Holden’s VF Monaro just for show

HOLDEN designers and Melbourne-based styling house Dsine International have joined forces on a coupe version of the recently released VF Commodore, but the program is unofficial and not destined for production.

Quick to dampen the hopes of enthusiasts urging a return of the much-loved Monaro nameplate, Holden has confirmed that the striking two-door model is nothing more than a design exercise.

That has not stopped social media outlets going into overdrive today with the release of these computer-generated images and a video, which are the result of a collaborative effort between Holden designers Peter Hughes and Simon Gow and design house Dsine International.

GM Holden senior manager of PR and technology communications Andrea Matthews told GoAuto the design concept was worked on entirely out of hours and is “definitely not slated for production”.

Ms Matthews said it was unlikely the coupe concept would become a show car highlighting GM design, adding that the exercise was more of a “what if?” Despite ongoing uncertainty about Holden’s manufacturing future, the Australian car-maker is still pushing ahead with its export program of the VF-based Chevrolet SS to the United States.

If the SS proves successful, a two-door version could be on the cards, reawakening a program that previously saw the reborn Holden Monaro exported as a Pontiac GTO to the US, and as a Vauxhall Monaro VXR to the UK.

The video on Dsine International’s Facebook page is accompanied by the posting: “If we could we would! This is a concept put together by Dsine International with the help from Simon Gow and Peter Hughes from GMA design. It was done after hours and is just a representation of what a VF coupe could look like ... We would all love a new Monaro!” The original first-generation Kingswood-based Monaro was produced between 1968 and 1971, with the second generation running from 1971 to 1977.

Holden famously resurrected the Monaro nameplate in 2001 with the VT Commodore-based two-door after receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from the Commodore Coupe concept it unveiled at the 1998 Sydney motor show.

A decade after that original reveal, Holden caused further excitement by ripping the covers off the VE Commodore-based Coupe 60 at the 2008 Melbourne motor show – a $2.5 million concept car that celebrated the 60th anniversary of Holden’s first car, the 48/215, and raised expectations that a two-door version of the billion-dollar VE series had received the green light for production.

It was not to be, however, with the VZ remaining the last two-door series for now – despite Australian GM design executive Mike Simcoe telling GoAuto that a two-door VE “will come”.

Mr Hughes, meanwhile, was the key designer behind both the Coupe 60 and ‘modern era’ Monaro from 1998.