RickHigginsHtbr
10-15-2007, 04:54 PM
from Motortrend...
Pontiac seems almost certain to get a G8 version of the forthcoming Holden VE Commodore Sportwagon, a pre-production concept of which was unveiled this week at the 2007 Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.
The new Commodore wagon, said to roll on the same wheelbase as the sedan, is a much sportier-looking vehicle than the car it replaces. GM sources hint a G8 version would be positioned as a "sport wagon," along the lines of BMW's 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Powertrains will be identical to the G8 sedan. That means an entry-level version with the 261-horse, 3.6-liter V-6 and a five-speed auto, and a GT model with a 361-horse, 6.0-liter V-8 with a six-speed automatic. A six-speed manual also will reportedly be available.
Though the market for an American-branded sport wagon is relatively untested (beyond the Dodge Magnum), GM sources confirm a G8 wagon is a low-cost gamble, because all the baseline engineering for left-hand drive and crash testing have already been completed. The wagon would also share the same front clip, trim, wheels, and badging as the G8 sedan.
The vehicle unveiled at Sydney is shod with 20-inch alloys and features a rear hatch that cuts into the roof, allowing for easier loading and better ability to open in tight spaces. Inside, there's a 60:40 split rear seat, a cargo cover, roof-mounted DVD player and front and rear parking assist systems -- all of which should make it to production. The V-8-powered show car is flex fuel capable and employs cylinder deactivation.
Our colleagues at Australia's Wheels magazine believe the wagon is about four inches shorter and two inches lower than the Magnum, but with almost 25 percent more load space.
http://images.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2007/112_0712_01z+holden_VE_sportwagon+front_three_quar ter_view.jpg
I'd rock it, especially with the ls2. nice to see some competition for those $60K station wagons offered by other companies.
Pontiac seems almost certain to get a G8 version of the forthcoming Holden VE Commodore Sportwagon, a pre-production concept of which was unveiled this week at the 2007 Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.
The new Commodore wagon, said to roll on the same wheelbase as the sedan, is a much sportier-looking vehicle than the car it replaces. GM sources hint a G8 version would be positioned as a "sport wagon," along the lines of BMW's 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Powertrains will be identical to the G8 sedan. That means an entry-level version with the 261-horse, 3.6-liter V-6 and a five-speed auto, and a GT model with a 361-horse, 6.0-liter V-8 with a six-speed automatic. A six-speed manual also will reportedly be available.
Though the market for an American-branded sport wagon is relatively untested (beyond the Dodge Magnum), GM sources confirm a G8 wagon is a low-cost gamble, because all the baseline engineering for left-hand drive and crash testing have already been completed. The wagon would also share the same front clip, trim, wheels, and badging as the G8 sedan.
The vehicle unveiled at Sydney is shod with 20-inch alloys and features a rear hatch that cuts into the roof, allowing for easier loading and better ability to open in tight spaces. Inside, there's a 60:40 split rear seat, a cargo cover, roof-mounted DVD player and front and rear parking assist systems -- all of which should make it to production. The V-8-powered show car is flex fuel capable and employs cylinder deactivation.
Our colleagues at Australia's Wheels magazine believe the wagon is about four inches shorter and two inches lower than the Magnum, but with almost 25 percent more load space.
http://images.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2007/112_0712_01z+holden_VE_sportwagon+front_three_quar ter_view.jpg
I'd rock it, especially with the ls2. nice to see some competition for those $60K station wagons offered by other companies.