New VE Pictures. Is it a Commodore or a Falcon???

[adrenaline]

New VE Commodore pictures. Lights draw ALOT of 'inspiration' from the Falcon/ Territory lights. The Stateman also draws from Audi for their windows. Seriously, I was excited looking at the previous VE pictures, but now Im just horrified. The VE is worse than disappointing in terms of 'excitement' of design. Its taken the falcon lights and made them softer. The executive is so bloody boring to look at!! And this is Michael Simcoe's work???!! Its far from ugly, but geez it looks just so boring. AND SOFT!!!

Dont get me wrong, its a good looking car, but its just not 'fully sick oh my God' design.

I thought this was a holden, not a Falcon-ish front with Audi glasswork (Statesman) and an audi arse!! Where is the originality? To me, at this stage, this is just pathetic. The cars pictured came straight down the production line. They are extremely close to the finished product.

Thats just my opinion right now...but im pretty dissappointed. Im sure the car will seem a little different when seen without the tape, and in the metal. But even in the pictures, the basic shapes are easily seen, and they are too soft, not typically holden. I would be less annoyed if holden didnt rave on about the design, how great it was, Its completely new, blah blah blah blah blah...because the truth is, its boring, unoriginal, and reminds me of Ford and Audi, among others. Not Holden.

[thatdbeme]

no use asking me
i always find commodores boring

[Spastik_Roach]

Yeah, glasshouse definitely looks like a 1998-2004 Audi A6..



Boring, a bit outdated... not to mention those wheels look way too small for the car, in the case of the SV8...

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I think the Taping does a lot to disguise the details of this car (Hence it's point, i suppose) but the proportions lend the car a much smaller look, something which i think was a design mistake, although with the impending fuel disaster, i may yet be proven wrong.

And it's a Shame the Statesmen has been designed more with an eye to it's market in China and the middle east, using rehased German-Bauhaus inspired window graphics.

Urgh, I'll reserve judgement until i see the whole story, but methinks what looks fantastic on the upper models will only serve to cheapen the lower ones....

Can you imagine a Calais with such wheel arches?

[Hezath]

As far as I'm concerned, Commodores are dead. Sales are not going to raise enough again. Australians do not want brand-new fuel-guzzling large cars any more. The current Falcon model is probably the best Australian car made in the last 10 years, but it's sales are nothing exceptional at all. Australian large cars cannot be revived, lol

as far as the actual car goes. It's no better or worse looking than the VZ in my opinion, just a facelift but I won't know perfectly until we see the car without the disguise on it...

[syko]

I think the design is just a evolution of the current vz model. They have moved away from the current sharp lined design to a more rounded and modern design that may reach a larger market.

[adrenaline]

As far as I'm concerned, Commodores are dead. Sales are not going to raise enough again. Australians do not want brand-new fuel-guzzling large cars any more. The current Falcon model is probably the best Australian car made in the last 10 years, but it's sales are nothing exceptional at all. Australian large cars cannot be revived, lol

as far as the actual car goes. It's no better or worse looking than the VZ in my opinion, just a facelift but I won't know perfectly until we see the car without the disguise on it...

I reckon the commodore will sell. A little.

Holden are taking last minute measures to compete with the BF falcon for economy and interior noise. They can try to get close but they will never reach the BF's standard in time for launch. The BF's upgrade cost over 100 million, I cant see Holden starting a project like that on the alloytech and the mechanics of the next gen commodore this close to release. Ofcourse they have already tweaked the alloytech for the new model, but I know for a fact that they didnt focus on economy. GoAuto, (i think it was them), reported back in december that holden were beginning last minute changes to the VE to favour fuel economy. Obviously they've sh** themselves when they saw the BF upgrade

And BTW I think that the Aussie large sedan is far from dead. Ford are giving their engine a major workover before the Orion Falcon. I havent heard of them replacing it. Whilst Holden has developed the VE with export markets and other things in their mind, Ford has the next 2 years to focus in refinement and fuel economy, which i believe will draw people back...And then theres the 380......actually..forget it

In my opinion Holden is screwed. They are gone. No matter how good the car is, people are going to be overly conscious of fuel economy. So they better work quickly to fix up the alloytech...

Come to think of it, even if it guzzles 20L/100km, that wanker from the Holden ads is gonna make everyone want to have a VE....just ask the holden advertising team...

[adrenaline]

I think the design is just a evolution of the current vz model. They have moved away from the current sharp lined design to a more rounded and modern design that may reach a larger market.

It is an evolution, holden said that when u see the VE it will be 'instantly recognisable as a commodore'

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Adrenaline, is your long post ending actually necessary? it makes it very difficult to completely read your post, and it clutters up the forum.

[fpv_gtho]

The Ford 6 has been confirmed for another 10 years by executives as high up as Detroit's top brass. There simply isnt a Ford engine in existence that would be an easy replacement.

Its my opinion the Orion Falcon is a few months away from real world development. That IS expected to be a revolution in design, unlike the evolutionary VE, whilst the floorpan is expected to be modified further from the BA but including the Territory's front suspension. In effect, the chassis originated from the EA. That said, this is obviously a Commodore in my mind.

Ford, Holden and Toyota all produced over 100K cars last year, Holden clearing that mark the easiest. The weakest chink in the local industries armour is Mitsubishi. As long as they stay alive, the business case for the local car should keep returning profit.

[adrenaline]

Adrenaline, is your long post ending actually necessary? it makes it very difficult to completely read your post, and it clutters up the forum.

i got bored....but ur right its a bit dumb

[adrenaline]

The Ford 6 has been confirmed for another 10 years by executives as high up as Detroit's top brass. There simply isnt a Ford engine in existence that would be an easy replacement.

Its my opinion the Orion Falcon is a few months away from real world development. That IS expected to be a revolution in design, unlike the evolutionary VE, whilst the floorpan is expected to be modified further from the BA but including the Territory's front suspension. In effect, the chassis originated from the EA. That said, this is obviously a Commodore in my mind.

Ford, Holden and Toyota all produced over 100K cars last year, Holden clearing that mark the easiest. The weakest chink in the local industries armour is Mitsubishi. As long as they stay alive, the business case for the local car should keep returning profit.

10 years...ouch..!!

I think Mitsu will fall through. Tom Phillips left, so I guess he doesnt want to be the captain of a sinking ship. He knew 380 wouldnt meet sales targets. Even if it begins to pick up sales and get on target, the VE will come in and destroy it.

And on the design of the orion falcon, its confusing. Top Ford executives said that it would have a similiar face to the ford fusion, incorporating their global look. Of the recent detroit concepts from ford said to be displaying 'global image' all i could see was the 3 bar grill. And a 3 bar grill wont go down well here, with our weather conditions. Thats what most are saying anyway. Then theres the Iosis, blah blah blah....

Cant figure it out...

[syko]

10 years...ouch..!!

IAnd on the design of the orion falcon, its confusing. Top Ford executives said that it would have a similiar face to the ford fusion, incorporating their global look. Of the recent detroit concepts from ford said to be displaying 'global image' all i could see was the 3 bar grill. And a 3 bar grill wont go down well here, with our weather conditions. Thats what most are saying anyway. Then theres the Iosis, blah blah blah....

Cant figure it out...

i guess we will have to wait and see

[fpv_gtho]

Well J Mays indicated not that long ago that Orion would be the next evolution in the global design/face, so what we see presently might be completely different to what will be presented to us. With Territory established, the Falcon no longer needs to be the everyday family car, and as such Ford are engineering the Orion as a more sports based product, whilst retaining the large family sedan heritage.

[Blitz_]

ok, to be perfectly honest with all of you, i am a ford fan yes, but this car bores me more than a nite with conan o'brien, or even worse, a morning with Bert Newton. The design is overly un-original, un-inspiring and lacks any visual allure at all. I am confident HSV will pull out something at least half decent and aggressive, but for the mainstream models it is all ugly and bland.

The SS looks like it has an identity problem, at first glance i thought it was the executive! The wide arches and sidevents, as well as quad exhausts are nice additions, but when you look at the overal presentation it is a letdown.

This is an oppurtunity for Ford to strike back and deal the real hard blow and steal more sales. If they can capitalise on a new design that truly is revolutionary, looks great, modern, yet aggressive and design cues from past falcons - it will sell. I do hope they leave the design open for a gt-ho as well.

Im dissapointed in the design, i can't say much about the rest because i know little, but i can only imagine that they have done something good with interior. Good luck with this one Holden, you've practically handed the blue over the chance to bring out a new Falcon that will spread its popularity further.