Prices for broader new Commodore LPG range emerge

HOLDEN has revealed prices for its new and expanded dedicated-LPG Commodore sedan range, along with price increases for its smaller Australian-made stablemate, the Cruze.

Twelve new sedan and ute models will be available when the upgraded single-fuel Commodore LPG range is officially launched on February 21 - including Sportwagon, Caprice, Equip and SV6 versions for the first time - each with a six-speed automatic transmission instead of the outgoing dual-fuel LPG Commodore’s archaic four-speed auto.

Prices start at $37,990 plus on-road costs for the 2012 VE Commodore Series II Omega Ute, making Holden’s new dedicated LPG ute $900 cheaper than before at base level, but still more expensive than Ford’s new dedicated-LPG MkII Falcon EcoLPI ute (from $31,090 cab-chassis, or $31,490 with styleside tray).

New to the Commodore-based Ute range is the SV6 LPG model, priced at $41,990 plus ORCs, which will be a direct rival for the Falcon XR6 EcoLPI (from $37,890 cab-chassis, or $38,190 styleside).

A new Equipe variant will open the revised Commodore LPG sedan line-up at $40,490 - $1900 less than Holden’s previous Commodore LPG sedan price-leader but still $755 more than Ford’s equivalent MkII Falcon XT EcoLPI sedan ($39,735 plus ORCs).

Left: Holden Omega Ute and Berlina sedan. Below: Holden Cruze sedan.

The 2012 Commodore Omega LPG sedan will cost $2000 more at $42,990 plus ORCs ($600 less than before), while the upgraded Berlina LPG sedan is priced from $45,990 (up $100) and the new SV6 LPG sedan is $46,290 plus ORCs - $3300 more than the XR6 EcoLPI sedan (from $42,990).

The all-new Commodore Sportwagon LPG range, which has no direct competitor in the absence of an LPG-fuelled Territory, will open $2000 higher than the sedan from $42,490 for the new Equipe LPG.

Mirroring the Commodore LPG sedan range, the Holden’s LPG wagon range also includes the Sportwagon Omega LPG (from $44,490), the Sportwagon Berlina LPG (from $47,990) and the Sportwagon SV6 LPG (from $48,290).

Topping Holden’s fresh LPG range is the new long-wheelbase Caprice LPG sedan, priced from $64,990 - $2500 more than the entry-level 3.6-litre Caprice V6 (from $61,990).

Technical details are yet to be revealed, but GoAuto understands Holden’s new dedicated LPG range will be powered exclusively by a 3.6-litre V6 that produces 178kW at 6000rpm, which is up from the previous dual-fuel LPG V6’s 175kW.

However, its peak power output falls short of the entry-level Commodore’s 3.0-litre direct-injection SIDI petrol V6, which offers 190kW at 6650rpm along with 290Nm of torque (the old LPG engine already bettered it at 318Nm), not to mention the 3.6-litre SIDI V6’s 210kW/350Nm outputs.

The performance of Commodore’s new dedicated LPG system, which retains gaseous multi-point injection technology, is also eclipsed by the Falcon’s more advanced liquid injection LPG system, which was developed by Orbital and is also employed by HSV’s V8 range.

In Ford’s case it delivers more performance than the Falcon’s 4.0-litre inline petrol six, at 198kW and 409Nm.

Official certification figures also reveal the new LPG Commodore models will retain the same 2100kg braked towing capacity as 3.6-litre petrol models – up from 1200kg for 3.0-litre petrol models – while all Commodores can tow 750kg unbraked.

Tare weights for Holden’s new Eco-branded dedicated LPG system - which will dispense with the conventional space-sapping boot-mounted gas tank – will start at 1710kg for the base Omega sedan, 83kg more than the petrol Omega sedan.

The single-fuel LPG system, which will incorporate an under-floor gas cylinder, not only paving the way for a return to LPG in the Sportwagon but potentially gives sedan and ute models a cargo advantage over the EcoLPi Falcon and aftermarket systems We understand LPG Commodores will lose no boot space, unlike Falcon EcoLPi sedans, which have a shallower boot than petrol models but also lose the full-size spare wheel as standard equipment.

Meantime, Holden has revealed price increases of between $250 and $1300 for its smaller Cruze sedan and hatch range, following the release of its more expensive new Barina sedan range earlier this month.

As we’ve reported, the new Barina sedan is now available from $16,490 - $200 more than before and $500 more than the new TM-series Barina hatch (which itself increased by $1200 at base level) upon which is based.

Effective from February, the entry-level Cruze 1.8 CD sedan and hatch now cost $21,490 plus ORCs – up $250 or 1.2 per cent from their former base price of $21,240.

The Cruze 1.8 CD auto is now $23,790 plus ORCs (up $550 or 2.4 per cent), with 1.4-litre turbo CD models undergoing similar price hikes to $22,740 and $25,050 respectively.

The Cruze 1.8 CDX manual has been discontinued, while the auto rises $300 to $27,040.and 1.4T SRi models hike by $1000 or four per cent ($25,990 manual) and $1300 or 4.8 per cent ($28,290 auto), with SRi-V models up by the same amounts to a respective $29,490 and $31,790.

Diesel-powered Cruze models have undergone the same price increase and now start at $25,490 for the 2.0 CD manual, increasing to $27,790 (CD auto) and $31,040 (CDX auto), with the diesel CDX manual also discontinued.

Holden Commodore LPGpricing (plus on-road costs):
Equipe sedan (a)	$40,490
Equipe wagon (a)	$42,490
Omega sedan (a)	$42,490
Omega wagon (a)	$44,490
Berlina sedan (a)	$45,990
Berlina wagon (a)	$47,990
SV6 sedan (a)	$46,290
SV6 wagon (a)	$48,290
Caprice sedan (a)	$64,490
Omega Ute (a)	$37,990
SV6 Ute (a)	$41,990