September Motor Magazine VE Article

[Revolution]

Well, here's the first 6 pages of the article, more coming soon.
If anyone has trouble reading the little bit of text cut off on one or two pages, say so and I'll type that bit up.

[Blitz_]

cheers rev, looks good, haha a bit high yeah going round corners ;) Even with the high fuel prices, there will always be a market for the commodore, its more or less written into the brains of Aussie lore' no matter how much of one is made from foreign parts. Any figures on the quarter for the SS-V? Wouldn't suprise me at all if it dipped into the 13's.

[Revolution]

Here's the next three pages, will edit and add the next three once I've scanned them :cool:
And yep, the SS-V is damn quick down the 1/4 mile, pulling a mid 13! Figures in the first pic below.
EDIT: Next three pages added.

[Blitz_]

Ahhh there we go, feck me 13.6!!

[Revolution]

I've gotta go for a few hours, I'll scan and upload the rest of the article when I get back. In the meantime, enjoy :)

[Mr. Jinx]

Cheers Rev!

5.35 on a damp track! :eek:
The HSV's are gonna be raping some Euro cars. :D

[fpv_gtho]

You wouldnt get those times on the road, keep that in mind. A pretty good read though, alot better than Drive's brown noser article.

[Mr. Jinx]

^ Well, I guess public roads are for sensible driving :p

Its just nice to know the VE is rather fast!

[fpv_gtho]

It is, and its good to see that its seems to be easy to drive fast. The BF seems considerably harder to drive fast. Motor and Wheels will tell you that a Typhoon will be lucky do do a 13.7 for the quarter, but theres plenty of owners getting sub 13's out of their cars stock.

[Revolution]

Righto, just got back. Watch this space.
EDIT:First up, suspension! Pretty technical, but interesting enough.
Next up, engines :D Interesting how far back the engines sit in the bay on the VE in comparison to the VT-VZ.
And finally gearing and brakes.

[Revolution]

Crash testing!
And the interview with Denny Mooney.
Well, thats it from me, I hope you all enjoyed the article :)
If you're lucky I'll scan and upload next month's VE vs BF comparo when the mag arrives in the letterbox ;)

[fpv_gtho]

Theres a few numbers that popped up there that really got my attention:

1. The Berlina and SV6 are exactly the same price yet the SV6 seems like a far better deal. Do Holden expect to sell any Berlina's at all?

2. The brakes. Theyre being lauded as a huge upgrade over VZ, yet on paper they look at least on par with BF's. Probably an opportunity wasted by Holden there not to upgrade them further.

[john14]

Thank you for posting the articles, Revolution. :D Honestly, the VE is the first Holden which I think is actually a genuinely good looking Holden car. I hope GMH sell many VE's.

[adrenaline]

Holden were really limited in design in the past because they were always going off Opel body work. With the VE they could design it all themselves (they had no limits with the exterior) and that's obviously really helped them in terms of what they can actually do with design.

[SlickHolden]

You know what makes me happiest the most. That a Commodore isn't just a straight line car anymore, It seems to be able to handle itself better and that is the number 1 thing that should have been on there list make the thing handle better.
I read somewhere they said the omega might have been a touch soft in the suspension?.

[fpv_gtho]

Well no doubt playing around with the wheelbase has helped significantly, it makes it alot more stable and balanced.

[SlickHolden]

Maybe they finally got the balance between sporty ride and a smoother more comfortable everyday ride.

[fpv_gtho]

I think theyve just been able to have better control of the camber, caster and toe through the travel of the suspension now and not have to resort to limiting the suspension travel in order to keep good contact.

[SlickHolden]

Less harsh riding to get grip:D.
I was a bit surprised that both Calais got the sporty suspension i was thinking 1 would be the softy and the other the sporty as before.

[2ndclasscitizen]

It is, and its good to see that its seems to be easy to drive fast. The BF seems considerably harder to drive fast. Motor and Wheels will tell you that a Typhoon will be lucky do do a 13.7 for the quarter, but theres plenty of owners getting sub 13's out of their cars stock.Someone sent in a letter about that an issue or two ago. Timing beams at a track give a quicker result than a VBox or Correvit, because they give a slight rolling start, whereas the VBox and Correvit start timing as soon as the car moves.

[fpv_gtho]

I dont know if that would be responsible for the 0.7s gap in performance people are getting. Previous cars that theyve compared road to track acceleration and its been 0.3s at the most. For the most part owners are simply finding the right way to launch them whilst Motor and Wheels are getting lazy.

[SlickHolden]

I'm thinking since my brother is close to Calder park now of getting a street drag one night, And the biggest fright for me is when to launch and how to launch, Do i give it some brake and some revs? Do i take off before it gets to the green light etc etc?

[fpv_gtho]

Seasoned drag racers will tell you if you see the green light before you leave, youre too slow. That given you do need to make a guess so if you want to have a solid go definately get down there and have a look at others doing it. Youve got an auto so youre gunna have to stall it up, but you might not be able to get many revs out of it.

[charged]

Leave just after the amber goes out slick and you will be laughing, 60 ft times are the key;)

[SlickHolden]

Seasoned drag racers will tell you if you see the green light before you leave, youre too slow. That given you do need to make a guess so if you want to have a solid go definately get down there and have a look at others doing it. Youve got an auto so youre gunna have to stall it up, but you might not be able to get many revs out of it.
Thats a good idea get down and watch them go and get a idea on it. So try and rev it as much or just about 2000rpm try not to brake traction?.

Leave just after the amber goes out slick and you will be laughing, 60 ft times are the key;)
The first 1:eek: Or the last one see it then pray it can do a 15 or mid 16:D
I'm thinking of getting a new throttle body as it's needed to be replaced for a wile now, Hope a bigger 65-70mm with cold air intake will do the trick for better low down take offs.

Only thing left is to find a Helmut:D

[HSVLVR]

I like the SS-V better!:D

[Monty_Burns]

Motor and Wheels are getting lazy.

Dead right. NZ Autocar did a 0-100km/h in 5.35 for an auto Typhoon on a VBox - its unfortunate they don't do quarter miles - it'd be a mid-13 for sure:D .

[Peter PaP]

Thanks revo :D

[motorsportnerd]

Well, thats it from me, I hope you all enjoyed the article :)
If you're lucky I'll scan and upload next month's VE vs BF comparo when the mag arrives in the letterbox ;)


Could you wait until after the magazine hits the news-stands next month, please, so that those of us who will buy it off the news stands get to see it first?:) Spoils the surprise when the articles are scanned on here before I can even buy it.:) And we should be encouraging the others to go buy it themselves and not be tight-ar*es and getting a free read online.:) Thanks.