The profile of the Brisbane Motor Show will take a lift this week as home-grown hero brand Holden uses the Queensland show to debut its new midsizer, Epica.
Due to go on sale in April, the Korean-sourced four-door front-wheel drive sedan will be pitched against the likes of Camry, Accord and the rest of the medium car sales leaders. Unlike the segment stereotype, however, the Holden arrives with six-cylinder engines.
Indeed, the Epica will be available only in six-cylinder form at launch though a four-cylinder turbodiesel is tipped to follow down the line. Two variants will be offered -- CDX and CDXi with a choice of 105kW/195Nm 2.0 or 115kW/237Nm 2.5-litre 24-valve DOHC inline sixes matched to five-speed manual and automatic transmissions.
Holden is playing up the "extremely refined drive" the transverse six delivers in comparison to four-cylinder cars. The carmaker is also pointing out from day one that the cars' fuel economy is "comparable to a four-cylinder car."
Epica's official ADR fuel economy number is 8.2lt/100km for the 2.0-litre manual variant and 9.3lt/100km for the 2.5-litre automatic. This compares to 8.9 (manual) and 9.9lt/100km (auto) official figures for Toyota's 2.4-litre Camry.
"Epica's inline six-cylinder engine delivers a very refined and smooth ride and returns better fuel economy than some of the four-cylinder rivals in the mid-size sedan segment," Holden Boss Denny Mooney said of the car.
"It has generous interior space, excellent standard specifications and stylish fit and finish. We believe Epica will suit the value end of the mid-size sedan segment but will also be a great alternative to vehicles right throughout that segment," Mooney opined.
The vehicle is produced in GM-Daewoo's Bupyong plant in South Korea. That said, according to Holden, the Epica has benefited from significant suspension tuning from Holden's own engineers.
Already onsale in Europe wearing Chevrolet badges, Epica has been praised for its refinement and finish but not its dynamics. The car has been criticised for a floaty ride, average feedback and less than responsive handling in UK testing. Let's hope Holden is true to its word regarding the local version's Lang Lang fettling.
The Epica model line up at launch will comprise three models:
- CDX – 2.0-litre, manual transmission only
- CDX – 2.5-litre, auto only
- CDXi – 2.5-litre, auto only
The standard CDX manifest includes cloth trim, 16-inch alloy wheels (15-inch steel spare), ABS, traction control, aircon, cruise, power windows, six-speaker MP3-compatible CD audio system (MP3 compatible) and front and side driver and front passenger airbags.
The CDXi (pictured) adds bigger wheels (17s) and a sports body kit with front fogs. Aircon is upgraded to climate control style and side curtain airbags and an upgraded audio system are also included. ESP is not on the specification list.
An interior upgrade package (read: leather upholstery, also pictured) will also be offered for the CDXi.
Holden is expected to release pricing for the new Epica at its Brisbane unveiling on Friday. We're betting on a sub-$25,000 (just) starting price for the CDX, with the CDXi demanding a $5000-plus premium.
As they say in the classics, watch this space…
The Brisbane Motor Show is held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Southbank, from February 2 - 11. This year's event features the carsales.com.au Aftermarket Alley, offering visitors a range of motoring services, accessories and parts for your car from several supplier stands at the show. Visit www.brisbanemotorshow.com.au for details.