The final VE Commodore – recently named by Wheels magazine as the “the best Australian car ever” – has rolled off the line at Holden vehicle operations in South Australia.
This last VE built was an SS Z Series automatic sedan model, painted in ‘chlorophyll’.
Sold on six continents, the VE model has seen production numbers exceed 520,000 for both local and global markets during its lifecycle.
The VE claimed a number of Australian and international accolades, including:
* News Limited CarsGuide Car Of The Year 2006 – Calais V
* Fairfax Drive People’s Choice Award 2006
* Fairfax Drive Car Of The Year’s Best Ute Award 2007 and 2008 – SS
* MOTOR magazine Bang For Your Buck winner 2006 – SS
* Wheels magazine Car Of The Year 2006
* Nominated for World Car Of The Year 2006
* Pontiac G8 shortlisted for North American Car Of The Year 2008
“The VE Commodore was a landmark achievement for Holden,” says Richard Phillips, Holden executive director of manufacturing. “The company’s first ‘clean-sheet’ design allowed our team to show the world what Holden was capable of.
“It’s a bittersweet moment to be marking the end of VE production.”
Holden VE Commodore by the numbers:
– Regular production: July 2006 – May 2013
– VE and its variants sold on six different continents
– 14 different VE-based models exported across the globe since 2006
– More than 520,000 VE and derivatives built at Holden’s Elizabeth factory in SA
– More than 350,000 VE and derivatives sold in Australia since 2006
– More than 170,000 VE and derivatives exported globally since 2006
– 103 series race wins in V8 Supercars, including three championships and four consecutive Bathurst victories
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