First Zeta hits the road in down under testing

[hyperv6]

Here is a link to photo's of one of the first line built Zetas testing down under.

This is the first nearly clear look at the new pilot production VE Commadore. I beleieve this is the car due in August.

CARS GUIDE .com au

Tubo HMM?

Edited May 4, 2006 by hyperv6

[4gm]

Nice! Slap a split grill on it and call it a G8!

[CSpec]

That looks pretty small, actually.

[z28luvr01]

That looks pretty sweet. The stance is excellent. The only nitpick I have is that I hope the triangle of camo on the c-pillar covers sheetmetal and not glass. That would make for a most sexy greenhouse

[Croc]

That looks pretty sweet. The stance is excellent. The only nitpick I have is that I hope the triangle of camo on the c-pillar covers sheetmetal and not glass. That would make for a most sexy greenhouse

Agreed. If it's glass, well it looks like GM caught up to VW circa 1998.

[ToniCipriani]

Anyone see a bit of previous gen BMW 3-series on the profile pic?

[sciguy_0504]

I see a little bit of VW Passat.

It does look small but it looks pretty good, too. Wasn't there a report that said the Zeta platform was overweight? I couldn't see it being fat based on this photo.

[turbo200]

That looks pretty small, actually.

Agreed. That's why I think it would make a perfect Pontiac G8. It looks hot, seriously hot. I will wait to make comparisons till I see the real thing. The black covering the C-pillar is most definitely hiding sheetmetal, it doesn't make sense that it's anything else.

[ZL-1]

When will these cars be shown? Summer '06?

[Croc]

A week before they go on sale.

[VenSeattle]

Remember there will be two sizes for Zeta... This must be on the mid-size platform. Looks Great!

[Robert Hall]

Hmmm..the lower rear door cutline is very BMW-3 series..looks like it has a long rear overhang and a short front one, and a decent RWD front door to front wheelwell distance..

Looking at the disguised C-pillar I can make out a BMW-like rear door upper frame shape also..

My first impression is that the greenhouse looks like an Audi A4 roof and C-pillar blended with a BMW 3-series doors..

Edited May 4, 2006 by moltar

[Northstar]

Looks pretty good to me.

The small size is good. The G6 should be about 188 inches long and the GP should be about 193 inches long. Sort of like how the CTS and STS are now.

[Robert Hall]

Looks pretty good to me.

The small size is good. The G6 should be about 188 inches long and the GP should be about 193 inches long. Sort of like how the CTS and STS are now.

Hmmm.. how does the G6 and GP relate to the Zeta Commodore??

[Northstar]

Hmmm.. how does the G6 and GP relate to the Zeta Commodore??

Well, if the Commodore comes here as the G8/GP, and isn't as big as the current GP (it looks much smaller), then the G6 and G8/GP will be closer together in size. I personally would like to see the GP/G8 be about 191in OAL and the G6 about 185.

[scharmer05]

im getting a bmw vibe from front half

why in the heck do they have such a huge rear overhang...looks like the front is really short....so it just makes the rear look out of proportion. the wheels could be a good 5-6 inches farther back IMO

[Guest Josh]

Ahhhhh the fun is just beginning.

[hyperv6]

I think the car is bigger than it looks.

I see GM/Holden, BMW, Audi/VW Styling in different parts of this car.

Here are the drawings of the car shown a few weeks back to compare

[ZL-1]

A week before they go on sale.

So... when will they go on sale?

Well, if the Commodore comes here as the G8/GP, and isn't as big as the current GP (it looks much smaller), then the G6 and G8/GP will be closer together in size. I personally would like to see the GP/G8 be about 191in OAL and the G6 about 185.

An idea: why not a rebodied Commodore as the next G6? Edited May 4, 2006 by ZL-1

[Robert Hall]

im getting a bmw vibe from front half

why in the heck do they have such a huge rear overhang...looks like the front is really short....so it just makes the rear look out of proportion.  the wheels could be a good 5-6 inches farther back IMO

I wondered about the overhang, but I think the rear overhang is actually considerably shorter than it looks due to the black disguise...the right edge of the rear bumper is not at the far left of the photo, but really below the right taillight and the edge of the wing.

If the wheelbase were 5-6 inches onger, it might end up looking strangely proportioned like the G6...

[BigPontiac]

im getting a bmw vibe from front half

why in the heck do they have such a huge rear overhang...looks like the front is really short....so it just makes the rear look out of proportion.  the wheels could be a good 5-6 inches farther back IMO

The front and year overhangs look a lot like the pre-Bangle-Mangle 3-Series. The front overhang was always shorter than the rear.

Images of my 2005 330i for illustration purposes:

Front:

Rear:

[pow]

How does Zeta compare to Sigma? They seem to be a similar size, so I'm guessing front struts instead of control arms, less aluminum and more steel?

[turbo200]

How does Zeta compare to Sigma? They seem to be a similar size, so I'm guessing front struts instead of control arms, less aluminum and more steel?

you're right on both accounts. most of the rear suspension, i believe, has been taken from the current VZ platform.

[sciguy_0504]

Remember there will be two sizes for Zeta... This must be on the mid-size platform. Looks Great!

Thanks for the tidbit. I never caught it before and it actually makes more sense than having one large RWD platform.

[Bimmer325]

Mmm, RWD proportions.

[douglask]

dailytelegraph.news.com.au article:

NEWS.com.au article:

[Mr.Krinkle]

yup, that bmw pre bangle thingy was my initial impression from these pics as well.

now im thinking a bm double u-ized cobalt.

ahh pretty slick.

i bet its nice but at the same time i can only imagine what the auto snobs will be saying about it.

[regfootball]

looks pretty good!

[76ChevyTrucker]

She looks good to me too and I like the slightly longer overhand on the rear, maybe they added a taste more trunk room with the rear overhang so that the wheel wells won't intrude into the trunk a whole lot, or something like that. I'm just taking a shot in the dark on this one. But the ride looks good overall, I wouldn't mind seeing one over here as the new Grand Prix and then the longer-wheel base Zeta as a Bonneville. Then of course you would get a slightly less high-performance version and call them the Malibu and Impala.

[nzr]

Mazada3?

[cavalier36]

i think we will see a version of this car in the u.s and canada.. what badge it will wear is unclear.. this isnt that big or a car, probably simular in size to a cadillac catera.. so this isnt going to replace the impala.. this will more than likely be eiether a pontiac or possibly even a saturn.. yes they already have the G6 and Aura. but one is fwd while the other one is rwd.. under this car is also the next GTO and the camaro..

[T-Keith]

Nice!  Slap a split grill on it and call it a G8!

That's what they said about the Monaro. They did it, and people are still bitching about it.

[Northstar]

That's what they said about the Monaro.  They did it, and people are still bitching about it.

But that's because many people didn't think it looked bold enough to be a GTO. If they brought the Commodore over here that looked great and called it G8 or Grand Prix, I don't think anyone would complain. I think we would have heard a lot less complaints about the GTO if it didn't carry the 'GTO' name.

[buickguy]

Looks great...but a little small for a Buick. I guess that will be on the full-size Zeta platform?

[Petra]

Any Zeta news is good news as far as I'm concerned.

[Dsuupr]

It has alot more flavor than the current version, but it still looks alittle watered down for US tastes.

[Camino LS6]

Something tells me that, beyond the basic shape and proportions, the GMNA zetas will look very different from the Holdens.

[Sixty8panther]

I just hope Chevy, Buick & Pontiac all get three Zetas each.

Mid size 2dr: Camaro, Riviera & GTO

Mid size 4dr: Malibu, Invicta/Skylark & Grand Am/Tempest

Full Size 4dr: Caprice/Impala, Park Ave./Roadmaster & Bonneville

[ehaase]

I just hope Chevy, Buick & Pontiac all get three Zetas each.

Mid size 2dr: Camaro, Riviera & GTO

Mid size 4dr: Malibu, Invicta/Skylark & Grand Am/Tempest

Full Size 4dr: Caprice/Impala, Park Ave./Roadmaster & Bonneville

From the way people are talking, don't get your hopes up for more than two Chevrolets (Impala/Camaro), one Buick (Lucerne), and a slight possibility of two Cadillacs (DTS/SRX).

[pow]

I just hope Chevy, Buick & Pontiac all get three Zetas each.

Mid size 2dr: Camaro, Riviera & GTO

Mid size 4dr: Malibu, Invicta/Skylark & Grand Am/Tempest

Full Size 4dr: Caprice/Impala, Park Ave./Roadmaster & Bonneville

I think...

Midsize 2-dr: Camaro (Zeta), none for Buick, GTO (Zeta - rebadged Monaro?)

Midsize 4-dr: Malibu (Epsilon), LaCrosse (Epsilon), Grand Prix (Zeta - rebadged Commodore?)

Fullsize 4-dr: Impala (Zeta - rebadged Statesman?), Lucerne (Zeta), none for Pontiac

[91z4me]

you're right on both accounts. most of the rear suspension, i believe, has been taken from the current VZ platform.

Nope the rear suspension is very Sigma like, even has its own cradle.

[Mike[buick]]

Cool!

[Guest flowmotion]

I just hope Chevy, Buick & Pontiac all get three Zetas each.

Mid size 2dr: Camaro, Riviera & GTO

Mid size 4dr: Malibu, Invicta/Skylark & Grand Am/Tempest

Full Size 4dr: Caprice/Impala, Park Ave./Roadmaster & Bonneville

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Buick and Pontiac are merging their sales channels. No way will they put so many overlapping cars in the same dealership. No way.

My guess is that BPG 2009 will look like this:

Lucerne -- stays ASIS until future luxury platform comes out (share with DTS)

LaCross -- Replace with Zeta 'Statesman'

G6 -- stays ASIS

GTO -- Import from AU again

Everything else -- Chevy badgejobs.

No G8, no Bonneville.

[91z4me]

Buick and Pontiac are merging their sales channels. No way will they put so many overlapping cars in the same dealership. No way.

My guess is that BPG 2009 will look like this:

Lucerne -- stays ASIS until future luxury platform comes out (share with DTS)

LaCross -- Replace with Zeta 'Statesman'

G6 -- stays ASIS

GTO -- Import from AU again

Everything else -- Chevy badgejobs.

No G8, no Bonneville.

Statesman is LWB VE or WM chassis so it will be larger than Lucerne.

Think more like this:

Lacrosse goes to EP 1.5 along with the next G6 and possibly the next GP.

GTO is WM coupe.

VE, SWB, Pontiac sedan.

Statesman for Buick on WM.

Also Torrent dies after this gen.

[Croc]

Statesman is LWB VE or WM chassis so it will be larger than Lucerne.

Think more like this:

Lacrosse goes to EP 1.5 along with the next G6 and possibly the next GP.

GTO is WM coupe.

VE, SWB, Pontiac sedan.

Statesman for Buick on WM.

Also Torrent dies after this gen.

LaCrosse goes to EPII in 2010. There is no scheduled G6 replacement. Anything regarding a next GP is speculation, though if it happens it would likely be a Holden import.

Buick may or may not get the Statesman. It WILL get a Zeta, though.

[Guest flowmotion]

Statesman is LWB VE or WM chassis so it will be larger than Lucerne.

Interesting. What happens to DTS then?

Lacrosse goes to EP 1.5 along with the next G6 and possibly the next GP.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How do you justify these three cars in the same dealership? People seem to be thinking that Buick and Pontiac are still seperate, and they're not.

I have no inside knowlege, but what people are saying about no pontiacs or only "aspriational'/niche pontiacs just makes sense logically.

Edited May 8, 2006 by flowmotion

[91z4me]

Interesting. What happens to DTS then?

What do you think? LWB Zeta floorpan with Sigma suspensions would not be out of the question.

How do you justify these three cars in the same dealership? People seem to be thinking that Buick and Pontiac are still seperate, and they're not.

2 SWB one lux and one sport, almost like different trim levels and one LWB sport. Business case done.

I have no inside knowlege, but what people are saying about no pontiacs or only "aspriational'/niche pontiacs just makes sense logically.

Aspirational is NOT volume and Pontiac is a volume division. It is #3 behind GMC and #2 in car sales.

[turbo200]

LaCrosse goes to EPII in 2010.  There is no scheduled G6 replacement.  Anything regarding a next GP is speculation, though if it happens it would likely be a Holden import.

Buick may or may not get the Statesman.  It WILL get a Zeta, though.

No insider has corrected you yet on the G6 info. Last ah-ha said before the site went down, G6 was the ONLY Pontiac approved and funded for the next generation. Are you sure your info is correct?

[Northstar]

There is a next-gen G6 planned, and it has codes.

[turbo200]

There is a next-gen G6 planned, and it has codes.

thank you for correcting the misinformation that has been bandied about....