Holden's last Aussie Commodore to debut next weekend

GM Holden has confirmed it will reveal the final Australian-made Commodore on Sunday, September 13.

The announcement came this morning via a media invitation to attend "a very special event" hosted by GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Bernhard, in Melbourne on the weekend of the Sandown 500 V8 Supercars event.

Bernhard will share his "vision for Holden's" with journalists on the Saturday evening before the upgraded VF Commodore Series II is officially revealed at the company's Port Melbourne headquarters the following day.

"The exciting reveal of Holden's best ever Commodore will be set in a special Commodore Gallery, celebrating 37 years of this iconic vehicle," said Holden.

Holden will not provide further details but motoring.com.au understands the VFII Commodore will be released in October.

Further limited-edition specials are expected over the next two years, but the VFII will be the last homegrown Commodore before production ceases at the end of 2017.

Holden is expected to stockpile large numbers of the most popular VFII models – especially the V8 versions that account for more than 30 per cent of current VF sales – for sale well into 2018.

The same year will see Holden release its first imported Commodore – almost certainly based on the replacement for Germany's front/all-wheel drive, four/six-cylinder Opel Insignia sedan and wagon.

Much has been written about the VF Commodore facelift, which is now confirmed to wear the Series II name and expected to feature a revised front-end design, updated interior and infotainment upgrades.

As we revealed exclusively last October, the biggest change will be reserved for the MY16 Commodore SS, which will upgrade from its existing L98 6.0-litre V8 to an HSV-matching 6.2-litre bent eight.

Since then most media outlets have reported the same story, with one 'exclusively' claiming that the VFII SS's L99 6.2 V8 will deliver 304kW, based on an ADR certification document for the MY15 Caprice, which has since been removed from the federal government's transport department website.

Meantime, other reports insist HSV will upgrade its entire short-wheelbase VFII Commodore-based line-up with a detuned version of the supercharged 6.2-litre V8 in the GTS range-topper.

HSV's current 6.2 LS3 V8 range opens with the 317kW/550Nm ClubSport sedan and Maloo ute, while all other models bar the GTS offer 340kW/570Nm with either six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

Holden's current VF Commodore SS, meanwhile, produces 260kW/517Nm in automatic form, and 270kW/530Nm as a manual.

Apart from a bigger, more powerful V8 – with camshaft phasing as well as Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation and E85 ethanol capability – VFII SS models will finally bring the option of steering wheel shift paddles for automatic models, plus a bimodal exhaust and rear as well as front Bembo brakes, as per the Craig Lowndes limited-edition.