VF COMMODORE: Mission accomplished

Holden’s new VF Commodore is good – we know, we’ve driven it! It is the result of a program that was tightly funded and in many ways yields a result that is larger than the sum total of its parts.

When the engineers at Holden sat down in 2009 and finalised the key gains they wanted to make for the VF Commodore they came up with the following list:?
>> Make it better to drive than VE
>> Make it more fuel-efficient?
>> Make it safer?
>> Make it cheaper and easier to live with

More than three years later, the details of how they went about attempting that are impressive: 160 prototype vehicles (including 48 for crash testing), 1.1 million kilometres and a test program that took in General Motors sites from India to Alaska – as well as Australia.

The one number the engineers won’t reveal is how much the range cost to develop, which is a point in itself as Holden elected to develop the sedan, wagon ute and long-wheelbase in one program rather than stagger it out over an extended timeframe as in the past.

One thing VF is not, is all-new. The Global Financial Crisis, parent General Motors’ bankruptcy and the shrinkage of the local large car market meant it had to be limited to a substantial update. So the Zeta architecture and the basic body structure is familiar from VE. Apart from new front and rear styling, there are many smaller changes that combine to produce a significantly modified car.

At its core VF is lighter. No less than 73kg was stripped out, including 12.5kg from the body in white and 10.5kg via an aluminium bonnet and decklid. However, some equipment and features were added back in, so the net saving for the new base model Evoke was 43kg.

For other models the weight saving varies but no VF variant does better than the Evoke.

That diet – assisted by 10 per cent better aerodynamics - translates into improved fuel economy figures, reduced by as much as six per cent for the Evoke, at 8.3L/100km. All models across the range now drink less, but the improvement varies and is as little as one per cent.

The introduction of electric-assist power steering helped with fuel consumption and Holden’s chassis gurus are also acclaiming it as a key part of the VF’s improved driving behaviour compared to VE. They have also uprated the base brake package, which provides both driving and safety benefits.

Electrics are also a big part of the VF story because of the introduction of a new electrical architecture that plugs the Commodore in globally. As a result, there a huge range of new safety and comfort features now available to Holden, many of which have been made standard cross the range.

The VF is also a quieter drive, following significant efforts to reduce noise, vibration and harshness, especially by isolating the engine bay better from the cabin, and there’s also extra noise deadening material in the firewall and wheel housings.

One area that doesn’t change much – at least for now – is powertrains. The 3.0-litre V6 in the Evoke has actually slipped back slightly in peak power output because of the swap from dual to single exhaust, although it offers more torque at low revs.

Links to motoring.com.au’s VF Commodore news

>> Steering a new path: EPAS is the headline item but VF’s chassis represents significant change
>> Aero Dynamic: Pedestrian safety and aerodynamics have shaped VF
>> Inside Job: Fewer parts and better materials drive VF Commodore’s interior upgrade
>> Large car future proofed: VF’s new electrical platform plays a vital role
>> Power games: Carry over powertrains don’t detract from VF story
>> Getting connected: VF delivers impressive connectivity
>> Safely integrated: No US-spec kneebag but Holden says VF is safer

>> First Drive -- VF Commodore SS
>> First Drive -- VF Commodore Evoke
>> First Drive -- VF Commodore Calais V
>> First Drive -- VF Commodore SV6 Ute
>> Along for the ride: In a very small way motoring.com.au played its part in the VF