FIRST PICS!!! VE & WM UNCOVERED!!!

[ClevlndStemer]

we'll see huh

[Bucket]

The grill looks a bit too deep-set into the nose.. And the spoiler on the SS doesnt compliment the lines that the VE Has.. Long Nose...short Back...big spoiler...not a fan so far...I think they are still trying to get a grips on the concept of European Styling..

[spoonage]

I like it, you guys have to stop looking at it through blue eyes ;)

[Full Spectrum]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

For how many years will Holden stick with the same design themes. They can't do anything original. VY taillights, headlights, Monaro front bumper, Astra grille. I'm thinking i've seen that type of rear spoiler on a tuner built version of the 2000 Mustang too, maybe a Saleen.

See this is where you need to let your imagination run a little wild.
VY taillights similar because of the current waggon and Utes staying on.
Headlights same reason above.
Monaro front bumper could easily be the SSX bumper. But again fits in with Utes waggons.
Astra grill have you seen the original Astra grill from overseas way off this one here. But after looking at some Astra's I'm lost i can't see the resemblance?.
It's little things real little things only it's a touch pedantic don't you think?

Originally Posted by Steffo

GM and Ford are the Gods of bad decision making. Don't underestimate the stupidity Holden is capable of. :

I can't belive you belive that lol


There are some very disgruntled AU owners here that love there cars because they are great cars but still can't shake the years of jokes they copped, And are still looking for another to come so they can finally get some pay back.

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

Front looks very very much like the BA,.

my 1st thought was the same.

[Rob]

Hmm.. I'd have to agree with the majority here, first impressions were of a BA/Camry hybrid, and the Stato being near 380/Maxima.

Looks awkward in those photos.

[blackahcdx]

Originally Posted by Falcon Freak

Looks like Holden liked the BA front so much that they put it on the VE!

FF

Also looks like Ford like the VY headlights enough, they put them on the BA :p

[merlin]

looks like.......a commodore....meh

[ltd]

The SS looks nice, I think the stato has a huge rear end though, and it sort of looks disproportioned in those shots. I'll wait to see it in the metal before I make my final judgement on it. The shots do it no justice at all, they should have left the covers on the stato until they were able to get some decent shots.

[bwhinnen]

Originally Posted by YOOT

Looks completely different at ground level

That angle makes it look like they are trying to make it appear to be a fastback...

[banarcus]

Hmm, looks like I'll have a gander down at the local Holden dealer and have a closer look. It will be a success for sure and it definately will not go down the same route as Ford did with the AU disaster. I remember going to the Holden dealer back in '97 and seeing the VT and then 18 months later when the AU came out and the lack of people at Klosters that day(saying, "Geez looks like a Taurus") just said it all.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Steffo

Dare I say, the VE is the next AU.

It's not even out yet, how do you know that?

This could be one of the best selling cars in Australia in many years, when it comes out.

Once I see a up close and personal view of the VE, i'll make a accurate judgement. These pics while they are the best so far, don't really do any justice for it.

[RG]

Just showed those pics to a bloke at work without telling him what they were of. First thing he said was "is that the new Mitsubishi".

[AWD Chaser]

Originally Posted by SlickHolden

There are some very disgruntled AU owners here that love there cars because they are great cars but still can't shake the years of jokes they copped, And are still looking for another to come so they can finally get some pay back.

SlickHolden, that one of the best things I have heard you say - lol.

I'm an AU owner, and no where near disgrunteled, although I do feel sorry for those that don't have a good taste in design. Even the Merc-B CLS is just about a rear cut of an AU ....
Although I want to distance myself as much from the AU1 forte "Whale Mouth" grill..... uggghhh

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Ryan

It's not even out yet, how do you know that?

This could be one of the best selling cars in Australia in many years, when it comes out.

Once I see a up close and personal view of the VE, i'll make a accurate judgement. These pics while they are the best so far, don't really do any justice for it.

For once I agree with one of the Holden people.

Steffo, I think your comment was a bit presumptous. To say hands down at this stage that VE will fail (And come on! It's a pleasant looking car, just not much different looking) dismally like AU, is a very blue blooded comment and to me, Frankly laughable.

The pics we have here, no matter what angle, look pleasant. The car doesn't look bad. It won't fail, however I DO beleive Ford will be able to better it design and engineering wise VERY easily with Orion.

[AWD Chaser]

Originally Posted by Danny

however I DO beleive Ford will be able to better it design and engineering wise VERY easily with Orion.

And then Holden will out do it with the all new V??? and then Ford will out do that, and then Mitsubishi will release a John Farnam Last-Time comeback tour with the all new 390, which will come with a huge amount of media hype claiming it will shake up the 6cyl car market, which will fail, and about 1-2 years later, Toyota will release a new Camery with a different name that won't sell very well either, then there will be a pile of new hype about Holden's newest R&D Commodore.... and then it will be about 2015.....and people will sing praise about smart-meaning acronyms that the new Commodore and the new Falcon will spell....

[RG]

Originally Posted by au3 chaser

And then Holden will out do it with the all new V??? and then Ford will out do that, and then Mitsubishi will release a John Farnam Last-Time comeback tour with the all new 390, which will come with a huge amount of media hype claiming it will shake up the 6cyl car market, which will fail, and about 1-2 years later, Toyota will release a new Camery with a different name that won't sell very well either, then there will be a pile of new hype about Holden's newest R&D Commodore.... and then it will be about 2015.....and people will sing praise about smart-meaning acronyms that the new Commodore and the new Falcon will spell....

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha...that is a ****er!!!!!

[HSE2]

A lesson in how not to release a car. While a drip feed ****es me off no end not controlling 980 million worth of development is suicidal. As soon as Holden were ready top run these cars on the road they should have released official pictures instead of this abortion of a set up.


While the article makes mention of Ford being concerned and rightly so given the gap between Ford's new car, these photos would be the ones Ford would wish released.

Uninspired and proportionally challenged. Already the interior design smacks of me too and yesterday’s news but these new exterior shots are a huge disappointment. What were they thinking with the short rear end!!!

[AWD Chaser]

I just don't understand how $1 billion can be justified in the R&D of any car?!?!?! WTF? Let alone a car company....

[JPFS1]

i look at all these pics everyday, they're not getting any better.

It's a huge disappointment for me.

I cannot wait for Orion now. If there was ever going to be a commodore to tempt me, it was going to be VE, but this is waaay off the mark in my books.

[Dazza XLT]

Originally Posted by au3 chaser

I just don't understand how $1 billion can be justified in the R&D of any car?!?!?! WTF? Let alone a car company....

Does anyone have an idea of what the BA cost to develop...Or even the AU? :
But you are right... $980 million sounds like a crapload to design a car, but I am no car designer, and would not know the costs involved!

[FGX-351]

Originally Posted by Danny

Frontal Treatment looks like an R34 GTR (Don't know if anyone agrees but it was what I thought from the original Com gen shots we got on Go Auto a couple months back). Wheel arches look good, rear wing maybe a little big. Kind of looks like a Dick Smith Remote Control Car

exactly what i though when i saw the front

[vino3o2]

Originally Posted by JEM

i look at all these pics everyday, they're not getting any better.

It's a huge disappointment for me.

I cannot wait for Orion now. If there was ever going to be a commodore to tempt me, it was going to be VE, but this is waaay off the mark in my books.

Dont get ahead of yourself, usually when a car is seen in the flesh it looks completly different...I dont understand why so many people are bagging it? The car looks pretty good to me in those pics.....definatly need to stop jumping the gun and hold on to ya horses to actually SEE the car first

[JPFS1]

Originally Posted by vino3o2

Dont get ahead of yourself, usually when a car is seen in the flesh it looks completly different...I dont understand why so many people are bagging it? The car looks pretty good to me in those pics.....definatly need to stop jumping the gun and hold on to ya horses to actually SEE the car first

Thanks for the advise Vino but i am totally aware that the car will look better in the flesh (well it won't look as ugly anyway)...

My point however is that with the amount of hype surrounding "Australia's most important car"... it just didn't live up to it in my mind.

I can make that judgement by seeing the styling themes in these totally unmasked photos. The styling is nothing new and uninspiring imo. I know my statements may grate potential future owners of this car, but that's life, we don't all have to agree.

[vino3o2]

Originally Posted by JEM

Thanks for the advise Vino but i am totally aware that the car will look better in the flesh (well it won't look as ugly anyway)...

My point however is that with the amount of hype surrounding "Australia's most important car"... it just didn't live up to it in my mind.

I can make that judgement by seeing the styling themes in these totally unmasked photos. The styling is nothing new and uninspiring imo. I know my statements may grate potential future owners of this car, but that's life, we don't all have to agree.

Fair enough mate, everyones tastes are different....Im sure a set of 19' mags and a lowering kit will spruce the old VE up a bit :

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by vino3o2

Fair enough mate, everyones tastes are different....Im sure a set of 19' mags and a lowering kit will spruce the old VE up a bit :

point is though you shouldn't need to do that to a brand new car.

lowering and good rims can make any car look good....almost.

[LethalLeigh]

I don't mind the styling myself and I think that Holden nailed it in the regard that it's instantly recognisable as a Commodore (re: the glasshouse and front bumper). As someone mentioned before the styling may come across as 'uninspired' because the design had to be evolutionary to tie in with the wagon and ute range. Fact is, some of you guys would pan it if it were a polarising revolutionary design like the AU. At the end of the day I've always said that Commodore build a good car so Ford can build a better one. It's the competition that keeps the segment healthy.

[T3ts50]

Originally Posted by Darran

Does anyone have an idea of what the BA cost to develop...Or even the AU? :
But you are right... $980 million sounds like a crapload to design a car, but I am no car designer, and would not know the costs involved!

The BA cost about $500 mill, I think the AU was $1 Billion

[AMT]

Good news for The Ford Motor Co because that looks terrible... :

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by au3 chaser

I just don't understand how $1 billion can be justified in the R&D of any car?!?!?! WTF? Let alone a car company....

Firstly you have to consider that the Zeta platform was designed from scratch and initially was planned to provide short and lwb models (sedans, wagons, utes) and a 2 door. It had to cater for Australian, US and other overseas export markets in rhd/lhd. Holden made major capital outlays for the plant in SA which is also part of the expense. Man hours spent on PC's, designing every component between company and suppliers and then having them sourced by vendors after which they are retested and validated. Manually assembling prototypes, then buying tooling for the presses, development of evaluation vehicles off real tooling. Fixing any major/minor issues, redesiging if necassary, then validating these component. Sales & marketing budgets. It's a very expensive, capital draining business, based on a calculated gamble. Who thought oil would be so bloody expensive for example.

I'm certain the delay in the VE's release was a combination of factors that included issues brought up in GM US resulting in lower units to produce, cost blowouts requiring sourcing from overseas to save money and hence delaying the validating of new components...it goes on.