- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 4 seats
- Engine
5.7i, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
235kW, 465Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 9.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Local hero II
The Series II Monaro for 2003 gains a new dashboard, new wheels, rear-parking sensors, throatier exhaust note and an extra 10kW. The price is up and sound quality's down. Joshua Dowling samples the newest CV8.
Pigeonhole: Local hero.
Philosophy: Build a sleek, two-door Commodore, add a touch of nostalgia (in the form of a Monaro badge), pump up the marketing and bright colours and, hey presto! You have an icon on your hands.
Who's buying it: As of 48 hours ago, 18,000 Americans will buy a Monaro (badged as a Pontiac GTO) each year. Holden just took the covers off the American version of the Monaro at the Los Angeles Motor Show. This figure is more than triple the number of Monaros expected to be sold in Australia each year.
Why you'd buy it: It still turns more heads than a Ferrari.
Why you wouldn't: It still turns more heads than a Ferrari.
Standard equipment: Same level of equipment as the top-line Calais but with a few extras. The Series II Monaro for 2003 gains a new dashboard, new wheels and rear-parking sensors.
Safety: Dual front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes and traction control. A big, strong body.
Cabin: The Series II gets the dashboard from the new VY Commodore. Darker roof lining with new material creates a more snug feeling.
Seating: Leather pews seat four in comfort. Front seats have electric adjustment.
Engine: The 5.7-litre V8 power plant has a bit more bark to its bite. Holden engineers straightened the exhaust to give it a more throaty feel and found another 10kW to bring the total output to 235kW. Sounds good.
Transmission: The four-speed auto tested is our pick between that and the six-speed manual. But neither are leaders in the class. The automatic on Ford's new V8, for example, has better shift quality.
Steering: Unchanged from the previous Monaro. Good, linear feel. Beautifully crafted steering wheel.
Ride: Not bad, given that it is sitting on pretty thin rubber. But the emphasis here is on handling rather than comfort.
Fuel: You pay dearly if you want to hear the new exhaust, easily topping over 20 litres per 100 kilometres if you abuse the power. Cruising gently, with a mix of city and highway driving, can return sub-15L/100km consumption figures.
Brakes: Four-wheel discs with ABS. No complaints.
Build: Impressive but for one minor blot: the mysterious rattle in the centre of the dashboard that appears to be a trait of the new VY interior. Holden says it is working on a fix.
Warranty: Three years/100,000 kilometres. The industry average.
Security: Immobiliser with alarm.
Audio: The premium in-dash six-CD AM/FM stereo is from the Calais but lacks the oomph of the earlier Monaro's sound system. Holden audio has taken a backward step in sound quality and volume since the VY Commodore range was introduced. P-l-e-a-s-e Holden, can you fix it?
Cost: A 1.5 percent price rise brings the CV8 Monaro to $58,750 (the supercharged V6 CV6 is $49,450). Dealers are discounting the 2002 Monaro but don't go looking for discounts on the 2003 model: Holden stopped production until the new year.
Verdict: The Monaro is showing all the signs of becoming a modern classic. A year on, the Series I Monaro, the car Ford fans dismiss as the "Commodore coupe", is still turning a lot of heads.
Prices correct at publication date.