Holden Ute
Encyclopedia
The Holden Ute is a coupe utility
built by Holden
, the Australia
n subsidiary of General Motors
, since 2000. Before then, Holden had marketed their Commodore
-based utility models under the Holden Utility (VG) and Holden Commodore utility (VP, VR, VS) names, although the term “Holden Ute” was also used in their official marketing literature. The Holden Ute name is often used for earlier Holden Utility models (which were produced from 1951 to 1984) as the word "ute" is a colloquial
term used commonly in Australia for a utility vehicle or pickup truck
. Holden's performance division, an independent company called HSV
assembles a high-performance version called the Maloo
. Between 2003 and 2007, Holden built a stretched, crew cab version of the Ute with four doors and seating for five, called the Holden Crewman and between 2003 and 2005 a cab-chassis version known as the Holden One Tonner.
The Ute launched with a locally-built 3.8 litre Ecotec V6 engine
of Buick
design. A 5.7 litre Generation III V8 engine
option was also available, but this was replaced by the 6.0 litre Generation 4 in 2006, and updated to the L98 specification later on that year. In 2004, Holden replaced the venerable V6 with a 3.6 litre Alloytec
unit.
The Australian-assembled Ute was to be sold in the United States
as the Pontiac G8
ST starting in 2009 alongside the four-door Commodore-based G8 sedan. However, due to GM's company-wide model review, a result of the 2008 global financial crisis, such plans were shelved on 6 January 2009. Exports of the G8 sedan remain unaffected. Sales of the Ute in South Africa
as the Chevrolet Lumina SS commenced during 2006/2007 and in Middle East
in 2009/2010.
Holden introduced the Ute range with the VU, replacing the Holden VS Utility. The VU's arrival was a full 36 months after the VT Commodore
sedan, meaning it arrived in time for the launch of Holden's VX Commodore
series. The VU utilises the same wheelbase
as the VT Commodore station wagon and WH Statesman/Caprice, meaning a wheelbase increase of 116 mm (4.6 in). The Ute employs the same interior as the Commodore, while also picking up the VX's upgraded equipment lists and re-styled exterior design.
The range received a minor refresh with the VX Series 2 models 12 months later, with the major upgrade being an additional 5 kW to Holden's Generation 3 V8's
.
In October 2001 The VU Ute came out in a special edition "SS Fifty" (pictured right) to mark the 50'th anniversary.
This model was limited to 500 units and were designed to become a collecters item, every ss 50 was identical in terms of color schemes, all 500 units were released with a black exterior and a partial leather interior that contained plenty of "hyper yellow" accents.
Other items that made the SS 50 different were the chrome sports bar on the back, unique black and yellow engine cover, a leather wrapped stearing wheel, handbrake cover and gear knob as well as a color coded instrument cluster to match the leather bolsters on the sports seats.
The VU's were superseded by the VY range in September 2002.
The Ute range received its first major facelift in the form of the 2002 VY range. VY Ute's received the same upgrades as the sedan/wagon range, which involved a new, sharper-designed nose, and more European-styled interior. The same three specification models were carried over for the VY, and picked up the same upgraded equipment lists as the VY sedans.
The VY range marked major change for Holden's Ute range, with the 2003 addition of two new models: the return of the One Tonner cab-chassis utility after a 18-year hiatus; and the introduction of Holden's first-ever 4-door utility, arriving in the form of the Crewman. The Crewman brought a longer wheelbase – 3206 mm (126.2 in) compared to the 2939 mm (115.7 in) of the Ute; and a shorter tray – 1463 mm (57.6 in) compared to the 2193 mm (86.3 in) of the Ute In December 2003, Holden released an all-wheel drive
variant of the Crewman known as the Crewman Cross 8. Powered by a 225 kW V8 engine
, the Cross 8 featured a modified appearance, more suited to an off-road vehicle.
Both the Crewman and One Tonner models added instant sales to the Holden range, sparking rapid expansion of the Holden Ute range, its first major growth spurt since its 1990 re-introduction. Once again the same three specifications were carried over for the VY, with the Ute range available in base Ute, S & SS forms. The same did not apply for the One-Tonner cab-chassis range though – it was available in just two model forms, base and S.
Crewman models were on the other hand available with the same three specifications as the Ute range, and were launched conjointly with the rest of Holden's VY Series 2 range, the major update this time being the addition of 10 kW to the Gen.3 V8. By December 2003 the Crewman range had expanded to include Holden's very first AWD utility in the form of the Crewman Cross 8. The Cross 8 received bolstered wheelarches, raised ride height as well as additional equipment, with the sole drivetrain being the recently upgraded Gen.3 V8 connected to a 4-speed automatic. V6-powered versions of the One Tonner & Crewman were only available with automatic transmission. The VY's were superseded by the arrival of the VZ range in August 2004
The final series of Holden's VT-generation was the VZ range, launched in August 2004. Holden's main upgrade for the VZ's was the introduction of an all-new Alloytec V6, replacing Holden's previous Ecotec V6's
which had been in use since the 1995 launch of the VS Commodore. Whilst the sedan VZ range received both versions of the Alloytec V6, the ute range received just the lower-capacity Alloytec 175 - it was the standard engine across the entire ute range with a six-speed manual - an upgraded 4-speed automatic was available as an option. Once again the One Tonner & Crewman ranges shared the same specification models, as shown below:
This model was rebranded as SV6 in August 2006, and the 5-speed auto from the sedan became available for the first time as well as a power increase to 190 kW.
Crewman's were once again available in Cross 8 form, whilst the VZ range added the Crewman Cross 6, essentially a V6 version of the Cross 8.
One-Tonners were available with the following specifications:
To make room in the factory for the upcoming VE Commodore, production of the One Tonner ceased in December 2005.
The Ute range continued without any updates for the next 18 months, until the January 2006 addition of Holden's new L76 V8's. Holden's new V8 range was introduced after its previous Generation 3 V8
failed to meet new Euro III emission standards introduced in Australia on January 1, 2006. The new Generation 4 V8's
contained an additional 10 kW compared to their predecessors (the ute's had previously received an addition 15 kW of power, inline with the VZ Sedan range), but were missing two key features compared to their American counterparts: both Displacement on Demand
and variable valve timing
had been removed. The Alloytec 175 also lost 3 kW of power due tweaks made to meet Euro III standards.'
The VZ Utes remained on sale well after the introduction of Holden's next-generation VE sedans, as did the VZ Wagons. By December of the same year, the Crewman and all AWD variants of the ute were gone from showrooms after Holden ceased production, whilst the curtain was brought down on the One-Tonner range once again after poor sales results. Holden's VZ Utes were superseded by the 8th-generation VE Ute range in September 2007.
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tackles an upward consumer tendency towards using utes as lifestyle vehicles. This further shifts the ute away from the traditional workhorse market.
Unlike the previous VU–VZ generation, no double-cab, cab-chassis or AWD variants are offered.
Coupé utility
The coupé utility automobile body style, also known colloquially as the ute in Australia and New Zealand, combines a two-door "coupé" cabin with an integral cargo bed behind the cabin—using a light-duty passenger vehicle-derived platform....
built by Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
, the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n subsidiary of General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, since 2000. Before then, Holden had marketed their Commodore
Holden Commodore
The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
-based utility models under the Holden Utility (VG) and Holden Commodore utility (VP, VR, VS) names, although the term “Holden Ute” was also used in their official marketing literature. The Holden Ute name is often used for earlier Holden Utility models (which were produced from 1951 to 1984) as the word "ute" is a colloquial
Colloquialism
A colloquialism is a word or phrase that is common in everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than in formal speech, academic writing, or paralinguistics. Dictionaries often display colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation colloq. as an identifier...
term used commonly in Australia for a utility vehicle or pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
. Holden's performance division, an independent company called HSV
Holden Special Vehicles
Holden Special Vehicles is the officially designated performance vehicle partner of Australian automobile manufacturer Holden. Established in 1987 and based in Clayton, Victoria, the company modifies Holden models such as the Commodore, Caprice and Ute and markets them under the HSV brandname.-...
assembles a high-performance version called the Maloo
HSV Maloo
The HSV Maloo is a performance coupe utility which has been produced by Holden Special Vehicles since October 1990. All versions of the Maloo have been based on the mainstream Holden Utes, but have featured high-performance V8 engines and body kits...
. Between 2003 and 2007, Holden built a stretched, crew cab version of the Ute with four doors and seating for five, called the Holden Crewman and between 2003 and 2005 a cab-chassis version known as the Holden One Tonner.
The Ute launched with a locally-built 3.8 litre Ecotec V6 engine
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
of Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
design. A 5.7 litre Generation III V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
option was also available, but this was replaced by the 6.0 litre Generation 4 in 2006, and updated to the L98 specification later on that year. In 2004, Holden replaced the venerable V6 with a 3.6 litre Alloytec
GM High Feature engine
The 3600 LY7 are members of General Motors' new High Feature engine family of modern DOHC V6s. This new family of engines was introduced in 2004 with the Cadillac CTS. Holden sells the HFV6 under the name Alloytec. The High Feature moniker on the Holden produced engine is reserved for the twin...
unit.
The Australian-assembled Ute was to be sold in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as the Pontiac G8
Pontiac G8
The Pontiac G8 is a rear-wheel drive sedan that was produced by Holden, the Australian General Motors subsidiary. The G8, a rebadged Holden Commodore, was released in early 2008 for the 2008 model year in the United States, and in 2008 for the 2009 model year in Canada. Production stopped in...
ST starting in 2009 alongside the four-door Commodore-based G8 sedan. However, due to GM's company-wide model review, a result of the 2008 global financial crisis, such plans were shelved on 6 January 2009. Exports of the G8 sedan remain unaffected. Sales of the Ute in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
as the Chevrolet Lumina SS commenced during 2006/2007 and in Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
in 2009/2010.
VU
Holden introduced the Ute range with the VU, replacing the Holden VS Utility. The VU's arrival was a full 36 months after the VT Commodore
Holden VT Commodore
The Holden VT Commodore, Berlina, and Calais are the tenth iteration of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors...
sedan, meaning it arrived in time for the launch of Holden's VX Commodore
Holden VX Commodore
The Holden VX Commodore, Berlina and Calais range of full-size cars were the eleventh instalment of Holden Commodore, a model manufactured by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors...
series. The VU utilises the same wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
as the VT Commodore station wagon and WH Statesman/Caprice, meaning a wheelbase increase of 116 mm (4.6 in). The Ute employs the same interior as the Commodore, while also picking up the VX's upgraded equipment lists and re-styled exterior design.
- Base : Built up from the Commodore Executive's specification. Available with 3.8 litre 152 kW Ecotec V6Buick V6 engineThe Buick V6, initially marketed as Fireball at its introduction in 1962, was a large V6 engine used by General Motors. The block is made of cast iron and all use two-valve-per-cylinder iron heads, actuated by pushrods....
- 4sp auto, 5sp manual or 5.7 litre 225 kW Generation 3 V8GM LS engineThe GM LS engine family is an engine design intended as the only V-8 engine used in General Motors' line of rear-wheel-drive cars and trucks. The LS series was a "clean sheet" design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
- 6sp manual or 4sp auto - S : Based on Commodore 'S' specification. Available with 3.8 litre 152 kW Ecotec V6Buick V6 engineThe Buick V6, initially marketed as Fireball at its introduction in 1962, was a large V6 engine used by General Motors. The block is made of cast iron and all use two-valve-per-cylinder iron heads, actuated by pushrods....
- 4sp auto, 5sp manual - SS : Based on Commodore SS specification, minus side-impact airbags. Available with a 5.7 litre 225 kW Generation 3 V8GM LS engineThe GM LS engine family is an engine design intended as the only V-8 engine used in General Motors' line of rear-wheel-drive cars and trucks. The LS series was a "clean sheet" design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
- 6sp manual or 4sp auto
The range received a minor refresh with the VX Series 2 models 12 months later, with the major upgrade being an additional 5 kW to Holden's Generation 3 V8's
GM LS engine
The GM LS engine family is an engine design intended as the only V-8 engine used in General Motors' line of rear-wheel-drive cars and trucks. The LS series was a "clean sheet" design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
.
In October 2001 The VU Ute came out in a special edition "SS Fifty" (pictured right) to mark the 50'th anniversary.
This model was limited to 500 units and were designed to become a collecters item, every ss 50 was identical in terms of color schemes, all 500 units were released with a black exterior and a partial leather interior that contained plenty of "hyper yellow" accents.
Other items that made the SS 50 different were the chrome sports bar on the back, unique black and yellow engine cover, a leather wrapped stearing wheel, handbrake cover and gear knob as well as a color coded instrument cluster to match the leather bolsters on the sports seats.
The VU's were superseded by the VY range in September 2002.
VY
The VY range marked major change for Holden's Ute range, with the 2003 addition of two new models: the return of the One Tonner cab-chassis utility after a 18-year hiatus; and the introduction of Holden's first-ever 4-door utility, arriving in the form of the Crewman. The Crewman brought a longer wheelbase – 3206 mm (126.2 in) compared to the 2939 mm (115.7 in) of the Ute; and a shorter tray – 1463 mm (57.6 in) compared to the 2193 mm (86.3 in) of the Ute In December 2003, Holden released an all-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
variant of the Crewman known as the Crewman Cross 8. Powered by a 225 kW V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, the Cross 8 featured a modified appearance, more suited to an off-road vehicle.
Both the Crewman and One Tonner models added instant sales to the Holden range, sparking rapid expansion of the Holden Ute range, its first major growth spurt since its 1990 re-introduction. Once again the same three specifications were carried over for the VY, with the Ute range available in base Ute, S & SS forms. The same did not apply for the One-Tonner cab-chassis range though – it was available in just two model forms, base and S.
- Base: Based on Commodore Executive specification. Available with 3.8 litre 152 kW Ecotec V6Buick V6 engineThe Buick V6, initially marketed as Fireball at its introduction in 1962, was a large V6 engine used by General Motors. The block is made of cast iron and all use two-valve-per-cylinder iron heads, actuated by pushrods....
- S : Based on Commodore S specification. Available with 3.8 litre 152 kW Ecotec V6Buick V6 engineThe Buick V6, initially marketed as Fireball at its introduction in 1962, was a large V6 engine used by General Motors. The block is made of cast iron and all use two-valve-per-cylinder iron heads, actuated by pushrods....
– 4sp auto, 5sp manual - SS: Based on Commodore SS specification. 5.7 litre 235 kW Generation 3 V8GM LS engineThe GM LS engine family is an engine design intended as the only V-8 engine used in General Motors' line of rear-wheel-drive cars and trucks. The LS series was a "clean sheet" design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
– 6sp manual or 4sp auto
Crewman models were on the other hand available with the same three specifications as the Ute range, and were launched conjointly with the rest of Holden's VY Series 2 range, the major update this time being the addition of 10 kW to the Gen.3 V8. By December 2003 the Crewman range had expanded to include Holden's very first AWD utility in the form of the Crewman Cross 8. The Cross 8 received bolstered wheelarches, raised ride height as well as additional equipment, with the sole drivetrain being the recently upgraded Gen.3 V8 connected to a 4-speed automatic. V6-powered versions of the One Tonner & Crewman were only available with automatic transmission. The VY's were superseded by the arrival of the VZ range in August 2004
VZ
Buick V6 engine
The Buick V6, initially marketed as Fireball at its introduction in 1962, was a large V6 engine used by General Motors. The block is made of cast iron and all use two-valve-per-cylinder iron heads, actuated by pushrods....
which had been in use since the 1995 launch of the VS Commodore. Whilst the sedan VZ range received both versions of the Alloytec V6, the ute range received just the lower-capacity Alloytec 175 - it was the standard engine across the entire ute range with a six-speed manual - an upgraded 4-speed automatic was available as an option. Once again the One Tonner & Crewman ranges shared the same specification models, as shown below:
- Base: Based on Commodore Executive specification. Available with 3.6 litre 175 kW Alloytec V6 - 6sp manual or 4sp auto
- S: Based on Commodore SV6 specification. Available with 3.6 litre 175 kW Alloytec V6 - 6sp manual or 4sp auto
This model was rebranded as SV6 in August 2006, and the 5-speed auto from the sedan became available for the first time as well as a power increase to 190 kW.
- SS: Based on Commodore SS specification (minus side-impact airbags on cab-chassis). Available with a 5.7 litre 235 kW Generation 3 V8GM LS engineThe GM LS engine family is an engine design intended as the only V-8 engine used in General Motors' line of rear-wheel-drive cars and trucks. The LS series was a "clean sheet" design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
, or the new 260 kW 6.0 litre Generation 4 V8 'L98' - 6sp manual or 4sp auto
Crewman's were once again available in Cross 8 form, whilst the VZ range added the Crewman Cross 6, essentially a V6 version of the Cross 8.
One-Tonners were available with the following specifications:
- Base :Based on Commodore Executive specification. Available with 3.6 litre 175 kW Alloytec V6 - 6sp manual or 4sp auto or 5.7 litre 235 kW Generation 3 V8GM LS engineThe GM LS engine family is an engine design intended as the only V-8 engine used in General Motors' line of rear-wheel-drive cars and trucks. The LS series was a "clean sheet" design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
- 6sp manual or 4sp auto - S: Based on Commodore SV6 specification minus fog-lights. Available with 3.6 litre 175 kW Alloytec V6 - 6sp manual or 4sp auto or 5.7 litre 235 kW Generation 3 V8GM LS engineThe GM LS engine family is an engine design intended as the only V-8 engine used in General Motors' line of rear-wheel-drive cars and trucks. The LS series was a "clean sheet" design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
- 6sp manual or 4sp auto - Cross 6: AWD One-Tonner. Available with 3.6 litre 175 kW Alloytec V6 - 4sp automatic only
- SVZ: Based on the SV6 plus leather seats, paddle shifts on the steering wheel, Monaro CV8 rims. Available with 3.6 litre 195 kW Alloytec V6 - 5sp automatic or 6sp manual
To make room in the factory for the upcoming VE Commodore, production of the One Tonner ceased in December 2005.
The Ute range continued without any updates for the next 18 months, until the January 2006 addition of Holden's new L76 V8's. Holden's new V8 range was introduced after its previous Generation 3 V8
GM LS engine
The GM LS engine family is an engine design intended as the only V-8 engine used in General Motors' line of rear-wheel-drive cars and trucks. The LS series was a "clean sheet" design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
failed to meet new Euro III emission standards introduced in Australia on January 1, 2006. The new Generation 4 V8's
GM LS engine
The GM LS engine family is an engine design intended as the only V-8 engine used in General Motors' line of rear-wheel-drive cars and trucks. The LS series was a "clean sheet" design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
contained an additional 10 kW compared to their predecessors (the ute's had previously received an addition 15 kW of power, inline with the VZ Sedan range), but were missing two key features compared to their American counterparts: both Displacement on Demand
Active Fuel Management
Active Fuel Management is a trademarked name for the automobile variable displacement technology from General Motors. It allows a V6 or V8 engine to "turn off" half of the cylinders under light-load conditions to improve fuel economy...
and variable valve timing
Variable valve timing
In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing , also known as Variable valve actuation , is a generalized term used to describe any mechanism or method that can alter the shape or timing of a valve lift event within an internal combustion engine...
had been removed. The Alloytec 175 also lost 3 kW of power due tweaks made to meet Euro III standards.'
The VZ Utes remained on sale well after the introduction of Holden's next-generation VE sedans, as did the VZ Wagons. By December of the same year, the Crewman and all AWD variants of the ute were gone from showrooms after Holden ceased production, whilst the curtain was brought down on the One-Tonner range once again after poor sales results. Holden's VZ Utes were superseded by the 8th-generation VE Ute range in September 2007.
Second generation (2007–)
VE
2007 saw the launch of Holden's eagerly anticipated VE Ute range, unveiled to the media in August, with showroom sales began later in the month. The new generation designated VE, based on the VE CommodoreHolden Commodore
The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
tackles an upward consumer tendency towards using utes as lifestyle vehicles. This further shifts the ute away from the traditional workhorse market.
- Omega: The base model, having similar standard features to the Omega sedan but can carry more than the SS-V, SS and SV6. It has the standard 3.6-litre V6 180 kW and 330 newton metre. The manual version of the Omega came with the 3.6-litre High-Output V6 with 195 kW and 340 newton metre but only until the mid-2009 MY10 update.
- SV6: A sportier version of the V6 ute, the SV6 replaced the S-pack from previous models. This Ute has the 3.6-litre High-Output V6 with 195 kW and 340 newton metre. Which has been recently updated to 210 kW and 350 newton metre engine.
- SS: The SS ute is the V8 version of the ute, it has the same 6-litre V8 as the sedan with 270 kW and 530 newton metre.
- SS-V: A higher spec edition of the SS and based on the SS-V Sedan, it has a 6-litre V8 with 270 kW and 530 newton metre.
- SS-V Redline (Series II):A performance version of the SS-V offering Brembo brakes, 19-inch Alloy wheels, FE3 Super Sports Performance Suspension and a mandatory tyre inflater kit.
Unlike the previous VU–VZ generation, no double-cab, cab-chassis or AWD variants are offered.