Holden Commodore for MY12
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Holden Calais (VE Series 2 MY12)
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2nd September, 2011
Holden has made fuel-efficiency improvements across its
V6-powered Commodore range with a model year 2012 update on-sale later this month.
Commodore Omega sedan, powered by the Australian-built 3.0 litre SIDI V6 engine, achieves a new fuel
economy rating on the combined cycle of 8.9 L/100 km, down from 9.1 L/100 km on the previous model.
Holden has delivered consistent efficiency gains for Commodore since the launch of the VE range in
2006. Fuel economy on the entry-level Omega sedan has improved 18% over the life the model with the
addition of Spark Ignition Direct Injection (SIDI) technology, calibration improvements and other weight
saving and aero enhancements.
The continued focus on fuel economy means Holden Commodore is still the most fuel-efficient vehicle in
the large car segment.
With the model year updatefor 2012 all Commodore vehicles will become flex-fuel capable with 3.6L SIDI
V6 engine, powering models like the SV6, now also able to run on bio-ethanol/E85; a blend of up to 85 per
cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol.
Bio-ethanol is a cleaner burning fuel made in Australia from the waste by-product of wheat and sugar,
sorghum. In the future, household garbage is a potential source of ethanol fuel.
Speaking at the Alternative Fuels Summit in Brisbane this week, Holden Chairman and Managing Director,
Mike Devereux, said Holden had taken a leadership position in Australia, advocating for and stimulating
demand for bio-ethanol.
“Commodore drivers who run their car on bio-ethanol/E85 can reduce their well-to-wheel CO2
emissions by up to 40% compared to petrol.”
“And as well as adding flex-fuel capability, we aim to continuously improve Commodore with every
model year. Our engineers and designers are constantly striving to improve fuel efficiency and
performance and to enhance the look and feel of the car for our customers.”
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The Commodore model year update will also add subtle design enhancements and other features which will
be announced closer to start of production this month. A new range of dedicated LPG models will also be
launched in early 2012.
“Alternative fuels like bio-ethanol and LPG offer great potential for Australia through reduced CO2
emissions, regional development and energy independence,” Mr Devereux said.
“Bringing more dedicated LPG and flex-fuel vehicles to market will help drive demand for these
Australian-made fuels and demystify and make people aware of the benefits they offer.”
Improving fuel economy and CO2 emissions
Combined with on-going vehicle mass reduction, Holden engineers made a number of enhancements to the
new model year V6 models to improve fuel economy:
All automatic V6 models now feature an improved, more efficient transmission which reduces mechanical
losses and the 3.0 litre SIDI variants also benefit from a revised torque converter. The
air-conditioning system has also been re-engineered to improve efficiency and draw less operating
power.
Mr Devereux said the Holden engineering team was also working behind the scenes to bring more fuel
saving innovations to future Commodore models with taxpayer funds from the Federal Government’s New Car
Plan for a Greener Future.
“Our team is currently working on innovative weight-saving features like aluminium body panels and
exploring the potential benefits of other technologies like electronic power steering.”
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