Commodore turns 30

HOLDEN celebrated the 30th anniversary of its beloved Commodore last Saturday, exactly three decades since the original VB Commodore rolled off the company’s former assembly line at Pagewood in NSW on October 25, 1978.

Since then the Commodore has gone on to become Holden’s longest-running and most successful model, and has been Australia’s most popular vehicle for the past 12 years - despite being out-sold in a number of months recently by Toyota’s Corolla.

To the end of September this year, Holden has sold 37,505 examples (down 16 per cent year-on-year, but still well up on its chief rival in Ford’s Falcon), while the Corolla has found 36,758 new homes – up 3.7 per cent YTD but down 747 sales on the Commodore.

According to Holden, more than 2.5 million Commodores have been built since the VB replaced the Kingswood as the brand’s large rear-drive family car, spanning four model generations and 14 model series – all of which were sold overseas.

Model designations included the VB (1978) VC (1980) VH (1981) VK (1984) VL (1986) VN (1988) VP (1991) VR (1993) VS (1995) VT (1997) VX (2000) VY (2002) VZ (2004) and VE (2006), with major model changes occurring in 1988 with the VN, 1997 with the VT and 2006 with the VE Commodore.

Holden's design chief during the development of the original VB Commodore, Leo Pruneau (right), with current GM Holden design director Tony Stolfo.

Holden says it began work on the first Commodore in 1971 as the second GM ‘world car’ program, which aimed to offer new levels of sophistication, packaging, comfort, equipment and handling – the latter largely courtesy of the company’s new Radial Tuned Suspension.

Australia’s version of the VB Commodore received locally developed engines, steering, suspension, body strengthening and dust sealing compared to the cars sold in the UK, Europe and South Africa. The VB Commodore’s base price was $6513 when released in Australia in 1978.

Since then the Commodore has won the Wheels Car of the Year award a record five times – VB (1978), VN (1988), VR (1993), VT (1997) and VE (2006) – and also introduced Australian-made firsts like driver, passenger and side impact airbags, computer-optimised restraint systems and a standard anti-lock braking system (ABS).

The racing version has also won a record 18 Bathurst victories and nine V8 touring car and supercar championships.

The current VE Commodore sedan and Sportwagon comprises Omega, Berlina, SV6, SS and Calais variants, as well as spawning three Holden Ute variants and V6 and V8 versions of both the long-wheelbase Statesman and Caprice.

It continues to be built in both right and left-hand drive configuration for local and export destinations at the Holden Vehicle Operations assembly in Elizabeth outside Adelaide.

“Over thirty years Commodore has earned a place in the hearts and minds of generations of Australian families,” said GM Holden chairman and managing director Mark Reuss.

“On the way to becoming Holden’s longest standing and most successful nameplate, Commodore has delivered significant advances in passenger car safety, comfort and handling.

“We’re always seeking to improve Commodore so that it remains the smart choice for Australian motorists. It is a mark of the skill and creativity of the Australian automotive industry that we have been able to build top-selling cars of this calibre for local and overseas markets,” he said.

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