Holden and Sunbird improved

Press, 23 June 1978, Page 8

Holden and Sunbird improved

By

RUSSELL JONES,

motoring’ editor

General Motors has launched the new HZ range of Holdens, and the new UC Sunbird, on the New Zealand market. The Sunbird, released here last year with Radial Tuned Suspension, has been improved in a num-

ber of ways while the Holdens have been endowed with the Radial Tuned Suspension but little else to distinguish them from previous models. The prices of all the models have risen. I had the opportunity to drive most of the new models at the Pukekohe tn o t o r-racing circuit recently and can confirm that the handling of the larger Holdens has improved dramatically. The handling of the Sunbird has also been improved. although in a more subtle manner, but other changes to the Sunbird make it a generally more satisfactory car. A few laps of a racing circuit often fails to bring out the worst and best in a car. but my initial reaction to all the models was favourable. General Motors has promised to make the HZ Holden and the Sunbird available for extended road tests soon and 1 will reserve judgment until then. From an engineering point of view, the Radial Tuned Suspension system is little more than a revision of suspension mounting points, camber angles, roll bar locations, shock

absorber capacity, spring tension and roll and ride char..cteristics. There is nothing magical about it and although General Motors in Australia has compared the ride and roadholding of its new Holdens to cars such as

the Mercedes and B.M.W. this is, essentially, rubbish. A Holden is a Holden. It has a conventional lay-out with a solid rear axle and although the suspension

alterations — and the steel-belted tyres — have made it more responsive and safe on the road it is not a world-beater. In fact, it would not be unfair to suggest that the Holden has only now’ reached the level of roadholding and handling

which G.M. customers should have demanded years ago. Other cars have offered it and G.M. has finally realised that to compete with Ford and the Japanese and Europeans it must offer a higher standard of roadworthiness. Other changes in the HZ range include improved seats, a steering column stalk which works the blinkers, wipers, washers and headlamp dipper and flasher, and improved headlights. The SL model has a heated rear window while all the new models have a redesigned grille arid a rubber impact strip set into the. front bumper bar. The six-cylinder engine remains the same at 3300 cu cm, while the V 8 offered in some models is the same five-litre unit used previously. The changes to the Sunbird have probably come as a result of press and customer criticism. Two of the things most harshly criticised — the foot-oper-ated parking brake and the location of the spare wheel in the boot — have been changed. The parking brake is now positioned on the centre console and, thankfully, worked by hand, while the spare wheel has been placed upright in the boot to increase the luggage space. Other worth-while changes include a new dashboard with the dials set out more clearly; a relocated fuel tank with rhe capacity increased to 55 litres (12 gallons); a new rear axle; and improved front and rear seats. The seats are the feature most likely to appeal to owners of the previous Sunbird, although the new multi-function stalk, as

used in the HZ, is also a pleasant improvement. Although the Radial Tuned Suspension of the previous Sunbird remains, detail improvements include improved shock-ab-sorbers, stabiliser bar changes, and a change in

mounting of the steering gear. 1 noticed the improvement immediately. The engine and gearbox of the Sunbird remain basically the same, although the gear change seems to have been improved.

Sunbird manual, $8165; automatic, $8715. Kingswood sedan manual, $8376; waggon, $9995. Kingswood SL sedan manual, $9895; automatic, $10,534; automatic with power steering, $10,866. Kingswood SL waggon manual. $10,533; automatic, $11,172; automatic power steering, $11,504. The following cars are available only as automatics, with power steering: Premier sedan 6 cyl, $12,040: Premier sedan 8 cyl., $12,720: Premier waggon 8 cyl., $13,448; G.T.S., $14,413: Statesman de Ville, $14,699, Metallic paint is available as an option on all models. It costs an extra $35 for the Sunbird and $4O for the Holdens.