G8 Fuels Engine Thoughts

The Age

Wednesday March 26, 2008

Barry Park

HOLDEN could replace its 6.0-litre V8 with a turbocharged V6 within the next few generations of the VE Commodore.

An insight into Holden's thinking about its engine replacement choices were outlined last week in the US, where the Commodore is rebadged as the G8, a performance sedan sold under General Motors' Pontiac badge.

In an interview with US motoring website Leftlane, Pontiac product manager Brian Shipman said that the G8's powertrains would not be changed in the next few years.

But he said by the car's second or third generation - the VE is due for its first minor facelift in the next 18 months - a forced-induction V6 engine was likely to replace the ageing 6.0-litre V8 unit.

Holden last toyed with a forced-induction V6 when it released a supercharged 3.8-litre version of the Commodore in the mid-1990s. But GM's latest generation of Ecotec engines are replacing superchargers with twin-scroll turbochargers that minimise the turbo lag that afflicts older engines.

As for the base naturally aspirated V6, that's likely to be replaced with a four-cylinder engine, Mr Shipman said. GM vice-president Bob Lutz said last week that the car maker was looking at a turbo-charged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine for the Commodore-based Chevrolet Camaro muscle car if fuel prices kept rising.

The 2.0-litre engine earmarked for the Commodore was unveiled in the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, a mid-sized two-door sports coupe, at the New York motor show last week. Fuel use for that car, which is about 600 kilograms lighter than a Commodore, is about 8.0 L/100 km.

Mr Shipman said other engines investigated for the US version of the Commodore are diesels and hybrid powertrains.

© 2008 The Age

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