The Holden Commodore is a series of automobiles that were sold by now-defunct Australian manufacturer Holden from 1978 until 2020. They were manufactured from 1978 to 2017 in Australia and from 1979 to 1990 in New Zealand, with production of the locally manufactured versions in Australia ending on 20 October 2017.
The first three generations of Holden produced Commodores (1978–2006) were based on the Opel designed V-body rear-wheel drive automotive platform, which was the basis of GM's largest European models, but were structurally strengthened, mechanically modified, and, in time, enlarged by Holden for Australian road conditions, production needs, and market demands. The styling of these cars was generally similar to that of the Opel Rekord E/Commodore C, and later, the Opel Omega A/B and their Vauxhall sister models the Vauxhall Carlton and Omega.
The fourth generation Holden Commodore models, the VE and VF, manufactured by Holden from 2006 until 2017, were entirely designed in-house and based on the Holden-developed, rear-wheel drive Zeta platform. Between 2012 and 2017, Holden again overhauled and re-engineered an Opel vehicle as the basis of the next generation Commodore, the ZB, which was sold from 2018 to 2020. Holden's engineers re-engineered, re-worked or completely replaced the Insignia's chassis, steering, suspension, driving dynamics, exhaust, sound symposer and engines. All sales of the last Commodore ended at the end of 2020, coinciding with the complete discontinuation of Holden as a subsidiary company, marque, and nameplate.
History
The Commodore replaced the long-serving Holden Kingswood and Holden Premier. Initially introduced as a single sedan body style, the range expanded in 1979 to include a station wagon. From 1984, Holden began branding the flagship model as Holden Calais, with the Commodore Berlina introduced in 1984 gaining independent Holden Berlina nomenclature in 1988. Long-wheelbase Statesman/Caprice derivatives and the Holden Utility (coupé utility) variant followed in 1990. The third generation architecture spawned the most body styles, with a new Holden Ute launched in 2000, reborn Monaro coupé in 2001, four-door Holden Crewman utility and all-wheel drive (AWD) Holden Adventra crossover in 2003. Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) in 1987 began official modification of high performance variants of the Commodore and its derivatives, under its own nameplate.
Rivalry came predominantly from the Ford Falcon—also locally built. Prior to the second generation Commodore of 1988, the Holden was positioned a full class below the full-size Falcon. To varying degrees, competition also came from mid-size offerings from Toyota Australia as well as Chrysler Australia, which morphed into Mitsubishi Motors Australia. Moreover, between 1989 and 1997, Australian federal government policy saw the launch of the Toyota Lexcen, which was a rebadged version of the second generation Commodore. With the introduction of the third generation in 1997, Holden implemented its largest export programs involving Commodore and its derivatives. In the Middle East and South Africa the Commodore sold as a Chevrolet. High-performance export versions followed in North America, sold as Pontiac and later Chevrolet. HSV also exported to the United Kingdom as Vauxhall, in the Middle East as Chevrolet Special Vehicles (CSV) and in New Zealand and Singapore as HSV.
In December 2013, Holden announced that it would cease its local production by the end of October 2017 committing, however, to use the long-standing Commodore nameplate on its fifth-generation fully imported replacement, moving to a front-wheel drive (FWD)/all-wheel drive (AWD) platform.
On 10 December 2019, Holden announced that the Commodore nameplate would be discontinued in 2020, in what is, according to Holden's interim chairman and managing director Kristian Aquilina, "decisive action to ensure a sharp focus on the largest and most buoyant market segments", focusing on their SUV and Ute range, which had accounted for over 76% of their lineup during 2019. This marks the end of the Commodore nameplate's 41 years. On 17 February 2020, General Motors announced that the Holden marque in its entirety would be retired from sale in Australia and New Zealand by 2021.
First generation (1978–1988) VB (1978–1980)
Introduced in October 1978,Bebbington (2009), p. 77. the VB Commodore development covered a period with the effects of the 1973 oil crisis still being felt.Robinson (2006), p. 24. "Australia, protected from the ravages of the first 1973 energy crisis, felt the full force of OPEC's decision to raise oil prices by 140 per cent [...] Petrol shortages, rationing and dramatic fuel price increases, forced the global car industry into what was quickly dubbed 'downsizing' [...] Holden had already downsized, now the rest of the automotive world shuddered and began what seemed an inexorable move towards smaller cars." Hence, when Holden decided to replace the successful full-size HZ Kingswood with a new model line, they wanted the new car to be smaller and more fuel efficient.Whelan (1978), p. 22. "It had to be a family car, which meant it needed similar interior dimensions to the Holden Kingswood, but it had to be fuel- and space efficient, which meant it had to be smaller and sleeker overall." Originally, Holden looked at developing a new WA Kingswood, but that project was abandoned.Robinson (2006), p. 21. "Holden planned to replace the HQ with the WA but management indecision meant the project was discarded." With no replacement in development, Holden looked to Opel to provide the design foundations of the VB, basing it on the four-cylinder Rekord E body shell, with the front grafted on from the Opel Senator A, both constructed using GM's V-body platform.Bebbington (1998), p. 59. "The Commodore was [...] based on the Opel V-car using components from the German GM subsidiary's Rekord, Commodore and Senator models." This change was necessitated to accommodate the larger Holden six- and eight-cylinder engines.Robinson (2006), p. 22. "It accepted Opel's Rekord, knowing the four-cylinder required re-engineering to [...] accommodate the local in-line six-cylinder and V8 engines. [...] The VB mixed the nose of the longer six-cylinder Opel Senator, [...] to the cabin and rearward of the cheaper Rekord." Holden also adopted the name "Commodore" from Opel, which had been using the name since 1967. Opel went on to use Holden's Rekord-Senator hybrid as a foundation for its new generation Commodore C, slotting in between the two donor models.Tuckey (1999), p. 33. "The Rekord with the Senator nose job [...] was so well proportioned that Opel later picked up the bastard child to fit between its Rekord and Senator on the European market and named it – guess what? – Commodore."
During the VB's development, Holden realised that when driven at speed over harsh Australian roads, the Opel Rekord would effectively break apart at the firewall.Tuckey (1999), p. 41. "They ran the cars [...] somewhere where the roads weren't made, and [...] the first of the three real VB prototypes built in Germany by Opel and flown to Australia at the end of 1977 actually broke in two at the firewall." This forced Holden to re-engineer the entire car for the often harsh Australian road conditions, resulting in only 35 percent commonality with the Rekord. Among other changes, the Rekord's MacPherson strut front suspension was modified,Segal (1978), p. 34. "And in final analysis 65% of the new Commodore is wholly Australian Holden in origin [... with the Rekord's] traditional double wishbone front suspension [giving] way at last to McPherson struts. The same system is used on the Holden [VB], but a completely different design." and the recirculating ball steering was replaced with a rack and pinion type.Bebbington (1998), p. 59. "...rack-and-pinion steering system (Australian TRW) replaced the Opel's old fashioned recirculating-ball steering box and linkage." These and other mechanical and structural modifications massively blew out development costs to a reported Tuckey (1999), p. 48. "In the end, it would have spent around $110 million on tools, facilities, development and start-up expenses for the VB."—a figure then close to the cost of developing an all-new model independently.Wright (1998), p. 232. "Initially, it looked as if it would be cheaper to modify the German car to take the Australian engines but it transpired that a major re-engineering job was necessary if the German car was to meet Holden standards. [...] It cost almost as much to rework the Commodore as it would have done to introduce a new locally developed Holden." With such a large sum consumed by the VB development programme, Holden was left with insufficient finances for the development of a station wagon variant. Added that the Commodore architecture was considered an unsuitable base for utility and long-wheelbase models,Tuckey (1999), p. 85. "The Commodore [VB] wasn't considered a suitable base for a ute or a LWB vehicle." Holden was left with only a sedan, albeit one in three levels of luxury: a base, SL, and SL/E.Bebbington (1998), p. 59. "Initially produced in one body style only, a four-door sedan, it was available in three trim levels: the Commodore, the Commodore SL and the top-of-the-range Commodore SL/E." Desperate measures forced Holden to shape the Commodore front-end to the rear of the Rekord wagon. As the wagon-specific sheet metal had to be imported from Germany, the wagon, introduced in July 1979, suffered from inevitable component differences from the sedan.Bebbington (2009), p. 77. "[W]agon models joined the line-up in July 1979 [...] The sheetmetal unique to the wagon body style was imported from Germany". Although infrequently criticised in the early years, quality problems were evident, with poor trim and panel fit problematic for all first generation Commodores. This coupled with mechanical dilemmas such as water pump failure and steering rack rattle ensured warranty claims were high in the first year.Wright (1998), p. 256–257. "Although little criticised at the time, the [VB's] finish was poor and did not match that of other Holdens. Ill-fitting trim [...] accompanied various mechanical maladies including water pump failure and steering rack rattle to mar the ownership experience for many. Warranty claims were high in the first year or so. [...] Poor panel fit remained a problem throughout the life of the first generation of Commodores." Despite these issues, the VB Commodore was widely praised for its value for money sophistication, especially in regards to its steering, handling, braking, and ride quality.Tuckey (1999), p. 54. "The first press reactions [to the VB] were euphoric. [...] There was huge praise for the steering, ride, handling and brakes." thus securing the Wheels Car of the Year award for 1978.Jeeves (2008), p. 62.