TTAC tipster Sydney (of combustionchamber.net) says he saw this bowtie-branded version of what appears to be a Holden Commodore Series II on his “local NBC affiliate,” and snapped this picture. He writes
It has features from the Series II Commodore and though the picture is kind of grainy, I can assure you that it looks complete and not digitally enhanced in any way, including the bulges on the bumper strike face, which don’t appear to have translated that well from the photo I snapped of my TV. Also, the car is clearly Left Hand Drive.
Did he and a local TV station accidentally bust the embargo on this much-hyped “return of the G8”?
UPDATE: No, this is not an official image. The TV station simply ran footage of what we believe to be a forum photoshop. Higher quality image here. Know the source of this photo? Let us know!
Doesn’t GM already sell the G8 as the Chevy Lumina on other parts of the world?
Yes, but this ain’t it. This is the Lumina.
And Ed, I’m hoping that’s what we’ll be getting. The Commodore with just a badge swap like they already make and sell. The car doesn’t need another entire fascia and hood restyle just for the US. They didn’t even do that with the Caprice they are bringing for the cops.
Looks like an updated Middle East available Chevrolet Caprice…
The image shows up in a Google Image search: http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=GSw&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=chevrolet+caprice+ss&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=fRI3Tef3IsHYgAesjvTjAw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CDsQsAQwAg&biw=1191&bih=582
So I’m thinking it’s probably just someone’s rendering of what a Chevy G8 SS would look like and nothing official.
Ah, nice catch.
This image appears to date back to 2009 (based on posts at a Commodore forum and a Motor Trend forum)… still no source for it though.
I have to say, for an apparent photoshop, it’s not half bad.
I see a G8. Cool, best sedan Pontiac ever sold.
Now which famous rapper will pimp the Chevy out?
Good find Neff, looks like it is a fanboy rendering from a forum that was aired on TV.
Here is a better picture:
Picture
I guess it is a render, not a leak.
EDIT: too slow.
Shorten it a few inches, make it a coupe, and you could call it a ‘Chevelle SS’.
+1! If it HAS to be a four door, however, do something with that ugly arched window line.
So much for reassurances about “not digitally enhanced in any way” eh? What’s that, you can’t spot a Photo Chop from a quarter-screen SDTV-resolution news segment overlay? Amateur!
Looks nice, but I am not sure that the G8 will come back as a chevy, or come back for very long. It seems that gas prices are again getting to high for the introduction of this vehicle. Those Fiestas, Focui, Priues, Fits, and Cruzes are going to start flying off the shelves soon.
and Geo Metros
I’d be surprised (but happy to be wrong) if the G8 came back as a Chevy. The Australian dollar is way too high to make that a profitable venture for GM.
The rumors flying is 2013 a RWD Holden will be available sporting either a Chevy bowtie or the Buick shields; both as flagships. In Australia the big Holden is available with a 3.0L DI V6, the 3.6, the 6.0 and the 6.2 in multiple configurations including a tri-mode CNG/gasoline/E85 burner.
The other rumor flying is the El Camino is coming back when the Colorado dies – and it will be the Holden Commodore Ute just brought over.
You could address the Aussie dollar issue by building them in North America. Just sayin’
As it is in a few years you will be able to buy the PPV at auction, so it won’t be long until civilians can get their hands on a Chevy bowtied G8.
Due to the infinite wisdom of GM’s product planners we were told that you can’t actually take a design that can be built on the Australian asssembly line and build it on the American one without a fair old redesign.
having been involved in just that sort of exercise, absurd though it sounds, i suspect there is more than a grain of truth in that.
Of course the exchange rate and the double shipping (China->Oz_>USA) is the killer, Australian production line workers are on $40-50000 a year. Plus 9% super etc etc
The smart thing to do would be to assemble them in China.
The ppv isn’t a Commodore (G8).. IT’s the Holden Caprice, bigger than the Commodore, sorted stretched G8. You can also tell who works at the Holden factory by the Chev badges on their stock commodore, just pinch them from the production line! A side note is that the Commodore is sold as a Chevrolet Lumina in the Middle East, but also it is a trim level when Holden does a “special” sale here.
Yup. The Chevy PPV is based on the Holden Statesman, a stretched version of the Zeta platform. I seem to remember the wheelbase is 6″ longer and the total length is stretched another 10″ (don’t hold me to that as exact numbers). The Statesman is basically the Panther Platform vehicles of Australia, think Crown Victoria.
The Commodore based Zeta wears a ton of different badges around the world:
Chevy Lumina in the Middle East
Chevy Omega in South America
Vauxhaul VXR8 in the UK
I believe the Buick Park Avenue in China is Statesman based, not Commodore based.
The sad reality is you can buy a 4-door GM Zeta platform car on every populated continent on the globe EXCEPT North America. We’re getting screwed.
I don’t think the US will see the current generation Commodore except in the Police form – I read an article on http://www.drive.com.au the other day which pretty much said as much, but can’t find it.
The next generation is a whole another matter though…
Can I haz wagon plz.. (^_^)
I wonder why Pontiac could not have re-invented itself as an all-Holden brand? I think everything Holden makes is pretty good (and fairly unique).