Holden VH Commodore
Encyclopedia
The Holden VH Commodore, an evolution of the previous Holden
Commodore
VC model, was released in October 1981. The frontal appearance was mildly facelifted
with a new horizontal-slat grille and new lighting components designed to give a lower, wider look, and for interest of aerodynamics
. It continued to be available as sedan and station wagon
, with new tail light clusters utilized on sedan models.
The engines were carried over but revisions were made to the 1.9 L and 2.85 L engines to improve fuel economy. Gains of 12.5% and 14% respectively were made to the city cycle fuel economy figures.
Mechanical specifications were as before, except for an additional 5-speed manual transmission
which was an option only (due to the limits of the transmission-box) on the 1.9 L 4-cylinder and 2.85 L straight six versions.
At the same time a reshuffle was made to the range - SL was now the base model and SL/X was introduced as the mid-range car, with SL/E remaining the top-of-the-line sedan. The SL/E also came available with optional cruise control and a trip computer. The trip computer measured average speed and fuel consumption. Wagons were available in SL and SL/X variants.
In 1982 the "SS" sports model was released, a model that has been a Commodore mainstay ever since. The abbreviation stands for "Sports Sedan". Offered with Holden's 4.2 L V8 as standard, three up-spec versions of SS, known as 'Group One', 'Group Two' and 'Group Three' ( the latter also featuring the Holden 5.0 L V8) were produced by the late Peter Brock
's HDT
facility. The SS sedans were initially exclusively Maranello
Red in color, but were later also made available in Alabaster
White. To this day, Brock modified VH SS Commodores are considered highly sought after.
In 1983 an 'Executive' pack of the base Commodore was introduced, primarily directed to fleet buyers. These cars featured automatic transmission and air-conditioning as part of a Commodore SL package, but had no distinguishable external identification badges. Special editions of Commodore released around Christmas
1981, 1982 and 1983 were badged 'Vacationer'.
With the effects of the 1979 energy crisis
ending, buyers gravitated towards the larger Ford Falcon
rival, rather than the mid-size Commodore. Thus for the first time, the Holden Commodore lost its position as Australia's best selling car.
Production of this model ceased at the beginning of 1984, to be replaced by the much further facelifted Holden VK Commodore
.
s. Priced from $27,300 (manual) and $28,200 (auto) back in 1984.
The interiors were fitted with deep pile carpets, leather or fabric Recaro front bucket seats and matching material for the doors and panels. They also used real wood trim along the doors and lower dash. The roof and windscreen pillars were covered with soft dark grey felt.
The black and gold cars were fitted with front spoilers, colour keyed slatted grilles, steel reinforced fibreglass bumpers front and rear, rear deck spoilers, rear window louvres, embossed panels between the tail lights, tinted windows, ROH 6x14 alloy wheels with Goodyear CR70 H14 tyres and Adeyer nameplates. Twin halogen headlights, twin exhausts, power steering, Pioneer stereo, 4 wheel disc brakes and air con were also fitted on the initial and only group of VH Sportifs to be built.
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...
Commodore
Holden Commodore
The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
VC model, was released in October 1981. The frontal appearance was mildly facelifted
Facelift (automobile)
The automotive facelift comprises changes to a car's styling during its production run — often including new sheetmetal and/or interior design) with minimal changes to its underlying mechanicals — allowing a carmaker to freshen a model without complete redesign.A facelift retains the...
with a new horizontal-slat grille and new lighting components designed to give a lower, wider look, and for interest of aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
. It continued to be available as sedan and station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
, with new tail light clusters utilized on sedan models.
The engines were carried over but revisions were made to the 1.9 L and 2.85 L engines to improve fuel economy. Gains of 12.5% and 14% respectively were made to the city cycle fuel economy figures.
Mechanical specifications were as before, except for an additional 5-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
which was an option only (due to the limits of the transmission-box) on the 1.9 L 4-cylinder and 2.85 L straight six versions.
At the same time a reshuffle was made to the range - SL was now the base model and SL/X was introduced as the mid-range car, with SL/E remaining the top-of-the-line sedan. The SL/E also came available with optional cruise control and a trip computer. The trip computer measured average speed and fuel consumption. Wagons were available in SL and SL/X variants.
In 1982 the "SS" sports model was released, a model that has been a Commodore mainstay ever since. The abbreviation stands for "Sports Sedan". Offered with Holden's 4.2 L V8 as standard, three up-spec versions of SS, known as 'Group One', 'Group Two' and 'Group Three' ( the latter also featuring the Holden 5.0 L V8) were produced by the late Peter Brock
Peter Brock
Peter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other...
's HDT
Holden Dealer Team
The Holden Dealer Team was Holden’s semi-official racing team from 1969 until 1987, primarily contesting Australian Touring Car events but also rallying, rallycross and sports sedans during the 1970s...
facility. The SS sedans were initially exclusively Maranello
Maranello
Maranello is a town and comune in the region of Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy, 18 km from Modena, with a population of 16,841 as of 2009. It is best known as the home of Ferrari S.p.A. and the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One racing team...
Red in color, but were later also made available in Alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
White. To this day, Brock modified VH SS Commodores are considered highly sought after.
In 1983 an 'Executive' pack of the base Commodore was introduced, primarily directed to fleet buyers. These cars featured automatic transmission and air-conditioning as part of a Commodore SL package, but had no distinguishable external identification badges. Special editions of Commodore released around Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
1981, 1982 and 1983 were badged 'Vacationer'.
With the effects of the 1979 energy crisis
1979 energy crisis
The 1979 oil crisis in the United States occurred in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. Amid massive protests, the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, fled his country in early 1979 and the Ayatollah Khomeini soon became the new leader of Iran. Protests severely disrupted the Iranian oil...
ending, buyers gravitated towards the larger Ford Falcon
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
rival, rather than the mid-size Commodore. Thus for the first time, the Holden Commodore lost its position as Australia's best selling car.
Production of this model ceased at the beginning of 1984, to be replaced by the much further facelifted Holden VK Commodore
Holden VK Commodore
The Holden VK Commodore was introduced in 1984 and replaced the VH. It was the first Commodore to have plastic bumpers and introduced rear quarter windows for a six-window design as opposed to the four-window design on previous Commodore models...
.
Adeyer Sportif
Adeyer Sportif is a VH Commodore coupe. There were only 11 Adeyer Sportifs made in 1984. Using VH SL/E 4.2-litre Commodores, a company called Dominion and International Automobiles pulled them apart and remade the four door sedan into a two door coupe. This they did by re-welding the body shells to accommodate the elongated doors and rear quarters that were originally used on the Opel RekordOpel Rekord
The Opel Rekord was a large family car/executive car which was built in several generations by the German car manufacturer Opel.-Naming:The Rekord name evolved into the main name of the model; at first the name was used in close relationship with the Opel Olympia name, which pre-dated the Rekord...
s. Priced from $27,300 (manual) and $28,200 (auto) back in 1984.
The interiors were fitted with deep pile carpets, leather or fabric Recaro front bucket seats and matching material for the doors and panels. They also used real wood trim along the doors and lower dash. The roof and windscreen pillars were covered with soft dark grey felt.
The black and gold cars were fitted with front spoilers, colour keyed slatted grilles, steel reinforced fibreglass bumpers front and rear, rear deck spoilers, rear window louvres, embossed panels between the tail lights, tinted windows, ROH 6x14 alloy wheels with Goodyear CR70 H14 tyres and Adeyer nameplates. Twin halogen headlights, twin exhausts, power steering, Pioneer stereo, 4 wheel disc brakes and air con were also fitted on the initial and only group of VH Sportifs to be built.