The launch of the Holden Commodore as a Pontiac into the US market (for more click here) will have an almost immediate effect on local models. That's the news behind the news of Holden's 'coals to Newcastle' export coup.
The US-market VE Commodore, the new Pontiac G8, will be offered in both V6 and V8 variants when it goes on sale in the USA early in 2008. The V6 will closely follow 'our' SV6 in specification; however, the G8 GT (Pontiac's V8 'hero' model) will be equipped with a different V8 engine to its Commodore SS doppelganger.
So what? The engine the G8 GT gets is GM's L76. Though the 6.0-litre V8 shares its 270kW output and much of its componentry with the engine fitted to local Holdens (in GM-speak dubbed, L98), it also gets GM's cylinder deactivation system. This system allows the engine to run on just four cylinders when cruising, idling and at other times when full power is not needed.
GM calls the system Active Fuel Management (AFM) and according to the company's own PR blurb it can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 12 per cent. A similar system is offered by Chrysler on its current HEMI V8-engined 300C.
At the launch of the G8 today, Holden's Vehicle Line Director Jon Dennis told CarPoint/Carsales that the development work carried out on the G8's L76 engine and its AFM calibration would directly affect local specifications. Indeed, he stated it would see Commodore variants benefit from the fuel-saving technology sooner.
According to Dennis, fine tuning of AFM for local conditions and fuel was still underway. While he would not comment on Holden's timetable, he did confirm AFM would definitely be made available to Australian buyers -- a fact reiterated by Holden boss, Denny Mooney, at the announcement.
Independent of Dennis' comments, however, CarPoint/Carsales sources have confirmed that AFM may arrive as early as the 2008 model year in both Holden and HSV models.
Could the minor facelift expected for VE before the year end, and the launch of the VE ute correspond with the arrival of AFM? We wouldn't bet against it...
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