Holden Suburban
Encyclopedia
The Holden Suburban is a full-size
SUV
built by General Motors
(GM) in Silao
, Mexico
between February 1998 and January 2001. Sold under GM Holden
brand in Australia
and New Zealand
, the Suburban was a right-hand drive
, badge engineered
version of the 1992 to 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
, available in North America
. The Suburban was first previewed in October 1997 at the Sydney Motor Show
. In total, 746 were sold (460 petrol and 286 diesel), an average of less than 250 units per year. After 2001, subsequent models reverted to the original Chevrolet
brand, which had also been used before 1998. Over the model's lifetime there were three trim levels: a base model, the LS and the LT. Not to be confused with the trim variants is the model code, designated K8.
was used instead. However, it had to be stretched to fit in the larger Suburban. A bench seat
came standard on the entry-level variant as well as the LS, but the more expensive LT received bucket seat
s. With the omission of the centre seat, the LT has a maximum seating capacity of eight, compared to nine.
Creature comforts standard in all models included a LCD
compass in the rear-view mirror
, a tilt adjustable steering wheel
, a driver's airbag
, ABS brakes
, and dual-zone air conditioning
. An extra A$
5,000 would buy the second tier LS, bringing alloy wheel
s, power window
s and mirrors among some features. To further up the ante, the LT gained electric front seats, leather trim, and a horizontally slated, two-part tailgate
. This came as opposed to the "barn doors" found on the other specifications.
, producing 190 kW and 447 newton metres (329.7 ft·lbf) of torque, or a 6.5-litre turbodiesel
V8
outputting 145 kW and 583 newton metres (430 ft·lbf). The former choice was designated the "1500" name, while the turbodiesel saw the "2500" identify. The 5.7-litre petrol engine is LPG
-compatible, and such systems can be retrofitted if desired. Regardless of the engine specified, the car was equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission
. However, what differed was the type of transmission. Petrol motors were fitted with the GM 4L60-E
transmission, with the GM 4L80-E
reserved for the diesel. A dashboard switch allows the vehicle to power all the wheels
simultaneously, or just the rear-wheels, and even allows for the low range gearing to instigate.
The vehicle's fuel efficiency
has been rated at 19.7 L/100 km for the diesel specification, with that figure rising to 21.8 L/100 km for the petrol model. With the hefty fuel consumption comes a 159-litre fuel tank
.
To combat the extra payload and towing capacity of the diesel, an improved braking package, as well as super heavy duty axle
s and suspension were fitted. Holden recommends a maximum 3,400 kilogram (7,496 lb) towing limit for the turbodiesels, with a reduced figure of 2,720 kilograms (5,997 lb) for the petrol models.
Full-size car
A full-size car is a marketing term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car. In the United States, the EPA uses "large car" to denote full-size cars....
SUV
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
built by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
(GM) in Silao
Silao
Silao is a city in the west-central part of the state of Guanajuato in Mexico. It is the seat of the municipio with the same name. As of the 2005 census, the city had a population of 147,123, making it the seventh-largest community in the state...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
between February 1998 and January 2001. Sold under GM Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
brand in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the Suburban was a right-hand drive
Driving on the left or right
The terms right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic refer to regulations requiring all bidirectional traffic to keep either to the right or the left side of the road, respectively. This is so fundamental to traffic flow that it is sometimes referred to as the rule of the road. This basic rule eases...
, badge engineered
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
version of the 1992 to 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet offered a station wagon body, built on the 1/2 ton truck frame. This model was specifically built for National Guard units and Civilian Conservation Corps units. Much of the body was constructed from wood, and could seat up to eight occupants....
, available in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The Suburban was first previewed in October 1997 at the Sydney Motor Show
Australian International Motor Show
The Australian International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in Australia, alternating between the cities of Sydney and Melbourne. Prior to the Sydney event in 2010, both cities previously hosted separate annual exhibitions...
. In total, 746 were sold (460 petrol and 286 diesel), an average of less than 250 units per year. After 2001, subsequent models reverted to the original Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
brand, which had also been used before 1998. Over the model's lifetime there were three trim levels: a base model, the LS and the LT. Not to be confused with the trim variants is the model code, designated K8.
Design and features
The Holden's interior differed from that of the American version, whereby the dashboard of the Chevrolet BlazerChevrolet S-10 Blazer
The Chevrolet Blazer and the similar GMC S-15 Jimmy are mid-size SUVs from General Motors. Production began alongside the larger K5 Blazer and Jimmy in 1983 and lasted through 2005. In the United States retail sales after 2004 were limited to two-door Blazer models, all other models being sold...
was used instead. However, it had to be stretched to fit in the larger Suburban. A bench seat
Bench seat
The bench seat was the traditional seat installed in American automobiles. This seat featured a continuous pad running the full width of the cabin...
came standard on the entry-level variant as well as the LS, but the more expensive LT received bucket seat
Bucket seat
A bucket seat is a seat contoured to hold one person, distinct from bench seats which are flat platforms designed to seat multiple people. Bucket seats are standard in fast cars to keep riders in place when making sharp or quick turns...
s. With the omission of the centre seat, the LT has a maximum seating capacity of eight, compared to nine.
Creature comforts standard in all models included a LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
compass in the rear-view mirror
Rear-view mirror
A rear-view mirror is a mirror in automobiles and other vehicles, designed to allow the driver to see rearward through the vehicle's backlight ....
, a tilt adjustable steering wheel
Steering wheel
A steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....
, a driver's airbag
Airbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
, ABS brakes
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
, and dual-zone air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
. An extra A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
5,000 would buy the second tier LS, bringing alloy wheel
Alloy wheel
Alloy wheels are automobile wheels which are made from an alloy of aluminium or magnesium. They are typically lighter for the same strength...
s, power window
Power window
Power windows or electric windows as well as electric or power window lifts are automobile windows which can be raised and lowered by depressing a button or switch, as opposed to using a hand-turned crank handle.- History :Packard introduced the first power windows in the 1940 Packard...
s and mirrors among some features. To further up the ante, the LT gained electric front seats, leather trim, and a horizontally slated, two-part tailgate
Tailgate
Tailgate is an American English word denoting the door or 'gate' at the back of a wagon, pickup truck, SUV or other similar type of vehicle that is hinged at the bottom and can be opened for the convenience in loading cargo into the rear of the vehicle...
. This came as opposed to the "barn doors" found on the other specifications.
Drivetrain
The Suburban was offered with the choice of either a 5.7-litre Vortec V8V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, producing 190 kW and 447 newton metres (329.7 ft·lbf) of torque, or a 6.5-litre turbodiesel
Turbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...
V8
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
outputting 145 kW and 583 newton metres (430 ft·lbf). The former choice was designated the "1500" name, while the turbodiesel saw the "2500" identify. The 5.7-litre petrol engine is LPG
Autogas
Autogas is the common name for liquefied petroleum gas when it is used as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles as well as in stationary applications such as generators. It is a mixture of propane and butane....
-compatible, and such systems can be retrofitted if desired. Regardless of the engine specified, the car was equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
. However, what differed was the type of transmission. Petrol motors were fitted with the GM 4L60-E
GM 4L60-E transmission
The 4L60-E is a series of automatic transmissions from General Motors. Designed for longitudinal engine configurations, the series includes 4 forward gears...
transmission, with the GM 4L80-E
GM 4L80-E transmission
The 4L80-E is a series of automatic transmissions from General Motors. Designed for longitudinal engine configurations, the series includes 4 forward gears. It is an evolution of the Turbo-Hydramatic 400, first produced in October, 1963...
reserved for the diesel. A dashboard switch allows the vehicle to power all the wheels
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
simultaneously, or just the rear-wheels, and even allows for the low range gearing to instigate.
The vehicle's fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the efficiency of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier fuel into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, which in turn may vary per application, and this spectrum of variance is...
has been rated at 19.7 L/100 km for the diesel specification, with that figure rising to 21.8 L/100 km for the petrol model. With the hefty fuel consumption comes a 159-litre fuel tank
Fuel tank
A fuel tank is safe container for flammable fluids. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine system in which the fuel is stored and propelled or released into an engine...
.
To combat the extra payload and towing capacity of the diesel, an improved braking package, as well as super heavy duty axle
Axle
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle...
s and suspension were fitted. Holden recommends a maximum 3,400 kilogram (7,496 lb) towing limit for the turbodiesels, with a reduced figure of 2,720 kilograms (5,997 lb) for the petrol models.