Preloved Wheels Holden Commodore Utility 1990-1995
Newcastle Herald
Wednesday July 21, 1999
WHEN Holden announced in 1984 that it was to kill off its much-loved `ute' its legion of fans was desolate.
Holden utilities were a part of the culture. They had been around as long as the Holden car itself and everyone had a tale to tell about one.
They had been customised, glamourised, modernised, dressed up, dressed down, carried 30 people or 10 kegs (or both). Babies had been conceived in them, delivered in them and, most likely, a Holden ute had probably seen service as a hearse.
So it was a grim day in 1984 when the company announced the ute was no more. Holden fans either hung on to what they had, jumped ship and went to the opposition or waited for the day a new ute would arrive on the scene.
That day finally arrived on August 22, 1990, when Holden had a totally new ute ready to go.
It was different to the old WB model which had disappeared a few years earlier, slightly smaller, more rounded and with a 3.8 litre V6 heart beating under the bonnet.
The names Belmont and Kingswood were long gone and the first iteration of the new ute is known simply as Commodore.
Based on the VN model of the Commodore sedan and station wagon but carrying the VG model designation, it shared that car's forward sheetmetal (bonnet, mudguards, windscreen and front doors) and sat on the wagon's extended wheelbase.
Inside, it was luxurious compared to the old-style utes with two bucket seats and a floor-mounted shift lever for either the five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox.
Carpet adorned the floor, there was a standard AM/FM stereo radio-cassette player and power steering was standard.
Pretty high-tech stuff for a commercial vehicle, especially when ute owners were more used to a vinyl-covered bench seat, rubber floor mats and a steering column-mounted three-speeder.
The smart people at Holden were also quick to make the sedan's 5.0 litre, 165kW V8 available, allowing owners to give their workhorse Holdens a substantial power boost over the V6 engine's wheezy 127kW.
A more upmarket `S' model was soon added (better interior trim, different wheels, wider tyres and a stripe and badge pack) to give it even more buyer appeal.
It took the commercial sector by storm and became the darling of the B&S ball set. Its modern, swoopy front-end styling made Ford's more angular Falcon rival look like a house brick with headlights and buyer demand ensured the Commodore ute would achieve cult status.
Surprisingly, Holden failed to give the utility any space behind the front seats for storage of tools, bags, lunch boxes or briefcases, which meant that large items either went on the floor in the passenger footwell or in the back to battle with the elements.
When it came to work the Holden was no slacker. The original VG had a 2051kg GVM and 720kg payload and nothing really changed when the VP model lobbed in January 1992.
The Commodore ute even went racing. Queensland politician Alan Grice and Albury racer Brad Jones teamed to race a V8 version in the 12-hour production car race at Bathurst in 1992.
Sponsored by Aussie hat-maker Akubra and wearing the number 6 (probably Grice's hat size), the ute even had an Australian cattle dog in the back for the race.
The dog was stuffed, which is probably a good thing because it most certainly would have been by race end!
No-one is quite sure how much ballast Grice and Jones carried for that race but any sort would have been welcome because the Commodore ute, especially a V8-powered example, could be pretty tail-happy when the loud pedal was prodded incautiously.
By the time the VR model arrived in July 1993 the GVM had gone out to 2122kg while the payload had dropped to 710kg.
It was replaced by the VR Series 2, with a new and more powerful V6 engine, in September 1994 and stayed in service until the launch of the VS Commodore in April 1995.
What to look for THE most obvious things to look for when considering a utility are signs of wear and tear, simply because utes lend themselves to being used and abused. The most obvious damage area will be around the tray, but also look for signs of suspension wear and damage caused by overloading.
Mechanically, the ute is no different to any other Commodore so parts and servicing will not be a problem.
What to pay VG Commodore utility: 1990, $11,500; 1991, $12,000.
VP Commodore utility: 1992, $13,500; 1993, $14,500.
VR Commodore utility: 1993, $16,000; 1994, $16,500.
VR Series 2 Commodore utility: 1994, $17,000; 1995, $17,500.
(Retail prices courtesy of industry analyst Glass's Guide)
© 1999 Newcastle Herald
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