F
OR the past three issues we
have been delving into how
Holden gradually extricated
the Commodore from Opel’s
often-forced influence. The
errors of the mid 1970s saw the
undersized VB series presented as a
cookie-cutter copy of the European car
but develop into a Bathurst-conquering
sales delight. The saviour VL series
gave Holden enough moxie to ask for
the cash to make the VN, which, despite
sharing Opel doors, became a massive
success. This afforded Holden the
currency and charisma to create the VT,
again starting with an Opel base, but
deviating so thoroughly that it shared
only six parts with the European. All-
wheel-drive, cab-chassis, dual-cab
and coupe variants all followed, as did
export success; it became, in VZ form,
Commodore’s high-water mark, with
153,026 made in a single year.
There never was a GM design ready-
made to slip into duty as a family-sized
Holden, but with Opel not replacing
the Omega B, there appeared to be
nothing that could be adapted to the
task either. That didn’t stop Detroit
sending Holden engineers down a
number of development cul-de-sacs
before finally allowing them to create a
uniquely Australian design – Holden’s
first since the HQ Kingswood.
The VE arrived with a leaner, more
focussed range; esoteric variants and
exotic drivelines were gone, with export
potential integrated into the initial
design. Powered by a locally-built V6 or
V8 imported from GM Powertrain, theVE owed zero to any Opel variant, and
therefore we weren’t going to include it
in our three-part adventure across the
first three generations of Commodore.
However, it seemed harsh to leave out
the Commodore’s Aussie swansong.
Holden strived to create the greatest
car it had ever made with VE, and it
soldiered on in the face of falling sales,
increasing irrelevance in the local
market, and an unfortunately high recall
rate. Still, it begat the VF Commodore,
the last local Commodore and one of
Australia’s truly great cars.
As Holden’s European-sourced ZB
Commodore becomes more common
on our roads, we feel we should dedicate
a few pages to the rollercoaster ride
that was the development of the last
Aussie car.