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Commodore coming to US as Pontiac
By Correy Putton
In the news: One of Australia's biggest selling cars, the Holden Commodore is going to be made available in the US and that is according to General Motors' worldwide head of product development Bob Lutz during a press conference held at the Detroit Motor Show.
According to Mr. Lutz, "We are seriously planning to import a lot of Commodore SS sedans as Pontiac G8s." He further added that if the price is right Holden could export up to 50,000 Commodores in the US. It was only after his speech that Mr. Lutz has realized that he has made a faux pas and quickly added, "We are yet to officially announce it….While (the Monaro's) export program may not have fulfilled all of our hopes and dreams in terms of profitability and volume, it did break the ice on global programs."
The announcement was not due until next month's Chicago Motor show but it seems Bob Lutz was so carried away by all the excitement during the Detroit Motor Show that he has given away more than what he was supposed to. Holden officials refused to answer any questions regarding the Commodore's export program which Mr. Lutz has revealed.
The Commodore SS is a V8 powered sports sedan and will be sold as Pontiac either later this year or early next year. According to reports Holden is expecting to export at least 30,000 Commodores annually about half of what it normally sells locally. Holden is already exporting to the Middle East more than what it sells locally. Its export program is viewed as a key to the Commodore's survival.
Remembering the Eagle
And speaking of the Pontiac, it can be recalled that GM once offered its Talon as a rival to the Pontiac. The Talon was a sports car sold by the Eagle Division of Chrysler until the year 1998. After its demise it became a popular car in the aftermarket segment due to its powerful turbocharged inline 4 cylinder engine (with codename 4G63) combined with an all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain.
The first generation models of the Eagle Talon were the most popular among aftermarket tuners due to its engine's high tolerance for abuse. The second-generation models are also preferred by aftermarket tuners however some of its engines suffered from a problem termed as crankwalk. The production of the Talon sports car was short lived but during its lifetime it has garnered a number of awards and sold over 100,000 units which is considered to be a good figure for sports car. The Talon during its short existence has created a cult of avid enthusiasts that why even at present Eagle parts are still being manufactured.
About the Author
Corey Putton is a 28-year old bachelor from Pittsburgh, PA who has been around cars for the better part of his life. He now works online and writes all about his passion:cars. He is also a certified mechanic.
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