Holden's T2X-factor

HOLDEN has made official its commitment to address the gaping void in its 4WD wagon line-up by presenting Daewoo’s T2X compact off-roader concept at the Melbourne motor show – this time wearing The General’s lion badges.

Revealed globally at last April’s Seoul motor show, the five-seat T2X took pride of place on the Holden stand alongside its larger sibling, the seven-seat S3X concept, which was shown as a Holden at the Sydney motor show in October and will go on sale here under a new name to rival Ford’s successful Territory in the second half of this year.

While the compact T2X is officially only a concept, if confirmed for production it is unlikely to represent Holden in the popular and hotly-contested compact SUV segment until at least 2008.

Designed by former Holden designer Max Wolff, the deputy director of advanced design for GM Daewoo, T2X’s aggressive front end, muscular wheel arches and basic silhouette are likely to transfer to the production model if it eventuates.

But do not expect the show car’s Mazda RX-8-style rear-hinged doors, 20-inch alloy wheels, removable glass roof panel and space-age centre console to reach production. Similarly, Holden signalled its intention to add to Australia’s turbo-diesel passenger car momentum by exhibiting two diesel-powered AH Astras ahead of their mid-year release Down Under.

Almost indistinguishable from the Opel-sourced five-door hatches in Holden’s current range – with the exception of different 16-inch alloy wheel designs – the two new oil-burning Astras are both powered by Euro IV emissions-compliant 1.9-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines.

While the entry-level model delivers 88kW at 3500rpm and 280Nm from just 2000rpm and will be available exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission, the more potent version, offering 110kW at 4000rpm and 320Nm from the same 2000rpm, will be available only with a six-speed manual transmission.

Both Astra diesels comprise standard anti-lock brakes, stability control, twin front, front side and side curtain airbags, cruise control and a six-CD sound system.

Fuel consumption and performance figures are unavailable. Also in the limelight at Holden’s Melbourne show exhibit was the last ever example of its current Monaro, adorned in a one-off “tasteful and celebratory” orange-yellow metallic paint colour, which was auctioned for charity within three hours of its 9.00am unveiling.

Finally, apart from the unveiling of the Holden Racing Team’s new 2006 livery and another showing for HSV’s Astra VXR hot hatch, Holden again wheeled out the Efijy hotrod that wowed Sydney show crowds last October.