The
Holden Ute is a
coupe utilityThe coupé utility automobile body style combines a two-door "coupé" cabin with an integral cargo bed behind the cabin—using a light-duty unibody automobile platform rather than a pickup truck's heavier duty body-on-frame construction. A Coupé Utility has a body style with coupé lines, especially...
built by
HoldenGM Holden Ltd is an Australian automaker based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery business, but later moved into the automotive field, becoming a subsidiary of General Motors in 1931. Holden has taken charge of vehicle operations for GM in Australasia and,...
, the
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
n subsidiary of
General MotorsGeneral Motors Company, often known as simply GM, is a United States based automaker with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. GM was the world's 18th largest corporate entity and third largest automaker as ranked by 2008 revenues on the Fortune Global 500. Ranked by global unit sales for 2008, it...
, since 2000. Before then, Holden had marketed their
CommodoreThe Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured by the Holden division 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. Opel continued to provide the...
-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
colloquialA colloquialism is an expression not used in formal speech, writing or paralinguistics. Colloquialisms are also sometimes referred to collectively as "colloquial language". Colloquialisms or colloquial language is considered to be characteristic of or only appropriate for casual, ordinary,...
term used commonly in Australia for a utility vehicle or
pickup truckA pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area which is almost always separated from the cab to allow for chassis flex when carrying or pulling heavy loads....
. Holden's performance division, an independent company called
HSVHolden Special Vehicles, abbreviated HSV is the officially designated performance vehicle division of Australian motor automobile manufacturer Holden...
assembles a high-performance version called the
MalooHolden Special Vehicles, abbreviated HSV is the officially designated performance vehicle division of Australian motor automobile manufacturer Holden...
. Between 2003 and 2007, Holden built a stretched,
crew cabCrew Cabs are an extended cab bodystyle commonly found on utes or pickup trucks. This cab design typically has forward-facing rear seating and four front-hinged doors to provide sedan-like accommodations for up to 6 passengers...
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 engineA 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
BuickBuick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Company...
design. A 5.7 litre
Generation III V8 engineA 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
AlloytecThe 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 StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as the
Pontiac G8The Pontiac G8 is a rear-wheel drive sedan that was produced by Holden, the Australian General Motors subsidiary. The G8 was released in 2008 in the United States, and in 2008 for the 2009 model year in Canada. Production stopped in mid-2009, following the GM decision to suspend the Pontiac brand...
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 AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
as the Chevrolet Lumina SS commenced during 2006/2007.
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 CommodoreThe Holden VT Commodore, released in 1997, was the tenth model of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. For the VT, Holden looked again to Opel in Germany for a donor platform. The proposal was to take the Opel Omega B and broaden the...
sedan, meaning it arrived in time for the launch of Holden's
VX CommodoreThe Holden VX Commodore, Berlina and Calais range of full-size cars were the eleventh instalment of the Holden Commodore, manufactured by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors...
series. The VU utilises the same
wheelbaseIn 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, meaning a wheelbase increase of . 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 Ecotec V6
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....
- 4sp auto, 5sp manual or 5.7 litre Generation 3 V8The LS series is a new design intended as the only V-8 engine utilized in General Motors' line of RWD 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 Ecotec V6
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....
- 4sp auto, 5sp manual
- SS : Based on Commodore SS specification, minus side-impact airbags. Available with a 5.7 litre Generation 3 V8
The LS series is a new design intended as the only V-8 engine utilized in General Motors' line of RWD 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 to Holden's
Generation 3 V8'sThe LS series is a new design intended as the only V-8 engine utilized in General Motors' line of RWD cars and trucks. The LS series was a clean sheet design with little in common with the classic Chevrolet small block V8...
. The VU's were superseded by the VY range in September 2002.
VY
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 - compared to the of the Ute; and a shorter tray - compared to the of the Ute In December 2003, Holden released an
all-wheel driveFour-wheel drive, 4WD, 4x4 , or AWD 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
kilowattThe watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units . It measures rate of energy conversion. One watt is equivalent to 1 joule of energy per second....
V8 engineA 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 Ecotec V6
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....
- S : Based on Commodore S specification. Available with 3.8 litre Ecotec V6
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....
- 4sp auto, 5sp manual
- SS: Based on Commodore SS specification. 5.7 litre Generation 3 V8
The LS series is a new design intended as the only V-8 engine utilized in General Motors' line of RWD 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 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. The VY's were superseded by the arrival of the VZ range in August 2004
VZ
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'sThe 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 Alloytec V6 - 6sp manual or 4sp auto
- S: Based on Commodore SV6 specification. Available with 3.6 litre Alloytec V6 - 6sp manual or 4sp auto
- SS: Based on Commodore SS specification (minus side-impact airbags on cab-chassis. Available with a 5.7 litre Generation 3 V8
The LS series is a new design intended as the only V-8 engine utilized in General Motors' line of RWD 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-Tonner's were available with the following specifications:
- Base :Based on Commodore Executive specification. Available with 3.6 litre Alloytec V6 - 6sp manual or 4sp auto or 5.7 litre Generation 3 V8
The LS series is a new design intended as the only V-8 engine utilized in General Motors' line of RWD 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 Alloytec V6 - 6sp manual or 4sp auto or 5.7 litre Generation 3 V8
The LS series is a new design intended as the only V-8 engine utilized in General Motors' line of RWD 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 Alloytec V6 - 4sp automatic only
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 V8The LS series is a new design intended as the only V-8 engine utilized in General Motors' line of RWD 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'sThe LS series is a new design intended as the only V-8 engine utilized in General Motors' line of RWD 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 compared to their predecessors (the ute's had previously received an addition of power, inline with the VZ Sedan range), but were missing two key features compared to their American counterparts: both
Displacement on DemandActive 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 timingIn internal combustion engines, variable valve timing, often abbreviated to VVT, is a generic term for an automobile piston engine technology. VVT allows the lift, duration or timing of the intake and/or exhaust valves to be changed while the engine is in operation...
had been removed. The Alloytec 175 also lost of power due tweaks made to meet Euro III standards.'
The VZ Ute's 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, 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 ute's were superseded by the 8th-generation VE range in September 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 CommodoreThe Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured by the Holden division 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. Opel continued to provide the...
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 and .
- 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 and .
- SS: The SS ute is the V8 version of the ute, it has the same 6-litre V8 as the sedan with and .
- SS-V: A higher spec edition of the SS and based on the SS-V Sedan, it has a 6-litre V8 with and .
Unlike the previous VU–VZ generation, no double-cab, cab-chassis and AWD variants are offered.
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