Mr. Jinx
11-18-2005, 04:22 PM
If you're about to buy a new Holden Commodore SS or V8-powered Calais or Statesman, be warned: Holden is only weeks away from replacing its 5.7-litre engine in favour of a 6.0-litre V8 claimed to deliver a class-leading 264kW of power.
The new engine, codenamed L76, will arrive next month in preparation for stricter emissions regulations that come into force for all new cars sold from January 1 next year.
Drive understands the existing 5.7-litre V8 engine, codenamed LS1 but also known as the Gen III, does not meet the new Euro 3 emissions regulations.
Holden is yet to confirm the L76 for the Commodore. However, Drive sources suggest it will be phased in from late December so Holden dealerships have the new models when the new regulations come into effect.
Significantly, it is not the same 6.0-litre engine fitted to the HSV range. Holden's performance-car division has the 6.0-litre V8 that's used in the latest Corvette. The Holden 6.0-litre (the L76) is an engine primarily designed for truck use, according to Drive sources.
The engine switch also explains why Holden has crammed so much equipment into the Commodore SSZ limited-edition model, with extras such as bigger brakes, leather trim, Bluetooth phone connection - and only a $49,990 price tag. With the arrival of the 6.0-litre Commodore SS, Holden can ramp the price back up to its usual $51,000-plus.
The flagship of General Motors V8 range, the 297kW LS2, will be kept exclusively for the performance HSV models, providing more incentive for buyers to upgrade to the flagship of Holden's performance line-up.
For the number crunchers, the L76's claimed 264kW is 5 per cent more than the 250kW currently squeezed from the 5.7-litre. More importantly for owners, particularly those looking to tow, is the increased engine capacity also has the potential to quell one of the bugbears of the outgoing LS1; lacklustre middle-rev-range performance.
Such output improvements from the new 6.0-litre are also expected to deliver spin-off benefits in fuel consumption, which is crucial as high fuel prices continue to cause headaches for motorists.
The L76 is also expected to appear in other locally made Holden derivatives, such as the Statesman, Caprice and Calais.
As Drive went to press, it was unclear about the future of the V8-powered Adventra four-wheel-drive, which has been a flop since going on sale in late 2003.
Engineering the 6.0-litre L76 for the low-volume Adventra appears to make little sense, given the costs involved.
The arrival of the new L76 V8 engine gives Holden a perfect chance to address one of the major issues of the existing V8 - the clunky four-speed automatic transmission.
Now that rival Ford is offering a world-class six-speed automatic transmission on some models, Holden is under increasing pressure to respond.
http://www.drive.com.au/editorial/article.aspx?id=10684&vf=7&bg=27&pp=0
http://img.drive.com.au/drive_images/Editorial/images/18l76.jpg (javascript:void 0)
Holden is set to fit an all-new V8 engine to its Commodore range by the end of December. Codenamed L76, the all engine displaces 6.0 litres and is also referred to as the Gen IV. (Click on the image above for a larger view).
The fourth generation ”small-block” V8 was initially designed for use in various large off-roaders in the United States, including the Chevrolet
Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.
As well as providing more power and torque than Holden’s outgoung 5.7-litre LS1/Gen III V8 engine – which was also sourced from the US but can’t be made to meet new emissions regulations coming into effect in Australia in January, 2006 – the new 6.0-litre engine will include displacement on demand technology. The so-called DOD can shut down up to four cylinders when maximum output is not needed to improve fuel economy.
It will also boast variable valve timing, for improved output across the rev range, and could even be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
The Gen IV line-up will also include a range of engine capacities and configurations for use in other models for sale in America. In both iron and aluminium construction, they include capacities of 4.8 litres, 5.3 litres, 6.0 litres and even a 6.2-litre flagship capable of delivering 298kW, which is 1kW more than the current HSV LS2 V8.
A recent press release issued by General Motors disclosed the following details on the new engine.
Engine: 6.0-litre all-aluminium V8
Codename: L76 or Gen IV
Power: 264kW
Transmission: Can be matched to a six-speed automatic
Features include:
Variable valve timing
Displacement On Demand on 5.3L and aluminum-block 6.0L engines
Revised cylinder block design with externally mounted knock sensors
High flow cylinder heads
Electronic throttle control
Enhanced quietness and smoothness
Improved torque for better low-rev performance
Up to 7 per cent fuel economy improvements over the outgoing Gen III
Reduced emissions to help meet new 2006 regulations
http://www.drive.com.au/editorial/article.aspx?id=10679
yay! me so happy! :D
The new engine, codenamed L76, will arrive next month in preparation for stricter emissions regulations that come into force for all new cars sold from January 1 next year.
Drive understands the existing 5.7-litre V8 engine, codenamed LS1 but also known as the Gen III, does not meet the new Euro 3 emissions regulations.
Holden is yet to confirm the L76 for the Commodore. However, Drive sources suggest it will be phased in from late December so Holden dealerships have the new models when the new regulations come into effect.
Significantly, it is not the same 6.0-litre engine fitted to the HSV range. Holden's performance-car division has the 6.0-litre V8 that's used in the latest Corvette. The Holden 6.0-litre (the L76) is an engine primarily designed for truck use, according to Drive sources.
The engine switch also explains why Holden has crammed so much equipment into the Commodore SSZ limited-edition model, with extras such as bigger brakes, leather trim, Bluetooth phone connection - and only a $49,990 price tag. With the arrival of the 6.0-litre Commodore SS, Holden can ramp the price back up to its usual $51,000-plus.
The flagship of General Motors V8 range, the 297kW LS2, will be kept exclusively for the performance HSV models, providing more incentive for buyers to upgrade to the flagship of Holden's performance line-up.
For the number crunchers, the L76's claimed 264kW is 5 per cent more than the 250kW currently squeezed from the 5.7-litre. More importantly for owners, particularly those looking to tow, is the increased engine capacity also has the potential to quell one of the bugbears of the outgoing LS1; lacklustre middle-rev-range performance.
Such output improvements from the new 6.0-litre are also expected to deliver spin-off benefits in fuel consumption, which is crucial as high fuel prices continue to cause headaches for motorists.
The L76 is also expected to appear in other locally made Holden derivatives, such as the Statesman, Caprice and Calais.
As Drive went to press, it was unclear about the future of the V8-powered Adventra four-wheel-drive, which has been a flop since going on sale in late 2003.
Engineering the 6.0-litre L76 for the low-volume Adventra appears to make little sense, given the costs involved.
The arrival of the new L76 V8 engine gives Holden a perfect chance to address one of the major issues of the existing V8 - the clunky four-speed automatic transmission.
Now that rival Ford is offering a world-class six-speed automatic transmission on some models, Holden is under increasing pressure to respond.
http://www.drive.com.au/editorial/article.aspx?id=10684&vf=7&bg=27&pp=0
http://img.drive.com.au/drive_images/Editorial/images/18l76.jpg (javascript:void 0)
Holden is set to fit an all-new V8 engine to its Commodore range by the end of December. Codenamed L76, the all engine displaces 6.0 litres and is also referred to as the Gen IV. (Click on the image above for a larger view).
The fourth generation ”small-block” V8 was initially designed for use in various large off-roaders in the United States, including the Chevrolet
Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.
As well as providing more power and torque than Holden’s outgoung 5.7-litre LS1/Gen III V8 engine – which was also sourced from the US but can’t be made to meet new emissions regulations coming into effect in Australia in January, 2006 – the new 6.0-litre engine will include displacement on demand technology. The so-called DOD can shut down up to four cylinders when maximum output is not needed to improve fuel economy.
It will also boast variable valve timing, for improved output across the rev range, and could even be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
The Gen IV line-up will also include a range of engine capacities and configurations for use in other models for sale in America. In both iron and aluminium construction, they include capacities of 4.8 litres, 5.3 litres, 6.0 litres and even a 6.2-litre flagship capable of delivering 298kW, which is 1kW more than the current HSV LS2 V8.
A recent press release issued by General Motors disclosed the following details on the new engine.
Engine: 6.0-litre all-aluminium V8
Codename: L76 or Gen IV
Power: 264kW
Transmission: Can be matched to a six-speed automatic
Features include:
Variable valve timing
Displacement On Demand on 5.3L and aluminum-block 6.0L engines
Revised cylinder block design with externally mounted knock sensors
High flow cylinder heads
Electronic throttle control
Enhanced quietness and smoothness
Improved torque for better low-rev performance
Up to 7 per cent fuel economy improvements over the outgoing Gen III
Reduced emissions to help meet new 2006 regulations
http://www.drive.com.au/editorial/article.aspx?id=10679
yay! me so happy! :D