By Ewan Kennedy
SADLY, the VF Commodore Series II is likely to be the last ever Holden family car made in Australia, though Holden may surprise us by introducing a further update in the next 12 months.
However, the VF II SSV Redline sedan we tested last week has the final major upgrades and any future versions are likely to be minor dress-ups perhaps with special editions.
Given Australians love of driving it comes as no surprise that sales of the sporty Commodore models – SV6, SS, SSV and SSV Redline – are now making up more than half of all Commodore sales.
This gave us a great excuse to road test an SSV Redline powered by a Chevrolet LS3 6.2-litre V8. Yep, the big engine…
OK, it’s a cliche – but there’s no substitute for cubic inches and we loved every minute we spent in the big Aussie bruiser, not only in the way the engine performs, but also in the sophisticated dynamics that keep all that power under control.
Exterior design changes on the VF to make it the VFII are minor and are chiefly functional, being there for improved aerodynamics and the additional cooling requirements of the more powerful engine.
Air vents on the bonnet assist the release of hot air from the engine bay, they also give the car a more aggressive look.
Large corner fascia ducts have been added to channel air away from the front of the car.
Our test car had the most powerful non-HSV Commodore engine ever produced.
With 304 kW and 570 Nm the LS3 has significantly more power and torque than the 6.0-litre it replaced, not that 270 kW and 530 Nm in the superseded VF was anything to sneeze at.
All that grunt goes the back wheels by way of either a six-speed manual or some sort of an automatic transmission – we didn’t ask about the latter when offered a test drive by Holden.
Commodore VFII has GM’s MyLink system that works with smartphones through Bluetooth. USB and Aux ports are also installed.
We have to admit to spending our time listening to the engine rather than to testing the audio output.
Anyone who drives a car like this high-performance Holden should know what they are doing behind the wheel.
There are huge reserves of safety thanks to the well-tuned suspension and excellent brakes.
Selectable electronic overrides are there should you make small to medium mistakes. Should something come unstuck in a big way Holden engineers have ensured their car got a five-star ANCAP rating.
We have been complaining about the visibility problems created by too-wide A-pillars for many years.
Obviously nothing is going to be done about this in the future, so we have no choice but to continue to live with it.
This is the quite simply the quickest non-HSV Commodore ever, leaping from rest to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds.
The clutch and gearbox aren’t exactly user-friendly, but that’s all part of the fun in any US-based muscle car.
The big V8 is supported by upgraded FE3 rear sports suspension aimed at improving ride comfort without affecting handling.
Even when pushed hard through tight bends the hot Holden is well-balanced and stable.
We managed some track driving at the historic Collingrove hillclimb during the VFII launch and pushing it to the limit never caused a moment’s doubt as to its ability to hang one.
Our range-topping SSV Redline had Brembo brakes front and rear, these can haul off speed very rapidly without any sign of fade.
We didn’t do any track work but feel the brakes could even handle that.
While performance is the number one demand by owners of V8s, the sounds the engine emit run a close second.
Holden developed a component called the Baillie Tip. Named after the engineer who designed it, Dr David Baillie, it uses an aperture in the tailpipe to reverberate sound back through the exhaust and into the cabin.
It sounds great and brought smiles to the faces of all who travelled in the big Commodore.
Fuel consumption of the SSV Redline is listed at 11.8 litres per 100km on the combined cycle.
We found our review car running in the mid-teens most of the time but it can be brought under 10 litres per 100 on motorways.
With future Commodores likely to take the European route and be powered by four-cylinder turbo-petrols, and V6 turbo and non-turbo petrols we suggest that V8 lovers get their backsides into one of these high-performance VF Series II models.
To arrange a test drive contact Barry Bourke Holden, 755 Princes Highway, Berwick, on 9707 2222.
Model range
SS-V Redline 6.2-litre four-door sedan: $54,490 (manual), $56,690 (automatic)
SS-V Redline Sportwagon 6.2-litre five-door wagon: $58,690 (automatic)
