never will be! The only reason Ford had to ditch the design was because sales were getting low and not enough money was being raked in.
As for pushrods! Pah! Ford had them way back in the day of what seems like the dark ages now, and have UPGRADED to a much better OHC V8 engine. And unless your a Tuner (which normally only go for Jap Cars) it doesn’t particularly matter what you can do with them if you tweak around with them.
Mate, do yourself a favour and actually make sure your facts are correct before you go spouting anything off.
Oh! The AU Falcon might not have been Ford’s finer created car, but it still outsold the VT-VX Commodore, out drove the VT-VX Commodore and had more power then the VT-VX Commodore… Just like the BA/BF series done to the VY/VZ Commodore. And what the Orion will do to the VE Commodore.
christoph,
yeah i agree totally with azza. thanks azza you saved me some time in writing exactlly what i would have
Azza like your writeup SOOOOO TRUE!
“HOLDEN MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO AUSTRALIA” – just love that quote and how Holden shipped out management from Downunder to Korea. It means a great deal to Holden to make cars much cheaper without major safety to offer half baked lacking substance like that flop called the EPICA. Bring on the Mondeo baby and we will see a one way Epic win for the Blue Oval!
The falcon has only once outsold the Commodore since the VT, and that happened mid 2004 i think.
And stop comparing a BA/BF Falcon to VT-VZ chassis!! (The Commodore’s) was platform was 5 years old when the BA came out, of course it was going to feel it. (Though in many comparisions, alot of jorno’s said the Commodore felt more complete)
Plus, how long has ford used the outside bodyshell (doors ect) for its falcon??? Since the 98′ AU Falcon!!! (not as long as when Ford used the exterier shell for the Falcon ute, 1979 XC/XD – 1998 EL!!
And when was leaf springs and Live rear axle invented (that underpins current Falcon Ute and Wagon, and the apparant ‘mucho’ Mustang!!!!)
Also, Ford copied Holden in purchasing (or using) other vehicles (BMW 5 series, Audi A6 ect) for development benchmarks, and guess what else was there??? Yep A VE Commodore!!! Stop with your FORD bias bullshit!!!
And Ford’s ‘5 year old’ Inline 6??? That engine mate was designed in the early 70’s, it’s well advanced than those days, but original design mate, 30 years old!!!
WOW Mitch you love to .itch! Blah Blah Blah… I drive a BA Falcon with LPG as it is fully assemblied in the Ford factory and is LPG only. Couldn’t get that in the OPEL / KOMBIDORE
HOLDEN / DAEWOO / OPEL / VAUXHALL / GM / ETC MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO AUSTRALIA. Take the Kombidore out of your lineup and what have we got… We have seen many cars with the Kombidore picasso paintings on various guises… Adventra, Avalanche, CV6, CV8, etc, etc, etc and heaps of same type of cars come and go very quickly and the reason Holden has done well is the Kombidore had so many model variations. Stand in the sun and gloat budgie boy, it will turn full circle like all in life and only temporary. The car is flogged to death and it too will have a shelf life!!! Nice motor in the Kombidore, shame fleet numbers account for a fair wad in the statistics????
… yeah real nice motor which is UNECONOMICAL as and no massive power advantage over opposition. All that spruiked about budget pushed onto Aussies in excess of $1billion dollars on development with much hoopla and fan fair, yet make the motor unecomomical as (remember that other joke of an ad aside from the HOLDEN IT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO AUSTRALIA). Maybe get the aussie lads back from Korea and get them breathe new life into Holden and look in the parts bins from Opel and others again. Whilst at it Mitch… maybe get over to Holden and change the steering wheel emblem on the Astra as that is a joke! Any plans to merge the Kombidore over to Holden or use Suzuki too as the experiment with the Cruise was another greatest hit! One day Holden will make great engines in the 4 cylinder range too!
TYPO LAST ONE… should be any plans to merge Kombidore over to Toyota, aah the Lexcen. Maybe do a spiffy number with the Statesman and call it the Norman (after Greg Norman) or a V8 and call it Stormin’ Norman (you know who that is right????)
Mitch… Your a bit of an idiot…
For you see the BA/BF use the AU chassis which when the BA came out was about 5 years old aswell… hmmm, so what does that say about the VY and the VZ Commodore… I’ll give you the answer… THEY’RE SHIT! Just like the butt ugly creation which is the VE Commodore and it’s ute…
the ve ute looks tough and powerful 270 kw
we have a ve holden ssv hsvi it has 270kw
Okay, firstly to answer Superh77, the wagon will be available in both 6 and 8 and is expected to be released very close to the time of the VE ute, which is on 22 Aug. 2007. Most likely the only manual version will be the SS, but don’t quote me on that.
And now to reply to some people that clearly know nothing about the rules of V8 supercars and quite possibly a number of other things. The figure of 600 kg of lead, that was the maximum the Holdens were required over approximatley 10 years to carry. The reason to carry it is due to rules set by CAMS, this is based on overall vehicle weight and the power of the engine, also known as a power to weight ratio for the less educated. the lead that is carried is in the form of sheeting which is close to 5mm thick, lead is used because the sheets are soft and plyable, which means it can be bent to fit in to the boot or on the floor etc. The reason they have not stopped using it is due to the rules. If the rule wasnt in place as it is, Ford probably wouldn’t win a race let alone a championship. The rule is in the interest of fairness.
Also, there is currently a rule which is expected to be changed sometime in the next few years, (when Ford catch up) that will see the engine capacity raised to accommodate the 6 Litre engine. Holden may be driving VE Commodores on the track, but they still have the 5.7 Litre enigne.
Why is this? This is due to Ford dragging the chain on development of a larger capacity engine. Chevrolet developed this current 6 Litre engine 3 years ago and put it into production 2 years ago. Ford on the other hand are not expect to have a 6 Litre engine in production until around 2010 at the earliest and the last news I had from the US is it could even be 2012.
And Mitch seems to be one the smartest guys here or atleast well researched… Nah smart… When Ford outsold Holden in mid 2004, it was in the last quarter of that financial year due to a directive of Ford America, to sell as many Falcons as possible to get sales up. This was done to give the impression the billion dollars spent by Ford America in designing was well spent.
Yes I said Ford America, Ford in Australia build the Falcon with slight design changes to a Ford designed, built and sold America. I have seen them and unfortunately the model name escapes me at the moment. It was about 5 years ago I last saw one.
I will give Azza one thing though, the AU was not one of Ford’s finer cars, but seriously who gives a toss about that dinosaur. The finest car Ford produced was the Cobra, the original Cobra, none of the bullshit remakes, the original and only because Shelby had a big part in helping Ford get it right.
That said… I’m done…
Got to agree with AZZA. Spot on bro! KOMBIDORE IS A TAD BUTT UGLY. CHRISTOPH… your comment about FORD AMERICA GIVING directives to Ford Australia, wow you sound like James Bond, mate where do you get that; and one word WHICH CAR MAKER DOES NOT DO THE SAME THING (Iam certain Commodore do it as derived from Opel and whilst around $1billion dollars was spent on the rear end ugly VE Kombidore, tooling and factory machinery would of been in those costs as were already paid staff {from existing profit margins} who worked on this – so to make impressive statistics for PR it was made to sound impressive by including employees time spent on it and including there collective time; together with other overheads to make it glossed up crap to impress the public). For all that it only just beats the older Falcon = a joke of an outlay!