Rob Maetzig

Work circumstances can quickly change if you are an engineer working in the motor industry.

A year ago, Melbourne-based Amelinda Watt was the lead development engineer for the last Australian-built V8, the Holden VF II Commodore SS.

This year her task has been dramatically different – she’s been the lead development engineer for a substantially facelifted Holden Colorado ute.

‘‘With the VF II project we worked very hard to get the engine sound into the cockpit,’’ quipped the 41-year-old mother-of-two during the Australasian media drive of the new Colorado in Queensland.

‘‘Now with the Colorado we’ve worked very hard to get the engine sound out!’’

Very important quote that, because it underlines what’s been done to the Colorado, and why.

Of course a one-tonne truck is a one-tonne truck, complete with load-carrying ability and downand-dirty capability off the road. But these days, utes are steadily morphing into comfortable and well-specified lifestyle vehicles equally at home on the seal – and this refreshed Holden has been tailored to better fit that task.

The changes are so good they might just move the Colorado up to the top of the one-tonne ute class.

That’s vitally important for Holden New Zealand, because right now it is the brand’s most important vehicle. It’s currently the biggest selling Holden, accounting for close to 29 per cent of all the marque’s sales here.

The first seven months of 2016 have seen 2076 Colorados sold, making it the fourth most popular vehicle behind the two biggestselling utes, the Ford Ranger and the Toyota Hilux, and the everpresent Toyota Corolla. That sales performance places Colorado way ahead of the next-best Holdens, the Commodore which achieved 1407 sales, and the Captiva SUV with its 1050 sales.

And now there’s this new version coming, scheduled for New Zealand launch on September 10. It’s really important it does well during a crucial transition period which over the next few months will see some significant changes for Holden, including replacement of the once-loved Australian-built Commodore with something built elsewhere, arrival of a new Colorado-based SUV called Trailblazer, a facelift for the Trax, and the replacement of the Koreanbuilt Cruze with a Europeansourced Astra.

Colorado, which is built in Thailand for markets in this part of the world, has up until now been the child of General Motors Brazil. But this time around the GM Holden engineers have also had a heavy involvement in an effort to develop a facelifted model more suited to the needs of Australasian motorists. The focus has been on improving refinement and driveability via introduction of electric power steering, various chassis changes, and a lowering of engine and transmission noise and vibration.

Watt wasn’t joking when she spoke about her team’s efforts to get rid of engine noise from the interior. When journalists climbed aboard for their pre-launch first drive in and around the D’Aguilliar National Park northwest of Brisbane, it was immediately noticeable that this new model is appreciably quieter.

Key to this change is introduction of a Centrifugal Pendulum Absorber (CPA) torque converter – a first for the light truck segment in Australasia – which helps reduce engine noise and vibration by cancelling out the torsional vibrations in the driveline that are normally felt in the cabin. Not only that, but the balancer shaft in the Colorado’s 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine has also been relocated, and there’s a new engine acoustic pack and wind noise package, all in the interests of a more comfortable driving environment.

Also helping achieve a more refined drive is installation of electric power steering which is always quieter than any hydraulic system, and steering calibration has been revised so the number of turns lock-to-lock has been reduced from 3.9 to 3.29 turns, which adds to the Colorado’s more car-like feel.

There have also been major changes made to the Colorado’s suspension for improved body control and ride isolation. The changes include the introduction of digressive front and rear shocks, an increase in size of the front stabiliser bar, and revised spring rates. An added upside to this change is that all members of the Colorado fleet are now capable to carryng one tonne loads – prior to the facelift the suspension setup for the top models meant their payload was 825kg.

Other key developments with Colorado’s chassis include a revised set of engine, transmission and body mounts to help provide a more refined and composed ride, and the manual models to be sold in Australasia have a new final drive ratio to better suit towing requirements in this part of the world.

Colorado’s powertrain continues to be GM’s 2.8-litre Duramax turbodiesel engine, which was already among the most powerful in the ute competition via its 147 kilowatts of power, and 500 newton metres of torque when the engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. With the six-speed manual the torque is 440Nm in an effort to take care of the transmission.

There’s some tough driving to be had in the D’Aguilliar National Park, and during the media event the Colorado was required to get stuck into it. All that power and torque allowed the 4WD and 2WD models to complete their assignments with ease, and all the time their cabin environments were noticeably quieter than before.

That, in one fell swoop, has got rid of one of the traditional gripes about the Colorado. Another gripe has been the quality of materials used in the cabin area, and that has also been overcome via a redesigned dash with contrast stitch detail, a cleaner-looking instrument cluster and changed centre console.

Colorado also gets an 8-inch colour touch screen, and GM’s latest MyLink system equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In addition, some of the premium models feature remote window operation and remote vehicle start so drivers can have their cabin comfort under control before they even open the door.

Safety assumes a high priority, with a rear-view camera is available as standard across the range. Selected models also has forward collision alert and lane departure warning, front and rear park assist, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. Colorado also boasts seven airbags. There have also been some exterior changes, including a new fascia and upper grille, and new headlights with LED daytime running lamps.

Holden New Zealand managing director Kristian Aquilina describes the latest Colorado as the closest thing to an all-new ute without actually being all-new.

‘‘With this Colorado we’ve got a truck that stacks up against any of the opposition.’’

Given the ute’s more refined demeanour and easy ride, it’s hard to argue against that. Of course, the final piece in the facelift jigsaw will be pricing, which will be announced closer to the ute’s public launch. But if the RRPs can be close to what they are now, then Holden can look forward to an enjoyable spring and summer.