VE Launch - LIVE STREAM - Sunday 16th July @ 10.30am

[gs1973]

Originally Posted by superroo

Here are some photo's that i took at the ve launch today. I was able to attend because my brother works at holden.
The quality of the photo's are not the best, but thats due to them being taken with a camera phone

Here the link to the photo album there in

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Notice that i was able to get some under car shots, at an attempt to see the running gear.

Cheers

Hooray, it's took Holden 18 years to design a car where the back door doesn't open into the wheelarch...Evolving from looking like its been cut out with a gas axe (vn) to the latest model that now has back door-wheel arch that looks like a Camry..ha;ha.It won't matter if they put a live axle and red motor back in the things, the sheep will still buy them.

[McobraR]

Originally Posted by SlickHolden

Yeah yeah yeah, And The BF Ghia stole the Fog lights from Holden and the tear drops to:P
It never ends;)

lol i agree. But the thing is the overall look of the BA/BF falcon didnt look anything like the commodore. The VE calais tho, looks VERY similar to the BA. In the end, that'll mean ford lovers who like the falcon design will consider the VE since it looks very similar to it ;)

[buickman]

Originally Posted by fmc351

Boot looks smaller than the astra

.

I thought that the rear looks unusual but otherwise it looks fine.

[XR Martin]

Better pics here

http://home.iprimus.com.au/mikes_tur...webpage/VE.htm

20in optional wheels is crazy, what is HSV going to offer? 22in spinners?

[RPO83]

Overall its an adequate replacement but for a clean sheet design it has some unflattering characteristics.

[Full Spectrum]

Originally Posted by McobraR

lol i agree. But the thing is the overall look of the BA/BF falcon didnt look anything like the commodore. The VE calais tho, looks VERY similar to the BA. In the end, that'll mean ford lovers who like the falcon design will consider the VE since it looks very similar to it ;)

I think the VY's have been forgotten in this one. Epically the VYII Calais front.

[Full Spectrum]

Originally Posted by gs1973

Hooray, it's took Holden 18 years to design a car where the back door doesn't open into the wheelarch...Evolving from looking like its been cut out with a gas axe (vn) to the latest model that now has back door-wheel arch that looks like a Camry..ha;ha.It won't matter if they put a live axle and red motor back in the things, the sheep will still buy them.

There is nothing wrong with the rear door arch.

[CSV_LS1]

I think this what we will be seeing in the future. The wheel and tyre is still within the standard rolling diameter.

[SpoolMan]

looks like a Holden vectra

[Full Spectrum]

They look pretty good lower it gives them a different look. Yeah i like that but OMG it will take 21" maybe to make them look that big or big at all
Looks real good.

[Full Spectrum]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

looks like a Holden vectra

You mean this one?

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by SlickHolden

You mean this one?

yes side on shots looks like the German Opel.

[Full Spectrum]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

yes side on shots looks like the German Opel.

I can't really see it? they don't seem to sit the same different stance?.

[blackahcdx]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

looks like a Holden vectra

HEAVEN FORBID!!!!

[TheSneakiness]

Was showing this to my Holden loving mates at work, and we all agreed that there is a bit of that Torana concept they did a while back, and also that there's some BA Falcon-ness to it (headlights) and Mitsubishi 380 rear end to it.

I actually don't mind it. Looks good.

[Fordoldie]

Originally Posted by sfr rob

it looks ok i guess.....no where near as tough as the current performance models though.
Just wait till the 310kw hsv's come rolling out, then there will be something worth talking about i reckon!

Are they really 310? I thought 320kw as has been mentioned.

Some of the comments here a very childish BTW, I'm surprised aussies dont back their own manufacturers more regardless of brand or having favourites.

Overall the cars look very nice, will want to see in the flesh though.

[EA2BA]

Best I can tell the VE 6 cylinder, now weighs about as much as the BF and only just has as much power as the BF, and makes less torque and peak power is higher up the rpm range.

All in all its not a $1billion leap forward in technology you would expect for 5 years of effort in my opinion, they may have finally left the VN body shell behind, but they have not taken the steps forward to beat the BF, let alone the Orion will be something to behold when its released, which will make the Holden once again look like a poor mans choice of car.

[martO]

When you look at the photochops that CSV_LS1 just did and go through other shots it appears that the SS and Calais both use different tail lights. Not just different lenses but actual different tail lights, they are different sizes. I thought that was interesting so for the aftermarket if u wanted SS tail lamps you would need to change your rear bumper aswell. Overall I think its a nice car and will definately sell well !

Can't wait to see fords reply !

[naxh96]

i might be wrong but is that SS badge a metal chrome version of the VT SS sticker? can't wait to see what the ute looks like, is it going to have a high rear end as well? its styling is probably going to have nowhere near the synergy that fords have. good luck to holden, they've always needed it

[bathurst77]

I think after seeing the pix, Ford fans are breathing easier.
Yeh its nice enough, from some angles its a bit clunky, form others its sweet, but its nothing earthshattering. Ithink a lot of us were expecting a really stunning looking car that would make the BA look like it was 50 years old, but that hasnt happened.

Kinda looks like a BA front, Camry doors, 380 wedge and 380 back.

Holden fans will love it, it wont scare off anyone like the AU did, it looks new but its not going to drive people wild with want and desire.

I think the VT was considered a head turner when it came out, especially against the aging EL and radical but unaccepted AU-MKI Forte and Futuras. BA was also a beautiful car at launch that really turned heads both inside and out.

This is more "a pleasant design". i suppose in some trims and varients it will look great.
ANd they are still stuck with that crappy 180Kw V6/4speed auto combi for the volume models.

[blackahcdx]

These videos show the Value of ESP

Omega with ESP OFF

http://www.excelerate.com.au/downloa...ogram_0002.mpg

Omega with ESP ON

http://www.excelerate.com.au/downloa...ogram_0001.mpg


So this is where the Torana concept car dash ended up?

http://www.excelerate.com.au/downloa...Tests_0005.mpg


in this one u can hear the V8

http://www.excelerate.com.au/downloa...ration_001.mpg

[Bossxr8]

How Holden are going to make back the billion dollar investment is beyond me. They would be really worried, Denny Mooney has already said in the Herald Sun he has trouble sleeping at night with oil prices the way they are because they spent so much money on making the VE that they would have to sell extrememly high volumes to get the development dollars back. Now that the car has been released, doesn't look as good as what people were expecting, fuel economy will be worse and prices will be a few grand more expensive, they will really be worried. They were expecting to sell VT volumes when they were in the planning stages when petrol was cheap. Its the wrong car at the wrong time.

[Boss 290]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Better pics here

http://home.iprimus.com.au/mikes_tur...webpage/VE.htm

20in optional wheels is crazy, what is HSV going to offer? 22in spinners?

lol so true mate

[Dave_au]

Looks good, they'll sell well and re-invigorate the large car segment.

[davocol]

Photos of both the berlina and omega were available this morning on the holden site, there were also photos of a black ss which have since been taken down. I managed to grab a few before they were removed, the omega interior does not look to bad and it appears it has an mp3 player with a browse button and a scroll text button visible. The dash is still green grrr however it looks much better than its predecessor. I have the photos but have no where to host them.

[Mark351]

Comment from a non-car-nut at work this morning.

"That new Commodore, it looks like the current Falcon doesn't it?"

[SirLegend]

The Leasing companies are already on the publicity blandwagon - dont know why seeing as the models shown so far would make up a miniscule fraction of total fleet car sales, but i guess they have to get excited about something seeing as it's unlikely to be price/performance or fuel economy.

Personally- although i like the look of these i want to see what the fleet hack looks/performs like, as unless i get a major promotion, that will be what i'm having to compare against the BF/380 when my current car comes up for renewal. Given that it's still got the P.O.S 4 speeder & wheezy v6 though i think i may be staying blue for the next update.

Anyway - have a few additional photo's i havnt seen elsewhere yet .I see the battery has moved in behind the LH rear 1/4. Also the photo "SSV7" yikes - thats a lotta grey!!!!

Anyway - enjoy.

[4Vman]

I hope this hasnt been covered already but i found this statement interesting:

Mr Mooney said fleet customers, who account for three-quarters of Commodore sales, were excited about the VE,

That means only 25% of Commodore sales go to private buyers....
Given the competitveness of fleet pricing its little wonder Holden are struggling to make $$.

[Sloth]

The headlights actually look very similar to the ones on the Captiva:

[JPFS1]

ok, i've looked at many pics and read all the threads relating to the VE. I've spent a bit of time absorbing the whole thing and this is my view on it...

From a visual point of view i am very disappointed that Holden didn't push the design envelope and come up with something more interesting, unique and innovative. Having claimed that they had a clean sheet to work with, this was their maiden opportunity to do so. Ford tried this with the AU and obviously got it wrong, but alot would have been learned from this and i'm sure manufacturer's couldn't stuff it up like that anymore.

I'm disappointed that after 1 billion dollars, Holden were only able to come up with a blend of Falcon in the front (great compliment to Ford), 380/Audi in the rear and Camry in the side. The flared guard design hasn't been excecuted that well imo either. The LWB models are a mash of themes also, Lexus in the front and very American in the rear. I don't like it. What i do like however is the design detail within the headlight/tail light assemblies. Something Ford could do with to modernise their look.

So in summary regarding styling, on-par with what's here already and not what it should have been.

The greatest improvement from what we've seen so far are the interiors, and i think they have done a reasonable job. Don't like the SS interior though (except the instrument cluster, they look quite cool) especially the grey tones. I much prefer the design theme in the Calais. The LWB instrument cluster is nice, but i don't think the HVAC/audio stack is as nice as the Calais design.

The chassis/suspension work, although said to be a huge improvement by Paul Gover, (yeah i'll wait for a drive myself thanks) is yet to be proven and is not by anymeans gauranteed to outdo the BF.

Mechanically, i can't believe they've they still have the 4spder.. that's terrible, and the base v6 with only 180kw and 330nm will more than likely struggle to make the VE feel lively.

IMO, Ford will not find it difficult to match the VE, they may need to tweak a thing or two here and there and adjust equipment levels, but boy, they are going to have a huge advantage now to trump commodore well at truly with Orion.