Holden Commodore VFII SS-V Redline Ute 2015 Review

The numbers are astonishing. For $1500 more than the previous Holden Commodore SS-V Redline Ute, the VF Series 2 variant gains 34kW (to 304kW) and 40Nm (to 570Nm) from an additional 0.2 litres of capacity.

Sure, fuel use also rockets up 0.8L/100km to 12.6L/100km on the combined cycle, but this is all in response, Holden says, to 'customer demands'. In other words, if you want economy buy the V6 – the V8 is all about muscle.

There's a touch of nostalgia to that engine output, too – '304' was also the cubic-inch capacity of Holden's last home-grown V8…

Adhering to Euro V emissions requirements, the 6.2-litre 'LS3' is effectively a bored-out version of the 6.0-litre it replaces. There is no longer the active fuel management system that hobbled the previous-generation six-speed automatic to 260kW, so choosing to self-shift no longer presents a power disadvantage.

Despite the LS3's larger capacity, powertrain engineers have raised the rev ceiling to 6600rpm, besting the previous model by 600rpm. Sadly, there was nothing left in the development kitty to update the tachometer, which still 'reds' at 6000…

As impressive as the hardware is the voice Holden engineers have extracted from it; the raucous note puts the previous-gen Redline to shame.

By employing a specifically designed mechanical resonator there's now plenty of induction noise, while the switchable bi-modal exhaust offers an impressive sound range, from just a little louder than previously to around 10dB more in the cabin.

The bi-modal system employs a special rear section design that was invented in-house by David Baillie, a noise and vibration engineer who is sadly no longer with us. His design, known as the 'Baillie tip' (patent pending), provides even more resonance for occupants to enjoy.

Magnifying the new-found grunt – and the voice to go with it – is a shortened final-drive ratio. Pick the auto and the number moves from 2.92:1 to 3.27:1, while the manual shifts from a 3.45:1 final drive to 3.7:1. Numerically higher ratios give sharper acceleration at the expense of fuel consumption, giving more revs for a given speed than previous.

It all adds up to rampant acceleration, with manual variants said to hit 100km/h in a 4.9sec burst, on the way to a stunning 13.0 ET for the traditional quarter mile. The auto isn't disgraced, either, hitting each key marker only 0.1sec adrift of the stick.

Interestingly, the engineers found the combination of a harder-revving engine and shorter final drive meant the shift lights (activated via the g-force meter in the head-up display) had to be recalibrated, as the timing between the red 'shift-up' lights and the engine hitting the limiter was too fine for the gear to be shifted.

In SS-V Redline trim, the Ute also gains a retuned suspension dampers package but misses out on the newly designed roll bar of the sedan. These changes were aimed at increasing ride comfort.

The Redline does gain Brembo brakes to the front and rear (the previous Redline specified front Brembos only) and rides on a new-design 19-inch wheel as standard, although the (optional) Jungle Green metallic example we have at our disposal sits on $1500 optional black forged 20-inch alloys (available only on Redline). Both wheel sizes offer 'split-width' rubber, with 245-sections at the steering end and fat 275-section rear Bridgestones for added traction in the rear.

Stylistically, the changes to VFII centre on the aggressive front-end treatment, and the management of airflow these changes create.

Just like the V8 sedans, the utes gain air-extracting bonnet vents (getting hot air out is vital to maintain the power output) and the grille section is redesigned to increase air intake, while maintaining similar aero properties to its predecessor. The lower fascia ducts effectively split the air around the front wheels and flow it along the body.

Obvious LS3 badging on the front, along with Series 2 rear identifiers, complete the exterior updates.

Fire the new donk and, immediately, you are greeted with a bellow that wouldn't be out of place in an HSV. Slotting into first gear in the six-speed manual reveals a similar, hefty weighting to both clutch pedal and gear shift, both being unchanged from before.

From low in the rev range the 6.2-litre's throttle response, gearing and torque delivery feel far improved over the 6.0-litre it replaces. As spattering rain falls over Holden's Lang Lang test facility, wheelspin is naturally never far away and is exacerbated by the relative lack of weight over the rear rubber.

Turning into an off-camber, narrowing left-hander the ute quickly reveals oversteer as soon as throttle is re-introduced on the slippery surface, offering an opportunity for the stability control systems to come into play.

They quickly rein the tail back in on reduced power. Straighten the wheel for the coming straight and apply throttle once more, that demonic noise again peppering the enclosed cabin. Apparently it sounds even more ferocious from the outside, especially once 4000rpm is breached.

The cabin remains comfortable enough, even if the switchgear and steering wheel now feel their age. Visibility, too, is no improvement over before.

The new damper tune feels, in practice, only marginally more compliant than before, but on the Lang Lang ride and handling circuit, with the added wet-weather kicker, the VFII Redline Ute feels nervous; a fact further highlighted by the serene way in which a Calais V V6 tested in the same conditions handled the same tarmac.

Braking feel and fade resistance both score highly, the engineers saying the upgraded brake package can survive multiple 140km/h-50km/h haul-downs without any real effect:

"It's designed for the race track," is the oft-repeated line.

After this relatively brief introduction, we can tell you that Holden has hit the mark in terms of delivering a final V8 Commodore to remember. It's clear the budget was spent on making it so; not via added refinement, but by exceptionally muscular performance.

2015 Holden Commodore VFII SS-V Redline Ute pricing and specifications:
Price: $50,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 6.2-litre V8 petrol
Output: 304kW/570Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 12.6L/100km (claimed, combined)
CO2: TBA
Safety Rating: Not yet tested