By Jingo, This Is A Good 'un

The Age

Wednesday March 16, 2005

DAVID MORLEY

From performance to looks, this coupe is more than a fancy Commodore with two doors, writes David Morley.

THE story of the latter-day Holden Monaro is now the stuff of local legend: dedicated designers and engineers work after hours to create a sexy car that even management doesn't know about. The car is unveiled at the motor show and astounds the crowd.

So it was with the Monaro, one of the greatest-looking Australian cars and the result of thousands of hours of part-time work by a team led by General Motors design guru Mike Simcoe.

When the wraps came off the car at the Sydney motor show, the vehicle that eventually would be called Monaro wowed the audience, stealing the limelight in no uncertain terms.

With such a positive reaction from would-be buyers, Holden took the logical step of putting the car into production and the rest is history.

The production version arrived in 2001 looking much as it did on the motor show stand - other than the updated nose treatments - which is testament to the "rightness" of the original design.

From any angle, there's no denying the Monaro is a stunning looker.

Taking the VX Commodore as its basis - itself a terrific sedan - the Monaro lost a couple of doors but nothing from its wheelbase, meaning that although it was now a coupe, it had a proper rear seat that could accommodate two big adults, a feat not normally associated with two-doors.

From the doors forward, the car was all Commodore; the dashboard received some revised graphics but was essentially still that of a four-door.

Two distinct versions of the Monaro were offered, the CV8, which used the 5.7-litre, pushrod, LS1 V8 engine that was also powering V8 versions of the Commodore.

But there was also the CV6, which used the 3.8-litre V6 with a supercharger. It was greeted with indifference by the market and was dropped in 2003 after poor sales.

Part of the CV6's problem was that the V6 engine simply wasn't as refined as it should have been; its performance was adequate but the V8 was simply a better mousetrap that worked with the whole muscle-car theme.

The CV6 was also available only as a four-speed automatic, which wouldn't have mattered in many big local cars but in a sporty car like the Monaro, the lack of a manual gearbox option was unacceptable.

That left the CV8 to carry the Monaro on its wave of sales success and a surprising number of buyers chose the six-speed manual version.

Handling reflected the Commodore sedan on which the Monaro was based, although there seemed to be more accuracy and feedback in the steering system. Otherwise, the car handled predictably, thanks to its independent suspension. It could be hustled along but ultimately it lacks the athleticism suggested by its appearance. Ride quality was good, however, and the Monaro is a capable long-distance car.

Along the way, it can also do things that many coupes struggle with, including towing bigger-than-average boats and caravans.

It's tempting to dismiss the Monaro as merely a two-door version of the humble Commodore but that's arguably selling it short in one important area: it just happens to be a great-looking big coupe and for many people that was more than enough.

It's worth noting, however, that when exported to the US as the Pontiac GTO, the car failed to make an impression among Americans who, without the benefit of a good dollop of jingoism, were less than knocked out by the Monaro.

YEAR MODEL ENGINE NEW NOW*

2001 CV6 3.6-litre S/C V6 $47,990 $33,200

2002 CV6 3.6-litre S/C V6 $48,710 $36,500

2003 CV6 3.6-litre S/C V6 $49,450 $40,100

2001 CV8 5.7-litre V8 $55,990 $40,600

2002 CV8 5.7-litre V8 $57,850 $44,400

2003 CV8 5.7-litre V8 $58,750 $49,900

2004 CV8 5.7-litre V8 $59,950 $53,600

*RETAIL PRICE AT DEALER AS SUPPLIED BY GLASS' GUIDE

NUTS 'N' BOLTS

ENGINES

5.7-litre V8/3.8-litre supercharged V6.

TRANSMISSIONS 6-speed manual/

4-speed auto.

FUEL ECONOMY

City/highway (according to government tests):

CV6: 12.5 L/100 km/

7.6 L/100 km;

CV8: 13.0 L/100 km/

8.0 L/100 km.

SAFETY RATING (howsafeisyourcar.com.au)

****

INSURANCE PREMIUM

(RACV, 40-year-old, rating 1 driver, medium-risk suburb) $1127.

SCORE

***?

LIKES:

? A great looking car.

? Roomy back seat.

? Servicing and maintenance no more demanding than a Holden Commodore.

DISLIKES:

? Drives much like the Commodore on which it's based.

? V6 version lacks refinement.

? V8 misses the low-end punch you'd expect.

? Pricey compared with Commodore sedan.

COMPETITORS

Ford Falcon XR8

The big Ford became the BA model in 2003 and with that update came the DOHC 5.4-litre V8 engine. Bold and brash, the Falcon is also a good looker.

***?

Holden Commodore SS

The Monaro's four-door equivalent from the same stable. With the same V8 engine and gearbox, it's very similar to drive but more family-friendly thanks to extra doors.

***?

Ford Mustang Cobra

Overpriced underachiever, the Mustang puts the cause of American cars back a full decade. Not enough engine, lousy dynamics, 1980s-style interior.

*?

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

? Some V8s were troublesome from day one and used excessive amounts of oil. Some were replaced under warranty, others were deemed to be "within tolerance".

? Oil leaks from the V6, usually around the rear-main seal area.

? Tyre wear can be high, particularly if the car was used for towing or carrying heavy loads. Later versions are improved.

? Manual gearboxes can develop oil leaks.

? Driveline slackness in manuals is annoying, but normal.

© 2005 The Age

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