G8 redux? Chevy comeback rumored for Holden Commodore

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Chevrolet, Holden, Australia, Rumormill

Holden VE Series II Commodore – Click above for high-res image gallery

A fountain of tears was shed when the Pontiac G8 sedans bit the dust along with their parent brand. The Poncho-fied Holden Commodore was one of our favorite rides – particularly in its delicious, LS3-powered GXP guise with a six-speed stick. As you know, Holden is once again ready to export Zeta-based sedans to the U.S. in the form of the new long-wheelbase Chevy Caprice police cruisers, but civilian variants are not part of the program. This brings us to the latest scuttlebutt published by Drive.com.au, which reports that a new export agreement to send standard-wheelbase Holden VE Commodores back stateside as Chevrolets may be on the horizon.

Drive quotes General Motors engineer Al Oppenheiser as confirming that negotiations are indeed underway, while a second unnamed GM source told the website that it’s a done deal. A Holden spokesman told Drive that in terms of exports, the focus is presently on the Caprice PPV, but added that other deals are being pursued. There’s good reason to be hopeful. GM North America President Mark Reuss was the boss at Holden in 2008 and 2009, and clearly knows just how good the product is.

The G8 won widespread praise during its brief tenure, and the lack of a legit sport sedan is a glaring hole in Chevy’s otherwise comprehensive lineup. It’s also important to remember that thanks to the Pontiac G8, most of the development to federalize the Aussie four-door has already been done. It would likely not take much to get the current VE Series II sedan ready for a U.S. encore. Hell, if it actually happens, maybe this time GM could even go through with the ute introduction, too. Naming the Chevy version would be a snap, after all.

Fingers crossed, everybody. Thanks to TriShield for the heads-up!

Gallery: 2011 Holden Series II Family