Holden Commodore VFII SS-V Redline 2015 Review

The last locally developed and built Holden Commodore is here and appropriately enough, the car in the VFII range that’s had the most attention is the performance flagship, the sensational LS3 V8 SSV Redline.

For the final hurrah Holden has gone all out, packing the 6.2-litre engine previously reserved for HSV models, the Chevrolet Corvette and US versions of the Commodore sold as the Pontiac G8 and then the Chevy SS.

With 304kW and 570 Nm, combined with shorter final drive gearing and the ability to rev harder, the Redline booms from 0-100km/h in just 4.9sec as a six-speed manual and across the 400 metre sprint in as little as 13sec!

And you can really feel that extra urge compared to the old car. The Redline leaps forward when you press the throttle, whereas the old 6.0-litre Gen IV V8 took a moment or two to get rolling.

One area where the old engine outdoes the new is fuel consumption, which has inched up for VFII. The swap to LS3 means the old AFM (Active Fuel Management) cylinder deactivation function available with the auto has been ditched.

Apart from some new badges, wheels and clear lens tail-lights shared with other V Series VFII cars, the giveaways that this is the latest and greatest Commodore V8 are the heat-expelling bonnet vents, the new-look fascia, the bigger lower grille (that feeds more air into the engine bay) and the side inlets that cool the front brakes and negate the bluffer front-end’s aero penalty.

Holden has put a lot of effort into making the engine sound special. A crackling bi-modal exhaust is a key part of obtaining a really chunky soundtrack when the taps are opened, while a sound tube pipes the induction note into the cockpit in front of the driver. Cabin noise has increased up to 10 decibels from VF to VFII Redine.

The bi-modal design means the car, albeit louder than before, is still pretty quiet when cruising. The tunes that are delivered will please the faithful.

Beyond the engine bay, Holden has also done further work on the Redline’s unique FE3 suspension tune to cope with the extra grunt, as well as uprated rear Brembo brakes to help bring this missile to a stop time and again.

Going to fixed caliper four-piston rear Brembos has also enabled Holden to move the rear stabiliser bar mount 250mm outboard and reduce its diameter. Combined with a reduction in rear spring rate and retuned dampers Holden is claiming better ride with no reduction in handling quality.

There’s no doubting all this combines into a great sports sedan with a momentous power delivery and a hugely enjoyable rear-wheel-drive chassis that allows you to exploit it to the max.

On a drying Lang Lang ride and handling circuit the Redline was both potent and predictable, able to leap up to ridiculous speeds on a short straight and haul down just as effectively thanks to the Brembos.

Rolling on staggered Bridgestone 19-inch rubber (20s are optional), the handling of the car remains elite, although it will take a proper drive beyond Holden’s proving ground to establish whether ride is improved.

The electric assist power steering remains unchanged, which means delicately and positively tuned. The car’s electronic chassis assistance can be dialed up or down depending on your mood and the (sideways) attitude you want to gain from the balanced rear-wheel drive chassis.

Inside, nothing has changed, and that’s no surprise or necessarily bad thing considering the improvement to dash design and materials quality that came with VF in 2013. Of course, cabin space remains a Commodore feature.

And all for as little as $53,990 for the six-speed manual (a rise of $1500) and $56,190 for the six-speed auto, it is also a performance bargain of epic proportions. The only car that comes close for performance and pricing (unsurprisingly) is the supercharged Ford Falcon XR8.

We have got just two years left to enjoy the locally developed and built Holden Commodore before it is retired and replaced by an import. Make the most of it, especially of this SSV Redline, because it is a great car.

2016 Holden Commodore VFII SSV Redline pricing and specifications:
Price: $53,990/$56,190 (auto)
Engines: 6.2-litre V8 petrol
Outputs: 304kW/570Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual/Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.6L/100km/12.9L/100km
CO2: 293g/km/300g/km
Safety Rating: TBA