ASH8

"A Pontiac-badged Commodore will be unveiled at the Chicago motor show in 2007, signalling the start of the Commodore’s global tour.

Speaking at this week's Paris motor show, General Motors product guru Bob Lutz did more than hint that the Commodore would wear a Pontiac nose and badges before long.

“Come to the Chicago auto show and all we be revealed,” said a smiling Lutz, who earlier praised Holden and the new Commodore for being one of “the best vehicles GM has produced”.

Speculation has been rife about Commodores being built in other markets, but nothing has been confirmed to date.

However Lutz’s admission to drive.com.au confirms the rumours that the Commodore could be built in markets such as the United States to provide a large, rear-drive car to help revive General Motors’ ageing vehicles.

The Commodore’s architecture is also expected to spawn many more rear-drive cars within the General Motors world, starting with the born-again Chevrolet Camaro that was unveiled at the 2006 Detroit motor show in concept form.

The Pontiac “Commodore”, which is expected to wear a different name when it goes on sale in the States in 2007, is not the first time a Pontiac has been spawned from a Holden.
Three years ago Holden sent Monaros to the 'States with fresh noses and Pontiac GTO badges to revive one of the most famous nameplates in Pontiac’s history.

Like that car, the rebadged Commodore is expected to get some minor changes, including the classic Pontiac twin-nostril grille."

So there you have it, it's official, you guys to get our all new RWD Holden Commodore as a PONTIAC....

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...rticleID=20396

alfy28

nice, i alwasy like holdens. and the ford aussie car that vs the commodore. hm i cant remember the name for some reason.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

falcon

Japan8

Like I keep saying... Ford needs to bring the Falcon over... at least as a limited edition RWD sports sedan. Something that exists NOWHERE in Ford's lineup.

snizzle

Good news. The GTO is an awesome car and came over here already outdated. We're going to get some new Holden stuff this time.

Clavius

DONT RENAME THE DAMN CAR I BEG OF YOU PONTIAC!!!!!!
sorry for the caps but I had to scream that out! lol
I'm sorry the Commodore name already sounds well powerful, why mess with it.... awww crap I already know the badge name they are gonna use.. Gran-Prix.. god damnit... 'eh.. the car still looks pissa hopefully they wont fuque it up by giving it a old school muscle car name and hence give it a love it hate it feel just offa the name.

nzarnow

It's the new grand prix isn't it? Or do they want to keep the grand prix front wheeled? It's basically a 4 door GTO with less power. Same sized 6.0 litre V8 but with 25-40hp and tq less.

Maybe they will offer more options on it like Navigation and what not. The GTO only had choices between the transmission, wheels, and color.

Rhawb

I kind of like it, even though something in the back of my mind tells me it's ugly. I don't know, I'll just wait to see it in person.

ASH8

In the flesh the new Commodore looks OK ...it grows on you

CarAndDriver

Can't be any worse than what GM is producing at the moment.

Clavius

Been hearing and reading (forget where still wished I saved the article) that GM wishes to turn Pontiac into its Rear Wheel Drive Performace Brand. Be nice to see this happen will seperate Pontiac a bit from GM and give it a face beyond "yeah they had the GtO right?". Sure the G6 is aparently a sucess and I'll admit I kinda like the coupe version but I doubt its outselling Carmy's and Accords by leaps and bounds. But overall Pontiac to some/most is considered the girly sport sedan brand. Only people I've known to own Pontiac's have been women. A friends friend though does own a GtO but yeah, thats the only car I've known guys to own from Pontiac.

I said it once and I'll say it again. GM rape Holden for all its worth and bring their cars here!!

ASH8

As far as I know the new VE Commodore luxury model (Caprice) will also be exported to S Arabia and to Korea and Brazil, as the Lumina/Statesman, Royum and Omega...

The cars are made in my home state, Holden's did have 3 shifts for production,but, recently cut that back to 2, for memory with all the plant upgrades over the last 3 years they can put out around 80,000 units a year with 3 shifts..

So, I don't know if supply could or would be a problem for a "mainstream" high volume RWD seller in the US market made in Australia.

Razz1

So basicly Pontiac is being discontinued and made into Australian cars..........

Now that leaves Buick.

Clavius

I know for a fact I wont be crying about this. hehe.

ASH8

More like Austalian made cars for Pontiac

Japan8

Ford needs to do the same. The management are fools if the resist such things are the Falcon, European Focus and Mondeo because cars like the Contour and Merkur failed in the past. Following that logic they should keep building the same things that they have because they sold.... opps that IS what they did and got a swift kick in the 'nads for doing it.

RWD is in... and yes AWD too. FWD... good for economy cars and subcompacts... the Focus and Fusion. Otherwise the market wants sports sedans like BMW and their competitors. Where are your cars Ford (and I do mean ALL of Ford group.. Aston Martin is being sold and a different market. Jag... eww and too expensive. Volvo... FWD and some AWD, but overpriced and underperforming)?

m477

GM should just axe Pontiac and bring Holden here. That way we won't have to have a bunch of cars that all look like a Grand Am.

ASH8

There is another issue with Australian Imported cars, that was to do with Import quota restrictions and your vehicle unions....taking your jobs away...

There is now a free trade (if you can call it that) between the US and Australia, so technically as of 2004 we have no restrictions and visa versa, except the importation of Pick-ups..we call them Utes. You guys would only allow limited numbers of Australian made Holden V8 Utes, and Ford for that matter.

ASH8

So Holden decide that re-tooling the Ute for LHD was not worth it

Clavius

Pontiac has to much brand history in the eyes of America. I'd like to possibly see a Holden branding be placed on some Pontiac's akin to our MazdaSpeed or Toyota's TRD.. or I dunno something to be slapped with a badging of Holden.

once more GM rape Holden they get IT!!!!

Ford.. oi they need a really hard Bitchslap!! Its been discussed in another thread on this board but to me they need to do some soul searching and realize how they wish to view themselves and how they want to be viewed. Right now Ford to me says F-150's and Mustangs nothing else (other than Found On Road Dead). Mazda to me says fast fun cars, Toyota reliable economy cars, Honda same as Toyota.

Razz1

Then we would too much air polution from those Aussies bringing their Barb B Q's here.

That's not gonna fly with the EPA board, we already have too many foriegners here.