Holden VT Commodore

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Holden VT Commodore
Manufacturer	Holden
Parent company	General Motors
Also called	Chevrolet Lumina Chevrolet Omega
Production	1997–2000
Predecessor	Holden VS Commodore
Successor	Holden VX Commodore
Class	Full-size car
Body style(s)	4-door sedan 5-door station wagon
Platform	GM V platform
Engine(s)	3.8 L Ecotec V6 3.8 L Supercharged Ecotec V6 5.0 L V8 5.7 L Generation III V8
Transmission(s)	4-speed GM 4L60-E automatic 5-speed Getrag manual 6-speed T-56 manual
Wheelbase	2788 mm (109.8 in)–2938 mm (115.7 in)
Length	4882 mm (192.2 in)–5040 mm (198.4 in)
Width	1824 mm (71.8 in)
Height	1422 mm (56 in)–1468 mm (57.8 in)
Curb weight	1551 kg (3419 lb)–1702 kg (3752 lb)
Related	Cadillac Catera Holden Monaro (V2) Holden Statesman (WH) Opel Omega

The Holden VT Commodore, released in 1997, was the tenth model of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. For the VT, Holden looked again to Opel in Germany for a donor platform. The proposal was to take the Opel Omega B and broaden the vehicle’s width and mechanical setup for local conditions. In the early days, Holden considered adopting the Omega as is, save for the engines and transmissions, and even investigated reskinning the existing second generation (VN—VS) architecture.^[1] Later on, the VT bodywork spawned a new generation of Statesman and Caprice limousines.^[2] Holden even went as far as resurrecting the iconic Monaro coupé from the 1960s and 1970s.^[3] The revived Monaro attracted wide attention after being shown as a concept car at Australian auto shows, and it drew a large waiting list after production began. The Monaro was released to the Australian market in 2001 and ceased production in 2005.^[4]

The VT Commodore was awarded, for the fourth time, the Wheels Car of the Year for 1997.^[5] It found ready acceptance in the market as many buyers steered away from the Ford AU Falcon, becoming the best selling Commodore to date and cementing its place as number one in Australian sales.^[2]

[edit] History of development

The station wagon variant possessed a cargo volume of 2,683 litres (709 US gal), compared to the sedan's 475 litres (125 US gal).

The Acclaim's interior is comparable to the fleet-oriented Executive, missing out on the Berlina's wood grain highlights, and full wood paneling on the Calais.

The VT project was the outcome of an AU$600 million development programme that spanned more than half a decade. The new model sported a rounded exterior body shell, improved dynamics, and many firsts for an Australian-built car.^[6] A stronger body structure, 30 percent stiffer than the VS increased crash safety.^[7]

[edit] Development input from the United States

GM's American counterparts were interested in incorporating a left-hand drive Commodore into the Buick lineup and became involved in the VT development cycle early on. Holden was provided funds for the necessary engineering changes and a prototype was unveiled to the American public in 1996 as the Buick XP2000 concept car. The project was abandoned just before the VT's release but Holden made the most of the situation by exporting left-hand drive VTs to parts of Indochina, the Middle East and South Africa badged as the Chevrolet Lumina.^[8] Thus began the Commodore's rapid expansion into a number of overseas markets including Brazil, as the Chevrolet Omega, and later on, with the Monaro to the United States, where it was sold by Pontiac under the GTO nameplate.^[9]

[edit] Engineering

The VT heralded the fitment of semi-trailing arm independent rear suspension as standard across the range.^[10] However, when originally carried over, the European design was simplified with the removal of the toe control link,^[2] standard equipment on the six-cylinder Omega since 1987.^[11] This allowed distortions to the suspension camber angle and toe under heavy load, commonly occurring during heavy towing or when travelling over undulated surfaces, leading to excessive rear tyre wear. Holden's performance arm HSV re-added the toe control link on the flagship GTS 300 model, based on the Series II update.^[11] The supercharged V6 was uprated to 171 kilowatts (229 hp) from the previous VS model.^[12] Safety wise, side airbags became an option for the Acclaim and higher models in 1998, a first for Holden.^[13]

[edit] Series II

The Series II models (Berlina pictured) received clear turn signal lenses rather than amber as featured on the original models.

This 1999 update replaced the venerable Holden 5.0 litre V8 engine with a new 5.7 litre Gen III V8 sourced from the United States.^[11] The V8 was detuned to 220 kilowatts (300 hp) from the original version, but would receive incremental power upgrades to 250 kilowatts (340 hp) throughout its time in the Commodore^[5] Cosmetically, the Series II VT replaced amber indicator lenses with clear lenses for both the side and rear turn signals. This was previously only available on the pre-Series II Calais. The updated Calais also introduced a chrome strip on the boot garnish.^[14]

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Holden VT Commodore

• McCarthy, Mike; McKay, Peter; Newton, Bruce; Robinson, Peter (October 2006). "2006 Collector's Edition VE Commodore: The Full Story". Wheels magazine: 164. ACP Magazines. 
• Robinson, Peter (2006). AutoBiography: The inside story of Holden's all-new VE Commodore. Woolloomooloo, New South Wales: Focus Publishing, 224. ISBN 1921156104. 
• Tuckey, Bill (1999). Commodore Lion King: Celebrating 21 Years. Middle Park, Victoria: Quil Visual Communications, 252. ISBN 0646382314.