The Holden Commodore (VC) is a mid-size car that was produced by Holden, from 1980 to 1981. It was the second iteration of the first generation of the Holden Commodore.
The VC Commodore was launched on 30 March 1980 and is primarily distinguished by its "eggcrate" style grille. This series brought many improvements over the VB Commodore. It was the best selling car of 1980.[1] It was replaced by the VH series in October 1981.
The improvements included revised suspension to improve ride and handling, a few cosmetic changes and the availability of new options such as cruise control.
The VC Commodore was complemented by a range of Holden WB commercial vehicles and Statesman luxury models.
Powertrains
One of the biggest changes were a series of engine upgrades which included redesigned cylinder heads, now with a single intake and exhaust port for every cylinder, improved intake/exhaust manifolds, new camshafts and pistons and an all-new carburettor called the Rochester Varajet, as well as the fitment of electronic ignition. In total, these upgrades brought up to 25percent more power and 15percent better fuel efficiency.[2] The engine block on these motors were painted a blue colour (as opposed to the previous red) and were commonly referred to as the Blue motor.
As well as the changes to the existing engines, a new 1.9-litre inline-four engine was introduced in mid-1980. Known as the Starfire four, the new engine was the 2.85-litre blue inline-six engine with two cylinders removed. Also used in the UC Sunbird,[3] this engine was fitted to the Commodore in response to increasing pressure from the 1979 energy crisis. The Starfire was criticised for its lack of power, needing to be pushed hard to deliver acceptable performance, negating any fuel saving benefits.
The L was the base model, replacing the plain "Commodore" from the VB. It came standard with the 2.8-litre inline-six and manual transmission.[7] During the production run, an option for the 1.9-litre Starfire was added; the four came with 13-inch wheels.[3]
Commodore SL
Commodore SL sedan
The SL was the mid-range model. It came standard with the 3.3-litre I6 and automatic transmission.[7] It had an option for the 1.9-litre Starfire I4, which came with 13-inch wheels.[3]
Commodore SL/E
Commodore SL/E sedan
The SL/E was the flagship luxury model. It came standard with the 3.3-litre I6 and automatic transmission.[7]
A total of 121,807 VC Commodore units were produced.[8]
HDT Commodore
In late 1979, Holden pulled out of touring car racing after two years of domination by the LX Torana. This led to Peter Brock buying the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) in 1980, though without Holden funding was needed to continue racing and development. This led to the establishment of HDT Special Vehicles, who developed a tuned and styled version of the VC Commodore – not only to produce competition versions but as a way of funding the race team. The result was a luxury-performance version of the VC Commodore, to be sold through select Holden dealers throughout Australia as the HDT Commodore. The HDT Commodore was powered by an HDT tuned 5.0-litre V8 engine producing 160kW (215hp) at 4500rpm. A limited edition of 500 vehicles were produced. They sold in a choice of three colours (Palais White, Firethorn Red or Tuxedo Black), to pay homage to Marlboro, HDT's main sponsor at the time.[9]
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