- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
5.7i, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
235kW, 465Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 10.3L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
The Lion’s raw
Under the aggressive styling and lurid colours, the SS has a riotous V8 -- and some patchy Commodore traits.
Good: If you like 'em loud, ornery and a bit rough, the SS is your car. V8 goes like the clappers at the top end yet returns great freeway economy. Agile, responsive handling. Direct, precise steering. Good brakes. Very comfortable seats. Strong resale values. An unreconstructed petrolhead's dream machine.
Bad: If you don't like 'em loud, ornery and a bit rough, look elsewhere. Drivetrain is not the most refined around, with some lash and the odd clunk. Smooth gearchanges require patience. Hard ride. Some tacky interior styling touches, and Commodore fit and finish quality. Clumsy cruise control. Dash panel reflection.
Verdict: Loud, lean and mean.
Stars: 4 stars (out of 5).
Holden's Commodore SS, like the rest of the VY range, is doing it tough against Ford's new Falcon, which for the first time in ages is flying high.
Ford dealers can't get enough of the new Falcon XR8 and buyers are paying full freight to join a waiting list.
Drive's market expert, David Berthon, reckons you can walk down the road to the Holden shop and negotiate a substantial discount on the SS of your choice.
The SS and XR8 are direct rivals and, in a broad sense, based on the same big horsepower V8/sports sedan formula. Yet Drive's back-to-back testing found them to be quite different cars on the road.
The SS, priced at $49,490 for the six-speed manual or four-speed automatic, has a raw, uncompromising character.
It is, of course, far removed from the Commodore that Mark Skaife drives on Sundays, but at least the SS feels as if it has a bit of Mount Panorama attitude in its genes.
Its 235kW 5.7-litre Gen III V8 gives away 25kW to the XR8's 5.4-litre Boss engine, but of greater consequence in differentiating the two cars is the Commodore's lack of fat or, rather, the XR8's excess of it.
We'll look in detail at the Falcon next week, but in an overall sense it is softer, heavier and considerably more refined -- almost luxurious -- in comparison with the Commodore.
The SS weighs in at a relatively lithe 1590kg, a 205kg advantage over the XR8.
In VY guise, the edgy, aggressive reskin is more appropriate on the SS than the cooking-model Commodore -- it looks like a hot rod,and it is.
The Gen III gains 10kW of power and 5Nm of torque over the VXII engine, courtesy of induction tract changes and a full-length twin exhaust, which also produces a deeper, meaner sound.
It's still very peaky by V8 standards, with maximum torque of 465Nm occurring at a high 4400rpm, only 800rpm below the point where the power delivery spikes.
The test SS had 16,000km on the clock, in contrast with most press cars which usually have only a few thousand under their wheels. This example was much smoother, more flexible and less thirsty than low-kilometre examples tested previously.
The six-speed box also shifted in a more fluid fashion, though finesse, particularly with the clutch, is still required to avoid a rough gearchange. Some drivetrain noise and lash is also evident.
Below 4000 rpm in the lower gears, the V8 is responsive and tractable -- but it well and truly lets rip once this mark is passed. A lovely growl accompanies this top end thrust, which really pins you back in the seat.
It's probably not a good idea to do this on a regular basis ... but the Gen III continues to pull very hard for another 600rpm beyond its 5500 redline.
The test SS manual covered the 0-100kmh sprint in 6.8 seconds -- the same as our XR8. So the power, weight and gearing differences would seem to cancel each other out.
Sixth gear turns the V8 over at only 1500rpm at 100kmh, so it is useless in a performance context.
Fifth gear revs at this speed are also a long way from where peak torque occurs. However our well-run-in engine was more willing than previous examples to pull from lowish revs without pinging.
The sixth ratio is certainly worth having on long-distance highway drives, where minimal revs return great fuel consumption.
Set the cruise control at 110 on the freeway and you can get down into the 9 litres/100km zone, a feat the five-speed Falcon, with 200kg extra to lug along, can't achieve.
The Commodore's trip computer, like most, puts an optimistic spin on its consumption rate.
The SS is remarkably light and agile on its feet for a big car, an impression that grows stronger as speeds rise and corners tighten. The test car's body felt tighter than previous Commodore sedans -- more like the impressively taut Monaro -- which accords with Holden's claim of increased rigidity.
Allied to changes to the steering calibration, the new wheel-tyre combination 18-inchers with 235/40 Bridgestone Potenza RE040s, as used on the Monaro enhances steering accuracy, responsiveness and feedback at the wheel. The tyres also have exceptional grip.
The FE2 suspension is pretty antediluvian -- FE could just about stand for "Farm Equipment" these days -- but effective. The SS has thicker stabiliser bars, heavy duty gas-charged dampers and is screwed down tight on stiff springs, so what little body movement there is is well controlled.
However big hits on rough country roads can threaten to unsettle the SS, while the ride in these conditions is hard and lumpy. The Commodore rides over bumps rather than absorbing them, and the suspension occasionally bangs the stops.
The anti-lock brakes, carried over from the VXII, could use a bit more outright stopping power, but a firm, tactile pedal allows for precise, progressive application.
Inside, the SS has a surfeit of good old-fashioned hoonmobile touches. The metal pedals are useful, but the colour-matched instrument faces and dash trims -- iridescent green on the test car -- look juvenile and low rent.
The same can be said of the fake aluminium spokes on the wheel. However its thin, leather-wrapped rim is pleasant to hold, and the Commodore dash layout is reasonably efficient.
The trip computer display is where it should be, right in front of your eyes, the air-conditioning controls require no fiddling around and the six-stacker CD audio system is similarly user friendly.
Some niggles: the test car's AM reception was subject to excessive interference; the twist-switch cruise control wand requires you to take your right hand off the wheel and when using it you can inadvertently activate the indicators; the gloss plastic panel, which extends up the centre of the dash, reflects in the windscreen.
Fit and finish quality is typical Commodore patchy. The test car had ill-fitting trim pieces and loose dash panels, stiff air-con knobs and a couple of squeaks and rattles.
Optional leather upholstery suited the luxuriously comfortable driver's seat, which has plenty of travel, a long cushion and support from knee to shoulder, plus height and lumbar adjustment. The wheel is adjustable for height and reach. On the front seats, side airbags are standard and the head restraints are tilt-adjustable.
On an extended drive, the back seat is also a very relaxing spot for two. The long cushion is generously padded and deeply contoured, while leg room is sufficient for tall adults to stretch out. The bumps in the backrest that masquerade as head restraints are of little protective value. If you're carrying three people, the middle occupant gets to perch on the hard centre section, and will justifiably complain.
A large, fold-down table in the rear seat backrest also allows you to carry long objects in the boot. The seat back does not split-fold but the boot is large. A full-sized spare on an alloy wheel is standard.
The SS's in-your-face styling, lurid colours, riotous V8 performance and no-compromise suspension tuning push a true-blue petrolhead's buttons like few other cars.
It's an athletic, edgy, tactile sports sedan with a mongrel factor that's absent from its more civilised but portly Falcon rival. We'll chew on that fat next week.
Vital signs
Holden VY Commodore SS
Engine: 5.7-litre 16-valve fuel-injected V8.
Power: 235kW at 5200rpm (above average).
Performance: 0-100 kmh in 6.8 seconds (quick).
Brakes: Discs with ABS (good).
Economy: 9-11 litres/100km highway (excellent when cruising, but get busy with the right foot and consumption increases rapidly); 17-20 city (average for a big V8). Both figures from a 16,000km engine.
Prices: Recommended retail -- $49,490. Street price -- $3000 off.
Main options: Holden Assist $1990; leather upholstery $1980; metallic paint $255; park distance control $495.
Warranty: Three years/100,000km (average).
Residual value: 63 percent after three years (above average).
Safety rating: VY Commodore not yet tested by ANCAP; 2001 VX scored three stars out of five.
Alternatives:
Ford Falcon XR8 5.4 V8 -- $50,130 (see next week).
Prices correct at publication date.