Cheap Commodores

[Gob]

The VF Commodore is produced in Australia and shipped to the United States where it will be sold as the Chevrolet SS from late 2013.



Although official pricing will remain a secret until the Chevrolet SS goes on sale in the final quarter of 2013, Chevrolet chief engineer David Leone has suggested it will start as low as the mid-$40,000 range.

Asked if the Chevrolet SS would fit between the pricing of the Chevrolet Camaro SS and Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Leone indicated that was likely.

“You’re in the right neighbourhood,” he said when asked about a mid $40,000 price tag.

The new VF Commodore SS-V is similar in specification to the upcoming US-spec Chevrolet SS, but it gets the bigger, more powerful 6.2-litre engine from the HSV ClubSport that sells for $66,990 drive-away.

In Australia a current Commodore SS-V costs $55,290 plus on-road costs; Holden has hinted that prices of some VF Commodore variants will increase slightly - but not much.

Despite the apparent price gouging Holden says that it will still make a profit on the 5000-odd cars it plans to sell there each year.

"We wouldn't do it if there wasn't a business case for it," says spokesman Craig Cheetham.

Australians already pay significantly more for cars than many developed countries, especially high performance and luxury models.

Holden has been vocal about the difficulties of exporting cars in an era of record high Australian dollar. Holden has partly used the strength of the currency as justification for recent job cuts and slowing sales.

Holden last year secured $275 million in government funding in return for a commitment to at least $1 billion in investment in local manufacturing until at least 2022.

The new VF Commodore is a crucial car for Holden and is hoped to arrest the dramatic slide in large car sales that has been happening for more than a decade.

Holden's Cheetham wouldn’t comment on the expected price difference between the VF Commodore and the Chevrolet SS.

“No pricing has been confirmed for either the VF Commodore or the [Chevrolet] SS,” he told Drive.

It’s not the first time American buyers have paid significantly less than Australians for imported Australian cars. The original Pontiac G8 was up to $10,000 cheaper than the equivalent Commodore when it went on sale in 2008.

[Crackpot]

Analysis:

It's just plain cost effective to drive on the right side of the road.

[Jarlaxle]

Mid $40K range?! Yeah...pass on that!

I just priced out a Dodge Charger...it's an R/T Plus (pretty loaded, and has the 390 horsepower Hemi!) with the Road & Track package (better suspension, 20" wheels & performance tires, bigger brakes) and it only stickers at $34,000!

[Crackpot]

C'mon I expertly baited that hook

[oldr_n_wsr]

$40K I think I will pass. It looks a lot like many other cars in the $20k-$30K range.
Nothing special.