The global parts bin - what is a Holden anyway?

[Fu Manchu]

Your Holden Monaro built on the Sigma platform was exported to the USA from 2004-2006 and rebadged as a Pontiac GTO

2004 was the LS1 with 350hp and a choice of A4 or M6 trans the 05/06 had the LS2 rated at 400hp

A little known side fact is that the Camaro used in the first Transformers movie was really a converted GTO/Monaro.

The VE Commodore in 2008-09 was imported as the Pontic G8 in Canada and the USA with a base model V6 with 260hp and A4 only

A GT model with a 360hp V8 and a choice of A4 or M6 and a GXP model with the LS3 rated at 410hp and A4 or M6 trans.

The Aussie Holden Zeta platform from the VE would later be shortened and narrowed into the Zeta 2 platform and become the 5th Gen Camaro built in Oshawa Ontario Canada about an hour and a half from where I live.

Also imported to the USA was the rebadged Commodore as the Chevy Police Pursuit Vehicle called the Caprice and a high performance version simply branded as the Chevrolet SS the last model was in 2017.

Wasn’t a rebadged Commodore. Was our Statesman/Caprice, the long wheel base model. The long wheel base luxury models have been a part of our Holden’s since (I think) the mid ‘60’s.

 

[figjam]

Your Holden Monaro built on the Sigma platform was exported to the USA from 2004-2006 and rebadged as a Pontiac GTO

Umm ……. No.
The V2 Monaro is on an evolution of same platform as used on just about every Australian Commodore since the VB, through to the VZ.
The Sigma platform was initially looked at for the basis of the VE, while Holden engineers were working at the Cadillac division, but it was decided to be too expensive for Holden to produce, hence the Zeta / VE platform.
Denny Mooney, (Holden boss in 2004 > 2007) in an Australian interview stated that while he was at Cadillac, he was advised to give whatever help he could to this small group of engineers from some company called Holden from down under.
This interview gave an insight into just how much GM USA knew, or didn’t know, about Holden until it was ‘discovered’ by Bob Lutz. This discovery frightened the crap out of GM USA, who could not understand how Australians could build good cars on a small tight budget, and export them.
The factory at Elizabeth was the only factory in the world which could build such a variety of body shapes ........SWB sedan and coupe, LWB wagon and Statesman, utes, Crewman, & AWD. A lot of this ability was due to Peter Hanenburger and his crew.
And GM in its wisdom ****-canned the lot, and still don't understand why the company stinks here.

 

[rtmpgt]

Umm ……. No.
The V2 Monaro is on an evolution of same platform as used on just about every Australian Commodore since the VB, through to the VZ.
The Sigma platform was initially looked at for the basis of the VE, while Holden engineers were working at the Cadillac division, but it was decided to be too expensive for Holden to produce, hence the Zeta / VE platform.
Denny Mooney, (Holden boss in 2004 > 2007) in an Australian interview stated that while he was at Cadillac, he was advised to give whatever help he could to this small group of engineers from some company called Holden from down under.
This interview gave an insight into just how much GM USA knew, or didn’t know, about Holden until it was ‘discovered’ by Bob Lutz. This discovery frightened the crap out of GM USA, who could not understand how Australians could build good cars on a small tight budget, and export them.
The factory at Elizabeth was the only factory in the world which could build such a variety of body shapes ........SWB sedan and coupe, LWB wagon and Statesman, utes, Crewman, & AWD. A lot of this ability was due to Peter Hanenburger and his crew.
And GM in its wisdom ****-canned the lot, and still don't understand why the company stinks here.

It's just GM being typical GM. Accountants and old stuffy suits run the company, and if it wasn't for old mate Ruddbot dangling the carrot in front of the GM Exec's noses there'd be no VF commodore. They'dve axed the brand in 2009 when Pontiac, Olds and Saab got the chop.

I mean, look at their American lineup these days. Afaik the Camaro is the only "Car" that Chevy makes there. Cadillac is floundering because their client base is quite literally dying of dysentery. Buick is basically selling rebadged Opels and Daewoos only (so I figure they're going to get the chop soon too), They sold Opel off to the cheese-eaters, and the cars that are left (excluding the HD series, Cadillacs and the Camaro afaik) are mostly slapped together in a jungle clearing in Korea or in an Eastern European Gulag now.

It's just business doing as business does really. Cut costs, sell to normies.

Honestly if GM imported Cadillacs to Australia instead of Opels they'd still be around these days.

 

[lmoengnr]

Buick is safe, its big in china...