Nother CarGuy

Holden, in case you haven't noticed, doesn't manufacture automobiles anymore. It just brings in other GM products from elsewhere and sells them in Australia with lion badges on the nose. And the latest is the Equinox. Sold as a Chevrolet in America, the Equinox has now arrived Down Under as a Holden, offered in an array of trims and specifications ranging from $27,990 all the way up to $46,290 (in Australian dollars). That's a big range,  spread across a staggering escalation of six trim levels, separated by equipment levels and powertrain options. The base model comes with a 1.5-liter turbo four mated to a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The larger 2.0-liter turbo engine pairs with a nine-speed automatic, and there'll be a 1.6-liter diesel arriving next year (following the gasoline models that roll out next month). Adaptive all-wheel drive is available on the penultimate LTZ model, and comes standard on the top LTZ-V. US pricing, in case y...

Hot on the heels of the unveiling of the Buick Regal GS and the Opel / Vauxhall Insignia GSi, Holden has taken the wraps off the new Commodore VXR. Looking virtually identical to its international counterparts, the Commodore VXR has an aggressive front fascia with larger air intakes and adaptive LED Matrix headlights. The car has also been equipped with revised side skirts, a unique rear spoiler, and 20-inch alloy wheels. Holden didn't say much about the interior but the company confirmed the model will be offered with heated and ventilated leather sport seats. We can also see a flat-bottomed steering wheel, black trim, and metallic accents. On the technology front, the Commodore will be offered with an assortment of driver assistance systems including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian protection. Other highlights include forward collision alert, rear cross-traffic alert, and a head-up display. Power is provided b...

Wagons may be a dying breed in America, replaced (alongside the minivan) by the ubiquitous crossover. But the state of the estate is still alive and kicking in many overseas markets that even an American automaker like General Motors can't ignore. Hence the new  Insignia Sports Tourer . Based closely on the recently revealed  Insignia Grand Sport  sedan, the new Sports Tourer is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month to replace the outgoing model that won Europe's Car of the Year award back in 2009. So what we're looking at, essentially, is the same fresh architecture and  Monza -inspired design, but with a stretched roofline to offer more utility. More than 100 liters (3.5 cubic feet) more utility, in fact, as cargo capacity has grown to 1,640 liters (68 cubic feet) thanks to a load floor that's nearly four inches longer. That means the new Insignia Sports Tourer is larger than the model it replaces, but thanks to lightweight construction materials and ...

Holden is  sending off  the final locally-made Commodore with a host of revisions for 2017 and a number of special editions. The standard 2017 Commodore range has been revised with the removal of the SS-V and Calais Sportwagon models and now just consists of the Evoke, Calais, Calais V, SV6, SS, SS-V Redline and Caprice V. All of these versions benefit from a selection of minor trim upgrades (available below) and three new colors dubbed Spitfire Green, Light My Fire and Son of a Gun Grey. The lineup has also been simplified with the six-speed manual transmission now exclusively reserved for V8 sedan and ute models. Discussing the updated range, Holden director of communications Sean Poppitt said:  “Commodore has always stood for leading driving dynamics, exceptional customer value and a striking road presence, and the 2017 Commodore is a perfect example of that. Not only have we added some great styling enhancements like black accents and some stunning new colours, we’...