GM INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT UNVEILS ALL-NEW HOLDEN COMMODORE RANGE DURING VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

GM INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT UNVEILS ALL-NEW HOLDEN COMMODORE RANGE DURING VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

The President of General Motors International, Barry Engle paid a flying visit to Auckland to  officially unveil the eagerly anticipated all-new Commodore range.

Mr Engle took the covers off  the three bodystyles on offer - Liftback, Sportwagon and Tourer - all of which will be available for sale at Holden dealerships around the country from March.

“This new generation of Commodore will redefine one of GM’s most famous nameplates. Commodore is now a true global car for GM, and offers levels of technology, engine options and bodystyles that will challenge perceptions of the car,” Mr Engle said.

For the first time, a diesel option with will be available on Commodore, cutting fuel consumption by a third compared to the equivalent previous model. The traditional sedan is replaced by a stylish liftback, dramatically increasing the functionality of a large car.

All wheel drive (AWD) capability on some models is also a first for Commodore. The hero of the range is the new Calais-V Tourer with a raised ride height and AWD, engineered to take on New Zealand’s most challenging road conditions.

Speaking at the event, Holden New Zealand’s managing director, Kristian Aquilina said this is the most important change in Commodore’s 40-year history.

“The brief to GM’s designers and engineers was simple: create a beautiful car that give us a major step change in fuel economy, safety, functionality and technology. They gave us the most advanced Commodore ever,” Mr Aquilina said.

New model highlights include a powerful V6 engine mated with a nine-speed transmission, automatic emergency braking, heated and ventilated massage seats, a 360-degree camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, dual panel panorama sunroof and head-up display,

And every new Commodore comes with Holden’s Complete Care three-years free scheduled servicing programme.

The all-new Holden Commodore will be available from $45,990 – which is $4,000 less compared with the entry model it is replacing – and not only offers the most powerful base specification engine ever in a Commodore, but also introduces luxury features at mainstream prices.

In addition to unveiling the Commodore range, Mr Engle’s took the opportunity to review GM’s investment in the Holden business in New Zealand. Holden and its dealer network is investing $50 million dollars locally in new and upgraded facilities, technology, training and new products and services.

This included an announcement that every new Holden launched from 2019 will be connected to the internet, via GM’s unique Onstar technology.

The Holden team in New Zealand spans three head office sites, 51 dealer sites and 1,400 employees directly involved in selling and serving customers across New Zealand.

All-new Commodore range pricing