Commodore’s final V8 fling
FANCY a V8 in your next-generation Holden Commodore? Well, you’re going to have to steal Jamie Whincup’s job. Holden has revealed computer-generated images of its challenger for the 2018 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship and at the same time confirmed it would be homologated with the current V8 engine seen in this season’s Supercars racers.
When we receive the next-generation Holden Commodore road cars next year – imported Opels from Europe that will be re-badged as Holdens – there will be no V8 available. Top of the tree will be a naturally aspirated 230kW 3.6-litre V6, so the only way you’ll land a bent-eight version of the new Commodore is scoring a Supercars drive. Good luck with that.
We also know that a new twin-turbo V6 engine is undergoing development at General Motors’ Performance and Racing Centre in Michigan, and that motor would be suitable for Supercars’ Gen 2 regulations.
Triple Eight Race Engineering is seeking approval from Supercars to run a V6-powered Commodore as a wild card entry at selected rounds next season, before it will be rolled out fully for the 2019 season.
But for 2018, V8 fans can rejoice in a stay of execution for the Commodore with the “proper” engine in situ, albeit with the new European body skin.
Said body looks rather good all dressed up in its race livery. The computer images are the work of GM Design Australia’s Peter Hughes, taking the next-generation Commodore’s sleek design and adding the required aero kit, huge
rear wing, race wheels and bold graphics.
Shoehorning the current V8 engine into the new Commodore before the permanent move to a turbocharged V6 will “ensure a greater ease of transition to the new-model Commodore bodywork for all Holden teams”, the company said.
“It also allows Holden and Triple Eight Race Engineering to assist Supercars’ technical department with development of its programs, ensuring the turbocharged V6 can achieve parity with the existing, naturally aspirated V8s.”