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By EWAN
KENNEDY
10 August 2009
Holden is now offering a choice of two V6 engines in its Commodore
range and associated vehicles, including the Statesman, Caprice
and utilities. A 3.0-litre unit joins the existing 3.6-litre
powerplant that is manufactured in Australia and has served the
company well for many years.
The new Holden 3.0-litre is an ultra-modern unit using direct fuel
injection for increased efficiency. Code-named LF1, this V6 engine
produces 190 kW of power at a sky-high 6700 rpm; however the
torque peak at 2900 rpm, where it is a respectable 290 Newton
metres is much more in line with Holden's policy of giving drivers
engines with plenty of grunt at everyday revs.
Depending on the car in which the engine is installed, it has
officially measured fuel consumption as low as 9.3 litres per
hundred kilometres. This makes it more economical than some
four-cylinder engines in larger cars.
The existing 3.6-litre Holden V6 has been extensively modified,
indeed to the extent that it can almost be regarded as an all-new
unit. It, too, uses direct fuel injection, resulting in a healthy
210 kW of power at 6400 revs, with 350 Nm at 2900 rpm.
Fuel consumption of the 3.6-litre V6, when measured to ADR81/02
standards, has been cut by between seven and 13 per cent depending
on model.
Any reduction in fuel consumption automatically translates into an
equivalent decrease in carbon dioxide emissions.
Part of the fuel saving in both Holden engines comes from the use
of an advanced six-speed automatic transmission, with gearing
aimed at giving strong performance in the lower and mid ratios,
and low fuel consumption in the highest gears.
The engines both carry ‘SIDI’ badges, an acronym for ‘Spark
Ignition Direct Injection’. The second two letters make sense to
us, but the company has used nothing but spark ignition engines in
all locally built Holden passenger cars since 1948, so the first
two letters seem rather unnecessary. Still, the marketing guys
need something on which to hang their campaigns...
We have yet to road test these new Holden engines, but will do so
in about four weeks’ time and give full reports immediately we
have done so.
As well as being used in the full range of locally built Holden
cars, the new 3.0-litre will be exported to other GM divisions
worldwide. These include the upmarket Cadillac marque in the USA,
a high compliment for the Australian designed and built powerplant.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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