Yes, the Holden Commodore police car lives on. In South Australia at least. Holden has just announced a deal with the South Australia Police force which includes supplying 100 new Commodores for the fleet.
While some states are employing the Kia Stinger, BMW 5 Series, and Chrysler 300 SRT, South Australia is sticking to tradition and keeping the Commodore nameplate alive. The police force will adopt Commodore RS V6 variants, equipped with the 3.6-litre V6 producing 235kW, sent through an all-wheel drive system. Holden’s director of sales, Peter Keley, said:
“SA Police have run an exhaustive comparison of vehicles from every manufacturer and we’re proud our latest Commodore has once again proven its credentials when it comes to vehicle safety, specifications, durability, dynamics, performance and importantly manufacturer and servicing support.”
Motorists will begin to see the transition from the current Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore police fleet to the new ZB Commodore over the next two years. Commodores will be used for both general duty services and for highway patrol across the state. Keley went on to say:
“This is the most technologically-advanced Holden ever. The 3.6-litre V6 is a world-class engine and, when paired to our new smart adaptive all-wheel drive system, there’s a level of traction never seen or felt in a Commodore before. Our Holden engineers know what Australian drivers – and police officers – expect from driving a Commodore and this vehicle delivers.”
Holden engineers have been working with the SA Police to ensure the vehicle meets the safety and performance requirements of modern policing. All Commodore models already come with a suite of safety technologies and a full five-star ANCAP safety rating as standard, while the police force will add its usual traffic analysis and computer systems to the car.
