Ucarmagazine

GM Holden is taking the covers off its soon to be released, new light commercial vehicle, the Holden Colorado.

This new powerful light truck promises to deliver high levels of performance and load carrying capability, all with the car-like interior comfort and value for money that Holden is renowned for.

A three tonne braked towing capability** on Turbo Diesel 4×4 variants adds to the Colorado’s rugged appeal.

The Holden Colorado will bring an extensive LCV range to the market, offering consumers a wide choice of body styles, powertrains and specifications to suit all work and recreational applications, catering for both fleet and private customers.

With muscular wheel arches, powerful front end and aggressive side profile, the Colorado’s exterior styling reflects its hardworking credentials.

A new sports variant, the LT-R, will combine a number of sports features to create the toughest Colorado yet. Available in 4×2 or 4×4 variants, featuring sports bars, soft tonneau cover, side steps, front fog lamps, 16 inch alloy wheels and sports interior trim. The LT-R 4×4 also adds Bluetooth® capability for compatible phones and Rear Park Assist.

With a high level of specification, including driver and passenger airbags on the entire range and ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) standard on LT-R and all LX 4×4 variants, the Holden Colorado line-up offers an impressive array of features.

Three engines are available, including a 3.0 litre four-cylinder common rail turbo diesel, which delivers peak torque of 360Nm at 1800rpm and peak power of 120kW at 3600rpm^ (manual transmission). Also available is a 3.6 litre Alloytec V6 petrol engine and a spirited 2.4 litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

GM Holden Marketing Manager, Teresa Basile, said the Holden Colorado is a tough new entry into the LCV market, with the durability, power and features to cover dual purposes of work and recreation.

“The Colorado is built tough with up to three tonnes of towing capability. With over 30 combinations of model, powertrain, cabin, ride height and body style, there’s a Colorado to tackle any job,” Ms Basile said.

“ Colorado is also well equipped, with driver and passenger airbags standard across the range, and ABS with EBD fitted to LT-R and all LX 4×4 variants.

“The Colorado LT-R is the hero of the new range with a long list of features, including sports bars, soft tonneau, side steps and sports interior trim, to appeal to customers looking for the best truck for work and recreation.”

Holden Colorado LCV Replace Rodeo

GM Holden today confirmed a timeframe for ending production of its Family II, four cylinder cast iron engine at Fisherman’s Bend, Melbourne.

GM Holden will continue to build the Family II engine, which has been in continuous production for 27 years, into the final quarter of 2009. The Family II facility, which includes the foundry, will then cease operations. There are 531 people directly employed in Family II production.

Production at the advanced $400 million Global V6 engine facility in Port Melbourne, and at Holden’s vehicle operations in South Australia, will not be impacted by this decision. At the same time, GM Holden also plans to expand its Global V6 engine family by adding a range of fuel-saving and alternative fuel technologies to increase domestic and export sales.

The Family II engine was first produced at Fisherman’s Bend in 1981 and more than four million engines have since been manufactured there. From 2000 onwards, all Family II engines produced by GM Holden have been for export. The engine is currently exported to China, Thailand and Korea.

GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Reuss, said today: “Every product has a lifespan and Family II is an older cast iron engine which has been around now for 27 years. It has served GM well but is now coming to the end of a very long and successful life.

“With reducing customer demand, recent years have seen the Family II plant running at less than 50 per cent capacity.

“Our remaining markets for this engine are all overseas and our export customers have advised us that with newer and more technologically advanced four cylinder engines available within GM, they do not require production from GM Holden beyond the end of 2009.

“Whilst that means we still have orders for the engine for the next 18 months, we had always promised to give our employees as much notice as we could once a decision had been made to end Family II production.

“Going forward, we will be focusing our business efforts on developing new domestic and export opportunities around our advanced Global V6 engine plant particularly in the areas of alternative fuels and fuel-saving technologies.”

GM Holden’s Executive Director of Manufacturing, Rod Keane, said: “Our employees have been aware for some time that this product was reaching the end of its technological life. Even so, this is an extremely difficult announcement to make today as people and their families will be affected.

“Our people have been assured we will be doing everything we can for them to minimise the impact and we’ll investigate every redeployment possibility.

“We have exciting plans for our Global V6 plant and one of our aims will be to grow this part of our business to absorb some of those who might be impacted by this decision.”

GM Holden employs more than 6,500 people of which 3,100 are based in Victoria. The majority of those work in Port Melbourne which is home to GM Holden’s engine operations, design and engineering centres and head office.

History of Family II production in Port Melbourne

The first shipments of Family II four cylinder engines, manufactured at Fisherman’s Bend, were sent to the United Kingdom in 1981.

By 1983, markets also included West Germany, South Africa and New Zealand. Exports to South Korea commenced in 1987 and the one millionth export engine milestone was reached in 1988.

By the time the two millionth export engine was produced in 1994, the facility was servicing a customer base that included South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Germany, India, Egypt, South Africa and the UK.

The three millionth Family II engine was shipped out in 1999, by which time Holden engine and component exports had generated more than $3 billion in export revenue.

In 2003, Holden began exporting advanced Global V6 engines built in our new $400 million engine plant at Fisherman’s Bend.

Recently, Holden invested a further $40 million in expanding production capacity at the V6 plant.

The facility currently exports Global V6 engines to GM and external customers in countries as diverse as China, Thailand, Korea, South Africa, Sweden, Austria, Italy and Germany.

In 2007, Holden’s Engine Operations at Fisherman’s Bend built over 136,000 Family II engines, all for export, and over 132,000 V6 engines of which 38% were for export.

GM Holden introduces the VE Calais V 60th Anniversary Special Edition, with a range of interior and exterior features including an electric sunroof and 19-inch alloy wheels.

“The Calais V 60th Anniversary Special Edition is another example of Holden’s commitment to value with levels of luxury and sophistication set to rival any vehicle in its segment,” said GM Holden’s Director of Marketing, Philip Brook.

“The Calais V 60th Anniversary Special Edition is the perfect vehicle for the individual or family
looking for something extra special, along with the drive capabilities, safety and performance of the award winning VE Commodore.”

In addition to the standard VE Calais V features, the VE Calais V 60th Anniversary Special Edition includes:

19-inch SuperSport Alloy wheels (four)
Onyx / Light Urban interior trim combination
Electric sunroof
Alloy faced pedals
Chrome surround exterior door handles
Silver highlights on leather steering wheel spokes
‘60th anniversary’ floor mats
‘60th anniversary’ rear badge

Available in three metallic colors including Karma (teal), Evoke (dark gray) and Phantom (black) the VE Calais V 60th Anniversary Special Edition is on sale now and priced at $56,790# (V6 automatic) and $61,790# (V8 automatic).

2008 Holden Astra 60th Anniversary
2008 Holden Captiva 60th Anniversary Edition Is Revealed