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Aussies can't get enough V8s (Drive Column 2013.07.19)
uniacidz - 11:54am, 20/07/13 - News/Updates
V8-powered Commodore exceeds expectations, triggering three-month waiting list.
Demand for V8 models of Holden�s latest Commodore has outstripped supply during the first full month of sales in Australia.
V8-powered variants are making up nearly 40 per cent of orders for the make-or-break new model, well up on the 25 per cent for the outgoing VE Commodore.
It continues a long-running trend of V8s making up more of the model mix for the Commodore, which has seen sales plummet over the last decade as fleets and families shift to smaller cars and SUVs.
V8-powered cars were once a niche within the Commodore lineup but have now become a core part of the locally-produced large car's business, reaffirming Australians' love affair with performance cars.
Advertisement Prospective buyers of the VF, which went on sale at the beginning of June, will now have to wait at least three months for top-of-the-line SS-V Redline and Calais V V8 models. The company says it has a backlog of more than 1000 cars to fill during that period.
Holden pushed only 2144 Commodores out the door during the month of June but marketing manager Kristian Aquilina said that wasn�t a true reflection of the car�s sales volumes.
�We really were only in a position to start volume sales of the car in the last week of June,� Aquilina explained.
�It�s been a great response from the public and from buyers. We�ve built up quite an order bank and in fact, in the coming months, the volume that we will show in our sales won�t be necessarily of demand, but more of a reflection of supply and our ability to build cars and distribute them as quickly as customers want them.�
Despite the supply setbacks, Holden is hopeful of securing at least 3000 Commodore sales for the month of July � a level not seen for over 12 months.
Holden has triggered an influx of new and returning Commodore buyers through an aggressive pricing strategy which has seen some models slashed by nearly $10,000.
The renewed demand flies in the face of bullish predictions Holden�s V8 engine had lost its appeal in the Australian performance market. Manufacturers including Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Range Rover are beginning to opt for smaller capacity turbocharged engines over larger naturally-aspirated versions � leading to power and economy gains � but Holden reaffirmed this week it was committed to using a 270kW/530Nm 6.0-litre V8.
Paving the way in strengthened V8 demand is the all-new SS-V Redline model, which attracts a $6000 premium over SS-V variants and comes with bigger Brembo brakes, wider rear tyres, forged 19-inch wheels, stiffer track-tuned suspension, revised steering and a new competition mode which includes launch control on manual variants.
�Redline accounted for 25 to 30 per cent of our VE SS-V sales, it�s more than 50 per cent of [V8] sales on our order bank for VF,� Aqualina revealed.
Holden dynamics engineer Rob Trubiani told Drive it was hard to envisage any more areas of dynamic improvement in the latest model.
�Not really, not at the moment,� he said.
�VF is definitely by far the best Commodore we�ve done, especially in terms of its on-road performance. We�ve really pushed the boundaries.�
Trubiani oversaw the development of the newest model and recently piloted a VF Redline ute around the Nurburgring circuit in Germany in record time.
�Obviously with all the comp mode stuff you get different stability control tuning and you get a different steering car, but in its normal start-up mode the steering response is fast, the tyres are ultra high performance and they�ve got high grip,� he said of the Redline�s advantages over regular SS models.
�The car feels more agile, the car�s got a nice refined feel and although it�s tied down, it�s still got quite a refined damped feel to it. It�s also heaps flatter than any other car we�ve made.�
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