# Holden Coupe 60: Blueprint for a new GTO. Or G8 Coupe. Or even a Firebird



## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

*Holden Coupe 60:* 
*Blueprint for a new GTO. Or G8 Coupe. Or even a Firebird*








Just as Cadillac did in Detroit with the CTS Coupe, Holden has stolen its home town auto show in Melbourne, Australia, with a stunning, secret two door. Called the Coupe 60, the car is based on the VE Commodore, and celebrates the 60th anniversary of the launch of the very first all-Australian Holden.

The Coupe 60 is powered by an E85-capable 6.0-liter V-8 mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Painted a one off shade called "diamond silver," it sits on jumbo-size 21-inch wheels shorn with Kumho high performance rubber and gives off a menacing glare supplied by the aggressive aerodynamic bodywork -- low front airdam, side exhausts protruding from the side skirts, large rear diffuser, and a trunk lid spoiler. To top it off, the underbody of the car was specifically designed to be fully flat.








The black interior, accented by gunmetal inserts on the panels has a futuristic feel -- the gauge cluster is LCD-based and fully digital, and the flat-bottom steering wheel features an integrated shift light. The leather/suede sport bucket seats, made out from carbon fiber and accented by red stripes, are of a single-piece design and feature four-point racing harnesses four all four seating positions.








Look past the show-car eyewash -- the big wheels, race-car splitter at the front, and side-exit exhausts -- and it's clear the Coupe 60 is more than just a handsome show-pony. The bumper cuts front and rear, production lighting system, production instrument panel, and the fact it rolls on the same wheelbase as the Commodore sedan means this car is certainly production feasible.








Holden designers pulled the same trick as Cadillac did with the CTS Coupe -- chopping 2.25 in from behind the Commodore sedan's rear wheels and 2.35 in off the roof to change the proportions. As with the CTS Coupe, a production version of the Coupe 60 would have B-pillars to maintain rigidity and meet side impact regulations.

The thing is, will GM build it? Holden managing director Mark Reuss has said that, at least for now, the Coupe 60 is staying just a concept. But the Coupe 60 could, of course, easily become the next generation Holden Monaro.








The problem is, the Monaro is not a huge volume seller in Australia. To make a production version viable, Holden would almost certainly need one of GM's U.S. divisions to take the car. Pontiac is the obvious choice -- the G8 front clip, left hand drive interior set, badges, and other bits have already been engineered and basically would bolt straight on.








But GM execs are nervous that with the impending launch of the Camaro and Challenger, the mid-price rear drive coupe market could be getting a little too crowded to support a Pontiac two-door as well.


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## raspantienator (Nov 20, 2007)

Very cool. I like our interior better though.


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## PAULCAPASSO (Dec 25, 2007)

I agree.. Nice car! Interior kinda crappy. Ours is of better quality then any other GM product. I wonder if that has the cheap LS2 350HP or what we 05 and 06 owners have..


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## 06brazengto (Sep 21, 2007)

yummy nice car,
ya interior ok , ours is better
its said 6.0-liter V-8,
cant be the ls2? i think thats done,
must be whats in the g8


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## PDQ GTO (Jun 21, 2007)

Nice indeed, but I am too much in love with our Goats to consider anything else, even if we can't get them over here...One Man's View...


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## static (Dec 2, 2007)

OMG I love it!  That may have to replace my GTO if its specs are goog enough.


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## silgoat05 (Jul 1, 2006)

very nice looking car but will take years to get it here just like our cars


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## PEARL JAM (Sep 6, 2005)

If Holden ever came to the states, my second trip would be to the bank!


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Nice looking exterior....personally I HATE digital instrumentation. I don't wan't to offend anyone, but I don't care for the rounded rear of the new GTO....too "jelly beanullar" for an old school dude like me....then again I still don't have a cell phone, I think the internet is a passing fad. Tried to cram a 33 1/3 rpm record into a CD player once ( don't even know what an MP3 player is)......................arty: :confused  .....Eric


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## 6QTS11OZ (Mar 27, 2005)

If GM were to sell that in a couple of years at around $35k there is a 90% chance the goat would be a distant memory. As far as the hp/tq numbers go it really doesn't matter because I'm going to mod the hell out of it anyway.


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## NJG8GT (Nov 14, 2007)

I like the ground effects, That front lower splitter/fascia/valance looks awesome!!!! What are the correct names for these parts, over the years I have called them everything. Rear Spoiler-wing.... Lower bumper area-Ground appearance pkg/Rear fascia/Valance.... Front end- Ground appearance pkg/front air dam/splitter/front fascia... anybody?


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## PWR_SHIFT (Feb 10, 2005)

If this one came stateside, my otherwise untouchable goat may need a new home.


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## ST_57_VZ DOWN UNDER (Mar 4, 2008)

why are ya'll goin ga ga ova the G8 ??
maybe u should all check out the big brother set to be released later in the year here in aus ????
Street Commodores Magazine Online Forum


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

ST_57_VZ DOWN UNDER said:


> why are ya'll goin ga ga ova the G8 ??
> maybe u should all check out the big brother set to be released later in the year here in aus ????
> Street Commodores Magazine Online Forum


Can`t view unless we sign up for their forums.


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## Good 2 go (Sep 7, 2005)

6QTS11OZ said:


> As far as the hp/tq numbers go it really doesn't matter because I'm going to mod the hell out of it anyway.


:agree

I like the way you think, ma man!


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## ST_57_VZ DOWN UNDER (Mar 4, 2008)

Rukee said:


> Can`t view unless we sign up for their forums.



ok thats gotta suck , lets just say we're puttin the LS7 into it , and addin a few lil extras to it too !!!! but it is worth join up , give u a peak at what we're up to out here wit these engines n cars


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## Wing_Nut (Mar 6, 2005)

The concept Coupe 60 is beautiful and would be accepted stateside as a "real" GTO or a G8 coupe.

But please, somebody slap the $hit out of Pointiack marketing so they don't contaminate the car with a Trans Am label. That would be a truly heinous crime and likely a bigger disaster than the Monaro/GTO decision.

The Trans Am should stay buried in history as a case study in how not to build a car. Pontiac should take the great product coming out of Holden and try everything in it's power to distance itself from it's low quality "performance with plastic" image.


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## Showgoat67 (Feb 16, 2005)

I would buy one i like it.


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## DevilInYellow (Mar 20, 2008)

i like it alot...its a coupe of the g8....rumors though thats going to be the gxp version....nd i do agree with every one our interior is better.


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## Vbp6us (May 6, 2008)

I love the look in the G8.


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