Commodore VF Sales Belie End of GM Holden Production

GM Holden celebrates a bittersweet milestone with the production of its 50,000th VF Commodore sedan at its plant in Elizabeth, South Australia, just 10 months after its debut.

The General Motors subsidiary says Australians are continuing to vote with their wallets when it comes to the VF, with sales up 60% year-on-year in February to 2,777 units and 52% for the year’s first two months.

GM Holden will cease local production in 2017, but Richard Phillips, executive director-GM Holden Mfg., is proud of what has been achieved with the VF at the Elizabeth plant.

He says the VF simply is the best-quality car GM Holden ever has built, delivering more advanced-technology features than any vehicle in Australian automotive history.

In an Australian first, the VF manufacturing process used an aluminum hood and trunklid, saving 23 lbs. (10.4 kg) compared to conventional steel pressings – offering significant weight and fuel- economy savings without compromising on strength.

The VF model also boasts a number of other advanced-fuel-economy enablers, including electric power steering and aerodynamic improvements.

Introduced in 1978, the Commodore is GM Holden’s longest-standing and most successful nameplate which has graced 15 model series. In total, more than 3 million Commodores since the first VB series sedans rolled off the production line.