By DAVID PIKE

The VN Commodore was launched in August 1988. With its introduction Holden returned to selling full-size cars. Even though there were some components from the VL Commodore under its skin, the new model was stretched in every important dimension.

It was based on a German Opel Omega design, but with the low drag coefficient designed body widened by 38mm. Holden was finally able to compete head to head with the Ford Falcon for the first time in ten years.

Although based on a proven overseas design the modifications still took six years hard work by a small, but dedicated engineering group. To ensure the car could stand up to the gruelling conditions imposed by a number of roads in Australia a total of one and a half million kilometres were put on the new cars at Holden’s Lang Lang test circuit and in secret road testing.

The VN was powered by a 3.8-litre V6 engine from the General Motors range. There were original plans to continue with the Nissan six-cylinder as used in the VL Commodore, but it had insufficient torque to meet the designer's tastes. Additionally at that time the Japanese yen was rising and this made the Nissan engine very expensive. To meet local requirements the V6 was heavily modified by Holden engineers to suit rear-wheel-drive. In American applications it was used transversely driving front wheels. The V6 was also five kilograms lighter yet it had 25 per cent more capacity than the Nissan six.

For its time the V6 engine was rather old fashioned in mechanical specification as it had an overhead valve layout, but it gained some sophistication from the fact that it was controlled electronically. It used direct fire ignition and electronic engine management. Smoothness was helped by a balance shaft and hydraulic engine mountings, but even so the engine was harsher than many of its competitors. The 5.0-litre V8, available as an option, was an improved version of an existing Holden engine, using port fuel injection for the first time.

With the return to a full sized body, Holden also reverted to using an extended wheel base for the station wagon as well as the luxury model Statesman and Caprice and the utility, which made a welcome return to the range two years after the release of the sedans. No panel van was ever built and, like the smaller compact Commodores, there was no two-door coupe option.

Suspension used coil springs at all corners and steering was by power-assisted, variable-ratio, rack and pinion. Disc brakes were fitted to both front and rear wheels _ the front rotors being ventilated for improved cooling.