Holden hides its green light under a bushel

In Holden's words, it's "the most important change in the history of Commodore". Yet, save for a new insignia and couple of minor front and rear end details, series two of Holden's VE Commodore and its long-wheelbase WM Statesman/Caprice siblings are virtually indistinguishable from their predecessors.

The grabber for Holden's MY10 VE/WM range lies in a major overhaul under the bonnet, with the addition of two new high-pressure direct-injected engines and a new six-speed auto gearbox generating fuel economy improvements between seven and 13 per cent and emission reductions in the order of 12 to 14 per cent.

The initial evidence of something new lies in the badgework. "SIDI" stands for Spark Ignition Direct Injection, and according to Holden it gives the Aussie six new relevance in an indifferent market with unprecedented fuel efficiency and atmo-friendliness for an engine of its type. It also hails an important shift to mass-market accessibility for an engine technology hitherto reserved for the likes of upmarket Germans and Lexus.

Holden claims the 3.0 litre engine's 9.3 litre figure would realise fuel cost reductions of around $325 in a 20,000-kilometre year at current 91RON prices.

Along with the engines, the company attributes much of the improvement to the new six-speed auto transmission, with its steep first gear and spring-damped torque converter cutting jerk and maintaining momentum during foot-off driving. It's helped by a raft of sharply focused improvements elsewhere, such as low rolling resistance tyres and improved fuel cutoff during deceleration.

So what gives with putting all this smart new tech in a three year-old body?

It's the new GM, stupid. And that includes a Holden with no time for frockwork, says marketing director Philip Brook. "It's about speed to market -- getting it out there fast. We just had to get it out there as soon as we got our hands on the engine technology. Exterior changes take time we just don't have, simple as that."

Brook says those changes will come, but won't be drawn further on the matter. Perhaps we'll see that in 2010, with another important shift in engine technology, when Holden introduces E85 flexfuel technology across its entire range.

Product planning head Peter Keley adds that introducing important drivetrain changes under existing skin sends a useful message about where Holden's priorities lie at this fraught point in GM's history. "It shows good faith in the way we're using the money we have -- necessities over luxuries."

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