Holden Epica: The New Mid-Sizer On The Block

Motoring Channel Staff - 2/Feb/2007

Brisbane, Australia — After watching it's Vectra sales dwindle, GM Holden has decided to take an entirely new approach to its mid-size car range, bringing in the Korean-made Epica.

In 2006 Holden ditched the European-built Barina and replaced it with a Korean-made model, in order to better compete with its cost-cutting Asian rivals in the small car marketplace.

Seeing the fruits of this move, Holden has done the same with its mid-size segment - but don't panic, as it's not planning on replacing the Commodore.

The Epica is Holden's new mid-sized, front-wheel drive sedan, and was launched at the Brisbane International Motor Show today. It's rivals will include the current crop of mid-sized cars, such as the Toyota Camry, the Mazda6, the Honda Accord Euro.

Holden has confirmed the car will go on sale in early April, and will be offered in two variants - CDX and CDXi - with a choice of either a 2.0- or 2.5-litre inline 6-cylinder engines, depending on model.

GM Holden's managing director said the Epica would offer outstanding value for money, an extremely refined drive and fuel economy comparable to a four cylinder car.

"Epica's in-line 6-cylinder engine delivers a very refined and smooth ride and returns better fuel economy than some of the 4-cylinder rivals in the mid-size sedan segment," Mr Mooney said, alluding to Toyota's Camry which returns 9.9L/100km with the auto gearbox.

Denny Mooney didn't reveal pricing of the new vehicle, possibly waiting to see what its competitors do in response to this new model, instead saying that exact pricing would be announced in 'due course'. However, he did say but Epica would be aimed at the 'value' end of the mid-size sedan segment, which leads us to believe the car will be offered from around $24,000.

Five-speed manual and automatic transmissions will be offered depending on model, and even though the cars feature 6-cylinder engines, the claimed fuel economy figures are positive:

Epica CDX 2.0: 8.2L/100km
Epica CDXi 2.5: 9.3L/100km

The American-born GM Holden boss also talked up the car's other features: "It has generous interior space, excellent standard specifications and stylish fit and finish. We believe Epica will suit the value end of the mid-size sedan segment but will also be a great alternative to vehicles right throughout that segment."

Holden has revealed that the car is manufactured at GM's Bupyong plant in South Korea, and that the Epica was extensively tuned by Holden engineers at GM Holden's Lang Lang proving ground near Melbourne before its global release, ensuring it met Australia's diverse driving conditions.

Though only two models/two engines are being offered at the car's on-sale date in April 2007, a 4-cylinder diesel version of the Epica is expected to arrive at some point, depending on the demand for the new car. Currently the car has been on sale for in Europe, where it is fitted with Chevrolet badges (another GM division).

The entry-level Epica CDX, expected to cost around $24,000 with the 2.0-litre engine, will be fitted with a 5-speed manual transmission, while the CDXi model will only be offered with an automatic gearbox and will feature the 2.5-litre 6-cylinder engine, and is expected to fetch closer to $30,000. As follows are the new 6-cylinder engines power outputs:

2.0-litre L6: 105kW/195Nm
2.5-litre L6: 115kW/237Nm

Standard features on the Holden Epica entry-level model, the CDX, include items such as a 6-speaker CD audio system (MP3 compatible), ABS, traction control, front and side airbags for driver and front passenger, cloth seats, 16-inch alloy wheels (15-inch steel spare), front and rear power windows, cruise control, and air-conditioning. ESP has not been mooted, however.

The CDXi adds a sports body kit that really accentuate the car's lines, featuring front fog lamps, larger 17-inch wheels, plus new front and rear bumper sections and side skirts.

The CDXi also gets side-curtain airbags for a total of six airbags, an 8-speaker stereo, and a leather steering wheel and gearshift. Climate control air conditioning will be another standard feature on the flagship Epica CDXi model, as well as an electronic driver information display, but leather seats will be a cost option, expected to be around $1,500.

With an on sale date of April 2007, GM Holden has waved goodbye to another European model (the Vectra) and replaced it with a Korean model, which can be offered for a much lower price yet with a similar feature list. The big news is that all Epica models will be offered with 6-cylinder engines, and there's also the vehicle's integrated sporty exterior styling to consider. If the pricing is keen, and the car drives well, Holden can expect to make quite a dent in the mid-sized car market with the Epica.

The Epica was the centrepiece of the Holden stand at the 2007 Brisbane International Motor Show, but the Melbourne-based car maker showed off a number of other new models, including a new turbo diesel Rodeo ute, plus other models already seen before, such as the VE Commodore (with a brand new colour, Morpheous), the new Captiva SUV and it's Astra small car range, which now includes a new convertible, the imported TwinTop.

New 3.0-litre Turbo Diesel Rodeo

Holden revealed a new turbo diesel engine for the Rodeo range at the Brisbane motor show, when it introduced the new 3.0-litre VCDi common rail turbo diesel engine.

Holden says the new engine delivers 25 per cent more peak power at lower revs while meeting strict new Euro 4 emission requirements, and other changes include several design enhancements, increased braked towing capability and a new 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission to manage the increased torque and retain a light shift feel on the new turbo diesel.

The new diesel Rodeo has also had a mid-life facelift, with redesigned front and rear fascias, including front and rear lamps, updated wheel flares and a bold air-induction scoop on the hood are all part of the new turbo diesel exterior changes.

VE Commodore / WM Statesman and Caprice

The VE Commodore has more power, torque and refinement than any previous Holden sedan range. It was described by Holden's Executive Director of Engineering, Tony Hyde, as "the car we always wanted to build".

A strong focus was placed on active and passive safety with features such as Electronic Stability Program (ESP) now standard on all models, and the Brisbane auto show was home to a range of VE Commodores including the SV6, SS V-Series, Calais V-Series, the special edition Commodore V-Series and the introduction of a brand new colour, Morpheous.

Holden also showed off its top-of-the-range WM Statesman and Caprice models, which it claims offer more differentiation from their short wheelbase siblings than ever before. Major aspects of the interior design, including the instrument pad, cluster, centre console, seating, door trims, fabrics and finishes are exclusive. Detail highlights include signature LED repeater lamps in the fender vents, striking LED tail lamps and bright chrome accents, while the jewelled headlamp design is also unique.

Astra

Astra, Holden's second biggest selling carline, welcomes three new additions to the already extensive range. These additions confirm Astra's position as one of the most comprehensive small car ranges on the market today, says Holden.

The new retractable hard top convertible called Astra TwinTop, a sporty SRi 3-door coupe and 5-door hatch are the three latest additions to the AH Astra line-up. All these models are driven by a 2.2-litre direct injection 4-cylinder EcoTec engine that produces 110kW of power and 210Nm of torque. These sporty new models get more features than the standard edition Astras, and feature 17-inch alloy wheels, an Electronic Stability Program, a sports chassis pack and leather trim seats. The turbo diesel Astra CDTi and the sporty Astra SRi Turbo were also on display.

Captiva

Holden's new SUV, the Captiva, was on display in Brisbane, with models including the Euro-styled 5-seater MaXX and the luxury 7-seater LX. The choice of five and seven seats delivers a flexible and highly specified range that will appeal to the medium and compact-sized SUV market, says Holden.

The Captiva derives power from Australian-built Alloytec 3.2-litre V6 engines. Peak power is 169kW and peak torque is 297Nm. Holden explains that the intelligent active all-wheel drive system found on all models contributes to Captiva's versatile appeal and is fully integrated into the ESP and ABS systems, improving vehicle control and active safety.

Small Car Range

To complement the small car range, the Viva 5-door hatch and wagon will be on display next to the Barina 3-door and sedan models. Holden assures us that, like the new Epica, these variants have been tailored for Australian driving conditions by Holden engineers and offer outstanding levels of standard equipment and value for money.

If you're planning on heading down to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre to see the motor show (running from the 2nd to the 11th of February 2007), here's the full list of Holden vehicles on display:

• Epica CDX

• Epica CDXi

• New Rodeo 4x4 LT Crew Cab Pickup 3.0L Diesel

• New Rodeo 4x2 DX Single Cab Chassis 2.4 litre 4-cyl SOHC Petrol

• VE Commodore V-Series

• VE Commodore SV6

• VE Commodore SS V-Series V8

• VE Commodore SS V8

• VE Commodore Calais V-Series V8

• WM Statesman V6

• WM Caprice V8

• Barina 3 Door

• Barina Sedan

• Viva 5 Door Hatch

• Viva Wagon

• Astra SRi Turbo 3 Door Coupe

• Astra TwinTop Retractable Hard Top

• Astra CDTi Diesel

• Astra SRi 5 Door Hatch

• Captiva MaXX V6 with Luxury Pack

• Captiva LX V6

• VZ SS Crewman V8

• VZ SS Thunder V8

• VE Calais V8 – Cutaway

Related articles:
- Holden Barina (Road Test)
- Holden Astra SRi Turbo (Road Test)
- Holden VE Commodore vs Ford BF Falcon (Road Test)
- Holden VE Commodore - Dual-Fuel LPG (2006)
- Holden Captiva (2006)
- Holden - Melbourne Motor Show (2006)
- Sydney Motor Show (2006)