148-579: The Opel Senator is a full-size executive car ( E-segment ) produced by the German automaker Opel , two generations of which were sold in Europe from 1978 until 1993. A saloon , its first incarnation was also available with a fastback coupé body as the Opel Monza and Vauxhall Royale Coupé . The Senator was, for its entire existence, the flagship saloon model for both Opel and Vauxhall. Through
296-515: A four-cylinder variant was spawned in June 1980. Displacing 1.9-litres, this powerplant known as Starfire was effectively Holden's existing straight-six with two cylinders removed. The four's peak power output of 58 kW (78 hp) and torque rated at 140 N⋅m (103 ft⋅lbf) meant its performance was compromised. Reports indicate that the need to push the engine hard to extract performance led to real-world fuel consumption similar to
444-543: A utility variant, given the model designation VG. This was built on a longer- wheelbase platform that it shared with the station wagon and luxury VQ Statesman sedans released earlier in the year. During this time, the rival Ford EA Falcon was plagued with initial quality issues which tarnished its reputation. Buyers embraced the VN Commodore, helping Holden to recover and post an operating profit of A$ 157.3 million for 1989. The team at Wheels magazine awarded
592-429: A "Sydney 2000" Olympic version and Holden 50th Anniversary based on better equipped Executive models (e.g. Berlina alloy wheels on the former but no climate control). The VX update from 2000 featured a revised headlamp design. The VT's rear tail lamp panel was replaced by two separate light assemblies. Conversely, the luxury-oriented Berlina and Calais sedans continued using a full-width boot -lid panel incorporating
740-735: A "better than average" level of safety protection . Holden issued a Series II revision in September 1994 bringing audible warning chimes for the handbrake and fuel level among other changes. The latest revision of the Buick 3.8-litre V6 engine was fitted to the VR Commodore, featuring rolling-element bearings in the valve rocker arms and increased compression ratios. These changes combined to deliver an increase in power to 130 kW (174 hp) and further improvement in noise, vibration, and harshness levels. Wheels magazine awarded
888-490: A "better than average" level of occupant protection in the event of an accident , with VY/VZ models uprated to "significantly better than average". ANCAP crash test results rate the fourth generation VE lower in the offset frontal impact test than the third generation VY/VZ Commodore. The overall crash score was marginally higher than the outgoing model due to improved side impact protection. Launched in 2006 after GM's 2003 abandonment of their last European rear-drive sedan,
1036-561: A European organization founded to test car safety. The term was coined in the 1960s to describe cars targeted at successful professionals and middle-to-senior managers. It was used by businesses as an incentive for employees in senior roles and to exploit Britain and Europe's tax schemes as a company owned vehicle. Early executive cars typically offered engines with displacements of 2.0–3.5 L (122–214 cu in), compared with 1.6–2.4 L (98–146 cu in) for an equivalent sized—but less luxurious—"large family car". Prior to
1184-741: A base, SL, and SL/E. Desperate measures forced Holden to shape the Commodore front-end to the rear of the Rekord wagon. As the wagon-specific sheet metal had to be imported from Germany, the wagon, introduced in July 1979, suffered from inevitable component differences from the sedan. Although infrequently criticised in the early years, quality problems were evident, with poor trim and panel fit problematic for all first generation Commodores. This coupled with mechanical dilemmas such as water pump failure and steering rack rattle ensured warranty claims were high in
1332-509: A colour-coded grille for the Executive and alloy wheels for the Commodore S. Toyota's pattern of updating their Lexcen model tended to follow Commodore's model cycle. The T2 (VP) Lexcen from 1991 pioneered new specification designations: CSi, VXi and Newport. All future updates (T3 (VR), T4 (VS) and T5 (VS II) Lexcens) made use of the new naming system until 1997, when the badge engineering scheme ceased. To give further differentiation to
1480-562: A donor platform. The proposal was to take the Opel Omega B and broaden the vehicle's width and mechanical setup for local conditions . In the early days, Holden considered adopting the Omega as is, save for the engines and transmissions, and even investigated reskinning the existing VR/VS architecture. Later on, the VT bodywork spawned a new generation of Statesman and Caprice (again based on
1628-499: A driver's airbag and cruise control , these features were packaged into a new Acclaim specification level: a family-oriented safety spec above the entry-level Executive. Holden's strong focus on safety can be seen in the Used Car Safety Ratings. The findings show that in an accident , VN/VP Commodores provide a "worse than average" level of occupant protection. However, the updated VR/VS models were found to provide
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#17327915325301776-654: A final batch of around 200 Vauxhall Senators in 1993 for diplomatic and policing use prior to moving over to the Vauxhall Omega. Executive car Executive car is a British term for a large car, and is considered equivalent to the European E-segment and American full-size classifications. Executive cars are larger than compact executive cars (and the non-luxury equivalent mid-size cars ), but smaller than luxury saloons / full-size luxury sedans . The term has also been adopted by Euro NCAP ,
1924-641: A joint model programme executed by GM in the 1970s to develop a common series of vehicle platforms for both its European brands (and also for the Holden brand in Australia). The first two product families of this strategy - the T-Car ( Kadett C / Chevette ) and the U-Car (Ascona B/Manta B/Cavalier) had already been released. The V-Car (or V78 ) platform would simultaneously provide the next-generation Opel Rekord ,
2072-476: A longer, yet wider look. At the rear, sedans featured redesigned tail light clusters, the design of which borrowed from Mercedes-Benz models of the day, using a louvered design. At the same time, the nomenclature of the range was rationalised. The SL superseded the L as the base model, with the old SL level becoming the mid-range SL/X, and the SL/E remaining as the top-of-the-line variant. Wagons were restricted to
2220-463: A luxury car, there were many options, but much was also standard. Options included leather seats, heated seats both front and rear, and electronic air conditioning including refrigerator in the glove box. LCD instrumentation was also an option. Digital electronic power steering ZF-Servotronic, the same as in the BMW 7 Series , was standard, as was a new front axle design which allowed the axle to slide under
2368-542: A new WA Kingswood , but that project was abandoned. With no replacement in development, Holden looked to Opel to provide the design foundations of the VB, basing it on the four-cylinder Rekord E body shell, with the front grafted on from the Opel Senator A , both constructed using GM's V-body platform . This change was necessitated to accommodate the larger Holden six- and eight-cylinder engines . Holden also adopted
2516-558: A new SV8 specification level. Based on the entry-level Executive, the SV8 inherited the V8 mechanical package from the SS but made do without the luxury appointments and was sold at a correspondingly lower price. Holden also experimented by releasing a limited edition wagon version of its high-performance SS variant, of which only 850 were built. The Series II update added a front strut bar as standard to
2664-459: A new five-speed manual transmission , optional on the 1.9-litre four-cylinder and 2.85-litre six-cylinder versions. In an attempt to improve sales figures of the inline-four engine , Holden spent considerable time improving its performance and efficiency. Modifications were also made to the 2.85-litre six to lift economy, and the powerplants managed to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 12.5 and 14 percent, correspondingly. Holden released
2812-480: A power boost to 165 kW (221 hp) courtesy of multi-point fuel injection . Although not known for its refinement, the new V6 was nevertheless praised for its performance and fuel efficiency at the time. The 2.0-litre Family II engine offered in New Zealand was also offered in some other export markets including Singapore where the model also was badged Berlina. Accompanying the changes to engines,
2960-702: A replacement for the Vauxhall FE Victor , and a 'stretch' version to replace the unsuccessful 'KAD' cars, and act as a flagship for both Opel and Vauxhall. The Senator therefore emerged as a long wheelbase version of the Opel Rekord E , complemented by a three-door fastback coupé version on the same platform called the Opel Monza , which was planned as a successor for the Opel Commodore coupé. The Senator A and Monza were initially sold in
3108-560: A thing of the past, Holden decided to drop the 2.85- six and 4.2-litre V8, while the 1.9-litre four-cylinder was limited to New Zealand. Marking a high point in terms of sales, the last-of-the-series VL Commodore sold in record numbers, finally managing to outsell the Ford Falcon in the private sector. The 1986 VL represented a substantial makeover of the VK and would be the last of the mid-size Commodores for 30 years. Designers distanced
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#17327915325303256-490: A twelve percent improvement over the turbodiesel. Like the other Rekord and Senator diesels it had a pronounced bulge in the bonnet. The Comprex offered marginally higher power than the turbodiesel, but more importantly, 90 percent of the maximum torque was available from 1300 rpm. From September 1985 until the end of production in the end of summer 1986, a catalyzed version of the 3.0E was available, with power down to 156 PS (115 kW). A four-wheel drive conversion
3404-549: Is " Obere Mittelklasse " (lit. upper-middle class) as defined by the German federal authorities. Luxury cars larger than this are referred to as Oberklasse ("upper class"). Mercedes-Benz has produced large luxury cars since the early 1900s. Following World War II, Mercedes Benz's first all-new models were the Mercedes-Benz W120 executive cars. This lineage continues through to the present and has been marketed as
3552-631: The Red units fitted to the VB and earlier cars. Changes included a new twelve-port cylinder head , redesigned combustion chambers , inlet and exhaust manifolds , a new two-barrel carburettor . Tweaks and changes to the V8s surrounded the implementation of electronic ignition, revised cylinder head and inlet manifold design and the fitment of a four-barrel carburettor on the 4.2-litre variant. These changes brought improved efficiency, increased outputs and aided driveability. In response to increasing oil prices ,
3700-517: The 1979 energy crisis saw Australian oil prices rise by 140 percent, putting substantial strain on the automotive industry to collectively downsize, a change that Holden had already done. The most significant change to the VC Commodore of March 1980 was the engine upgrading to "XT5" specification. Now painted blue and thus known as the Blue straight-sixes and Holden V8s , these replaced
3848-700: The BRIXMIS (British Commanders' in Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany) operations for the collection of technical intelligence. The same kit was also used by Bitter Cars for a four-wheel-drive version of their SC coupé, beginning in the end of 1981. A limited edition convertible edition was also available in Germany, where the company "Keinath" reinforced the car heavily, and this added to
3996-759: The Chrysler 300 was marketed in Europe as the Lancia Thema. Maserati's first executive is the Maserati Ghibli , which has been in production since 2013. Toyota has been producing large luxury cars since the 1955 Crown was released. The Crown remains in production today and is currently in its fifteenth generation. In 1991, the Crown-derived Aristo began production, and from 1993 until 2020 were marketed under Toyota's luxury sub-brand as
4144-525: The FE Victor/VX4 ) as its flagship offering but this was axed in 1976 with no direct replacement. The Senator shared its platform with the smaller Opel Rekord , the latter being lengthened to make the Senator. The second generation of that car, from 1987, shared its base with the Rekord's Opel Omega successor, which was again lengthened to produce the Senator. The Senator A was last part of
4292-817: The Ford Scorpio was released, being sold in the U.K. as a Ford Granada until 1994. Vauxhall entered the executive car market with the 1978 Vauxhall Carlton and related Vauxhall Royale/Senator , which were based on the Opel Rekord E. In 1986, the Vauxhall Carlton Mark II switched to the German-built Opel Omega A, which was replaced in 1994 by the Vauxhall Omega (a rebadged version of the Opel Omega B). In
4440-521: The Honda Legend and had a front-wheel drive layout. In 1999, the 800 series was replaced by the Rover 75 , which was produced until 2005. The 75 straddled the executive and compact executive categories due to its size, although a long wheelbase version was available. The first executive car to be badged a Triumph was the 1946–1954 Triumph 1800/2000/Renown versions. Triumph's next and final entry to
4588-791: The Lancia Lambda , Lancia Artena , and Lancia Aprilia . The Lancia Flavia was an executive car that began production in 1961 and was replaced by the Lancia 2000 in 1971. The 2000 was replaced by the Lancia Gamma , which was released in 1976. In 1984, the Gamma was replaced by the Lancia Thema , then the Lancia Kappa in 1994. The Lancia Thesis , produced from 2001-2009 is the last executive car produced by Lancia. From 2011–2015,
Opel Senator - Misplaced Pages Continue
4736-587: The Lexus GS . Nissan's longest-running executive car began production in 1959 as the Prince Gloria , which was later renamed the Nissan Gloria, following the merger of Nissan and Prince. The Gloria was produced for 12 generations until 2004. Another Nissan executive car was the 1960 Cedric , which was produced until 2004 (although a taxi/fleet version remained in production until 2015). The Cedric
4884-583: The Mercedes-Benz E-Class since 1993. The Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class four-door fastback was added to the company's model range in 2004, with a shooting brake body style also produced from 2012-2017. BMW's first large luxury car was the 1936–1941 BMW 326 . After a hiatus of 21 years, BMW's next executive car models were the 1962 New Class Sedans . In 1972, the New Class was replaced by the BMW 5 Series , which remains in production today. Over
5032-639: The Opel Omega , the VE is the first Commodore model designed entirely in Australia, as opposed to being based on an adapted Opel -sourced platform . Given this and high public expectations of quality, the budget in developing the car reportedly exceeded A$ 1 billion . Underpinned by the new Holden developed GM Zeta platform , the VE features more sophisticated independent suspension all round and near-even 50:50 weight distribution , leading to improved handling. Engines and transmissions are largely carried over from
5180-850: The Sentia , which was produced until 1999. The Millenia , also sold as the Xedos 9 and the Eunos 800, was produced from 1993 until 2002. Honda introduced their first executive car, the Legend (sold as the Acura Legend in the United States) in 1985. The Legend was produced until 2012, and then from 2014 until 2021. It is believed that the standard of Korean Executive Cars came from the 3rd generation Hyundai Grandeur model launched in 1998. Previous models, Kia Potentia and Hyundai Grandeur, belonged to
5328-642: The Sportwagon began production in July 2008. A VE V8 Calais was awarded Wheels Car of the Year , being the fifth Commodore/Calais model to do so. In late 2008 Holden made changes to the VE Commodore, including the addition of a passenger seatbelt-reminder system. The rollout of such modifications allowed the VE range to be upgraded in stages (dependent on model) to the five-star ANCAP safety rating during 2008 and 2009. The September 2009 MY10 update to
5476-520: The Torana . With the Commodore dropping a full class below the Kingswood and its Ford Falcon competitor, the smaller Commodore was predictably more fuel-efficient. This downsizing was first seen as a major disadvantage for Holden, as they had effectively relinquished the potential of selling Commodores to the fleet and taxi industries. These sales losses were thought to be unrecoverable; however,
5624-699: The United Kingdom as the Vauxhall Royale (and Vauxhall Royale Coupé). Unlike other members of the joint Opel/Vauxhall model programme of the period, the Royale was simply a badge engineered version of the Senator with only detail differences from its Opel sister. Following the merger of the UK Opel and Vauxhall dealer networks in 1982, the Opel marque was repositioned as a performance-luxury brand, and
5772-533: The Volvo 760 in 1982 and then the Volvo 960 in 1994. The 960 was renamed the S90 (sedan models) and V90 (wagon models) in 1996. The Volvo S80 was released in 1998, and was replaced in 2016 by a new generation of Volvo S90 / V90 sedans and wagons that presently remain in production. Daimler Company produced luxury cars in various sizes starting in the late 1890s. The lineage that led to their executive cars began with
5920-506: The carburettor version of the VK's Black straight-six. An optional turbocharger appeared six months later and lifted power output to 150 kW (201 hp). In October 1986, an unleaded edition of Holden's carburettored V8 engine was publicised. Holden had originally planned to discontinue the V8 to spare the engineering expense of converting to unleaded. However, public outcry persuaded them to relent. VLs in New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand were also available with
6068-459: The registration plate and tail lamps. The VX series also formed the basis for a new Holden Ute, designated the VU-series. Earlier utility models were instead entitled "Commodore utility". An updated Series II was launched in early 2002, featuring revised rear suspension system now equipped with toe control links to address the VT's issues. The VX series also spawned the production version of
Opel Senator - Misplaced Pages Continue
6216-502: The "twin-kidney" grille —a Commodore styling trait which remained until the VY model of 2002. The rear-end treatment saw raised tail lights , implemented for safety reasons, and a driver's side airbag was introduced as an option: a first for an Australian-built car. Other safety features such as anti-lock brakes and independent rear suspension were only available with the new electronic GM 4L60-E automatic transmission . Along with
6364-517: The 1923–1929 Daimler 16 and Daimler 16/55 models, which were followed in 1932 by the Daimler Fifteen . The Fifteen was replaced by the 1937 Daimler New Fifteen and then the 1939 Daimler Consort (originally called the "Daimler 2½ Litre"). The Consort was replaced by the 1953–1958 Daimler Conquest . In 1962, the Daimler 2.5 V8 (later renamed the "Daimler V8-250") was released, based on
6512-506: The 1930s. Peugeot began producing large cars in the early 1900s. Following the Peugeot 601 being discontinued in 1935, Peugeot ceased production of large cars until the Peugeot 604 was introduced in 1975. The 604 was replaced by the Peugeot 605 in 1989, which in turn was replaced by the Peugeot 607 in 1999. Following the end of the 607's production run in 2010, Peugeot no longer produces any executive cars. Citroën's first large car
6660-501: The 1983 America's Cup . The original T1 Lexcen offered sedan and station wagon body forms in three levels of trim: base, GL and GLX. Moreover, they were only available with a 3.8-litre V6 engine and automatic transmission combination. The VP update of 1991 featured cosmetic and mechanical changes, while carrying over the 3.8-litre V6 and 5.0-litre V8 engines from the VN. The 2.0-litre straight-four engine previously available in New Zealand
6808-587: The 1990s, executive cars were typically sedans , however in recent years they have also been produced in other body styles, such as estates ( station wagons ), convertibles , coupés , and five-door hatch versions. They typically need to be "comfortable, refined and display some form of driving pleasure" on occasion. In general, executive cars are 4-door saloons , though may include estate , 5-door hatchback or 2-door coupé variants. Rover , Saab , Renault and Citroën formerly have been known to prefer hatchbacks, with Ford also offering alternatives through
6956-588: The 1990s. Audi , BMW and later Mercedes-AMG have recently offered hatchbacks as separate models for their executive cars since 2010s. One of the first Chinese-built executive cars was the 2006 Roewe 750 , based on the Rover 75 . In 2012, the Roewe 950 was introduced, which is a re-bodied version of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse . In 2020, BYD Han officially goes on sale in China. Several overseas brands have produced long wheelbase versions of cars specifically for
7104-406: The 2.0-litre six-cylinder RB20E engine. The VL suffered from some common build quality problems, such as poor windshield sealing, that can lead to water leakages and corrosion . Awkward packaging under the low bonnet coupled with Holden's decision to utilise a cross-flow radiator (as opposed to the up-down flow radiator installed to the equivalent Nissan Skyline) meant the six-cylinder engine
7252-406: The 2.5 and 2.8 engines, and the 265 gearbox for the 3.0E. The straight-six engines were all of the Opel cam-in-head engine design, as used in the earlier Commodore models and originating from the 1.7 and 1.9 litre straight four engines first used in the 1966 Kadett and Rekord. Opel would stick with the CIH engine design up until the 2.4 Frontera in 1993. With the 3.0 litre engine, the Monza
7400-409: The 2.5 L was replaced by a 2.6 L Dual Ram. The twelve-valve, 3-litre version was deleted from the range in 1992. CD versions of the 2.6 L (UK market only), and a 24 valve 3.0 L were available up to the model's withdrawal in 1993. With the second generation Omega presented at the end of 1993 and available for sale from March 1994, Opel considered themselves sufficiently represented in
7548-426: The Calais and SS, but was made an option on lower-end models in lieu of the live rear axle , improving ride and handling. A new wider front track was introduced to address issues with the previous carried-over VL chassis components. In August 1992, anti-lock brakes were introduced as an option on the Calais and SS trim levels, later becoming optional on all Series II variants. This January 1993 update also included
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#17327915325307696-433: The Chevrolet Impala was launched, but was discontinued. Renault Korea sold the SM7 based on the Nissan Teana from 2004 to 2020. In the Korean market, semi-large cars boast significant sales volume as a symbol of the middle class, and the Hyundai Grandeur ranks high in sales in the Korean automobile market. Currently, the semi-large business sedan models sold in the Korean market include Hyundai Grandeur and Kia K8 , and
7844-414: The Chinese market, due to the preference Chinese owners have for being driven by a chauffeur. Examples include the "XF L" version of the 2016 Jaguar XF (X260) , the "Li" version of the 2017 BMW 5 Series (G30) and other models from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo. In France, executive cars are known as " Routière ", a class of comfortable long-distance cars that first emerged on the French market in
7992-500: The Commodore and its derivatives, under its own nameplate. Rivalry came predominantly from the Ford Falcon —also locally built. Prior to the second generation Commodore of 1988, the Holden was positioned a full class below the full-size Falcon. To varying degrees, competition also came from mid-size offerings from Toyota Australia as well as Chrysler Australia , which morphed into Mitsubishi Motors Australia . Moreover, between 1989 and 1997, Australian federal government policy saw
8140-483: The Commodore further away from its Opel origins, by smoothing the lines of the outer body and incorporating a subtle tail spoiler . A thorough redesign of the nose saw the Commodore gain sleek, narrow headlamps and a shallower grille, while the Calais specification employed unique partially concealed headlamps. By this stage, Holden's 24‑year‑old six-cylinder was thoroughly outmoded and would have been difficult to re-engineer to comply with pending emission standards and
8288-435: The Commodore is again badge engineered as the Chevrolet Lumina and Chevrolet Omega , along with its new export market in the United States as the Pontiac G8 (discontinued as of 2010 along with the Pontiac brand). Variants by Holden's performance arm, HSV , were released soon after the sedan 's debut, followed by the long- wheelbase WM Statesman/Caprice models. The VE Ute did not enter production until 2007 whilst
8436-446: The Commodore nameplate would be discontinued in 2020, in what is, according to Holden's interim chairman and managing director Kristian Aquilina, "decisive action to ensure a sharp focus on the largest and most buoyant market segments", focusing on their SUV and Ute range, which had accounted for over 76% of their lineup during 2019. This marks the end of the Commodore nameplate's 41 years. On 17 February 2020, General Motors announced that
8584-487: The Exeo, which is basically a rebadged Audi A4 on the B7 platform, with some minor modifications to the front and rear fascias. Although it was not an E-segment vehicle but a segment D. It remained successful as a company car until 2013. Also, it was used as a police cruiser for the Guardia Civil highway corps. It was available in sedan and station wagon variants. It was the first vehicle from the brand equipped with diesel direct common raíl injection. Saab's first executive car
8732-444: The Holden marque in its entirety would be retired from sale in Australia and New Zealand by 2021. Introduced in October 1978, the VB Commodore development covered a period with the effects of the 1973 oil crisis still being felt. Hence, when Holden decided to replace the successful full-size HZ Kingswood with a new model line, they wanted the new car to be smaller and more fuel efficient. Originally, Holden looked at developing
8880-428: The Jaguar Mark 2. In 1966, the Daimler Sovereign was introduced, based on the Jaguar 420. The Sovereign and V8-250 were produced alongside each other until they both ended production in 1969. Jaguar began production of executive cars in 1935 with the first of the Jaguar Mark IV models. These were replaced by the 1948–1951 Jaguar Mark V . The Mark V's successor increased in size to the full-size luxury car segment, so
9028-409: The Lexcen from the Commodore, the Lexcens from the VP model onwards had unique front-end styling treatments. The 1993 VR Commodore represented a major facelift of the second generation architecture leaving only the doors and roof untouched. Approximately 80 percent of car was new in comparison to the preceding model. Exterior changes brought an overall smoother body, semicircular wheel arches and
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#17327915325309176-413: The Rekord E2 was available, although with little fanfare; this and the 2.5 essentially replaced the Commodore which was itself quietly retired in 1982. Power of the 2.0 was soon increased to 115 PS (85 kW). In March 1983 a 2.3-litre turbodiesel (shared with the Rekord) became available, and a few months later ABS-brakes (hitherto only available for the Senator CD) became an available option across
9324-544: The SL and SL/X trims. Redesigned pentagonal alloy wheels —replacing the original SL/E type used since 1978 —along with a black painted B-pillar , wrap-around chrome rear bumper extensions to the wheel arches , and extended tail lamps that converged with the license plate alcove—distinguished the range-topping SL/E from other variants. The new pentagonal wheels were initially in short supply, such that only Shadowtone option SL/E sedans received them during 1981 production. Mechanical specifications carried over, except for
9472-454: The SS, which was claimed to increase rigidity and hence handling. As became the trend, the update raised V8 power, now up 10 kW (13 hp). Amendments in the remaining models were confined to new wheels, trims and decals, however, the Calais has taken on a sports-luxury persona as opposed to the discrete luxury character seen in previous models. This repositioning in turn affected the Berlina's standing. The once second-tier model now became
9620-429: The Senator "A2" (as it is usually called) only went on sale in March 1983. In the United Kingdom, it was initially sold only as an Opel, before being rebadged as a Vauxhall in 1984. The A2 Monza was only sold as an Opel. The facelifted car looked similar to its predecessor, with relatively minor changes: smoothed-off headlights increased in size, and chrome parts were changed to a matt black or colour coded finish. The car
9768-404: The Trentham factory was closed in 1990, was badged Executive. The Berlina nameplate was not launched, as a new entry level grade, with trim and equipment equivalent to the Australian V6 Executive, until the locally built four cylinder model, using the Australian-made, Opel designed, two-litre Family Two fuel injected engine, was added some months after the V6s). The range expanded in 1990 to include
9916-471: The United Kingdom as Vauxhall , in the Middle East as Chevrolet Special Vehicles (CSV) and in New Zealand and Singapore as HSV. In December 2013, Holden announced that it would cease its local production by the end of October 2017 committing, however, to use the long-standing Commodore nameplate on its fifth-generation fully imported replacement, moving to a front-wheel drive (FWD)/ all-wheel drive (AWD) platform. On 10 December 2019, Holden announced that
10064-433: The United Kingdom. Shortly thereafter, in November 1984 a supercharged version ( Comprex ) was shown - at the time, the only production car in the world to use this technique. Going on sale in 1985, this very rare experimental version (1,000 units planned) were officially built by Irmscher rather than Opel. The Comprex offered 95 PS (70 kW) and a 172 km/h (107 mph) top speed, and acceleration figures showed
10212-558: The United States, executive cars are referred to as full-sized cars. The first executive car produced by a Vietnamese company is the VinFast LUX A2.0 , which debuted at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. Production started in 2019 and it achieved success in the Vietnamese domestic car market. Holden Commodore The Holden Commodore is a series of automobiles that were sold by former Australian manufacturer Holden from 1978 to 2020. They were manufactured from 1978 to 2017 in Australia and from 1979 to 1990 in New Zealand, with production of
10360-437: The VC's steering produced a heavier feel and inclined understeer , while the revised suspension gave a softer ride and addressed concerns raised while riding fully laden. The VH series Commodore introduced in September 1981 brought moderately updated frontal bodywork, with a new bonnet and front guards to facilitate the reshaped headlamps and a horizontally slatted grille . These front-end design changes worked to produce
10508-449: The VE Commodore platform introduces a new standard engine–a 3.0-litre Spark Ignition Direct Injection (SIDI) V6 on the Omega and Berlina, with a 3.6-litre version of the same reserved for all other V6 variants. The standard transmission is now a six-speed GM 6L50 automatic, replacing the four-speed in Omega and Berlina models and the five-speed in higher luxury levels. A six-speed manual is still available in sport models. Holden claims
10656-668: The VE model. When compared to the previous Ecotec engines, the Alloytec benefits from increased power output, responsiveness and fuel efficiency . The new engines were mated to a new five-speed 5L40E automatic transmission on the luxury V6 variants, and a new six-speed Aisin AY6 manual transmission on the six-cylinder SV6 sports variant. However, the long serving four-speed automatic carried on in other variants, albeit with further tweaks in an attempt to address complaints about refinement. A new 6.0-litre Generation 4 V8 engine
10804-570: The VL's four-speed automatic transmission was replaced by the Turbo-Hydramatic and a Borg-Warner five-speed manual . A Series II update of the VN appeared in September 1989, featuring a revised V6 engine known internally as the EV6 . With the update came a power hike of rising to 127 kW (170 hp) from 125 kW (168 hp). Under an unsuccessful model sharing arrangement that
10952-529: The VN Car of the Year in 1988: the second Commodore model to receive this award. Changes in the relative values of the Australian dollar and Japanese yen made it financially impractical to continue with the well-regarded Nissan engine of the VL. Instead, Holden manufactured their own 3.8-litre V6 engine based on a Buick design , adapted from FWD to RWD. The 5.0-litre V8 remained optional and received
11100-605: The VR Commodore Car of the Year in 1993. The 1995 VS Commodore served as a mechanical update of the VR, destined to maintain sales momentum before the arrival of an all-new VT model. The extent of exterior changes amounted to little more than a redesigned Holden logo and wheel trims. An overhauled Ecotec (Emissions and Consumption Optimisation through TEChnology) version of the Buick V6 engine coincided with changes to
11248-556: The VT series was awarded the 1997 Wheels Car of the Year award, the fourth such award in Commodore's history. It found ready acceptance in the market as many buyers steered away from the slow selling Ford AU Falcon , becoming the best selling Commodore to date and cementing its place as number one in Australian sales. The sedan and wagon range comprised: Commodore Executive (base and fleet package); Commodore Acclaim (family and safety package); Berlina (luxury package) and Calais (sedan-only sport luxury package). Limited editions included
11396-604: The VY platform dubbed Cross Trac , at a cost of A$ 125 million . Unveiled after the Series II updates, the first application of this electronically controlled system was the Holden Adventra, a raised VY wagon crossover . The system was only available in combination with the V8 and automatic transmission. Holden chose not to spend extra engineering resources on adapting the AWD system to the 3.8-litre V6, due to be replaced in
11544-669: The Vauxhall Royale models were dropped in favour of the Opel Senator/Monza, coinciding with the "A2" mid-cycle facelift. This policy was reversed in late 1984, with the Senator reverting to Vauxhall branding for the 1985 model year, but the Monza remained on sale as an Opel until its discontinuation at the end of 1987. The vehicle was also available in South Africa as the Chevrolet Senator until 1982, when it
11692-566: The all round weight to the car. A new model, the Senator B (marketed without the "B" suffix), arrived in the spring of 1987, a longer-bodied version of the Opel Omega . There was no Monza equivalent. There were various versions of the Senator B: twelve valve 2.5 L and 3.0 L sized engines were released in 1987 along with a luxury "CD" model with the 3.0 L engine. The CD version boasted Electronic adjustable suspension, "ERC", for
11840-640: The base vehicle from which the Holden Commodore was developed for the Australian and New Zealand markets. The later VK Commodore was a hybrid between the two Opel cars, featuring the Senator's six light glasshouse grafted onto the Rekord E derived shell. The engine range for the first phase of the model's life included the 2.8S and the newly developed 3.0E, which had 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp) and 248 N⋅m (183 lb⋅ft) with fuel injection. The three-speed automatic transmission
11988-697: The brand was dissolved in 1967. Rover entered the executive car market in 1948 with the Rover P3 . The P3 was replaced by the Rover P4 in 1949, which was produced until 1964. The 1963 Rover P6 was the next executive car produced by Rover, which was replaced by the Rover SD1 in 1976 (marketed as the Standard 2000 in India). The SD1 was replaced by the 1986 Rover 800 series , which was a jointly developed with
12136-414: The car in a crash and thus increasing the length of the deformation zone and prevent deformation of the footwell. The 3.0 24V was equipped with BBS styled multispoke alloy wheels made by Ronal . A 24-valve version of the 3.0-litre six was introduced in 1989, generating 204 PS (150 kW; 201 hp) – compared with 177 PS (130 kW; 175 hp) for the older twelve valve version. This model
12284-402: The cost of developing an all-new model independently. With such a large sum consumed by the VB development programme, Holden was left with insufficient finances for the development of a station wagon variant. Added that the Commodore architecture was considered an unsuitable base for utility and long- wheelbase models, Holden was left with only a sedan, albeit one in three levels of luxury:
12432-473: The embossment of model badging into the side rubbing strips. The previously undesignated base car, was now the Commodore L, opening up the range for a new unbadged sub-level car. This delete option model, was de-specified and available only to fleet customers. On the premium Commodore SL/E, a resurrected "Shadowtone" exterior paint option became available in a limited range of dark-over-light colour combinations. According to contemporary reviews, changes made to
12580-491: The end of the Holden brand. Engineering wise, Holden kept the changes low key. A revised steering system and tweaked suspension tuning were among some of the changes to sharpen handling precision. Further improvements were made to the Generation III V8 engine to produce peak power of 235 kW (315 hp) for sports variants. In a bid to recapture the market for low-cost, high-performance cars, Holden created
12728-645: The engine in the United States. The Ecotec engine packed 13 percent more power for a total of 147 kW (197 hp), cut fuel consumption by 5 percent, increased the compression ratio from 9.0:1 to 9.4:1 and improved on the engine's previous rough characteristics. Holden mated the new engine with a modified version of the GM 4L60-E automatic transmission , improving throttle response and smoothing gear changes. The Series II update of June 1996 included elliptical side turn signals , interior tweaks and
12876-551: The entire Senator/Monza range. At the Paris Show in September 1984 the 2.5E was given a new LE-Jetronic Bosch fuel injection system; power inched up to 140 PS (100 kW). The 2.0E was replaced by the torquier 2.2E, still with the same max power. Only the 3.0E engine remained untouched, although its name was changed to 3.0i. On the transmission side, the Strasbourg-built THM180 three-speed automatic
13024-450: The entire car for the often harsh Australian road conditions , resulting in only 35 percent commonality with the Rekord. Among other changes, the Rekord's MacPherson strut front suspension was modified, and the recirculating ball steering was replaced with a rack and pinion type. These and other mechanical and structural modifications massively blew out development costs to a reported A$ 110 million —a figure then close to
13172-469: The event of an accident . It is perhaps noteworthy however, that the Monash University publication includes in its averages, vehicles manufactured as late as 2006. As such, and with reasonable necessity, the 2008 Used Car Safety Ratings include comparison of some non-airbag vehicles with later vehicles fitted with airbags. In 1988, it would still be some years before airbags became available to
13320-522: The executive car market was the 1963–1977 Triumph 2000 , which was a sales success in Britain. Ford Europe's first executive car was the 1950 Ford Zephyr . The Zephyr— and related Consul, Zodiac, and Executive models— were produced over four generations until 1972. The 1972 Ford Granada was initially built in the United Kingdom before switching to being imported from Germany in 1976. In 1985,
13468-694: The executive car segment in 1975 with the Renault 20/30 models. They were replaced, in 1983, by the Renault 25 which featured a fastback rear end. In 1992, the 25 was replaced by the Renault Safrane . The Safrane was replaced by the Renault Vel Satis hatchback in 2002, which in turn was replaced by the Latitude in 2010 and later the Talisman . The equivalent class for cars in Germany
13616-420: The first time in a mass-produced European car, air conditioning , heated seats also in the back, genuine walnut panels, leather covered centre console, trip computer and cruise control . The cars were available with either five speed manual or four speed automatic gearboxes. A digitally controlled 4-speed automatic from Aisin-Warner equipped with three different switching programs Sport, Economy and Winter. It
13764-603: The first year. Despite these issues, the VB Commodore was widely praised for its value for money sophistication, especially in regards to its steering, handling , braking, and ride quality . thus securing the Wheels Car of the Year award for 1978. The VB series retained 96 percent of the preceding HZ Kingswood's interior space but was only 86 percent the HZ's external size, although five percent larger than
13912-408: The flagship GTS 300 model. The 1999 Series II update replaced the venerable Holden 5.0-litre V8 engine with a new 5.7-litre Generation III V8 sourced from the United States. The V8 was detuned to 220 kW (295 hp) from the original US version, but would receive incremental power upgrades to 250 kW (335 hp) throughout its time in the Commodore, before finally being replaced by
14060-756: The flagship model as Holden Calais , with the Commodore Berlina introduced in 1984 gaining independent Holden Berlina nomenclature in 1988. Long- wheelbase Statesman/Caprice derivatives and Commodore utility body variants followed in 1990. The third generation architecture spawned the most body styles, with a new Holden utility launched in 2000 (known officially as the Holden Ute ), reborn Monaro coupé in 2001, four-door Holden Crewman utility and all-wheel drive (AWD) Holden Adventra crossover in 2003. Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) in 1987 began official modification of high performance variants of
14208-533: The floor plan was widened and stretched; now matching the rival Ford Falcon for size. Continuing financial woes at Holden meant the wider VN body was underpinned by narrow, carry-over VL chassis components in a bid to save development costs. In Australia, for the VN and succeeding models, the Commodore Berlina became known simply as the Berlina (but in New Zealand the V6 VN Berlina, assembled locally until
14356-664: The initially popular Camira slumped due to unforeseen quality issues, while the Holden WB series commercial vehicle range and the Statesman WB luxury models were starting to show their age; their 1971 origins compared unfavourably with Ford's more modern Falcon and Fairlane models. New names for the trim levels were also introduced, such as Commodore Executive (an SL with air conditioning and automatic transmission ), Commodore Berlina (replacing SL/X) and Calais (replacing SL/E). The 3.3-litre Blue straight-six engine
14504-684: The international divisions of General Motors , it was also known in various markets as the Chevrolet Senator , Daewoo Imperial (in South Korea), Vauxhall Royale (until 1983) and Vauxhall Senator (which took the place of the Royale on Vauxhall models when the Opel brand was phased out from 1983). It was also sold as the Opel Kikinda in Yugoslavia , where it was produced under licence by IDA-Opel in Kikinda , Serbia , after which it
14652-491: The introduction of a supercharged V6 engine for selected trim levels, and the introduction of a new Getrag manual transmission. The new supercharged engine slotted between the existing V6 and V8 engines in the lineup and was officially rated at 165 kW (221 hp), just 3 kW (4.0 hp) below the V8. The VS Commodore was the last to be sold as a Toyota Lexcen, as Holden and Toyota ended their model-sharing scheme. The last Lexcens were built during 1997. This model
14800-453: The introduction of unleaded fuel. This led Holden to sign a deal with Nissan of Japan to import their RB30E engine. This seemed a good idea in 1983 when the Australian dollar was strong; however by 1986 the once viable prospect became rather expensive. The public quickly accepted what was at first a controversial move, as reports emerged of the improvements in refinement, 33 percent gain in power and 15 percent better economy over
14948-724: The large car position and were shopper-driven, but were relegated to owner-driven from the XG model. Afterward, the launch of Kia Opirus and Daewoo Magnus formed the semi-large car market. In the 2000s, Daewoo Motors (now GM KOREA) sold the Holden Commodore under the name Daewoo Statesman from the Australian Holden company and sold the Holden Caprice as the follow-up model as the Daewoo Veritas. Afterwards,
15096-452: The larger Falcon, which overtook the Commodore as Australia's bestselling car for the first time in 1982. Representing the first major change since the VB original, the VK model of 1984 introduced a six-window glasshouse, as opposed to the previous four-window design, to make the Commodore appear larger. The revised design helped stimulate sales, which totalled 135,000 in two years. This did not put an end to Holden's monetary woes. Sales of
15244-564: The latter version available in either 4.2-litre or more commonly 5.0-litre V8 configuration. By the time of the VH series, Commodore sales were beginning to decline. Holden's six-cylinder engine , which was carried over from the Kingswood , could trace its roots back to 1963 and was no longer competitive. Continual improvements made to Commodore's Ford Falcon rival meant the VH was not significantly more fuel-efficient or better performing despite
15392-622: The launch of the Toyota Lexcen , which was a rebadged version of the second generation Commodore. With the introduction of the third generation in 1997, Holden implemented its largest export programs involving Commodore and its derivatives. In the Middle East and South Africa the Commodore sold as a Chevrolet . High-performance export versions followed in North America, sold as Pontiac and later Chevrolet. HSV also exported to
15540-520: The locally manufactured versions in Australia ending on 20 October 2017. The first three generations of Holden produced Commodores (1978–2006) were based on the Opel designed V-body rear-wheel drive automotive platform , which was the basis of GM's largest European models, but were structurally strengthened, mechanically modified, and, in time, enlarged by Holden for Australian road conditions, production needs, and market demands. The styling of these cars
15688-431: The long-wheelbase wagons), and even went as far as resurrecting the iconic Monaro coupé of the 1960s and 1970s via a prototype presented at the 1998 Sydney Motor Show . The VT heralded the fitment of semi-trailing arm independent rear suspension as standard across the range, a significant selling point over the rival Falcon, along with increased electronics such as Traction Control. However, in terms of suspension,
15836-625: The luxury brand is the Genesis G80 . SEAT's first executive car was the 1963–1973 SEAT 1500 , then in 1973, it launched the 132 which was the same FIAT 131 of the era since all cars from the brand were produced under license from FIAT. It was produced until 1982 when it was replaced by the Málaga in 1984, which was the first to be produced in-house entirely, to be replaced afterward with the Toledo, in 1991. Many years later, in 2009, SEAT launched
15984-424: The name "Commodore" from Opel, which had been using the name since 1967. Opel went on to use Holden's Rekord-Senator hybrid as a foundation for its new generation Commodore C , slotting in between the two donor models. During the VB's development, Holden realised that when driven at speed over harsh Australian roads, the Opel Rekord would effectively break apart at the firewall . This forced Holden to re-engineer
16132-406: The newer powertrains would provide better fuel economy than some smaller four-cylinder cars; the 3.0-litre version is rated at 9.3 L/100 km (25 mpg ‑US ; 30 mpg ‑imp ). The 3.0L produces 190 kW (255 hp), more than the earlier 3.6L and more than the old 5.0L Holden V8. The new 3.6 produces a fraction more at 210 kW (282 hp) although the difference
16280-581: The next executive car was the 1955 Jaguar Mark 1 . In 1959, the Mark 1 was replaced by the Jaguar Mark 2 . In 1963, the Jaguar S-Type was introduced and sold alongside the Mark 2. Both models were replaced by the 1966-1968. The Jaguar XJ series began in 1968 and received updates (with a redesign in 2010) until 2019. Following a 30-year hiatus from the executive car market, Jaguar returned in 1998 with
16428-482: The original Opel design was simplified by removing the toe control links that was standard equipment on the European Omega since 1987. Consequently, this afflicted the VT with excessive tyre wear due to distortions to the suspension camber angle and toe under heavy load, such as heavy towing or when travelling over undulated surfaces. Notably, Holden's performance arm HSV re-added the toe control link on
16576-431: The previous VZ model. However, a new six-speed GM 6L80-E automatic transmission was introduced for V8 variants, replacing the old four-speed automatic now relegated to base models. The design of this new model included innovative features to help minimise export costs, such as a symmetrical centre console that houses a flush-fitting hand brake lever to facilitate its conversion to left-hand drive . Internationally,
16724-440: The public on vehicles manufactured in Australia, and, outside of the very high end luxury market, available in Australia at all. As airbag technology later become more available, the Holden Commodore would become one of the first to offer the option (see VR Commodore below). The VN Commodore of 1988 and subsequent second generation models took their bodywork from the larger Opel Senator B and new Opel Omega A . However, this time,
16872-538: The re-launched Holden Monaro (allowing Holden to commence exports to the United States, with this coupé sold as the Pontiac GTO ). Safety played a substantial role in the development of the VX model. Bosch 5.3 anti-lock brakes were made standard on all variants, a first for an Australian manufactured car; and traction control was made available on vehicles equipped with manual transmission . Extensive research
17020-658: The related Generation 4 in the VZ . The supercharged V6 was uprated to 171 kW (229 hp) from the VS. Safety wise, side airbags became an option for the Acclaim and higher models, a first for Holden. From the onset, parent company General Motors was interested in incorporating a left-hand drive Commodore in its Buick lineup, as manifested by the unveiling of the Buick XP2000 concept car in 1996. Although this idea
17168-498: The retro-styled S-Type . The S-Type was replaced by the 2007 Jaguar XF (X250) and then the 2015 Jaguar XF (X260) , which currently remains in production. Humber's first executive car was the 1945 Humber Hawk . The Hawk was available with features such as two-tone and metallic paintwork, leather upholstery, wood trim, and a sunroof. Production of the Hawk, along with the similarly sized Humber Super Snipe and Imperial , ceased when
17316-582: The rounded front and rear styling of the VT and VX models, adopting more aggressive, angular lines. The same approach was applied to the interior, whereby the curvaceous dashboard design was orphaned in favour of an angular, symmetrical design. Satin chrome plastic now dominated the façade of the centre console stack, and high-end models received fold-out cup holders borrowed from fellow GM subsidiary Saab . Leaving Eurovox behind, Holden turned towards German electronics manufacturer Blaupunkt to source audio systems, an arrangement that remained in place until
17464-630: The seven generations of the 5 Series, it has been produced in sedan, wagon, and four-door hatchback body styles. The first large luxury car produced by Audi was the Audi 100 , which was released in 1968. The Audi 100 was replaced by the Audi A6 in 1994, which remains in production today. In 2010, the Audi A7 four-door fastback model range was added. The Ford Granada is an executive car produced by Ford Europe from 1972-1994. Fiat's first large luxury car
17612-496: The smaller size. This was curtailed by the absence of any major powertrain revisions by the time of the VH and the lack of visual departure from the original VB. Holden also had to deal with the influx of their own mid-size Camira from 1982, which presented comparable interior volume with lower fuel consumption, and for less than the Commodore pricing point. Camira sales were strong initially, but as fuel prices had stabilised, buyers gravitated away from Camira and Commodore towards
17760-582: The sole luxury model, only overshadowed by the more expensive Calais. Coinciding with the VY II models was the first four-door utility model dubbed the Holden Crewman . Crewman's underpinnings and body structure while somewhat unusual, shared a fair amount in common with the Statesman/Caprice , One tonner and the two-door Ute . In 2003, Holden launched an AWD system that it developed for
17908-549: The sports-oriented Commodore SS sedan in September 1982 —reintroducing a nameplate used briefly ten years prior with the HQ series. Provisioned with a choice of 4.2- or optional 5.0-litre V8 engines, both versions of the VH SS were teamed with a four-speed manual transmission. Racing driver Peter Brock 's Holden Dealer Team (HDT) high performance outfit produced three upgraded versions, known as Group One , Group Two and Group Three ,
18056-435: The straight-sixes. Holden's emphasis on fuel economy extended beyond powertrains, with a fuel consumption vacuum gauge replacing the tachometer throughout the range, although this could be optioned back with the sports instrumentation package. Visual changes were limited: the relocation of the corporate crest to the centre of the redesigned grille , black-coloured trim applied to the tail lamp surrounds on sedans, and
18204-646: The upcoming VZ model. Unfortunately for Holden, the Adventra fell well short of expected sales, despite modest targets. The final chapter of the third generation series was the VZ Commodore. Debuting in 2004 with a new series of V6 engines known as the Alloytec V6 , both 175 kW (235 hp) and 190 kW (255 hp) versions of the 3.6-litre engine were offered. These were later upgraded to 180 and 195 kW (241 and 261 hp) respectively in
18352-489: The upper end of the market by the top specification Omega B. Production of the Opel Senator B ended in the autumn of 1993 with only 69,943 cars produced since the car's launch six and a half years earlier. Annual production had slumped from 14,007 in 1990 to 5,952 in 1992, with only 2,688 cars produced in 1993. Following the announcement of the discontinuation of the Senator, the government of the United Kingdom would order
18500-478: Was Opel's own design introduced in 1969, and was manufactured in Opel's transmission plant in Strasbourg, it was modified to cope with the new and improved power outputs. Opel's own four speed manual transmission was not up to the job and they turned to transmission producer Getrag , who installed their 264 four speed manual gearbox in the early four cylinder Monzas. This was replaced by the five speed 240 for
18648-638: Was added to the range in January 2006 to comply with Euro III emission standards. Compared to the American version, both Active Fuel Management and variable valve timing were removed. The Alloytec V6 was also affected by the new standards, which saw the peak output reduced to 172 kW (231 hp). Along with the new powertrain , Holden also introduced new safety features such as electronic stability control and brake assist . The Used Car Safety Ratings evaluation found that VT/VX Commodores provide
18796-455: Was also available, engineered by Ferguson , who had previously provided similar modifications for the Jensen FF . Rather expensive, this could also be retrofitted to an existing car. The system uses a viscous coupling to distribute power with a 60/40 rearward bias, to improve traction whilst maintaining the Senator's handling characteristics. These were used by British Forces Germany under
18944-470: Was also equipped with torque delay at each shift, called "torque retard", for not notable gear changes. In winter mode the car starts on the third gear and switches immediately to fourth as soon as possible to prevent spinning wheels and instability. This mode remains to the speed of 80 km/h and then automatically switches off. The gearbox also had built-in diagnostic system and emergency program. Later Lexus and Volvo used similar versions of this transmission. As
19092-756: Was also sold as the VS Commodore Royale in New Zealand. Similar in specification to the Calais also sold in New Zealand, the Royale featured a standard VS Commodore body with the front end from the VS Caprice and an Opel 2.6-litre 54-Degree V6 engine. The Royale was also sold between 1995 and 1997 in small numbers to Malaysia and Singapore as the Opel Calais. With the VT Commodore of 1997, Holden looked again to Opel in Germany for
19240-455: Was capable of a speed of up to 140 miles per hour (230 km/h), although the bonnet was prone to rippling at such high speeds. Opel tuners Irmscher introduced a 4-litre version of the Senator and it went on sale in Germany only in late 1990. Power increased to 272 PS (200 kW), it was equipped with a body kit and alloy wheels, while the car's interior benefitted from buffalo hide, added wood panels, and lots of power equipment. For 1990
19388-454: Was discontinued. Exterior cosmetic changes included a translucent acrylic grille on the base level Executive and Berlina, with a colour-coded grille for the S and SS, and a chrome grille for Calais. Updated tail lights and boot garnishes were also a part of the changes, which were different for each model, with the Berlina having grey stripes and the Calais chrome stripes. semi-trailing arm independent rear suspension became standard on
19536-706: Was especially susceptible to cracked cylinder heads , a problem not displayed on the Nissan Skyline with which it shares the RB30E engine. The Used Car Safety Ratings, published in 2008 by the Monash University Accident Research Centre, found that first generation Commodores (VB–VL), similarly to the Ford Falcons manufactured during the same years, provide a "worse than average" level of occupant safety protection in
19684-464: Was generally similar to that of the Opel Commodore C , and later, the Opel Omega A/B and their Vauxhall sister models the Vauxhall Carlton and Omega. The fourth generation Holden Commodore models VE and VF , manufactured by Holden from 2006 until 2017, were entirely designed in-house and based on the Holden-developed, rear-wheel drive Zeta platform . Between 2018 and 2020, a rebadged, front-wheel drive Opel Insignia , built by Opel in Germany,
19832-485: Was much more slippery, with drag resistance down (from 0.45 to 0.36 C x {\displaystyle \scriptstyle C_{\mathrm {x} }\,} ). The top of the range 3.0E received upgraded Bosch LE-Jetronic fuel injection. Interiors were improved with an altered dashboard and the new instrument pack with larger dials used in the Rekord E2, and engines changed. Now, the fuel-injected straight-four 110 PS (81 kW) two-liter cam-in-head unit from
19980-406: Was named. The original Senator was a de facto replacement for Opel's KAD cars (the Opel Kapitän , Admiral and Diplomat ), which competed in the F-segment (full-size luxury) in which the KAD cars had sold poorly. Sister company Vauxhall had already abandoned the segment with the demise of its Cresta / Viscount models some years earlier, leaving the Ventora model (a luxury derivative of
20128-420: Was part of the Hawke Labor government reforms in 1989, which saw the formation of the United Australian Automobile Industries alliance between Holden and Toyota Australia , the latter began selling badge engineered versions of the VN Commodore manufactured by Holden. The rebadged Commodores were sold as the Toyota Lexcen , named after Ben Lexcen , who was the designer of the Australia II yacht that won
20276-399: Was rebadged as an Opel. The Chevrolet Senator was fitted with a locally built version of Chevrolet's 250 inline-six (4,093 cc), with 132 PS (97 kW). The post-1982 South African Opel Senator received Australian-built, six-cylinder engines. In Serbia, the locally assembled Senator received the 2.5-litre six and was badged the "Opel Kikinda". The Senator and Rekord E were used as
20424-402: Was replaced by a four-speed unit. For the 1985 model year, the digital instrument display introduced in the Kadett E was available on the top models, although buyers could opt for the conventional analogue dials as a delete option. The trim surrounding the windows was more blacked out than before as well, although ample chrome remained. the four-cylinder models were never sold in Vauxhall form in
20572-545: Was replaced by the Black specification, gaining computer-controlled ignition systems on the carburettor versions and optional electronic fuel injection boosting power output to 106 kW (142 hp). The 5.0-litre V8 engine continued to power high specification variants, but was shrunk from 5,044 cc to 4,987 cc in 1985 due to new Group A racing homologation rules. The new car cut its predecessor's weight by 75 kg (165 lb) and models were fitted with an upgraded braking system. As high oil prices became
20720-410: Was replaced by the 2004 Fuga , also sold as the Infiniti M from 2003 until 2012, and the Q70 since 2012. Mitsubishi began producing executive cars in 1964 with the Debonair . The Debonair was replaced in 1999 by the Proudia , which was discontinued in 2001 and then returned from 2012 until 2016 as a rebadged Fuga. Mazda's first executive car was the 1969 Luce . In 1991, the Luce was replaced by
20868-449: Was sold in Australia as the Holden Commodore (ZB) . All sales of the last Commodore ended at the end of 2020, coinciding with the complete discontinuation of Holden as a subsidiary company , marque , and nameplate . The Commodore replaced the long-serving Holden Kingswood and Holden Premier . Initially introduced as a single sedan body style, the range expanded in 1979 to include a station wagon . From 1984, Holden began branding
21016-479: Was the Fiat 24-32 HP , which was introduced in 1903. Other large luxury Fiats produced before World War II include the Fiat 510 , Fiat 520 , Fiat 527 , and Fiat 2800 . In 1959, the Fiat 1800 and 2100 executive sedans and station wagons were introduced. These models were replaced by the Fiat 2300 in 1961. Fiat's last executive car was the Fiat 130 , which was produced from 1969 until 1977. Lancia produced several large luxury cars prior to World War II, including
21164-399: Was the 1934 Citroën Traction Avant . In 1955, the Traction Avant was replaced by the iconic Citroën DS , which was replaced in 1974 by the Citroën CX and then the 1989 Citroën XM . The XM was discontinued in 2000 and for five years Citroën did not produce an executive car. The 2005 Citroën C6 was produced until 2012, and Citroën has not produced any executive cars since. Renault entered
21312-401: Was the 1984 Saab 9000 , which was produced in sedan and liftback body styles. The 9000 was replaced by the Saab 9-5 . In 2010 the second generation of the 9-5 switched to a platform shared with various General Motors models until Saab went bankrupt in 2012. Volvo began producing executive cars in 1968 with the Volvo 164 . In 1974, the 164 was replaced by the Volvo 260 , which was replaced by
21460-471: Was the fastest car Opel had built, capable of 215 km/h (134 mph), and 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 8.5 seconds. In June 1981, the fuel injected 2.5E engine also used in the smaller Commodore was added to the Senator/Monza lineup. With 136 PS (100 kW) it was very close to the now irrelevant 2.8 and its 140 PS (100 kW), and the 2.8S was discontinued in 1982. The original Senator and Monza were facelifted in November 1982, although
21608-409: Was ultimately abandoned (due to pressures by the North American automotive trade unions to retain local production), the GM-funded project allowed Holden to enter into a range of left-hand export markets. Thus began the Commodore's rapid expansion into parts of Indochina , the Middle East and South Africa badged as the Chevrolet Lumina and Brazil as the Chevrolet Omega 3.8 V6. In its home market,
21756-401: Was undertaken to reduce the effects from a side-impact collision through modification of the B-pillars . The risk presented by a side-impact collision in a VX fitted without side airbags is reduced by 50 percent when compared to a similarly specified VT model. The A$ 250 million VY mid-cycle update of 2002 represented the first major styling shift since the 1997 VT. Designers discarded
21904-438: Was very popular with police forces in the United Kingdom , with several cars being supplied to multiple forces with upgraded police specification for traffic policing service, with the notable exception of the Metropolitan Police . The main feature of the new engine was a "Dual Ram" system, increasing torque at low engine speeds by means of a redirected air flow system which engages at 4,000 rpm. The engine in police service
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