GMI Drives: Holden VF Calais Sportwagon

Wagon Feast Part 5: Equilibrium

14 August 2013

Michael McWilliams
GMInsidenews.com
Australia Correspondent

I made up a word the other day: homogenuity. It happened when I was looking at the latest crop of SUVs and how their proportions were as similar as their specification. That has made it awfully easy for car companies to now make new models. To be popular you just need to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Get the focus group results and collate them on a global scale. Add them all up, divide by the number of participants and voila: Mr and Mrs. Average. The result is an average motor vehicle. This has been demonstrated in the Australian market with SUVs taking up a massive portion of the new car market, yet barely a single model in this segment ever makes it to the top ten. Why? Because the design of each new SUV is driven by the same thing: Mr and Mrs Average. You don't even have to engineer the new model because it's on the same platform as last time. Play it again Sam, ad infinitum. Homogenuity. 

This VF Calais, however, is honed by local tradition, still free from the global average. Exclusive only due to circumstance, not capability, this is the cherry that I believe GM needs to share with the world. In the mean time, I'll just share it with you.

Have you ever heard the term, "there's no point re-inventing the wheel"? Essentially it means, do not invest more resources in a project when the result is more or less going to be the same. It is the catch cry of business efficiency and lean managers everywhere particularly when times are tough, and also echoes my new word, Homogenuity. This lean management reduces development costs and ensures that new products can get to market with less investment. 

Often however, in application it stifles progress, lets sleeping dogs lie and essentially removes any chance at innovation. 

Read More HERE

Wagon Feast Part 4: ZETA HD

14 July 2013

Michael McWilliams
Mark Cadle
GMInsidenews.com
Australia Correspondents


The VF Commodore has hit showrooms and the changes are impressive. It's high class, high tech, high quality advancements and lower price go head to head with mikmak's own VE Series II to see why this Commodore is the one to change minds. Meanwhile Mark Cadle takes his trouble and strife to the nations capital to test how well he gets up and running on cold mornings..... and shows the cost benefit of the VF Commodores LPG system

I love my car. I don't mean like "I appreciate the practicality, the space, the low servicing costs and the eager performance". I mean, I catch myself staring when I don't mean to. I find excuses to spend time together, and, my instagram and Facebook feeds are littered with pictures and messages of adoration. I'm not the sort of person to have a wandering eye, however, the VF Commodore is testing my resolve. 

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Video: Chasing Strippers in the Holden Barina CD

Video: Introducing Sunny Coast Feature Cars

HDVIDEO Action from Noosa Hill Climb

Holden Cruze Sportwagon Twins

Wagon Feast Part 1: Blue Collars and Silver Spoons

26 April 2013

Michael McWilliams
GMInsideNews.com
Australia Correspondent

I currently own my third wagon. My parents had a wagon, my grand parents had wagons and even my sister in law has had 3 wagons. It's fair to say, that the traditional format holds plenty of favour in my family. Holden still provide plenty of choice when it comes to wagons and it all starts here, with the Cruze CD Diesel and CDX 1.8 Petrol Sportwagon twins. Will they erode the market share of their flag ship Commodore range or broaden the appeal of the Holden fleet?

We here at GMInsidenews Australian Bureau are pretty fortunate. Our exposure to new product often allows us to compare similar models, and to detect the little things which can make one version superior to it's stable mate. What I found with the Cruze Sportwagons, however, is that looking similar does not equal similar products. In fact I doubt the CDX would even appeal to someone considering the CD diesel. One body style, two engines, two trim levels, massive difference. 

Read the rest  HERE

Holden Barina CDX Sedan: Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth

15 April 2013

Michael McWilliams
GMInsideNews.com
Australia Correspondent

So apparently your own personal freedom, the ability to explore new places, meet new people and see new sights is now done through smart phones. Predominantly, the yoof of today are more interested in bandwidth than power bands, streaming is more important than drifting and gifs have taken over from diffs. The Holden Barina CDX now comes with MyLink, an integrated multimedia centre, so you can watch your lol cats and stream your Veedub steps, or whatever, on the go.
So get off my lawn and on the road! …you pesky kids.

The TM Barina has been on the road since 2011 and received mixed reviews. Despite being a multi-generational leap from the TK Barina that preceded it, the new small Holden from South Korea was entering a segment already attracting some of Europe’s best, and some of the newest releases from cross Asia rivals. Fortunately, the latest iteration of beep beep comes full of tech and a little bit of spunk. 

Read More Here

GMI Review: Colorado LTZ

Power to the People

Michael McWilliams and Mark Cadle
GMInsidenews.com
Australia Correspondents
19 March 2013

Grunt. If there is a single word that could sum up the Colorado 7, that would be it. As per the Colorado Utility, a 2.8 litre Duramax turbo diesel is the dominant feature of Holdens return to the REAL 4X4 arena, but is that enough to invade a segment where EVERY competitor has their own tribal fan club? 

It's been a long time between drinks since the Holden Jackaroo (nee Isuzu trooper) disappeared from Holden showrooms, after more than 20 years on the market. The Jackeroo has those whom swear by them, and those that swore at them. Ten years is a long time to wait, but the capability and value of the Colorado 7 is sure to serve Holden well. 

The main things standing in the way are the Toyota Land Cruiser and Prado, the Mitsubishi Pajero and Challenger, and, the Nissan Patrol and Pathfinder. Notice a pattern there? Each other manufacturer has two entries in the true 4x4 segment. Toyota actually take it a few steps further with the Land Cruiser 70 series and the FJ Cruiser.

Having not been involved in too much off roading since.... the early 90s, I used my father in laws 2009 Prado Grande as a benchmark for comparison even though it was a $70k+ vehicle when new. In fact you still can't get into a base model Toyota Landcruiser Prado for the price of Holden Colorado 7 LTZ.

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GMI Review: VEII V8 Utes

June 2011

The Ute is meant to be a workhorse, right? Well, most of the time. For most of the Holden Ute’s years it was able to carry a metric tonne around in the rear with ease and still tow a box trailer behind it. When Holden released the VT platform-based VU Ute in 2000 the decision was made to fit it with semi-trailing arm independent rear suspension as standard. This made for an improved drive, but it had the downside of reducing its ability to handle the big loads, with 665kg the highest rating for the SS model. Many critised the move, saying it would force traditional Holden Ute buyers away from the brand they love to manufacturers, especially Ford with its solid-axle one-tonner. 

Holden justified the move by pointing out that most Holden Ute buyers were purchasing the sportier models over the base load luggers. The recent replacement of the old Holden 5.0 litre V8 with the fully imported LS1 5.7 litre sent V8 sales through the roof (a trend that continues today) and the SS model became the Ute of choice for many young Aussies. 

Read the full article HERE

GMI Review: Calais VEII V6 Sedan

May 2011

With the large car market shrinking on every continent, pressure inevitably falls to the few remaining offerings, to defer criticism by remaining relevant. But how can this be done whilst maintaining attraction to the faithful whom continue to desire the traditional paradigm of personal automobiles. Can a modern large car, with a configuration lambasted in the name of efficiency, continue to deliver rewarding dynamics and satisfying performance?

Mark Reuss, former Holden MD and now Chief of GM North America, during Holden's emergence from the GFC, went to great lengths to highlight that Holden had emerged from the crisis with the ability to stand on it's own feet. The primer for this statement may well have come in the form of one of North Americas most endearing (and damaged) brands being terminated. I am, of course, referring to Pontiac. Their promise of decent volumes of the G8 version of the Commodore was, unfortunately, short lived and very costly.

Read the full article HERE

GMI Review: Holden Caprice V V8

May 2011

Public nudity, shop lifting, break and enter. All of these seedy activities are likely to escalate as the biggest of Zeta offspring join law enforcement agencies across the United States. We take a look at what the crims [perps] hope to find inside the 21st century Caprice.

If there was one Zeta that I have driven, where road-holding and dynamics took a backseat, this is it. Long, smooth and powerful, it felt more like a motor yacht than motor vehicle. For the first 20 minutes, I passed time in Brisbane evening traffic by taking note of the soft cabin materials and the significantly improved isolation over the Caprice’s short wheelbase brethren. The dash material feels great and the seat leather softer. The throttle response was still strong, but it certainly wasn’t a sprinter. In short order, the windows and sunroof were open and I resigned myself to aloof cruiser mode.

Read the full article HERE

GMI Review: Calais V Sportwagon

July 2010

One thing that I always dread about holidays is the logistics. Add my family to the equation and organising specific times and locations becomes exponentially more difficult. Schedules are relegated to mere guides, locations are rarely more defined than a post [zip] code, and, if you can get all of them to arrive at said post code within the same hour….. well I’m not sure what would happen because it is yet to actually occur. This particular holiday would take us to the beautiful Latrobe valley, through the Dandenong Ranges to a family wedding (with 10 types of dessert!), across Port Phillip Bay, along the Great Ocean Road, up through the Otway Ranges, and then back to the state’s capital city of Melbourne. There are eight different destinations over ten nights, six of which are along roads that I’ve never seen before, and, there are two kids under 6 that need to be entertained along the way, including air travel and on the buses. I know what you are thinking: “that sounds like fun”. 

Read the full article HERE

GMI Review: SIDI Calais Sedan

March 2010
It has been quite some time since the demise of the G8. Despite the US absence, Australia continues to enjoy the benefits of world class handling at real world prices, with the Commodore celebrating its 14th year as Australia’s favourite car. Comfort, Sport and Luxury are a mere tick of the box away at any Holden dealer, but I’ve done a little investigating. If VE/VF is ever going to get another US visa, time is of the essence....

Zeta has to be one of the most contentious issues on GMInsidenews.com and most of these discussions are not based on its capability. There are plenty of reviews that talk about the vault like Monocoque construction, composure and road holding that has given many a euro, a sharp jab to the solar plexus. 
The arguments arise from viability based on the G8 and its flawed existence, and, where any other iteration would fit into the tradition values of “New” General Motors surviving brands. I am not going to ramble on about viability issues because no one here is in the position to discuss the logistics implications of a) importing from Australia, or, b) the costs associated with new tooling required for North American manufacture alongside Chevrolet’s prodigal icon and the VE Commodore’s platform sibling, the Fifth Gen Camaro. I did, however, want to see, hear, taste and highlight the merits of the Holden Calais and see if it really does have the right stuff to make it on the other side of the planet.

Read the full article HERE

GMI Review: Holden VE SV6 Ute

June 2010

The right side of my face is stinging. The corresponding hair style mimics that of a cockies crest, normally evident after a late sleep-in and my blood shot eye shares the same redness as my truckies tan acquired just a day ago. And I’ve only made it half way down the range....for the second time today, in tropical rain, windows down immersed in the twin pipe howl of an angry beast. Though the rain has eased somewhat, the endorphins remain, as I dance an intoxicated waltz around Holden's new SV6 Ute. 

I’ve only had the Ute for two days now and already I’m trying to figure out how such a thing could be justified for a married man with two kids. Although I always prefer three pedals over an automatic, I am nonetheless smitten with the last half hour of buffoonery. Wielding the same 3.6 SIDI V6 as the Calais range, the SV6 brings another of my must-haves to the party: a limited slip differential. Recent torrential downpours have rendered the (standard issue with any FE2 commodore) Limited Slip Differential an essential component for this level of haste. Keeping on top of the sportshift auto, the LSD delivers as much power to ground as conditions allow. 

Read the full article HERE

GMI Review: Holden Berlina Sportwagon 3.0 SIDI (Part 2)

Novermber 2009

Getting the Word Out

One of the biggest challenges a company faces, is trying to get the broader public to understand the relevance of a new product. That problem is compounded when the advancement is primarily technical, and the 6L50 six speed auto mated to the 3.0 SIDI (Spark Ignition Direct Injection) driveline certainly qualifies. (For a technical wrap up, read GMI's detailed SIDI Reveal and Drive Coverage from our Oz technical guru, Mark Cadle).At first there were attempts at promoting the Omega sedan's combined ADR (Australian Design Rule) rating of 9.3L/100km [25.3USMPG], but it wasn't long before advertisements started quoting more relevant values of 900km and Sydney to Melbourne on one tank. Even this couldn't convince some people. Here's a sample of folks I talked to during my tenure as Belinda's chaperon, to give you an idea of the uphill battle facing marketing departments. There were...mixed results. 

Read the full article HERE

GMI Review: Holden Berlina Sportwagon 3.0 SIDI (Part 1)

November 2009

Bias. I've got plenty (especially when it comes to wagons). My first memory of watching the road whizz by through the floor of Pa's rusted out HR, comes from the era of milkmen and kerosene heaters, but, it was the HR's successor that really stuck with me. Myself and my two brothers spent many an hour in the back of our family's Renault 12 sedan, heading to the clan's camping spot in Mallacoota, on the eastern tip of Victoria. Between my parents thinly veiled misdirection that it (Mallacoota) was "just over the next hill" and the nervous wait for my older brother's inevitable submission to motion sickness, it is little wonder that I coveted the wide expanses of room in my Pa's HQ Holden Station Wagon. Towing a little fishing boat resplendent in matching burnt orange, for me, the Kingswood became a mythical beast holding unattainable regard (as well as an endless supply of tent pegs, poles, ropes and fishing rods). Everything after is trying to catch up.

 I've had two wagons of my own and have also told white lies to my kids about just how far away our destination is (and paid the price). Interstate road trips, camping, bush tracks, picking up a new born from hospital as well as the mundane (but mostly necessary) day-to-day errands. My wagons and I have done it all. Who better then, to assess if Holden can still deliver on one of the most enduring members of Australia's automotive family?

Read the whole article HERE

Toyota's Global Headache

Feb 2010

We've all heard the news of Toyota's escalating recall crisis. Over 8 million vehicles are now under a cloud, with the potential for many more to follow. The most recent issue is with the 3rd generation Toyota Prius which has been the source of over 100 incidents or complaints to the NHTSA. 

Yesterday, the Japanese government ordered an investigation into braking issues with Toyota's 3rd generation of the worlds most prolific Hybrid Passenger vehicle. Early reports suggest that Prius' have been momentarily ineffectual and Toyota has admitted to know about the issue, as well as the potential fix.

It would appear that, symptomatically, the issue is related to what has been dubbed by some [internet genius] as "Throttlegate". Both the non- hybrid and hybrid vehicles under investigation/recall, are subject to an absence of an automobiles most fundamental safety feature: the ability to stop.

Read the full article HERE

GMI Review: Holden Cruze Turbo Diesel

September 2009

There's that noise again. It's barely there at first, then a stab of the clutch and quick shift on the 5 speed box and here it comes, the frequency rising as I surge up the hill past another caravan. I've been eating the 'kays on one of Queensland's worst stretches of highway for over an hour now but I never get tired of that little turbo whistle. This is the 2009 Holden Cruze Diesel and I think I've found its calling.

Right now is a critical time for General Motors. Never in their history has there been such widespread change. Restructuring of brands, product lines and key management roles, need to coincide with a market that is evolving just as quickly. This is the first global product to come out of a truly global team effort and everyone is watching. Right now, from European winters to blazing Australian summers, the Cruze in all its forms, must deliver and that's no small task.

Read the full artile HERE

Chinacentric Automotive Design

August 2009

What creates an automotive trend? Is it aesthetic appeal? Perhaps it's practicality....I don't think so. While it would be fool hardy to dismiss social conscience, even this latest wave of public pressure will not be the primary influence in the next automotive cultural shift.As always, it is the largest market that determines the trend. For 6 decades, this has been the US market. During the 50's, America was experiencing growth at a level previously unfathomable. Winged beasts of metal and chrome adorned the landscape and driveways across the country, each one a louder patriotic trumpet of national success than the last. The aspirational lifestyle of carefree road trips, wind caressing your wife's beehive, as she smiled across at you in the latest luxury convertible, was reinforced through popular cinema. The fins and wings can be seen in rival markets of the time, as other countries clumsily attempted to portray a vicarious level of success.

Read the full article HERE

The biggest killer on the road....FEAR!

I know my cars. I know that if I have to crash stop in the wagon and there is some loose gravel on the road, I can decrease pressure and reapply it for an even shorter stopping distance. I know how to analyse the Vectra’s weight and momentum should I need to avoid little mister wombat ambling out of the bushes. I know all these things (and various other behavioural traits of my cars) due to one cause: I practise. Nonetheless, this seemingly obvious measure, employed to ensure that I am confident and in control when on the road, is too much of a stretch for politicians and law makers to understand.

Read the full article HERE

American Werewolves in Gympie

Far removed from the cries for sanitised FWD-dom, deep in regional south east Queensland, unwanted US exiles are welcomed with open arms, disembowelled and then reborn for a new life of admiration and worship. Welcome to the Rear Wheel Drive equivalent of Frankenstein’s workshop. Welcome to Performax International.

Read the full article HERE