Holden cuts power of V6 Commodore to cut fuel consumption
Aside from the United States, Australia has been considered one of the last bastions of the big rear wheel drive V8 sedan as a mainstream product. Like the U.S. for many years, successive models have gotten heavier, more powerful and thirstier. That situation appears to be changing, though, as GM's Australian branch, Holden, is actually reducing the power output of the base engine in the Commodore specifically to reduce fuel consumption. The base 2.8L V6 is going from 241 hp to 235 hp starting in November. That change should increase fuel mileage from 21.6 mpg to 22.2 mpg, a whopping 2.8 percent. OK, that isn't much but every little bit helps. It's estimated that drivers who accumulate 12,000 miles a year will save about $60 in fuel costs. Buyers who opt for the LPG-fueled version of the Commodore will see a more substantial improvement of 8.6 percent. What the Commodore really needs is a diet and something more substantial like a change to using a turbocharged four cylinder engine, or even a direct injected version of the V6. The 2.8L is a smaller displacement version of the 3.6L V6 that GM uses in a wide variety of U.S. models. A direct injected 3.0L has been rumored to be coming in 2009 that will match the performance of the current non-DI 3.6 with significantly better fuel efficiency.
[Source: Drive.com.au]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BoneHeadOtto 9:16AM (11/01/2008)
how is it that a 2.8L v6 gets 22 mpg from 235hp when
a 3.5L v6 camry gets 28mpg while making 263hp??? The Camry doesnt even have direct injection which is supposed to make cars more fuelefficient (you know Ford ecoboost). Is it just the rwd that sucks the fuel economy life out of this car?? But 240hp from a 2.8L v6 is impressive.
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Sam Abuelsamid 9:25AM (11/01/2008)
First of all the 2.8L version of the V6 is not direct injected, it uses port injection. Secondly the Commodore/Pontiac G8 is larger heavier car than the Camry. Since the Commodore is designed to accommodate large powerful V8s everything in the car is beefier adding to the mass. It's really not a good comparison. A more appropriate comparison would be to the Chrysler 300.
BoneHeadOtto 9:39AM (11/01/2008)
That really doesnt explain the disparity. Weight does not have a whole ton to do with highway mpgs. Plus the 3.6L v6 G8 only weighs 200lbs more than a camry v6. And that pontiac gets 3mpg better than the 2.8L v6 Holden. The 2.8L should get significantly better mileage than the 3.6. Im just shocked that the 2,8L holden gets such horrible mileage.
And i thought the 2.8L was a DI because they said it was a derivative of the 3.6. I was assuming the DI 3.6. My bad
Sam Abuelsamid 9:59AM (11/01/2008)
The weight differential is actually over 400 lbs. Camry 3,461, G8 V6 3885. Keep in mind that while weight itself may not impact highway mileage much it does increase tire rolling resistance. Also the quoted numbers appear to be combined figures since they don't list a separate city/highway rating. If we assume that, the comparable figure for the Camry would be 23 mpg, (19/28 city/hwy).
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MikeW 4:35PM (11/01/2008)
Wait this whole thing doesn't make any sense.
GM's 2.8 doesn't make any where close to 85hp / liter, more like 75.
This thing seems like someone read something wrong, the reduction in power occurs if you use LPG
http://www.holden.com.au/pdf/chooseavehicle/techdata/CommodoreTechData.pdf
4 speed automatic against a 6 speed auto in the Camry.
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DM 7:39PM (11/01/2008)
The post actually gets the engine wrong. The engine fitted to this car is the 3.6L V6.
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Geefy of Oz 6:40PM (11/02/2008)
Just a heads up champs, the Commodore doesn't use a 2.8 litre motor. It's a 3.6. http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/modeloverview?modelid=4000
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state 9:03PM (11/02/2008)
Sam wrote "Aside from the United States, Australia has been considered one of the last bastions of the big rear wheel drive V8 sedan as a mainstream product."
Gee, I look at Germany, Italy, England. All the big V-8 powered cars in Germany. And still no 4 cylinder cars in USA from BMW ???? Or Jaguar?
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Andrew van der Stock 11:41AM (11/03/2008)
@state
Although Germany does produce V8 powered rear wheel drive cars, and they get a lot of press from magazines and car shows, nearly none are sold in Germany itself. This is true of nearly all these magazines and car shows. If you're a buyer of Lamborghinis or Ferraris, your news needs are excessively well met. These mags do not cover the sorts of cars that actually sell, doing their readers and viewers an immense disservice.
If you go to Germany the Mercs, BMWs and so on are nearly all diesels, and small 4 cylinder petrol variants that will never be sold outside of Europe. The 520d is a far more common sight than the AMG 63 or M5.
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Matty 1:56AM (12/09/2008)
Holden uses the 3.6L V6 engine, not the 2.8L. They have just made adjustments to the 3.6L on the base model engine so that it complies with the European standards. Power cut from 180kw to 175kw.
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