Holden Ute

Holden Ute
Production period:	2000-2017
Class :	upper middle class
Body versions :	Pick up
Previous model:	Commodore utility

The Holden Ute is a pickup truck that Holden , GM's Australian subsidiary , has been offering since 2000 as the successor to the VS Commodore Utility . From 2003 to 2007 a double cabin was also built under the name Holden Crewman , and from 2003 to 2005 a flatbed truck under the name One Tonner . HSV built a tuned form of the Ute as HSV Maloo .

Holden has officially used the name " Ute " for its pickups since 2000, but the utility models produced from 1951 to 1997 are also commonly referred to as such.

The Ute was brought out with a 3.8 liter V6 engine based on Buick designs . A 5.7-liter V8 from GM ("Small Block") was also available, but was replaced by a 6.0-liter V8 in 2006. In 2004 Holden replaced the powerful V6 with a 3.6-liter V6 from GM.

The Ute, built in Australia, was to be sold in the USA from 2009 as the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck together with the G8 sedan derived from the Commodore. Due to the difficulties at GM due to the global financial crisis in 2008, these plans were abandoned on January 6, 2009. Sales of the Ute as the Chevrolet Lumina SS in South Africa began in 2006/2007 .

Year by year

Ute / Crewman / One Tonner (VU / VY / VZ, 2000–2007)

Ute VU (2000–2002) Ute / Crewman / One Tonner VY (2002–2004) Ute / Crewman / One Tonner VZ (2004–2007)
Holden Crewman SS VYII (2003-2004)
Production period:	2000-2007
Body versions :	Pick up
Engines:	Gasoline engines : 3.6–6.0 liters (152–260 kW)
Length:	5046 mm
Width:	1847 mm
Height:	1440-1445 mm
Wheelbase :	2939-3206 mm
Empty weight :	1509-1654 kg

Holden Ute SS VU (2000-2002)

Holden Crewman S VZ (2004-2007)

Holden started the series with the Ute VU , which replaced the Utility VS. It was introduced a full 36 months after the introduction of the Commodore VT, which means that its introduction coincided with that of the Commodore VX. The Ute VU had the same wheelbase as the Commodore VT and the Statesman WH , which meant an increase of 116 mm. The Ute had the same interior as the Commodore and offered the improved special equipment of the VX series and their revised exterior.

• Standard : Built like the Commodore Executive, available with a 3.8-liter V6 (152 kW), four-speed automatic or manual five-speed gearbox. On request: 5.7 liter V8 (225 kW), manual six-speed gearbox or four-speed automatic.
• S : Built like the Commodore S, available with a 3.8-liter V6 (152 kW), four-stage automatic or manual five-speed gearbox.
• SS : Built like the Commodore SS, but without side airbags , available with: 5.7-liter V8 (225 kW), manual six-speed gearbox or four-speed automatic.

12 months later, the series was slightly revised together with the VX series, with essentially a 5 kW more powerful V8 engine. In September 2002 it was replaced by the VY series.

In September 2002 the Ute received a more extensive facelift to the Ute VY . It got the same improvements as the sedans and station wagons, i.e. H. a new, angular nose and an interior in European style. The previously mentioned equipment variants were adopted and adapted to those for the sedans and station wagons. In 2003 there were major changes in the series, as two new models were offered: After an 18 year break there was again a Holden One Tonner and for the first time in Holden history a double cab (pickup with four doors) in the form of the Holden Crewman was introduced offered. The Crewman had a longer wheelbase - 3,046mm instead of the Ute's 2,939mm - and a shorter flatbed - 1,463mm instead of the Ute's 2,139mm. In December 2003, Holden introduced an all-wheel drive version of the Crewman as the Crewman Cross 8 . It was powered as standard by the 5.7-liter V8 with 225 kW in conjunction with the four-speed automatic and looked different with its greater ground clearance and the exhibited wheel arches, more like an off-road vehicle.

Both the Crewman and the One Tonner immediately resulted in higher sales of the Ute, the first significant increase since the introduction of the Commodore Utility in 1990. The Ute and the Crewman were available in the three familiar equipment variants, the One Tonner only as standard and as an S :

• Standard : Built like the Commodore Executive, available with a 3.8-liter V6 (152 kW), four-speed automatic or manual five-speed gearbox. On request: 5.7-liter V8 (235 kW), manual six-speed gearbox or four-speed automatic.
• S : Built like the Commodore S, available with a 3.8-liter V6 (152 kW), four-stage automatic or manual five-speed gearbox.
• SS : Built like the Commodore SS, available with a 5.7-liter V8 (235 kW), manual six-speed gearbox or four-speed automatic.

In August 2004, Holden brought out the last series of the first generation, the Ute VZ . The biggest innovation was the introduction of the new Aloytec V6 with 3.6 l displacement and an output of 175 kW, which replaced the Ecotec engine built since 1995. The sedan and station wagon received both versions of this engine, the Ute only the weaker one. This engine was standard equipment on all Ute VZs, together with a manual six-speed gearbox or - on request - an improved four-speed automatic. Ute and Crewman were available in the following versions:

• Standard : Built like the Commodore Executive, available with a 3.6-l V6 (175 kW), manual six-speed gearbox. On request: four-stage automatic.
• S : Built like the Commodore SV6, available with a 3.6-l V6 (175 kW), manual six-speed gearbox. On request: four-stage automatic.
• SS : Built like the Commodore SS, but without side airbags, available with a 5.7-liter V8 (235 kW), manual six-speed gearbox or four-speed automatic. On request: 6.0-liter V8 (260 kW). The Crewman was again available as the Cross 8 and also as the Cross 6 - essentially a six-cylinder version of the Cross 8.

The following versions were available for the One Tonner:

• Standard : Built like the Commodore Executive, available with a 3.6-l V6 (175 kW), manual six-speed gearbox. On request: four-stage automatic; on request 5.7-liter V8 (235 kW), manual six-speed gearbox or four-speed automatic.
• S : Built like the Commodore SV6, available with a 3.6-l V6 (175 kW), manual six-speed gearbox. On request: four-stage automatic; on request 5.7-liter V8 (235 kW), manual six-speed gearbox or four-speed automatic.
• Cross 6 : all-wheel-drive version, available with a 3.6-liter V6 (175 kW), four-stage automatic.

In this constellation, the Ute was available for 18 months without changes until the new GM V8 engines were introduced in January 2006, as the previous generation did not meet the new European emission limits that were introduced in Australia on January 1, 2006. The new V8 engine added another 10 kW of power (the Ute had already received a 15 kW power boost), but dispensed with two important details of the American version: cylinder deactivation and variable valve control . The V6 Alloytec engine lost 3 kW of power due to the changes necessary to achieve the emissions standard.

Like the VZ station wagons, the Ute VZs remained on offer long after the introduction of the Commodore VX sedans. In December 2006 the all-wheel drive variants were taken out of the program and the One Tonner was discontinued due to poor sales figures. In September 2007 the Ute VE replaced its VZ counterpart.

gallery

• 

  Holden Ute S VY II (2003-2004)

• 

  Rear view of the Ute S VY II

• 

  HSV Maloo (2007)

Ute VE (2007-2017)

Ute (2007-2017)
Holden Ute SS-V VE (2008)
Production period:	2007-2017
Body versions :	Pick up
Engines:	Gasoline engines : 3.6–6.0 liters (180–270 kW)
Length:	4904 mm
Width:	1899 mm
Height:	1471 mm
Wheelbase :	2915 mm
Empty weight :	1690-1825 kg

In September 2007 the Ute VE was introduced. The new generation is based on the Commodore VE and takes into account an increasing desire of customers to see the Ute as a lifestyle vehicle. This removes the Ute further from the original commercial vehicle market.

• Omega : Built like the Commodore Omega, but has more payload than the SV6, SS and SS-V variants. Available with a 3.6 l V6 (180 kW, 330 Nm).
• SV6 : A sportier version of the Omega; the SV6 replaced the earlier S. Available with a 3.6-liter V6 (195 kW, 340 Nm).
• SS : Built like the Commodore SS, available with a 6.0-liter V8 (270 kW, 530 Nm).
• SS-V : Built like the Commodore SS-V, available with a 6.0-liter V8 (270 kW, 530 Nm)

In contrast to the first generation, the Ute VE has no double cab, no chassis with a driver's cab and no all-wheel drive variants.

Web links

Commons : Holden Ute  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Holden - New Cars - Large: Ute (English)
• An Aussie Icon Turns 50 - The Holden Ute: 1951 - 2001 (English)
• History of the Holden Ute (English)
• Holden Heritage - Part Three

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ”HOLDEN V6 / V8 UTILITY” sales brochure AD10433, August 1990 (English)
2. ↑ The Holden Ute Series III sales brochure AD10682 of May 1998 (English)
3. ↑ Levine, Mike: The Pontiac G8 ST is Coming to the New York Auto Show , article at PickupTruck.com (English)
4. ↑ Melor, John: Pontiac axes Aussie ute , article at GoAuto (English)
5. ↑ Equipment of the Holden Ute series (English)  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
6. ↑ Hagon, Toby: Revealed: Holden Commodore VE Ute , Fairfax Media (English)