Anyone else disappointed by lack of a VE successor?

[VS Omega]

I'm disappointed. I like the FG Falcon more than the VE - and I should, the VE has (from the outside) remained the same familiar car we've known for nearly four years - the FG is refreshing. I'm disappointed that nobodies spotted anything out of the ordinary (mules etc.). I'm disappointed that there was nothing at the motorshow except for green cars. DISAPPOINTED

I know GM is having some tough times at the moment but how long will the VE go cosmetically unchanged? (I'm aware of the continual improvements and upcoming additions of alternate drivetrains). Surely the update is finalised - anybody know anything? Heard anything? Release date?

[azkwazere]

i can tell you now.... dont expect radical changes like in the past.

holden are following fords suite and improving the car each time rather than reinventing it.

Its hear to stay...

aZk.

[H1GHROLLR]

Ve = ugly...........

[ve safari]

The VE has only been out for 2.5 years. I'm more than happy with mine.

[anonymousmoose]

I like to VE too... nice shape but that in the eye of the beholder of course. I'm not too keen on the interiors 'plastic feel', I like my WK Caprice interior almost more then the New Caprice [thats built on the VE]. Not saying the WM Caprice is a worse car, it's probably better, just not a big fan of the interior from what I've seen (but it may just take time to get used to).

[stocky]

I'm disappointed that there was nothing at the motorshow except for green cars. DISAPPOINTED

they had plenty of good cars there last year. coupe60 for example. they have bigger things to worry about instead of wasting money reinventing something every year

[STEALTHY™]

Your kidding right? The falcon has barely changed since AU. Has almost identicle doors until BF, and the FG isn't all that different.

VE is nothing like the VZ....

[ScoHar]

ve=fail on quality

[Reaper]

I'm disappointed. I like the FG Falcon more than the VE - and I should, the VE has (from the outside) remained the same familiar car we've known for nearly four years - the FG is refreshing. I'm disappointed that nobodies spotted anything out of the ordinary (mules etc.). I'm disappointed that there was nothing at the motorshow except for green cars. DISAPPOINTED

I know GM is having some tough times at the moment but how long will the VE go cosmetically unchanged? (I'm aware of the continual improvements and upcoming additions of alternate drivetrains). Surely the update is finalised - anybody know anything? Heard anything? Release date?

Next upgrade is a mild nose/tail/interior face lift and a drive train upgrade. Base engine will be a 3.0 litre direct injection V6. Will be called the VF and is about 12 months away (assuming Holden is around in 12 months ). More details as I get them.

Reaper

[Reaper]

ve=fail on quality

VE = Worlds better quality than any of it's predecessors.

Reaper

[azkwazere]

VE = Worlds better quality than any of it's predecessors.

Reaper

You know that Holden rates the lowest in quality in GM alone, let alone in the world.

aZk.

[Reaper]

You know that Holden rates the lowest in quality in GM alone, let alone in the world.

aZk.

I'm only comparing it to other Commodores. That said - c'mon - you ever seen a typical chevy????

Reaper

[anonymousmoose]

ve=fail on quality

Maybe the 06 models, I only heard good things about the later ones. At the end of the day its a commodore not a BMW.

[VL_5SPEED]

who cares imo VE's are designed for mums,dads, grannys and granpars. Most are auto and V6 which equals fail. Unless its a V8 manual...

[holden-4-life]

Your kidding right? The falcon has barely changed since AU. Has almost identicle doors until BF, and the FG isn't all that different.

VE is nothing like the VZ....

FINALY
someone has said it
the FG change is piss compared to VZ - VE change

[Calaber]

You know that Holden rates the lowest in quality in GM alone, let alone in the world.

aZk.

Where did you get that from? When Bob Lutz (then GM el-supremo) visited Holden a few years back to eyeball the Monaro for export as a Pontiac, he stated that the quality was at least the equal to anything else built by GM worldwide. That included Opel, who probably do the best job in the GM family.

Every road-test I have read of a Pontiac GTO or G8 (and I go out of my way to get my hands on any overseas reports on the VE exports) has praised the overall quality with the only derogatory comments relating to the cheap feel and look to interior plastics.

[88GreenVN]

Got told today (Smiths Holden) the VE International is due out very soon.

[Hunter SS]

the VE has more than paid back GM's investment in building it. I have owned 4 other commodores and a VS statesman..... and the VE is MILES ahead of any other Commodore i have owned.

[Reaper]

the VE has more than paid back GM's investment in building it. I have owned 4 other commodores and a VS statesman..... and the VE is MILES ahead of any other Commodore i have owned.

I'm not so sure on that one. The problem is that the zeta platform was expected to be spread across the GM world. In the end it is only a fraction of that. Payback might be a way off just yet. I would be interested how they account for R&D.

Reaper

[1991_Vn2nV]

Next upgrade is a mild nose/tail/interior face lift and a drive train upgrade. Base engine will be a 3.0 litre direct injection V6. Will be called the VF and is about 12 months away (assuming Holden is around in 12 months ). More details as I get them.

Reaper

I thought the 3.0L direct injection V6 was base models only (read Omega and Berlina) and that the SV6 and Calais V (unsure on Calais) would receive direct injection 3.6 alloytec?

who cares imo VE's are designed for mums,dads, grannys and granpars. Most are auto and V6 which equals fail. Unless its a V8 manual...

I see many more granny's and grandpa's in VL's than I do VE's lol And pretty sure most VL's were also auto and a 6...

I'm not so sure on that one. The problem is that the zeta platform was expected to be spread across the GM world. In the end it is only a fraction of that. Payback might be a way off just yet. I would be interested how they account for R&D.

Reaper

Im sure they would be awfully close. $1 Billion isn't as much as everyone makes it out to be. Mitsubishi spent $700million on the 380. Ford also spent $700 million on the FG which is huge considering its just a re-skinned BF basically, compared to the all new VE and 380.

[EVAKQ8]

i was told by a holden dealer once that the VE would last ten years, i said straight-up....Bullshit, maybe i might have to eat my words?

[EVAKQ8]

he also said something about how the BMW something series went without change at all for 11 years, dunno about that but i hope the VE isnt the same

[Reaper]

I thought the 3.0L direct injection V6 was base models only (read Omega and Berlina) and that the SV6 and Calais V (unsure on Calais) would receive direct injection 3.6 alloytec?

???? Isn't that what I said??? I have had no confirmation to what the higher spec motors will be although I suspect you are right.

Im sure they would be awfully close. $1 Billion isn't as much as everyone makes it out to be. Mitsubishi spent $700million on the 380. Ford also spent $700 million on the FG which is huge considering its just a re-skinned BF basically, compared to the all new VE and 380.

Yes and no. It is a huge amount of money when you are depreciating it over a fraction of the cars that you originally budgeted for. Ford would have similar problems as FG volumes are way off what they would have hoped for. That said, they are not missing entire model lines compared to budget. NFI about Mitsubishi - they would have been in a similar boat to Ford with the FG at first glance.

Reaper

[1991_Vn2nV]

???? Isn't that what I said??? I have had no confirmation to what the higher spec motors will be although I suspect you are right.

My bad, I didn't see the word 'base'

Yes and no. It is a huge amount of money when you are depreciating it over a fraction of the cars that you originally budgeted for. Ford would have similar problems as FG volumes are way off what they would have hoped for. That said, they are not missing entire model lines compared to budget. NFI about Mitsubishi - they would have been in a similar boat to Ford with the FG at first glance.

Reaper

I would be very interested to know the development cost involved in the VT Commodore. What you are saying is true, however Ford Aus do not seem to be in major financial trouble though, and they are selling what, less than half as many Falcons as Holden are Commodores? And the Ford platform was not planned to last very long, shorter than the Commodore. I believe this has changed though due to decisions from Ford Global.

[Calaber]

My bad, I didn't see the word 'base'



I would be very interested to know the development cost involved in the VT Commodore. What you are saying is true, however Ford Aus do not seem to be in major financial trouble though, and they are selling what, less than half as many Falcons as Holden are Commodores? And the Ford platform was not planned to last very long, shorter than the Commodore. I believe this has changed though due to decisions from Ford Global.

Very rough guess this, but I think the VT cost around 750 milion. Trying to recall the amount from magazines issued around the time of the VT release. I remember it was a very big figure for the time, and the VT was based on the existing Opel Omega, not a clean sheet like the VE. Which reminds me, why can't Holden come up with some original names for their models instead of rehashing European ones?