ON FRONT PAG E N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A , A L P S A N D H I G H CO U N T RY
OCTOBER 21 - 27, 2016
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BIG POWER: Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine is the key to the hottest Holden ever.
Last of the red hot Holdens By EWAN KENNEDY LS3 6.2-litre V8. Yep, the big engine… Okay, it’s a cliche - but there’s no substitute for cubic inches and we loved every minute we spent in the big Aussie bruiser. Not only in the way the engine performs, but also in the sophisticated dynamics that keep all that power under control. Exterior design changes on the VF to make it the VFII are minor and are chiefly functional, being there for improved aerodynamics and the additional cooling requirements of the more powerful engine. Air vents on the bonnet assist the release
of hot air from the engine bay, they also give the car a more aggressive look. Large corner fascia ducts have been added to channel air away from the front of the car. Our test car had the most powerful nonHSV Commodore engine ever produced. With 304 kW and 570 Nm the LS3 has significantly more power and torque than the 6.0-litre it replaced, not that 270 kW and 530 Nm in the superseded VF was anything to sneeze at. All that grunt goes to the back wheels by way of either a six-speed manual or some sort of an automatic transmission - we didn’t ask about the latter when offered a test drive by Holden.
Commodore VFII has GM’s MyLink system that works with smartphones through Bluetooth. USB and Aux ports are also installed. We have to admit to spending our time listening to the engine rather than testing the audio output. Anyone who drives a car like this highperformance Holden should know what they are doing behind the wheel. There are huge reserves of safety thanks to the well-tuned suspension and excellent brakes. Selectable electronic overrides are there should you make small to medium mistakes.
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SADLY, the VF Commodore Series II is likely to be the last ever Holden family car made in Australia, though Holden may surprise us by introducing a further update in the next 12 months. However, the VF II SSV Redline sedan we tested last week has the final major upgrades, any future versions are likely to be minor dress-ups perhaps with special editions. Given Australians’ love of driving it comes as no surprise that sales of the sporty Commodore models - SV6, SS, SSV and SSV Redline - are now making up more than half of all Commodore sales. This gave us a great excuse to road test an SSV Redline powered by a Chevrolet
Preloved Mazda Clearance 9 7 x Mazda 3’s
(models 2006 to 2014) – One of Australia’s most popular cars
7 x Mazda 6’s
(models 2007 to 2014) – Class leading design
4 3 x Mazda CX5’s
(models 2012 to 2013) – Australia’s top selling medium SUV
Coby Saunders 0412 117 156 DĂƌŬ WƌĞŶƟĐĞ Ϭϰϯϳ Ϯϳϲ ϰϭϮ DŝĐŚĂĞů ,ĞŶĚĞƌƐŽŶ Ϭϰϭϴ ϱϭϮ ϱϯϭ EŽĞů 'ŝůďĞƌƚ Ϭϰϯϴ ϱϵϳ ϮϬϬ
(03) 5721 5677 10 Templeton Street, Wangaratta www.onemilemotors.com.au LMCT1060