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    This is Holden’s ZB Commodore Supercar

    The next generation Holden ZB Commodore Supercar has been revealed. Australia’s biggest motorsport category Supercars, will see a new model Holden Commodore join the grid for a few select races in 2018, but go full time in 2019. This car is a big deal for the series as it shifts the powerplant away from V8s to a V6 turbo to more accurately reflect the cars that you’re buying.

    The new engine was previously testing in Triple Eight’s test mule, the sandman ute, but has now arrived in the sedan during its first on-track testing program at Norwell on the Gold Coast.

    For those who don’t closely follow the Supercars, Holden moved their sponsorship to Red Bull Racing, which explains why the development work is happening in their workshop and why the livery we see features Red Bull and Holden. That livery was created by GM Design Australia’s Tom Grech, who is the son of former Holden Racing Team manager Jeff.

    In development developing the car for the best part of a year, the new body shape comes from the new German-sourced Commodore (since Australia stopped making them) to the control Supercars chassis.

    Triple Eight team principal Roland Dane says,

    “The overall look of the car is quite different from anything we’ve had before, so it’s been a big but exciting task, and we’re relishing the opportunity to get on track to see how we’ve done.”

    To the casual observer, you may not immediately spot the differences, but a larger rear wing, new front bar and re-profiled boot lid and rear section, which is best seen from the side profile.

    Dane went on to say,

    “By the time we get to the end of this year, the development process will have taken up about 20,000 hours.

    We are very privileged to have been given the responsibility for developing and producing the new Commodore as a race car.

    So far it feels fantastic. The work that they’ve done behind the scenes to this point, in my opinion we’re 99 per cent there. There’s just some fine-tuning that’s got to go on in the next few weeks and the next few months until we fully unleash the full version in 2018.”

    Further straightline testing will occur in December, before the official competition debut at the Adelaide 500 next March.

    In terms of other teams on the grid racing Holdens, the bulk of them are expected to upgrade to the new model in 2018, purchasing the body package from Triple Eight.

    More information at Supercars.

    Jason Cartwright
    Jason Cartwrighthttps://techau.com.au/author/jason/
    Creator of techAU, Jason has spent the dozen+ years covering technology in Australia and around the world. Bringing a background in multimedia and passion for technology to the job, Cartwright delivers detailed product reviews, event coverage and industry news on a daily basis. Disclaimer: Tesla Shareholder from 20/01/2021

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