Family Car Goals: This Nitrous-Huffing Holden Can Rip Mid-8s In The Quarter, Yet Still Has It’s Independent Rear Suspension!


Family Car Goals: This Nitrous-Huffing Holden Can Rip Mid-8s In The Quarter, Yet Still Has It’s Independent Rear Suspension!

The late-model, Holden based Pontiac GTO got a bad rub when it was sold in the states, mainly because the styling was “too bland”. Which makes us wonder if Pontiac would’ve done better to have brought the Commodore sedan over instead. The GTO, as a coupe, was going to be a fairly niche product, especially in the era of the sports-utility vehicle. The Commodore, on the other hand, offered up a good-sized body with the same horsepower levels and a manual trans. Ford didn’t offer anything like it, and Chrysler didn’t offer a manual trans in the rear-drive LX cars. In fact, outside of the Cadillac CTS-V, no American nameplate had anything to offer like it. Since retro was in fashion, all you would’ve needed to do was to figure out how to slap Arrowheads onto the grille and tail, pull a name from the historical files (might we suggest “Tempest”?) and we bet that it would’ve sold well.

That’s the trouble with hindsight…what is a no-brainer now doesn’t matter, because it didn’t happen then. But there is a bright side: if you are patient enough to wait about five to ten more years, earlier versions of this generation of Commodore will be twenty-five years old and ready to be imported into the U.S. By that time, if you can’t make an LS-powered Holden scream, you should probably try knitting. And if you have to ask us why that’s a logical answer, look at Tim Holmyard’s VX Commodore SS. Instead of turbo power, this LSX Holden is snorting plenty of nitrous, and on it’s upgraded independent rear suspension, can run the quarter in the mid-8 second range, with a personal best of 8.55 on the car. We’ve driven the newer Goats and we like them…but a four-door family car that has GTO-like looks and a third pedal? Yeah…that’s greatness.


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2 thoughts on “Family Car Goals: This Nitrous-Huffing Holden Can Rip Mid-8s In The Quarter, Yet Still Has It’s Independent Rear Suspension!

  1. jerry z

    When I had my GTO, some people said it was bland but that was the reason I bought it. Keeping it under the radar is always a good thing! Only wish the 4-door version made it across the pond.

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