I see from my local paper\'s Motoring Section (Oxford Times 24th October 2003) that Vauxhall have officially announced the launch of a rebadged version of the Aussie Holden Monaro...a V8 coupe version of the Holden Commodore.
The Australian original was launched at a motorshow in 1999 or thereabouts as a concept car and won such accolades that it was in production in 2001 for the Australian market.
Details: V8 5.7l engine, RWD, 3 doors.
Makes the Omega look rather stuffy!
Ian L.
HJ points out that the Monaro coupe, the station wagon and the doublecab ute are all in car by car breakdown on this site.
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If only they had left the Holden badges on...
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tinyurl.com/si15
Some pics of the hairy-bottomed muscle car of choice for all right thinking Australians.
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An article (near the bottom of the page
www.motorbar.co.uk/talk3.htm
and a picture (showing the abomination of a grill...the original holden was much better).
www.carkeys.co.uk/NE008101.htm
Ian L.
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Calibra anybody? One can only presume the chassis must have had some significant alterations. The tendency that my mate's had to not go round bends was legendary if not downright frightening. And with 5.7 litres?
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i'm sure this baby is built by HSV - the racing arm of Holden. Almost as far from a omega as you could get!
It is the most amazing looking car in the flesh.
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HSV are Holden Special Vehicles...still part of the official Holden brand....they take standard Holdens
and add supercharging, race brakes, suspension etc. This is an entire bodyshell on the Commodore platform and is part of the Holden general range, an HSV special is probably also available in Oz...or it maybe that we are only getting the HSV version?
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Bigger and much heavier than the Omega saloon. The platform (not sure if it is strictly correct to call it a chassis anymore) was designed for the Commodore which uses either the 3.8 V6 or 5.7 V8 as standard, so probably not much extra stiffening.
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Droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!!
Wow, might not be getting another Omega. I've now read in more than one place that these might be coming. Anyone know if we'll get the Autobox as an option?
Only problem is that if they only bring in 300 a year, we canny Omega buyers will be stuffed, as they just might hold their value. If not, and they end up depreciating like an Omega, I'll have one in three years.
V
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If you are seriously considering getting one, why not import one from Australia. I believe that they are about A$40-50k out there and not the £45k that is going to be charged over here (or is it going to less than that?)
www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/vehicleentry?v...4
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CM, Vin
The Monaro is a little more expensive at 60k+OTR costs, add duty, VAT and shipping and it doesnt look as good a deal.
www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/vehicleentry?v...2
Ian
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Ian,
With the 60k price that includes Aussie sales tax (which I think is quite low at about 5% but could be wrong) which you should be able to get off (as well as any other local taxes)
Still it goes to show what your £26k gets!
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CM,
Some sales taxes are State specific, but GST is Oz wide at 10% (or was 2 years ago). then there is stamp duty and 1st registration fee. Not sure which of these you can avoid by exporting immediately, probably everything except stamp duty. Not sure if the price includes GST....advertised prices usually do.
However on import you will be subject to VAT and duty....if you havent owned the car in Oz for 6 months.
So its swings and roundabouts on the effective costs of taxes. The A$60k retail price is probably not far off the mark for the effective cost here....which at 2.4A$/pound is a pretty good price. Mind you when living there I was always struck by how good value many cars were compared to the UK and Europe for locally produced (ie Asia Pacific) stuff....german and swedish cars were extremely expensive due to extra luxury taxes and the French cars were non-existent.
regards
Ian L.
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I shall be back in Aus in about 6 weeks and will see if I can rent a Monaro instead of my usual Falcon and report on same. THe only time I ever drove a Monaro was in about 1969 when it was a virtual copy of a Chevy Nova (I think). Plenty of go.
As far as purchasing locally, (Don't forget also it would have KM speedo etc.) cost-wise there is also a "luxury tax" on high end cars and AUD60k must be getting pretty close to it. 3 mates and I just went 3 ways on a new Nissan Patrol 3500 (we are building a retirement retreat in the NT which we can repair to from time to time) and with factory fitted roo bar, winch, CD etc it would have broken the luxury tax barrier and been shoved into the AUD75k bracket. The SOP for this is to buy the standard vehicle then have the factory supplied parts fitted by the dealer after the sale!
Let's hope the Wannabees are not that inventive next Saturday afternoon!
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Droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!! Wow, might not be getting another Omega. I've now read in more than one place that these might be coming. Anyone know if we'll get the Autobox as an option? Only problem is that if they only bring in 300 a year, we canny Omega buyers will be stuffed, as they just might hold their value. If not, and they end up depreciating like an Omega, I'll have one in three years. V
Vin,
I think it is manual only, (6 speed) this seems to be the Holden philosophy.....bottom end Commodore auto only, top end HSV manual only. Not sure if they have a tiptronic though.
Ian
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Done a quick Google and think that sales tax (GST) is 10%
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Anyone see this on Top Gear last night? Clarkson throwing it round their test track, so no value in the real world, but what a looker, what a mover!
I'll be in one in three years, you mark my words. Especially in the extremaly unlikely event that they DO depreciate like an Omega.
V
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"Anyone see this on Top Gear last night? Clarkson throwing it round their test track, so no value in the real world, but what a looker, what a mover!"
I do mean the car, of course, not Clarkson.
V
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So is this car loosely based on the Omega, like the Commadore?
I also see that the 5.7l V8 was available in the Omega in most of Europe.
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No, the Commodore is not loosely based on the Omega or Calibra...the \'chassis\' is completely different and was developed for the Holden Commodore in Oz for the Oz market. The model of Commodore the Monaro is based on is at least 4 years old...the Monaro is about 2 years old now but only just being exported.
The The Commodore/Monaro is similar in overall size to the Omega but is rather larger (wheelbase and width) than the Omega and would dwarf a Calibra.
The 3.8V6 is an Holden engine, the 5.7V8 is a GM design brought in from the US.
Ian L.
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Calibra anybody?
That's what I thought when I saw it.
Also Astra Coupe (newish version).
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Great lumps, when we went out to OZ some of the machinery droool..... only down side was the speed limit 110kph - unless your in the Northern Territory where there was NO LIMIT
Also some Nos powered lumps to ? another plus was the fuel price about 30c a litre I think.
K2
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I'm in the Top End in late Feb, will be booking one of these through Mr Hertz, so will report.
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Dont know when you were in Oz....70-90c per litre in NSW between 1996 and 2001!
Ian L.
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Unleaded is between 85 and 95 cents in Perth, WA depending on which petrol station you go to and what stage in the fuel price cycle it currently is. Gets higher in country sites the further you get from the city. Still beats UK prices though.
We see quite a few Monaros out here. Good looking car and much in demand.
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