Just flicking through local car mag (wheels i think) having a read about new vf dunnydore and I spot an interesting test with this so called 'world class" car comparing the 6.2lt V8 calais vs 4.0lt turbo six G6E foulcan, hemi V8 chrysler 300 and just for the hell of it an Audi A6 3.Olt V6 turbo diesel. Understandably the Audi had the best interior by far and also the most refinement but suprisingly the comparibly tiny twin turbo A6 left those knuckle dragging V8s in its diesel dust. One figure had me spellbound ......13.2 second quarter mile . Holy shit it smoked those big suckers and I didnt see a economy figure but I'm guessing the heavy luxo Audi might win that comparo too! Downside was price difference but I would have one diesel Audi over 2 chev powered holdens anyday.

As you say, double the price at least for the German machine. And who needs that much power anyway?

The Commodore is world class, if you can show me a better large car for $35,000 that will do what a Commodore does then you are doing well. It will tow over 2 tonnes, will reliably do big mileage, has low servicing costs, amazing fuel consumption for the size and weight of the vehicle (with the V6) and they are very quick for their price range too. All that and you get dual-zone climate control, colour touch screen radio, parking sensors, rear-view camera, auto-park assist and just about all the electronic bells and whistles under the sun on the VF base model! For $35 grand! Put all those options on a Golf and it will cost more than that.

Now, compare that to a BMW with similar size, features and power. You need at least a 528i with a few option packs, which will set you back north of $100 grand. The BMW is a different class of vehicle, obviously, but for three times the price it would have to be!

Need a few facts.

Holdens are not Chev powered. They are GM Drivetrain powered

V8's naturally aspirated compared to a V6 turbo is very different

V8 engine in power, harmonic vibration, torque dynamics is better than V6.
The V6 advantage is the shape , size and production costs and to enable front wheel drive

The ultimate in engines is the V12 second is the inline 6. Look up the engineering profiles on these engines. Their major drawbacks are the size and the limitations for front wheel drive or East West engine configuration as most front wheel drive cars are.

why pay 35k now when in 4 yrs it will be worth $3500

The Calais in question was $55,000 so it may be worth $5,500 in 4 years In all seriousness its an illusion that people have, that bigger is better. With 230kw and 650nm of torque from 1450 rpm it just shows that maybe a 3 litre engine is all you need. Plus 6.4lt/100km average economy for a large heavy all wheel drive car is something to think about. A V8 TD cruiser would have to be chipped and exhausted to match that power and please dont start about how 'stressed' the little engine must be............old wives tales crap. German efficiency wins again.

If you want to spend $120 grand on a car, then by all means go your hardest. Personally I would rather get the Commodore SV6 for $35k (or a used one for $20k) and not have to pay a mortgage repayment for something which depreciates like a bucket of prawns in the sun.

people not wanting V8's!!!
what are you guys going to do next... swap scone recipes????

beg to disagree with owning V8's. I am in my late 50's, run my own business so have many tax deductions like on fuel and still cant afford to run a V8.

Never could afford one in fact. In the 70's some mates had the Monaro's and Falcons and spent half their pay on fuel. But they loved them so much they wouldnt budge on them. Fair enough. But I suggest that under 20,000 kms a year an average worker could afford one. Lets do some quick maths.

At 20,000kms a year a V8 getting 14l/100kms would cost say $4200 a year of $85 a week. In comparison a Hyundai i30 turbo diesel (I own one) gets 5.5 L/100kms. Fuel cost over 20,000kms would be $1650 a year. I'm economy biased so I'm already thinking about the 2 and a half grand difference and what I'd do with it lol.

But consider someone driving 80,000kms a year? a difference of $10,000. It is now getting serious in savings.

The modern bonus is that the turbo diesels are not loafers. My i30 steams along wonderfully, eats hills and does it all under 3000 rpm, revving it more is being silly. I've now done 230,000kms in 4 years a saving of around $28,000 over a V8. Put in perspective its $20 a day or a free meal for two people daily or a new car every 4 years.

Thats why I could never justify a V8. Even if I only travelled 20,000 kms a year. Its also why I cant justify my trike getting 14l/100kms so the supercharger will be swapped for EFI shortly. I just dont like burning money.

So the V8 is dead? wouldnt bother me personally.

This is a bit of a bogans vs enthusiasts thread.

Rather be a bogan than a try hard hipster with no talent haha

HAHA what are you talking about? Hipsters only ride pushbikes of the 'fixie' variety. And if they have to drive it would be an electric car. When holden goes the same way as ford (not if,but when) will bogans then drive BMWs and Mercs because they will be the only V8 rear wheel drive combination?or

Quote:

Originally posted by grinderman HAHA what are you talking about? Hipsters only ride pushbikes of the 'fixie' variety. And if they have to drive it would be an electric car. When holden goes the same way as ford (not if,but when) will bogans then drive BMWs and Mercs because they will be the only V8 rear wheel drive combination?or

Who cares about V8's when I have a big block VW? V8 style torque with half the capacity and half the cylinders and fuel consumption lol

The Bogan Triangle!

Well speak for yourself buttercup.

I got a Beetle (Juice) and a Vespa (Pam) call em the V-Twins and between em they havent got 8 cylinders.

In Melbourne we have the Bogan belt

Goes from Greensborough around through Eltham, Ringwood, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Doveton, Dandenong and all the way to Frankston

Then ther is the short belt in the Western Sububs Altona, Sunshine, St Albans

We've got the great bogan divide. It runs from Ipswich to Gatton and because it is a low socio-economic area most of the falcadores are only six cylinder models anyway, but they do have FPV and HSV (who'd want one) stickers. But once you get up the range to toowoomba then the rednecks take over and if you have to ask what a '5 poster' is than you wouldn't understand...............

commodores are shit.

oh and a five cylinder motor is supposed to be the best

A 7 cylinder would be even better than a 5, but no-one makes one. The beauty of an odd number of cylinders is the total kinetic energy of the pistons and conrods does not change by very much over the cycle.