Holden's dual SUV plans

HOLDEN’S confirmation last week that it would introduce the Daewoo S3X-based four-wheel drive wagon next year does not necessarily sound the death knell for the unloved Commodore-based Adventra, according to the company’s chairman and managing Denny Mooney.

"To me, the Adventra is still more of a wagon than an SUV, whereas this (S3X) is more of an SUV than a wagon," Mr Mooney told GoAuto.

"It starts to get tougher to delineate as you get into crossovers – but this offers a higher ride height and (is) bigger and taller."The future of Adventra is uncertain.

It is believed production of the existing model will continue for an indefinite – though possibly short – period after the 2006 launch of the VE Commodore sedan.

Mr Mooney said the S3X-based vehicle, which is codenamed C100, would debut in the "middle of the year" and more detail would be provided in the first quarter of 2006.

"We’ve decided on a name, but if I told you, I’d have to kill you," he said.

He said it was a "safe conclusion" that the 4WD will be offered in 2WD and AWD formats and with petrol and diesel power.

The volume seller is expected to pack a smaller derivative of the Commodore’s Alloytec V6, displacing either 2.8 or 3.2 litres.

He also confirmed C100 will be offered in five- and seven-seat configurations, with emphasis on the latter.

"If you look at this market, 80 percent of them are seven-seaters," he said.

Like Ford’s Territory, it will be available only with an automatic transmission.

"Manual transmissions are not big in this segment," he said.

"In America you get a lot of what are called ‘soccer mums’ driving this type of vehicle and they don’t like manuals."Pricing? "We think it’s going to be very competitive." Count on a sub-$40,000 entry point.

Efijy burns at Sydney show

IT IS never going to make it to production, but Holden’s FJ-inspired Efijy concept car revealed last week did exactly what it was intended to do – steal the thunder on the opening day of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.

According to GM Holden boss Denny Mooney, the show car was fully drivable and a relatively inexpensive means to showcase Holden’s heritage.

"Efijy cost a couple of hundred thousand dollars, which is relatively inexpensive when you consider that a show car typically costs two or three million," Mr Mooney told GoAuto.

"Part of the reason the cost was so low is that we had 22 suppliers that donated a lot of stuff. Ronny Harrop did the brakes... the blower is one of his, and he did the wheels. We had several local suppliers who wanted to work with us on the car."Holden sources say the Efijy would have cost $1.5 million to build if the company had to foot the bill for parts and labour.

According to Mr Mooney, the car’s significance ranged from production lessons to team building.

"Any time you do any project there’s production lessons, but it’s really about a group of people getting together and doing something," he said.

"It’s no different from a production car, it’s just that there’s a lot more people involved with a production car than a show car."Mr Mooney also said Holden was one of the few brands that can create a car such as the Efijy.

"If you don’t have a heritage, you can’t do a retro car," he asserted.

"There’d be a lot of younger people today that wouldn’t necessarily appreciate the heritage that Holden has. This car (FJ) went out of production the same year I was born – 1956."