Question about the VE Commodore Wagon

[lmoengnr]

All this is interesting from a historical point of view.

Interesting that they sold as RHD because of what my friend said. I don't know where he got the following info so I don't know if it's accurate. He said for the 2010 model year, there was a container ship loaded with all three body styles to be sold as Pontiacs here, the wagon and ute being the first year. This implies these vehicles were LHD. Then, suddenly, GM announced the closure of Pontiac, so the ship was turned around. So either these vehicles were converted back to RHD or this story isn't true.... or????

Would anyone know if the G8's had its own assembly line because it's LHD? However they do it, I assume it's done in reverse here for the Camaros you get there nowadays.

Unsure about the G8's.
We no longer get Camaro's, the earlier ones were exported as LHD, and were converted to RHD when they got here.

 

[apollo13]

I doubt any utes were shipped. There was one that went to motor shows before Pontiac was ****-canned. The chicken tax made them unviable. Also new fuel economy standards were coming in 2011, that stupidly favoured large pickups like RAM and Silverado.

 

[Willie Ute]

Unsure about the G8's.
We no longer get Camaro's, the earlier ones were exported as LHD, and were converted to RHD when they got here.

Supercars is broadcast here and I've become a fan. I haven't searched yet, but would love to know the specs of the Camaros they use now (and also the Mustangs as I own a GT500. So did the Camaro replace the Commodore in 2018 or thereabouts? I watched them race in Darwin yesterday and still saw Camaros and Mustangs. But if you are no longer getting Camaros, what's the future hold?

 

[lmoengnr]

Supercars is broadcast here and I've become a fan. I haven't searched yet, but would love to know the specs of the Camaros they use now (and also the Mustangs as I own a GT500. So did the Camaro replace the Commodore in 2018 or thereabouts? I watched them race in Darwin yesterday and still saw Camaros and Mustangs. But if you are no longer getting Camaros, what's the future hold?

In 2018, the real Commodore was replaced by an Opel Insignia, called ZB Commodore.
Supercars is a very controlled series, everyone uses a similar chassis with different body panels hung on it.
Engines are a 6.2 pushrod engine for the Camaro's, and 5.0 for the Mustangs.

 

[Commo64]

HSV also dipped into the parts bins to produce Clubsport and Maloo 'lite' versions.

What do you mean by the phrase "Maloo lite versions?"

 

[Commo64]

Interesting that they sold as RHD because of what my friend said. I don't know where he got the following info so I don't know if it's accurate. He said for the 2010 model year, there was a container ship loaded with all three body styles to be sold as Pontiacs here, the wagon and ute being the first year. This implies these vehicles were LHD. Then, suddenly, GM announced the closure of Pontiac, so the ship was turned around. So either these vehicles were converted back to RHD or this story isn't true.... or????

I don't believe this statement that the LHD Pontiac's were sent back to Australia to be converted to RHD... They probably just sent that last load of G8's to the USA...

 

[lmoengnr]

What do you mean by the phrase "Maloo lite versions?"

A G8 fronted ute, no sailplane or hardlid, Brembo's on the front, with HSV badges.
Not sure if it had an L77 or LS3.

 

[Commo64]

A G8 fronted ute, no sailplane or hardlid, Brembo's on the front, with HSV badges.
Not sure if it had an L77 or LS3.

So pretty much an SSV Special Edition?

 

[lmoengnr]

So pretty much an SSV Special Edition?

Closer to a Redline...

 

[losh1971]

Closer to a Redline...

Except a Redline looks nice.