New Holden Commodore reveal only months away
Paris show debut slated for Opel Insignia, which forms basis of Holden's next big carWe may have only a few months to wait until we see the undisguised shape of the next Holden Commodore.
The latest European reports are predicting a Paris motor show launch for the new Opel Insignia, which is the car the first ever imported Commodore will be based on.
The Paris show kicks off October 1 for the public, which means the Insignia would break cover in late September during the media preview. That’s if Opel doesn’t issue preview imagery and information prior to the show, as car companies so often do these days.
If the prediction by French site largus.fr proves accurate, then the Paris reveal will most likely precede an early 2017 release in Europe with an Australian launch late in 2017 to coincide with the end of production and run-out of the last locally-built Commodore.
While the Commodore will share the same fundamental sheetmetal as the Insignia, it will receive its own local Holden styling details such as badges and grille as well as have some localised tuning of dynamics.
So far we have only seen spy pictures and video that have prompted predictions a vehicle longer, lighter and more svelte in its styling than the current Insignia, which is on sale now in Australia (as an Insignia) in all-wheel drive and turbocharged VXR form. A five-door and a station wagon are the body styles expected.
In the US, the new Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse have also been launched on the same E2XX architecture that will underpin Insignia and Commodore and that has also given us a hint of what to expect.
Key attributes of E2XX are a wheelbase 90-100mm longer than the Epsilon II platform underpinning the current Insignia, as well as kerb weight cuts beyond 100kg. Overall length will be up about 380mm, bringing the new car closer to the current VF II Commodore.
Apart from the prediction of the Paris debut, the L’argus story mainly covers known ground, predicting a styling language for the Insignia inspired by the Monza concept, as well as the latest Astra K.
New technology that is rolling out with the Astra such as LED matrix headlights and OnStar in-car connectivity are expected to feature in Insignia and Commodore.
The Insignia will also include the latest 1.6-litre bi-turbo turbo-diesel expected to launch first with Astra. Four-cylinder and V6 turbo-petrol engines are also expected to be part of the range.
The premier sports model, which in Australia is expected to be badged as the Commodore SS, will come with a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine and all-wheel drive.
L’argus also reports a plug-in hybrid is not part of the Insignia model inventory, as this technology has been reserved for dedicated green models.
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