@@rosestrohm7986 Sometimes, sedans are based on wagons. Typical example: Several generations of VW Passt that came out as the far more popular wagon variant first and only became available as sedans later - or in the case of the current generation, they aren't even bothering with a sedan anymore (although the Škoda Superb that is almost identical and built in the same Škoda factory is still available as a sedan).
Wherever Kunkleman goes, Rinaldi and Klein New York Excavators must be close behind. Kunkleman has to get rid of customers who get too far behind on their car payments.
@@andthefunkybunch1466 Yea, I didn't catch that I made that mistake until after that video went live. But now it's up there and my ADHD brain made another classic mistake. Here's how it happens: I wrote 1000 in my notes. I read 1000 in my head. I said 100 with my mouth. When I listened to the audio during editing, I heard 1000.
> but in Australia, big wagons are normal, they never stopped making them The feels when you realise we didn't stop making _them_, we stopped making cars entirely instead.
Most things in the world ever made, like corn you just stick it in the ground and it will grow. You make a semiconductor factory and it churns out CPUs and whatnot. You build a plane, and you can subcontract that part to Japan and that part to South Carolina and it'll just all come together and be a worldwide thing. And then you hit the Commodores and Falcons. And they're a cultural artifact, but one that you need a global operation to just set the preconditions for, but also to put together. You need to have a factory in a country with near enough the world's highest labour cost and declining manufacturing, you need the US and Germany just to provide the platform and investment, you need competition with Japanese imports to set the standard for manufacturing and reliability, and then you need half a century to get to a final state where the thing comes out just perfect, but you also don't want the economics of scale where making batteries makes sense in like 6 places in the world, and to do that in bulk, no you want the engines to be made here as well... like the Commodores and Falcons are the peak of that intersection that humanity will ever make between all three, physical object as complex as it gets, cultural artifact to the point where it represents a nation and global experience, making use of all the things from other places. Physical object, cultural artifact and global experience. Everything past these cars isn't just a pale echo, but a sign of an ever-deepening spiral of us having reached the peak of our potential where we could still make these things in that intersection. And I'm not talking about Australia here, I'm talking about everywhere. It's like you can have everything in the future. You'll be able to make an ICE car, you can emulate Windows 3.1, you can watch all the TV ever made, you can make a replicate of this or that. But the one thing you'll be the furthest from ever making again is a Holden Commodore or a Ford Falcon. A thousand years into the future they will be the most unattainable thing to ever make again, apart from maybe low-background steel, simply because of how much that needed to happen to make them in the first place.
GM stopped you. GM was beyond moronic with how they suffocated Holden, instead of selling your cars in all variants EVERYWHERE, they only drep fed sedans as Pontiac G8 and Chevy SS and Vauxhall VXR to UK. They shouldve exported your cars worldwide. Then Holden would still be kicking.
@@PanderingSlats Consumers chose crossovers because they have more room, better visibility, and are easier to get into and out of. Carmakers build what customers will buy and if customers don't want to buy sedans it would be silly to build them and have them sit on lots.
It's still wild to me that station wagons just stopped being a thing in the 90s in America. If you want a big car there you bought an SUV. Over here SUVs never caught on except for big rich families. It was always station wagons for that here.
For reference, they tried selling the Chevrolet Suburban here, but had to give it a Blazer interior because the RHD wheel wouldn't fit, and like just flat out nobody bought it.
Well “big rich” is kinda the point for us. Wagons in America were seen as “just” a family car, but Americans really pride ourselves in wealth projection. Our cars are apart of our identity. SUV’s look more expensive and projected presence. And because of how they make us feel they’re automatically deemed “safer” which further adds to the personality projection. Hopefully this is making sense
Hah i noticed that too, what a shame. I think Holden just eventually spread in popularity over the internet at a late stage by UA-cam i remember in recent years Donut media did an "Upto Speed" on Holden which gained alot of awareness of the Holden brand, Hoonigan imported a VY ute a few years back and Cleetus aswell i think, plus Forza Horizon 3 was based in Australia with our Aussie cars which helped put a spot light on our cars and culture too. There were other games with a small handful of our cars in them in years prior, but it wasn't the focus really. I do think if Holden was allowed to be a brand dealer in America it would've saved our local car business manufacturing atleast for Holden. Sure America got the CV8Z Monaro, VE Commodore plus Statesman and VF Commodore sedans but they were all under Chev and Pointiac badges and exported in small quantities. Had they retained Holden's badge, Holden's better looking bumpers and exported the ute and wagon versions too i think America would've fell in love and bought enough to help support sales for Holden to stay afloat. America almost got our VE ute though under Pointiac called the G8 ST, the ST stood for Sport Truck, but plans fell through when Pointiac got shut down. Would've made more sense to bring back the El Camino name under Chev's badge though to me if they wanted to rebadge it. So much wasted potential its like they wanted Holden to die.
@@Atlastheyote222 agreed and would've filled the void that the El Camino left behind for GM, it should've been a no brainer. Same thing for Ford USA too actually, our Aussie Falcon utes could've filled the void that the Ranchero also left behind. These vehicles already existed lol all they had to do was test the market to see if they'd sell which I'm sure they would've, had they been given the chance by the USA. Also moving into the SUV dominant future our locally designed and made Ford Territory was pretty good, similar to an Explorer but better looking and powered by the Barra I6 like in our Falcons, even had turbo models. Holden also lightly dabbled in it for a short time of about 4 years, but their attempt was more like the Subaru Outback, basically just re-purposed the VY and VZ Commodore wagon but lifted it higher, added AWD, gave it some unique bodywork style changes and had the choice of V6 and V8 engines. It was called the Adventra.
In Sweden, we have a deep love for wagons, especially Volvo. From the classic 245 and 745 to the 850, we’ve grown up with these iconic cars. The V70s and XC70s are legendary, and the 7, 8, and 9 . We also love other Swedish brands but there's something about those Volvo wagons And yes, in Sweden, we often have moose jumping in front of our cars
I have a 740t wagon in addition to my 122s that was on the other week. But I offered my 2014 VF Calais v v8 wagon to RCR too. The 740t is an awesome wagon but the ve and VF is slightly shorter than the vt-vz wagon. It's just a modern rwd like Volvo to me which the earlier commodores were.
Except Volvo is betraying you and they stopped offering V90 and V60 in most markets lately. Some menagorial stupidity from China is to blame i guess...
I had a at the time 10 year old Volvo 850. It was both the second least reliable, and the first most boring, of the 18 cars and bikes I have owned. Still liked the way it rode, looked and felt though.
Nobody in Australia thinks a Berlina is its own model except someone who owns a Berlina. It's just a different badge model commodore and not even the good one, that is the Calais. I think Matto just loves his Berlina too much lol
RCRs funniest joke imo, I lost it when he said Berlina has a "semi-luxury veneer". It's the same as a p plater getting an Impreza RS and saying it's faster than the base model, even though it's not a WRX.
@@andthefunkybunch1466 I suppose the idea was almost Calais features with a little less price tag? A bit redundant and I suppose that's the reason they didn't bother with Belinda trim in the final VF commo.
These cars are fantastic. My parents have owned one since 2009 when I was young. I grew up in these things and we went camping in it so many times. The car still runs fine and I’ve done all my hours in it as an L plater here in Aus. It’s such a comfy, lazy cruiser with a decently powerful v6. We’ve used ours to tow trailers and caravans and it does it so well. My dad now uses it as a wood car being a woodworker and it gets a full workout, the interior is cooked 😂. Love this car
If any Europeans are curious about this cars origins, yes it is similar to the Opels you guys have over there and share a similar platorm, however this car shares a rough total of six parts with the euro version and the euro platform was basically used as a reference for the development of this gen of Commodores and almost everything was revised, widened and strengthened. Although it may look similar it is a very different car.
Had a 2001 Omega wagon. 2.2 140hp and manual. Slow but steady, it was favorite among older people who wanted big and conservative looking car. Lots of taxi companies also used Omega, because they were cheap to maintain and had lots of room. These were also sold with 2.5 and 3 litre V6 and automatic, with leather and lots of extras because GM hoped it would compete with more upscale 5-series and MB E-class. The economy car makers image of the brand and the fact Omega was rather heavy and handled like a river barge meant it felt bit outdated, as it was basically a 1994 year car with facelift and new engines fitted. Probably also the reason why the Cadillac Catera failed in the states, they made them in Rüsselsheim, Germany and modifications were just in lights and center console bits. But already car that was not on par with other premium models at that time. This commodore also seems to have bit higher roof than Omega had, aside from the front end. Makes it look sharper and bigger.
That DOHC V6 is the last engine by Holden and was in production all the way up to 2023. It was a collaboration with Cadillac but was used in everything by GM that needed a V6.
@ they were making saddlery that far back. Then built cars for Ford, Buick, Chev etc. I think we’re just talking about cars they designed and built for Australia.
Its funny Holden also made this exact wagon into a cross over too, added AWD with subtle changes, but it was more similar to a Subaru Outback but the choice of an LS1 and its called the Holden Adventra, i own one in LX8 trim which is the luxury version with the 250kw LS1.
If you want a LHD variant, it's nearly identical to the 1994-2004 Opel Omega B, although the most powerful variant of that car is a 3.2l V6 with 218 hp. Still more than enough, since the Omega is the polar opposite of sporty. It's a wet noodle in corners, but it was a cheap and reliable family hauler with tons of space, so people didn't really care. Go for a 1999 model or newer if you want to import one, since it received a pretty major facelift that year. If you are interested in a more modern take on the same idea, the Opel Insignia, which is basically the successor of the Omega was sold as the Buick Regal from 2018 to 2020. Extremely sophisticated, high quality (far more reliable than other German cars) and in my eyes, one of the most gorgeous station wagons ever made. You could even get it with 250hp and AWD, although you are limited to "just" eight instead of nine gears that are on the FWD model. That AWD system handily beat the likes of Subaru (as well as everyone else) in a rigorous deep-snow and ice test, by the way.
@@no1DdC that sounds abit under powered really, even the 250hp version lol this V6 in this Berlina makes about 5hp more than that and makes about 85hp more with the optional LS1 V8. The best option for them would be to import the older VT model as its past the 25yr import rule for Americans, then do a super easy firewall swap from the same generation vehicle they already have there a Pointiac GTO to make it LHD with the dash swap too. Their GTO is just our Holden Monaro that we exported over there in LHD for them, which is just a rebadged Holden Monaro, which is a 2 door coupe version of the 3rd generation Holden Commodore (VT, VX, VY & VZ) which is wagon is a 2005 VZ in Berlina trim level in this video. I'd love to test your AWD wagons though as Holden's own in-house AWD design is surprisingly capable used in the Holden Adventra, look up "AllTerrainAction" on UA-cam a guy hardcore off roads his AWD Holden Adventra to show you what they're capable of 😁
Commodore* Berlina. Also that opening was the most nostalgic thing ive ever seen. Feet pics and all. That could be a legitimate ad for Car City Minchinbury from 2005.
Although every Aussie calls them a commo wagon, the berlina and calais wagons were never badged or marketed as commodores. I can see from the research why RCR presented it the way they did.
@mansalans never in my 32 years have I heard anyone refer to their "Berlina" as a Berlina - Calais, sure, because it actually means something to some people but even then we all know it's a Commodore with a trim package. I had no idea there was meant to be a differential between a Commodore and a Berlina which shows how terrible their marketing was. We all know the Camry and Aurion are different cars.
Wait, there was an actual production V8 version of this ? I remember when GM tried to put one in the EU version (the Opel Omega) and they failed bc it was too costly to make it fit.
@@dernotarzt5549yes and America basically got it too under Pointiac called the GTO, its basically just the 2 door Coupe version of the 3rd generation Commodore which Holden called the Monaro in Australia and exported to America as the Pointiac GTO, but there was obviously not just sedan versions of the Commodore there was also utes and wagons like the one in this video with both V6 and V8 versions and multiple different trim specification levels, this one is the Berlina which is the lowest tier of luxury available in the Commodore range which came standard with V6 but could option up a LS1 V8, then Calais was the next step up in luxury but was only available in sedan, then the longer wheel base Statesman and Caprice. There were also AWD lifted off road inspired versions of the wagon called the Adventra in the VY and VZ series, basically like a Subaru Outback but just larger with V6 and V8 options, i own a 2005 Holden Adventra VZ LX8. There were also other odd body variations too like a 4 door dual cab ute called the Holden Crewman which was available in RWD and AWD with V6 and V8, plus the regular 2 door Commodore ute also had the option of tub or a tray back called the One Tonner as it could carry 1T of weight which was also available in RWD and AWD. Topping it all off HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) even added the AWD system into the Monaro and called it the HSV Coupé4 lol so think Pointiac GTO but with AWD.
@@maxrockatanksyOGsurprised as usually its the 4sp 4L60 behind the V8 versions that have issues, mines still fine at 230,000kms but i do have a trans cooler and larger trans oil sump fitted to keep it getting too hot which is the main issue in them.
Regular Car Reviews, I love this review. I still own my 2005 Commodore VZ Lumina wagon in Quicksilver that I bought brand new in January 2005. Has just over 192,000kms on it. For those who don’t know, the Lumina was a special edition based on the lower spec Commodore’s that received some of the luxury/safety features of the Berlina and the sportier bits (e.g. the suspension setup, I had mine lowered even more) of an SV6/SS. Ours is still in great condition and will be driven by my two son’s when they (eventually) get their learner permits and P plates after we got it back from my father-in-law who I gave it to in 2010. Just one major thing, the owner of this car is clearly trying to persuade you the Berlina was some special, great standalone model. It was not. The Berlina was very much just a trim level of the Commodore until they got rid of it for the VF. Yes, it had some greater luxury features. But it was a Commodore Berlina, not a Berlina. The Calais/V was the big daddy luxury model (or of course the long-wheelbase Caprice). Still a good insight at a great Australian legend.
Some of these Holden's were exported to the GCC countries and rebadge as Chevrolet Lumina,including the Statesman which was sold as a civilian mode Caprice not just a stripped down police car.(They began exports in 1999 for the commodore and ended in 2011,but for the Statesman exports began the year after and ended in 2016.)
Grew up riding in an Oldsmobile custom cruiser ... the big 80s one. and this hits all the right notes. the "this can hold four people, luggage, and a cooler" is spot on for those. Love it.
Grew up in australia in the back of a VY (2003) commodore wagon, police pack.Then it became my first car. This is so insane to me to see RCR reviewing this! Great work 👏
As someone who for some sick reason of self deprication is in a constant rotation of v6 vz commodores i can vouch for the alloytec being the 1 of 2 reasons for my depression still beating the 2nd reason which is me trying to buy my first home...
Ha! Cool of you to visit Australia, and review one of our cars. Unfortunately (as you said) GM Holden and Ford Australia have ceased production in Australia, so Commodores and Falcons aren't being made anymore. I swear, our streets are now never ending SUV's. After closing down manufacture here, GM in their wisdom decided to try and use Holden as a brand to sell rebadged GM shitboxes mostly from Korea. The locals weren't having it so the brand died. I hope you are going to do a review of that yellow XE Falcon.
Post shutting down production, GM starved Holden of funds. This is the main reason Australians lost interest in it. The quality and after market service were crap. GM no longer wanted to even sell vehicles in Australia. People blame the government for not throwing enough money at GM and Ford to keep them manufacturing in Australia. But both companies were done with Australia. They wanted out. No amount of government bribes would have worked.
Actually, i know a few people who almost died hitting deer. 🦌 If you hit em the wrong way they sometimes come thru the windshield. At least we dont have moose in PA which can tear the entire roof off a car when you hit one. The last buck I hit did $24k damage to my car. Sometimes they get hit when in mid leap. Sometimes a buck is in rut and he charges your car. Also, we have bears in the more northerly reaches of Pennsylvania. I remember a man coming in for a state inspection whom failed becauee he had hit a brown bear at 55mph. Hood would not open because the "bull bar" was wrapped around it. Also like you said, RCR, we have moose, caribou, mule deer, horses, cows, penghorn antelope, etc in other states. I honestly think the moose crossing signs of Maine are the most whimsical. Even more then the deer crossing signs we have in PA , even the ones which gain red noses every December.😂 Plenty of people in Pa have some serious bumpers or guards due to this.
I have an Opel Omega. Mostly the same car as this. It's not perfect, but it's a good cruiser and being a big, low, station wagon makes it stand out today.
Yeah i was about to say that they're not aftermarket lol they're genuine Holden wheels yes but they're actually off a VZ SSZ, the CV8Z version of the Monaro also got the same wheels but with a polished finish to the face of them and they they say "CV8Z" embossed onto 1 of the 5 spokes on the wheel, where as the VZ SSZ version of the wheels are just finished in like a satin type silver like the ones on this wagon. The regular normal VZ SS got different wheels again a totally different design, but the often forgotten _SSZ_ trim got these, i guess its the equivalent to the V Redline edition SS models in the VE and VF range which got goodies like Brembo brakes, the VZ SSZ also got bigger brakes but just not official Brembo ones, and also a twin hump hardlid on the ute. Yep i know too much about Commodores 😂
A running 05 Alloytec is an enigma. They have need special oil and the correct coolant to be moderately reliable, which of course no one does on a second hand car. Your footage was beautiful 😍 Holden sky Blue against the sunset! Holden were really good at paint
They don't tend to actually blow up though unless you're actively neglecting it. Just regular poor maintenance will only end up with the cam timing going out of spec and needing to do a chain set which is easy enough.
I'm a PA transplant from the northern Rockys USA i was surprised by the deer being small, so thank you for the secondary confirmation. ARB plate bumpers are pretty common out in that part of the west, and we appreciate our Australia cousins for the gift
The car i grew up in, a VZ berlina 5.7 v8 Wagon. That thing could move a whole house packed into the back, towing a trailer and all our soft toys in the passenger seats! Also had a roof capsule. Spectacular cars, worth the weight in gold
Nice spec, not too many optioned up with the V8. I've almost got the same thing but with AWD, the VZ LX8 Adventra only 333 made in LX8 trim which is a mix of Calais and Statesman levels of luxury with the 250kw LS1 V8.
@@craigsampson3386 Those Adventras are awesome, I sometimes see one, but then begin to wonder, how many still run, I hear the drivetrain can be rather difficult, but surprised they didn't continue RnD, seeing a HSV Avalanche every now and then is a treat too. You'd think there would be more since the Adventra makes so much sense!
@@rorfvonbun yeah I think from memory the total number of AWD Holdens and HSVs built without referring to a production number list table in the FB group, it was somewhere like 8 maybe 10,000 tops manufactured by Holden and HSV in total across VY and VZ series, so across the wagon, 4 door ute, 2 door ute and the Monaro or more specifically the Coupé4 which is relatively small by comparison to all the other RWD models. Not everybody needed or wanted it, it hurt overall acceleration (on sealed roads atleast) and also hurt fuel economy, plus was more expensive than RWD models so i can understand the AWD models not selling like hot cakes lol although it definitely had a niche market for themselves they should've continued into VE/VF, especially with the popularity of crossovers these days. Ford Territory's more SUV shaped body style approach probably helped them out more so looking back now, i still prefer the Adventra approach more similar to a Subaru Outback though. My VZ LX8 was around 60k new in 2005 and is about 90k in 2024 money after inflation adjustment just to give you an idea lol but that LX8 spec is the range topper model from Holden, HSV Avalanche version is even more expensive. Holden did continue R&D actually, it was planned to go into the VE which is why it has such large wheel arch flares standard across all of its models to accommodate the wider track width AWD system for the VE models they had planned before the plans got internally cancelled during VE / Zeta platform development. You'll notice all VY and VZ AWD based Holdens have tacked on wheel arch flares to accommodate and cover the wider track width otherwise the wheels poke outside the guards. Brake brackets are also unique to AWD models too among other unique components. The AWD models were all powered by GM's slush box automatic 4L60 lol which was bad enough in a lighter model regular Commodore, even worse in a heavier 2T Adventra so its common for gearbox's to die from around 230,000 and upwards unless you baby it and service it well, or more importantly keeping them cool via aftermarket trans coolers and/or larger capacity oil sump for the trans. There was a slightly improved 4L65 in the VZ version Avalanche but only slightly. You can rebuild them stronger, but there is a guy in the FB group who makes 6sp manual conversion kits and even a more modern 6sp auto 6L80 from VE/VF which is not only stronger, but increases acceleration and fuel economy by a good margin so that helps keep these rarer AWD Holden's on the road longer ❤️ If paired with the LS2/L98 and 6L80 in a VE and actually released to the public that would've been an awesome combo its a real shame it never went ahead. I have seen AWD swaps in a VT sedan before and even a VY Statesman, a regular VY 2 door Commodore ute too, all possible because of the same floor pan in the same generation.
As an Aussie who grew up with these things, this is bittersweet. Can’t rewind the clock, but if I had one vehicular wish it’d be for the SUV trend to die out again in my lifetime….
You're coming back!?!? Best holiday news ever, missed the first one due to scheduling and mechanical conflicts, would love a chance to offer a couple cars again!
My first car was a 1995 VS Berlina. Bought in 2004 with 170,000 km and driven to 300,000 for 9 years, awesome car. Took so much abuse, but then I learned and took care of the drive-train and it loved it. Most expensive issue was a radiator replacement for $450. Good old Ecotec 3800!
It seems nice and likable, really. There's a lot to be said about wishing we'd kept our rear drive wagons, easier to service in general and potential fun while being useful. :) And the 'push bar' is nicely done, really, Australia seems to have all the ways to do that pretty worked out. (another thing they happen to be really useful for is if you need extra lights and have a pretty smooth front end, my 90's S10 could do with one for woodland path use, also to fend off any minor encounters with branches and trees. In the US, there may be a tendency to be excessive in bulk and weight if not overdone style with the things, unless something's all the way on the 'too cheap, but holds lights' end of things, so I see content from Oz and I'm like, 'I bet they could set me up with some fabrication just right down there.'
You pretty much nailed the Australian cultural references and the pronunciation of Melbourne which is to say i enjoyed this a lot. But while were here, Caprice is above Statesman and you've been nailed about that 100 kays elsewhere :) Also ... As a discussion point ... Some of the HSVs were $150k+ which represented a pretty conspicuous brag, particularly among the upper middle bogan that aspired to them, though having said that I've almost never seen one on the road and I wonder if they were bought as investments (W1 is now worth $350k plus).
Just one little fyi Holden also made the Caprice a more upmarket version of the Statesman. That is what would be more akin to a Cadillac of Australia, reason being the Stateman was available in both V8 & V6 the Caprice was V8 only.
I also really appreciate that they didn’t sacrifice space for styling here. It’s got that big wide Pixar mom wagon ass so you can load a whole couch in it rather than having a swooping roof line like a lot of the wagons (cough cough Audi) that we get in the US. A wagon is pointless if you don’t get the practicality that comes with it.
Yep and theres even enough room between the rear wheel arches in the boot to fit a pallet lol provided the forklift driver is careful enough, you can fit a bath tub in the back with the rear seats folded down 😂 In another lifted model with AWD called the Holden Adventra, in LX6 or LX8 spec it came factory with an air compressor and rear air shocks too for a self levelling system when towing or carrying heavy loads in the boot so the rear suspension didn't sag. I own one of the 333 made in LX8 spec, a 2005 Holden Adventra LX8 with the 250kw LS1. It was marketed as a soft roader similar to a Subaru Outback but was surprisingly capable off road.
It’s nice to know that a single platform got a Chevy-powered sedan, coupe, wagon, and Ute somewhere in the world post-Y2K. All that’s missing is a convertible (because I don’t know the Aussie market).
Up to the eighties the volume selling Holden platform would also have a Panel Van version. In the US it would be called a sedan delivery. Mainly for commercial purposes until the seventies van craze when the popular and now highly sought after Sandman version was made. Never a convertible model made by volume selling Australian makers in the past seventy years apart from the Mini Moke and low volume fibreglass sports car makers.
Yep plus the longer wheel based high luxury sedans the Statesman and and range topping Caprice. Plus In this VY and VZ era based Commodores there were also other unique body variations like a 4 door dual cab ute called the Holden Crewman available in RWD and AWD both in V6 and V8, the 2 door ute also was available in the regular tub but also a tray back called the One Tonner as it could carry 1T of weight which was also available in RWD with V6 and V8 plus a rarer AWD model. Also this wagon was also available as an option in V8, plus Holden made an off roader version similar to the Subaru Outback called the Holden Adventra which came in AWD with a lift kit with a choice of V6 and V8, had wider wheel arch flares and unique rear end styling to help set it apart from the regular Commodore wagon rear end and i actually own one lol in LX8 trim, the LX stood for luxury (somewhere between Calais and Statesman) and the 8 stood for the the 250kw 5.7L LS1 V8. I looked up build numbers and they only made 333 in LX8 spec for the Holden Adventra VZ.
@@PrydeWater901 haha the UV rating in Australia is horrendously bad we have a high rate of skin cancers here, close to a hole in the ozone layer aparently
Next time you come to Australia you need to review a normal old ute. Like a Triton or a Ranger or BT50 etc. Or the legendary Nissan Patrol. They're the true workhorse of the country. Just about every tradie has some kind of normal ol ute. We love em. They're the ultimate Aussie "regular car".
It's worth noting for non locals that, what Australia got was several generations of falcon flavours or Commodore flavours that came with either a V6 or 4L I6 as the base engine. With bold enough tires it meant anyone could learn to do skids, or have access to a skid car. Slowly, as time marches on, these cars are either scrapped, wrecked, crushed, garaged etc, it won't be long before the last remnants will be gone and Australian kids will grow up with nothing but Inline 4 CVT Econo boxes
The car I grew up in was an ex-government base Executive wagon. Solid car. Also looking forward to getting my Octavia serviced at Kunkleman Skoda someday soon :D
Lived out the back of one of these in 2011 while surfing up the coast from the Great Ocean Rd to the Goldie. Had to keep topping up the coolant, and when it rained hard the roof leaked, but other than that it was a great car for a long distance surf trip!
You can find that 3.6 in the first gen Cadillac CTS. Also, for this generation, Executive was business spec, Acclaim was family spec, Calais (sedan only) is the short wheelbase luxury spec and the Berlina slots in neatly between the Acclaim and the Calais. And yes, they are all functionally Commodores. My Calais is functionally a Commodore, just dressed up and with softer suspension. Another thing. I'm pretty sure these Berlina wagons were available with an LS, but most out there are V6 and used as daily drivers
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Gotta hit you with an editorial correction; 2:39 you meant to say 1000km, not 100. Cheers boys!
It's the holden COMMODORE. Berlina is just a trim level.
Berlina in italian means Sedan.
It's a wagon
Flawless
They are offered as a sedan too
wagons are just long sedans if you think about it
@@rosestrohm7986 more like long hatchbacks
@@logicerrormusic wagons are based on sedan platforms
@@rosestrohm7986 Sometimes, sedans are based on wagons. Typical example: Several generations of VW Passt that came out as the far more popular wagon variant first and only became available as sedans later - or in the case of the current generation, they aren't even bothering with a sedan anymore (although the Škoda Superb that is almost identical and built in the same Škoda factory is still available as a sedan).
I didn't know Kunkelman opened an Aussie branch
Also holy fuck the editing here is going HARD. Merry Christmas
Wherever Kunkleman goes, Rinaldi and Klein New York Excavators must be close behind. Kunkleman has to get rid of customers who get too far behind on their car payments.
THANKS
Did you like it when Peter and Brain had an ipecac-drinking contest?
Well now you do.
It's around 1000km from Melbourne to Sydney, not 100km haha.
I flubbed that line
Am Australian, I bugged out when your said that
@@andthefunkybunch1466 Yea, I didn't catch that I made that mistake until after that video went live. But now it's up there and my ADHD brain made another classic mistake. Here's how it happens: I wrote 1000 in my notes. I read 1000 in my head. I said 100 with my mouth. When I listened to the audio during editing, I heard 1000.
How about 70 kilometers, not miles per hour, for a kangaroo. Ha
Little off there champ. Around 870ks.
> but in Australia, big wagons are normal, they never stopped making them
The feels when you realise we didn't stop making _them_, we stopped making cars entirely instead.
Most things in the world ever made, like corn you just stick it in the ground and it will grow. You make a semiconductor factory and it churns out CPUs and whatnot. You build a plane, and you can subcontract that part to Japan and that part to South Carolina and it'll just all come together and be a worldwide thing. And then you hit the Commodores and Falcons. And they're a cultural artifact, but one that you need a global operation to just set the preconditions for, but also to put together. You need to have a factory in a country with near enough the world's highest labour cost and declining manufacturing, you need the US and Germany just to provide the platform and investment, you need competition with Japanese imports to set the standard for manufacturing and reliability, and then you need half a century to get to a final state where the thing comes out just perfect, but you also don't want the economics of scale where making batteries makes sense in like 6 places in the world, and to do that in bulk, no you want the engines to be made here as well... like the Commodores and Falcons are the peak of that intersection that humanity will ever make between all three, physical object as complex as it gets, cultural artifact to the point where it represents a nation and global experience, making use of all the things from other places. Physical object, cultural artifact and global experience. Everything past these cars isn't just a pale echo, but a sign of an ever-deepening spiral of us having reached the peak of our potential where we could still make these things in that intersection. And I'm not talking about Australia here, I'm talking about everywhere.
It's like you can have everything in the future. You'll be able to make an ICE car, you can emulate Windows 3.1, you can watch all the TV ever made, you can make a replicate of this or that. But the one thing you'll be the furthest from ever making again is a Holden Commodore or a Ford Falcon. A thousand years into the future they will be the most unattainable thing to ever make again, apart from maybe low-background steel, simply because of how much that needed to happen to make them in the first place.
tbh I'd rather that than America's situation of quitting cars for teardrop crossover SUV's with guaranteed blind spots
But you're probably more inclusive now.
GM stopped you. GM was beyond moronic with how they suffocated Holden, instead of selling your cars in all variants EVERYWHERE, they only drep fed sedans as Pontiac G8 and Chevy SS and Vauxhall VXR to UK. They shouldve exported your cars worldwide. Then Holden would still be kicking.
@@PanderingSlats Consumers chose crossovers because they have more room, better visibility, and are easier to get into and out of. Carmakers build what customers will buy and if customers don't want to buy sedans it would be silly to build them and have them sit on lots.
It's still wild to me that station wagons just stopped being a thing in the 90s in America. If you want a big car there you bought an SUV. Over here SUVs never caught on except for big rich families. It was always station wagons for that here.
For reference, they tried selling the Chevrolet Suburban here, but had to give it a Blazer interior because the RHD wheel wouldn't fit, and like just flat out nobody bought it.
Well “big rich” is kinda the point for us. Wagons in America were seen as “just” a family car, but Americans really pride ourselves in wealth projection. Our cars are apart of our identity. SUV’s look more expensive and projected presence. And because of how they make us feel they’re automatically deemed “safer” which further adds to the personality projection.
Hopefully this is making sense
@@CRXSSF4D3 They were only 350sbc too.
Hey now, we also have minivans!
Wagons are considered cars and thus saddled with the stricter fuel economy standards than SUV’s, which get buy with truck ones.
Gotta love how the Americans only started giving a shit about Aussie cars after our entire car industry went belly up.
Hah i noticed that too, what a shame. I think Holden just eventually spread in popularity over the internet at a late stage by UA-cam i remember in recent years Donut media did an "Upto Speed" on Holden which gained alot of awareness of the Holden brand, Hoonigan imported a VY ute a few years back and Cleetus aswell i think, plus Forza Horizon 3 was based in Australia with our Aussie cars which helped put a spot light on our cars and culture too. There were other games with a small handful of our cars in them in years prior, but it wasn't the focus really.
I do think if Holden was allowed to be a brand dealer in America it would've saved our local car business manufacturing atleast for Holden. Sure America got the CV8Z Monaro, VE Commodore plus Statesman and VF Commodore sedans but they were all under Chev and Pointiac badges and exported in small quantities.
Had they retained Holden's badge, Holden's better looking bumpers and exported the ute and wagon versions too i think America would've fell in love and bought enough to help support sales for Holden to stay afloat.
America almost got our VE ute though under Pointiac called the G8 ST, the ST stood for Sport Truck, but plans fell through when Pointiac got shut down. Would've made more sense to bring back the El Camino name under Chev's badge though to me if they wanted to rebadge it. So much wasted potential its like they wanted Holden to die.
Also forgot to mention they never got any of our HSV versions either which they love
I’ve always said that if GM sold Holden utes in the US and marketed them as “Aussie sports sedans and pickups” then they would’ve sold way better.
Not true. We also love Brazilian Fords.
@@Atlastheyote222 agreed and would've filled the void that the El Camino left behind for GM, it should've been a no brainer. Same thing for Ford USA too actually, our Aussie Falcon utes could've filled the void that the Ranchero also left behind. These vehicles already existed lol all they had to do was test the market to see if they'd sell which I'm sure they would've, had they been given the chance by the USA.
Also moving into the SUV dominant future our locally designed and made Ford Territory was pretty good, similar to an Explorer but better looking and powered by the Barra I6 like in our Falcons, even had turbo models. Holden also lightly dabbled in it for a short time of about 4 years, but their attempt was more like the Subaru Outback, basically just re-purposed the VY and VZ Commodore wagon but lifted it higher, added AWD, gave it some unique bodywork style changes and had the choice of V6 and V8 engines. It was called the Adventra.
In Sweden, we have a deep love for wagons, especially Volvo. From the classic 245 and 745 to the 850, we’ve grown up with these iconic cars. The V70s and XC70s are legendary, and the 7, 8, and 9 . We also love other Swedish brands but there's something about those Volvo wagons And yes, in Sweden, we often have moose jumping in front of our cars
I have a 740t wagon in addition to my 122s that was on the other week. But I offered my 2014 VF Calais v v8 wagon to RCR too. The 740t is an awesome wagon but the ve and VF is slightly shorter than the vt-vz wagon. It's just a modern rwd like Volvo to me which the earlier commodores were.
And a love just as deep for biltema korv
Those boots fit a lot of surstromming.
Except Volvo is betraying you and they stopped offering V90 and V60 in most markets lately. Some menagorial stupidity from China is to blame i guess...
I had a at the time 10 year old Volvo 850. It was both the second least reliable, and the first most boring, of the 18 cars and bikes I have owned. Still liked the way it rode, looked and felt though.
Nobody in Australia thinks a Berlina is its own model except someone who owns a Berlina. It's just a different badge model commodore and not even the good one, that is the Calais. I think Matto just loves his Berlina too much lol
RCRs funniest joke imo, I lost it when he said Berlina has a "semi-luxury veneer". It's the same as a p plater getting an Impreza RS and saying it's faster than the base model, even though it's not a WRX.
Nah dude, that’s not my car, I drive the yellow shitbox in the background
@@andthefunkybunch1466 I suppose the idea was almost Calais features with a little less price tag? A bit redundant and I suppose that's the reason they didn't bother with Belinda trim in the final VF commo.
there is the commodore, the fancier commodore, the sporty commodore, the long commodore, and then the hsv equivalent of those all
Yes, Calais wagon actually had an LS as an option, Matto sounds a bit dodgy 😂
These cars are fantastic. My parents have owned one since 2009 when I was young. I grew up in these things and we went camping in it so many times. The car still runs fine and I’ve done all my hours in it as an L plater here in Aus. It’s such a comfy, lazy cruiser with a decently powerful v6. We’ve used ours to tow trailers and caravans and it does it so well. My dad now uses it as a wood car being a woodworker and it gets a full workout, the interior is cooked 😂. Love this car
Big Bill Hells vibes on that intro
CHALLENGE PISSING
Big Baz Hell's
It’s funny because Matt 300% just sounds like Roman doing an super Aussie accent
I eagerly await the day Roman sets his voice to ME!
I’d recognise that Sugarloaf Reservoir anywhere! Surreal seeing my little get away spot here down in Victoria featuring in an RCR video.
I was flabbergasted when I opened UA-cam and saw RCR filming so close to me that it's where my tap water comes from.
If any Europeans are curious about this cars origins, yes it is similar to the Opels you guys have over there and share a similar platorm, however this car shares a rough total of six parts with the euro version and the euro platform was basically used as a reference for the development of this gen of Commodores and almost everything was revised, widened and strengthened. Although it may look similar it is a very different car.
Yeah it looks very similar to the Opel Omega of the early 2000s
@@pleepler Looks like a combination of an Opel Omega B and Vectra C Wagon
@@hassesk7323The wagons do make it super obvious that it’s an Omega B, but the VY/VZ sedans do look quite different than the Opel they were based on.
Not a Vauxhall Carlton then ?
Had a 2001 Omega wagon. 2.2 140hp and manual. Slow but steady, it was favorite among older people who wanted big and conservative looking car. Lots of taxi companies also used Omega, because they were cheap to maintain and had lots of room. These were also sold with 2.5 and 3 litre V6 and automatic, with leather and lots of extras because GM hoped it would compete with more upscale 5-series and MB E-class.
The economy car makers image of the brand and the fact Omega was rather heavy and handled like a river barge meant it felt bit outdated, as it was basically a 1994 year car with facelift and new engines fitted. Probably also the reason why the Cadillac Catera failed in the states, they made them in Rüsselsheim, Germany and modifications were just in lights and center console bits. But already car that was not on par with other premium models at that time.
This commodore also seems to have bit higher roof than Omega had, aside from the front end. Makes it look sharper and bigger.
Merry Christmas RCR. The intro was classic.
this is great, good on ya nick, that kunkleman chevrolet effort will go down in my mind as one of the great moments this year
That DOHC V6 is the last engine by Holden and was in production all the way up to 2023. It was a collaboration with Cadillac but was used in everything by GM that needed a V6.
@@Rekoyl116 The Ecotec (3800 Series II) most certainly did not come after the Alloytec (HFV6) lmao. Ecotec was used in the VS up until the VY.
Loved the "Haitch Ess Vee" and "Haitch Pee Vee" pronunciations in the Kunkleman Skoda bit. Good on ya, mate.
RIP Holden. 1951-2017
1948-2017
And real aussies still mourn
1856-2017
@ they were making saddlery that far back. Then built cars for Ford, Buick, Chev etc.
I think we’re just talking about cars they designed and built for Australia.
As a Montanan I appreciate the shout out. Wanna hear some big deer, elk or moose stories?
Go ahead
Are these stories segsual in nature? I hear it gets lonely up there in the mountains.
😂
Yes
@@senorpepper3405nothing sensuous. YET.
@XtrachunkyI’ve seen multiple deer get hit in front of my place of employment- around 1 every other month it seems…
As an American into wagons and not crossovers, that thing is gorgeous! Stop making me want to drive a GM again!!!!
(I had a 94 Saturn SW2 that was the coolest looking, unreliable turd I've ever owned)
Its funny Holden also made this exact wagon into a cross over too, added AWD with subtle changes, but it was more similar to a Subaru Outback but the choice of an LS1 and its called the Holden Adventra, i own one in LX8 trim which is the luxury version with the 250kw LS1.
If you want a LHD variant, it's nearly identical to the 1994-2004 Opel Omega B, although the most powerful variant of that car is a 3.2l V6 with 218 hp. Still more than enough, since the Omega is the polar opposite of sporty. It's a wet noodle in corners, but it was a cheap and reliable family hauler with tons of space, so people didn't really care. Go for a 1999 model or newer if you want to import one, since it received a pretty major facelift that year.
If you are interested in a more modern take on the same idea, the Opel Insignia, which is basically the successor of the Omega was sold as the Buick Regal from 2018 to 2020. Extremely sophisticated, high quality (far more reliable than other German cars) and in my eyes, one of the most gorgeous station wagons ever made. You could even get it with 250hp and AWD, although you are limited to "just" eight instead of nine gears that are on the FWD model. That AWD system handily beat the likes of Subaru (as well as everyone else) in a rigorous deep-snow and ice test, by the way.
Maybe you could get one imported?
@@no1DdC that sounds abit under powered really, even the 250hp version lol this V6 in this Berlina makes about 5hp more than that and makes about 85hp more with the optional LS1 V8.
The best option for them would be to import the older VT model as its past the 25yr import rule for Americans, then do a super easy firewall swap from the same generation vehicle they already have there a Pointiac GTO to make it LHD with the dash swap too. Their GTO is just our Holden Monaro that we exported over there in LHD for them, which is just a rebadged Holden Monaro, which is a 2 door coupe version of the 3rd generation Holden Commodore (VT, VX, VY & VZ) which is wagon is a 2005 VZ in Berlina trim level in this video.
I'd love to test your AWD wagons though as Holden's own in-house AWD design is surprisingly capable used in the Holden Adventra, look up "AllTerrainAction" on UA-cam a guy hardcore off roads his AWD Holden Adventra to show you what they're capable of 😁
Powerful Big Bill Hells energy from the intro, I love it.
2:40 100km is nowhere near the distance between Melbourne and Sydney it’s more like 880km
I think something got lost in the distance exchange rate.
He said 1000 briefly before that. Just a brain fart.
Commodore* Berlina.
Also that opening was the most nostalgic thing ive ever seen. Feet pics and all. That could be a legitimate ad for Car City Minchinbury from 2005.
Although every Aussie calls them a commo wagon, the berlina and calais wagons were never badged or marketed as commodores. I can see from the research why RCR presented it the way they did.
They could have written whatever they wanted on the back, it didn't change the fact we could still see "Commodore" underneath the crayola scribble
@@VxW0lf you mean the scribble that was over "Omega CD 2.5"?
@@miaugato93 Yeah, isn't this just a Vauxhall that's put on weight, at least with the V6?
@mansalans never in my 32 years have I heard anyone refer to their "Berlina" as a Berlina - Calais, sure, because it actually means something to some people but even then we all know it's a Commodore with a trim package. I had no idea there was meant to be a differential between a Commodore and a Berlina which shows how terrible their marketing was. We all know the Camry and Aurion are different cars.
"Dead leaf bukkake." Brilliant.
Also, mock it all you want, I would kxll for the return of the wagon.
I have the AWD LS1 powered version of this. It's even more suited to cross-country trips, as well as towing anything you can't fit in the boot
Wish we got this in America…
Had the V6 Adventra CX6.
Was the biggest piece of shit i have ever owned, paddle shift was nice (until the gearbox randomly shat itself)
Wait, there was an actual production V8 version of this ?
I remember when GM tried to put one in the EU version (the Opel Omega) and they failed bc it was too costly to make it fit.
@@dernotarzt5549yes and America basically got it too under Pointiac called the GTO, its basically just the 2 door Coupe version of the 3rd generation Commodore which Holden called the Monaro in Australia and exported to America as the Pointiac GTO, but there was obviously not just sedan versions of the Commodore there was also utes and wagons like the one in this video with both V6 and V8 versions and multiple different trim specification levels, this one is the Berlina which is the lowest tier of luxury available in the Commodore range which came standard with V6 but could option up a LS1 V8, then Calais was the next step up in luxury but was only available in sedan, then the longer wheel base Statesman and Caprice.
There were also AWD lifted off road inspired versions of the wagon called the Adventra in the VY and VZ series, basically like a Subaru Outback but just larger with V6 and V8 options, i own a 2005 Holden Adventra VZ LX8.
There were also other odd body variations too like a 4 door dual cab ute called the Holden Crewman which was available in RWD and AWD with V6 and V8, plus the regular 2 door Commodore ute also had the option of tub or a tray back called the One Tonner as it could carry 1T of weight which was also available in RWD and AWD.
Topping it all off HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) even added the AWD system into the Monaro and called it the HSV Coupé4 lol so think Pointiac GTO but with AWD.
@@maxrockatanksyOGsurprised as usually its the 4sp 4L60 behind the V8 versions that have issues, mines still fine at 230,000kms but i do have a trans cooler and larger trans oil sump fitted to keep it getting too hot which is the main issue in them.
This is the best. Never thought I'd hear RCR shout out Keysborough, Greater Dandenong.
Berlina is the spec level, in aus we'd call that a vz commodore wagon, berlina, hope that helps
Technically he's right. The berlina and calais in wagon trims were never badged or marketed as a commodore.
WE GOT AN AUSSIE KUNKELMAN AD BEFORE GTA 6
“Sit down Montana!” I’m still chuckling 😂😂
Ah yes, nothing like Aussie Kunkleman Chevrolet to start my week.
Regular Car Reviews, I love this review. I still own my 2005 Commodore VZ Lumina wagon in Quicksilver that I bought brand new in January 2005. Has just over 192,000kms on it. For those who don’t know, the Lumina was a special edition based on the lower spec Commodore’s that received some of the luxury/safety features of the Berlina and the sportier bits (e.g. the suspension setup, I had mine lowered even more) of an SV6/SS. Ours is still in great condition and will be driven by my two son’s when they (eventually) get their learner permits and P plates after we got it back from my father-in-law who I gave it to in 2010.
Just one major thing, the owner of this car is clearly trying to persuade you the Berlina was some special, great standalone model. It was not. The Berlina was very much just a trim level of the Commodore until they got rid of it for the VF. Yes, it had some greater luxury features. But it was a Commodore Berlina, not a Berlina. The Calais/V was the big daddy luxury model (or of course the long-wheelbase Caprice). Still a good insight at a great Australian legend.
Some of these Holden's were exported to the GCC countries and rebadge as Chevrolet Lumina,including the Statesman which was sold as a civilian mode Caprice not just a stripped down police car.(They began exports in 1999 for the commodore and ended in 2011,but for the Statesman exports began the year after and ended in 2016.)
Grew up riding in an Oldsmobile custom cruiser ... the big 80s one. and this hits all the right notes. the "this can hold four people, luggage, and a cooler" is spot on for those. Love it.
Grew up in australia in the back of a VY (2003) commodore wagon, police pack.Then it became my first car. This is so insane to me to see RCR reviewing this! Great work 👏
Can't wait to see the Ryobi lawnmower review
The profound literary criticism channel that really hits. Y'all need to do a grand tour, just for the satisfaction of UK/Euro Kunkleman ads.
My sister had the version before this. It was the second comfiest car we've ever owned. Dads 1980's XJ6 was the comfiest if your wondering lol
"YOU OWE ME A BLAUPUNKT"
The VZ-VY series was absolute peak Commodore, V8 model wise.
Nah, interiors were god awful, and the alloytec was a heap of shit.
As someone who for some sick reason of self deprication is in a constant rotation of v6 vz commodores i can vouch for the alloytec being the 1 of 2 reasons for my depression still beating the 2nd reason which is me trying to buy my first home...
@@xsct878 Hard to be more rough than the 3800, but Hoiden pulled it off again, turd after turd. Shoulda went Opel Cam in head l6 after the RB30.
My favorite is the VX Calais v8
@@super_slav91 The 3800 is definitely rough as guts but at least it has one thing the HFV6 doesn't... reliability even after considerable abuse
Omg I've got a 2005 Holden Commodore SSZ Sedan with the same rims so I'm counting this as reviewing my car and I'm so happy
Ha! Cool of you to visit Australia, and review one of our cars. Unfortunately (as you said) GM Holden and Ford Australia have ceased production in Australia, so Commodores and Falcons aren't being made anymore. I swear, our streets are now never ending SUV's.
After closing down manufacture here, GM in their wisdom decided to try and use Holden as a brand to sell rebadged GM shitboxes mostly from Korea. The locals weren't having it so the brand died.
I hope you are going to do a review of that yellow XE Falcon.
Post shutting down production, GM starved Holden of funds. This is the main reason Australians lost interest in it. The quality and after market service were crap. GM no longer wanted to even sell vehicles in Australia.
People blame the government for not throwing enough money at GM and Ford to keep them manufacturing in Australia. But both companies were done with Australia. They wanted out. No amount of government bribes would have worked.
@@ChristianMcAngus Yeah that's pretty much what I remember. Thx for that.
Actually, i know a few people who almost died hitting deer. 🦌 If you hit em the wrong way they sometimes come thru the windshield. At least we dont have moose in PA which can tear the entire roof off a car when you hit one.
The last buck I hit did $24k damage to my car.
Sometimes they get hit when in mid leap.
Sometimes a buck is in rut and he charges your car.
Also, we have bears in the more northerly reaches of Pennsylvania. I remember a man coming in for a state inspection whom failed becauee he had hit a brown bear at 55mph. Hood would not open because the "bull bar" was wrapped around it.
Also like you said, RCR, we have moose, caribou, mule deer, horses, cows, penghorn antelope, etc in other states.
I honestly think the moose crossing signs of Maine are the most whimsical. Even more then the deer crossing signs we have in PA , even the ones which gain red noses every December.😂
Plenty of people in Pa have some serious bumpers or guards due to this.
I swerved around one at 150mph on highway 13 near Berkeley, deer didn’t even flinch. Happy to be alive writing this
Don't forget about the Rocky Mountain Elk in the north part of the state! Those beasts will do some serious damage.
I have an Opel Omega. Mostly the same car as this. It's not perfect, but it's a good cruiser and being a big, low, station wagon makes it stand out today.
Glad you got to drive some Holden's while your guys were here...
Man, RIP Holden.
15:10 those aren't aftermarket wheels, at least the design isn't. Those are VZ Monaro (CV8 trim) wheels.
Yeah i was about to say that they're not aftermarket lol they're genuine Holden wheels yes but they're actually off a VZ SSZ, the CV8Z version of the Monaro also got the same wheels but with a polished finish to the face of them and they they say "CV8Z" embossed onto 1 of the 5 spokes on the wheel, where as the VZ SSZ version of the wheels are just finished in like a satin type silver like the ones on this wagon.
The regular normal VZ SS got different wheels again a totally different design, but the often forgotten _SSZ_ trim got these, i guess its the equivalent to the V Redline edition SS models in the VE and VF range which got goodies like Brembo brakes, the VZ SSZ also got bigger brakes but just not official Brembo ones, and also a twin hump hardlid on the ute.
Yep i know too much about Commodores 😂
A running 05 Alloytec is an enigma. They have need special oil and the correct coolant to be moderately reliable, which of course no one does on a second hand car. Your footage was beautiful 😍 Holden sky Blue against the sunset! Holden were really good at paint
They don't tend to actually blow up though unless you're actively neglecting it. Just regular poor maintenance will only end up with the cam timing going out of spec and needing to do a chain set which is easy enough.
I knew someone with a VZ and he's the type to have NO mechanical sympathy. I heard he went through 3 engines in that
Every time i think you can't top an intro, roman. Love you guys
Correct pronunciation for Melbourne! Well done! It's enough to forgive the 100km vs 1000km error :)
I'm a PA transplant from the northern Rockys USA i was surprised by the deer being small, so thank you for the secondary confirmation. ARB plate bumpers are pretty common out in that part of the west, and we appreciate our Australia cousins for the gift
As an aussie I love this. RCR years on you still surprise me.
"We have enough, hence we have it all" What a beautifully elegant way of putting it. Come back to Aus any time. o7
The Kunkleman group of dealerships has really spread globally. Nice to see you down under Mr. Kunk.
The car i grew up in, a VZ berlina 5.7 v8 Wagon. That thing could move a whole house packed into the back, towing a trailer and all our soft toys in the passenger seats! Also had a roof capsule. Spectacular cars, worth the weight in gold
Nice spec, not too many optioned up with the V8. I've almost got the same thing but with AWD, the VZ LX8 Adventra only 333 made in LX8 trim which is a mix of Calais and Statesman levels of luxury with the 250kw LS1 V8.
@@craigsampson3386 Those Adventras are awesome, I sometimes see one, but then begin to wonder, how many still run, I hear the drivetrain can be rather difficult, but surprised they didn't continue RnD, seeing a HSV Avalanche every now and then is a treat too. You'd think there would be more since the Adventra makes so much sense!
@@rorfvonbun yeah I think from memory the total number of AWD Holdens and HSVs built without referring to a production number list table in the FB group, it was somewhere like 8 maybe 10,000 tops manufactured by Holden and HSV in total across VY and VZ series, so across the wagon, 4 door ute, 2 door ute and the Monaro or more specifically the Coupé4 which is relatively small by comparison to all the other RWD models. Not everybody needed or wanted it, it hurt overall acceleration (on sealed roads atleast) and also hurt fuel economy, plus was more expensive than RWD models so i can understand the AWD models not selling like hot cakes lol although it definitely had a niche market for themselves they should've continued into VE/VF, especially with the popularity of crossovers these days. Ford Territory's more SUV shaped body style approach probably helped them out more so looking back now, i still prefer the Adventra approach more similar to a Subaru Outback though.
My VZ LX8 was around 60k new in 2005 and is about 90k in 2024 money after inflation adjustment just to give you an idea lol but that LX8 spec is the range topper model from Holden, HSV Avalanche version is even more expensive.
Holden did continue R&D actually, it was planned to go into the VE which is why it has such large wheel arch flares standard across all of its models to accommodate the wider track width AWD system for the VE models they had planned before the plans got internally cancelled during VE / Zeta platform development.
You'll notice all VY and VZ AWD based Holdens have tacked on wheel arch flares to accommodate and cover the wider track width otherwise the wheels poke outside the guards. Brake brackets are also unique to AWD models too among other unique components.
The AWD models were all powered by GM's slush box automatic 4L60 lol which was bad enough in a lighter model regular Commodore, even worse in a heavier 2T Adventra so its common for gearbox's to die from around 230,000 and upwards unless you baby it and service it well, or more importantly keeping them cool via aftermarket trans coolers and/or larger capacity oil sump for the trans. There was a slightly improved 4L65 in the VZ version Avalanche but only slightly.
You can rebuild them stronger, but there is a guy in the FB group who makes 6sp manual conversion kits and even a more modern 6sp auto 6L80 from VE/VF which is not only stronger, but increases acceleration and fuel economy by a good margin so that helps keep these rarer AWD Holden's on the road longer ❤️
If paired with the LS2/L98 and 6L80 in a VE and actually released to the public that would've been an awesome combo its a real shame it never went ahead. I have seen AWD swaps in a VT sedan before and even a VY Statesman, a regular VY 2 door Commodore ute too, all possible because of the same floor pan in the same generation.
As an Aussie who grew up with these things, this is bittersweet. Can’t rewind the clock, but if I had one vehicular wish it’d be for the SUV trend to die out again in my lifetime….
Holden Commodore trims were like this
Standard trim = Chevy
Berlina = Oldsmobile
Calais = Buick
Statesman = Cadillac
SS = Pontiac
“We have enough. Hence, we have it all.” Absolute banger.
Love the Belina. The color is amazing and so much versatility in that boot. 😊
Was great seeing you at the meet in Melbourne
You're coming back!?!? Best holiday news ever, missed the first one due to scheduling and mechanical conflicts, would love a chance to offer a couple cars again!
My first car was a 1995 VS Berlina. Bought in 2004 with 170,000 km and driven to 300,000 for 9 years, awesome car. Took so much abuse, but then I learned and took care of the drive-train and it loved it. Most expensive issue was a radiator replacement for $450. Good old Ecotec 3800!
Excellent vid, gentlemen.
Caddilac catera is the version they got in America. And of course the Pontiac GTO is from the same factory.
The vt-vx-vy-vz body ran from. 1997-2006.
2:40 Sydney to Melbourne is a 870km if you drive direct, or 1,300km if you follow the coast (safer route). And not 100km.
PA in the building! I love this channel 😂. Happy holidays!
Kunkleman sure are diversifying their stock these days😅
Ldvs byds mgs greatwalls ssangyongs
Great video! Had a few of these and Falcon wagons as work hacks back then. A few Melbourne to Canberra fireworks missions may have occurred!
“If you think you know the game, NO THE FUCK YOU DON’T.”
Matto’s intro had me roaring at 3:00 am the other night. Great job!!! 🤣🤣🤣
It's on a enlarged Opel Omega platform, leave it to GM to not sell something like that here in Germany, where it would have been very popular.
It seems nice and likable, really. There's a lot to be said about wishing we'd kept our rear drive wagons, easier to service in general and potential fun while being useful. :) And the 'push bar' is nicely done, really, Australia seems to have all the ways to do that pretty worked out. (another thing they happen to be really useful for is if you need extra lights and have a pretty smooth front end, my 90's S10 could do with one for woodland path use, also to fend off any minor encounters with branches and trees. In the US, there may be a tendency to be excessive in bulk and weight if not overdone style with the things, unless something's all the way on the 'too cheap, but holds lights' end of things, so I see content from Oz and I'm like, 'I bet they could set me up with some fabrication just right down there.'
I didn’t have “Aussie Kunklemen Chevrolet” on my 2024 bingo card
Its called GMSV general motors special vehicles correctly
Man, i would have broken narrating that intro its pure gold
Romsn, I see you have made to Australia! 🇦🇺
Kunkleman finally expanded! Nice
*Kunklemate Aussie Auto
I was wondering who was doing the Kunkleman voice ad....then the voice credit came up. Nice change up!
You pretty much nailed the Australian cultural references and the pronunciation of Melbourne which is to say i enjoyed this a lot. But while were here, Caprice is above Statesman and you've been nailed about that 100 kays elsewhere :) Also ... As a discussion point ... Some of the HSVs were $150k+ which represented a pretty conspicuous brag, particularly among the upper middle bogan that aspired to them, though having said that I've almost never seen one on the road and I wonder if they were bought as investments (W1 is now worth $350k plus).
Holy shit, Kunko's is near Keysborough? Might need to stop by for a yarn in the new year
Just one little fyi Holden also made the Caprice a more upmarket version of the Statesman. That is what would be more akin to a Cadillac of Australia, reason being the Stateman was available in both V8 & V6 the Caprice was V8 only.
I also really appreciate that they didn’t sacrifice space for styling here. It’s got that big wide Pixar mom wagon ass so you can load a whole couch in it rather than having a swooping roof line like a lot of the wagons (cough cough Audi) that we get in the US. A wagon is pointless if you don’t get the practicality that comes with it.
Yep and theres even enough room between the rear wheel arches in the boot to fit a pallet lol provided the forklift driver is careful enough, you can fit a bath tub in the back with the rear seats folded down 😂 In another lifted model with AWD called the Holden Adventra, in LX6 or LX8 spec it came factory with an air compressor and rear air shocks too for a self levelling system when towing or carrying heavy loads in the boot so the rear suspension didn't sag.
I own one of the 333 made in LX8 spec, a 2005 Holden Adventra LX8 with the 250kw LS1. It was marketed as a soft roader similar to a Subaru Outback but was surprisingly capable off road.
I miss the good Ol boat station wagons… and the JDM / Aussie market wagons will always hold a place in my heart
0:11 i saw that meme yesterday. Good lord i thought it was a one off weird thing. I guess not lol
The intro is the funniest Kunkleman’s ad to date.
I don’t know why, but I lost it at Ryobi.
Crikey! That intro was fair dinkum.
How the hell does Kunkelman even have any Holden products to sell?
Pontiac GTO and g8?
Don't ask questions you don't want the answers for buddy or Rinaldi & Klein will come knocking, ya dig? Because they can dig quicker, capiche?
They sell Duesenbergs too now. Kunkelman can get anything you want if you have the money and come in barefoot.
It’s nice to know that a single platform got a Chevy-powered sedan, coupe, wagon, and Ute somewhere in the world post-Y2K. All that’s missing is a convertible (because I don’t know the Aussie market).
Up to the eighties the volume selling Holden platform would also have a Panel Van version. In the US it would be called a sedan delivery.
Mainly for commercial purposes until the seventies van craze when the popular and now highly sought after Sandman version was made.
Never a convertible model made by volume selling Australian makers in the past seventy years apart from the Mini Moke and low volume fibreglass sports car makers.
Yep plus the longer wheel based high luxury sedans the Statesman and and range topping Caprice.
Plus In this VY and VZ era based Commodores there were also other unique body variations like a 4 door dual cab ute called the Holden Crewman available in RWD and AWD both in V6 and V8, the 2 door ute also was available in the regular tub but also a tray back called the One Tonner as it could carry 1T of weight which was also available in RWD with V6 and V8 plus a rarer AWD model.
Also this wagon was also available as an option in V8, plus Holden made an off roader version similar to the Subaru Outback called the Holden Adventra which came in AWD with a lift kit with a choice of V6 and V8, had wider wheel arch flares and unique rear end styling to help set it apart from the regular Commodore wagon rear end and i actually own one lol in LX8 trim, the LX stood for luxury (somewhere between Calais and Statesman) and the 8 stood for the the 250kw 5.7L LS1 V8. I looked up build numbers and they only made 333 in LX8 spec for the Holden Adventra VZ.
I don't think convertibles exist in Australia because the Sun would set the occupants on fire as soon as the top was opened.
@ Nothing to do with the wildlife that would intrude?
@@PrydeWater901 haha the UV rating in Australia is horrendously bad we have a high rate of skin cancers here, close to a hole in the ozone layer aparently
Thought that intro was Tom Walker at first 😂. Loving these Aussie cars!
Great stuff!Welcome to Oz! Watch out for speed cams etc!
Next time you come to Australia you need to review a normal old ute. Like a Triton or a Ranger or BT50 etc. Or the legendary Nissan Patrol. They're the true workhorse of the country. Just about every tradie has some kind of normal ol ute. We love em. They're the ultimate Aussie "regular car".
It's worth noting for non locals that, what Australia got was several generations of falcon flavours or Commodore flavours that came with either a V6 or 4L I6 as the base engine.
With bold enough tires it meant anyone could learn to do skids, or have access to a skid car.
Slowly, as time marches on, these cars are either scrapped, wrecked, crushed, garaged etc, it won't be long before the last remnants will be gone and Australian kids will grow up with nothing but Inline 4 CVT Econo boxes
Just drove from Melbourne to Wollongong (1hr south of Sydney) last night in my 1999 VT2 Calais L67.
The car I grew up in was an ex-government base Executive wagon. Solid car.
Also looking forward to getting my Octavia serviced at Kunkleman Skoda someday soon :D
the most chaotic Kunckleman ad ever!
Thank you i truly love the Aussie reviews ❤
"We have enough, hence, we have it all."
I'm getting that quote framed on a wall.
The ads for Kunkleman Chevrolet are getting better every time
Lived out the back of one of these in 2011 while surfing up the coast from the Great Ocean Rd to the Goldie. Had to keep topping up the coolant, and when it rained hard the roof leaked, but other than that it was a great car for a long distance surf trip!
Romans not too bad accent aside, you guys clearly did some research to get the lingo. Love from NZ. Hope to see you again.
You can find that 3.6 in the first gen Cadillac CTS.
Also, for this generation, Executive was business spec, Acclaim was family spec, Calais (sedan only) is the short wheelbase luxury spec and the Berlina slots in neatly between the Acclaim and the Calais. And yes, they are all functionally Commodores. My Calais is functionally a Commodore, just dressed up and with softer suspension.
Another thing. I'm pretty sure these Berlina wagons were available with an LS, but most out there are V6 and used as daily drivers
So nice to hear an American say melbourne correctly
Thank you for all your hard work rcr crew