Probably no car is more stereotypically Australian than a Holden Ute. Adored by many, it served as a faithful workhorse and the foundation for some pretty potent street machinery. This 2001 Holden Commodore SS Ute is a great example of the breed. As many of our Australian readers will agree, all it needs is a roo bar on the front, a faithful Kelpie or Blue Heeler in the tray, and an R.M. Williams sticker on the back window to be the total package. However, this SS should be quite a beast, courtesy of the supercharged V8 under the hood. It presents well and is a turnkey proposition. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder TomV for spotting the Commodore listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Cantley, Quebec, Canada. The seller set their price at CA$36,000 OBO, which equated to US$25,400 at the current exchange rate.
Holden introduced the “VU” Commodore Ute in 2000, based on the VT Commodore Station Wagon platform. It featured a longer wheelbase than the Sedan, and remained on sale until the release of the heavily facelifted VY in 2002. Our featured Ute is a 2001 SS derivative, which was the high-performance variant. Those who wanted to push the boundaries could order a Ute via Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), with the “Maloo” featuring more engine power, better brakes, wheels, tires, and upgraded suspension. However, a standard SS off the showroom floor was cheaper and, as we will see, it lacked nothing in the horsepower race. The gold paint shade is known as Hyper Yellow, and is one of the high-impact shades that Holden introduced with this Commodore series. It changes dramatically depending on the light, ensuring this SS will turn plenty of heads. The paint looks extremely nice, and with no panel imperfections, the SS makes a positive first impression. Holden had a handle on corrosion prevention strategies, so rust shouldn’t be an issue. The trim and tinted glass are excellent, and the new owner can either hit the road with the current wheels or swap to the included set of Pontiac G8 GT alloys.
The 2001 Commodore SS Ute was a pretty handy weapon off the showroom floor. Equipped with the 5.7-liter LS1 small-block, it sent 302hp and 340 ft/lbs of torque to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. Power steering was standard equipment, as were four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. However, this SS features upgraded brakes from a Cadillac CTS-V, so it should stop on a dime. The quoted power and torque figures might now be irrelevant, because this LS1 now sports a Vortec supercharger with an intercooler. Depending on other internal upgrades, it should be pumping out somewhere north of 400hp. The seller also upgraded the suspension to coil-overs to cope with the performance increase. The engine bay presentation isn’t pretty, but it appears that this beast is a turnkey proposition that will provide immediate enjoyment to its new owner.
Holden adopted a policy of integrating as many features from the Commodore Sedan and Wagon into the Ute as possible. This included the dash structure, console, door trims, seats, and carpet. This SS features upgraded leather bucket seats from HSV that look extremely supportive and comfortable. They have upgraded the stereo and fitted a boost gauge. Otherwise, the interior is essentially as it left the factory. The overall appearance is quite tidy, with only light wear on the outer seat bolsters. The dash and console haven’t suffered due to UV exposure, and the remaining plastic looks sound. The Ute features dual airbags, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power seats, power mirrors, a suede-wrapped tilt wheel, a rear defogger, and cruise control.
The Ute was a staple of Holden’s model range from 1951 until 1984. It returned in 1990, based on the Commodore platform. When Holden production ended in 2017, it was fitting that one of the last vehicles to roll off the line was an SS Ute. This 2001 example isn’t a genuine survivor, but it embodies the spirit of a marque that General Motors retired in 2021. There are no plans for a revival, meaning that Holden has joined brands like Pontiac in the dusty pages of history books. The good news is that although Holden no longer exists, parts remain readily available, and the Commodore Ute enjoys a reputation for longevity. So if you want to preserve a slice of Australian automotive heritage, buying this SS could be a great place to start.
The very last Holden car to be produced was a (sedan) VF-II Commodore SS-V Redline in “Some Like it Hot Red Metallic.” I owned a ’17 Chev SS (née Commodore SS-V Redline) for about four years as a daily and it was an absolute hoot to drive. Were I in the market, this Ute would be of high interest to me. I’ve seen a few here and there in the States, and all had conversions of sorts in order to be legally registered here.
Wow, Adam! Nice catch, and it’s a bet that you’d look long and hard at this beauty if it were closer to you, understandably! More than a few gearheads around that don’t understand the draw of a “Ute” but the rest of us get it, especially this one. Makes more than a few want to get familiar with driving from the other seat when it’s this nice.
A smart owner could get a contract with the USPS for rural delivery and get paid to go haul the mail!!!
Wonder what it takes to bring a vehicle like this across the border? Hmmmm..
Import taxes and duties for a passenger car imported from Canada into the United States are generally 2.5% of the vehicle’s value if it meets U.S. standards and originates in North America.
Import Duties and Rates
• Passenger Cars: 2.5% of the price paid or payable (under HTSUS heading 8703).
• Trucks: 25%.
• Motorcycles: 2.4% or free.
• USMCA Exemption: If the car was manufactured in North America and complies with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules of origin under the USMCA/CUSMA agreement, it may qualify for 0% duty.
Good info, Walter. Thank you!
But will it be classified as a car, or as a truck?
Also, did not originate in NA.
Some research to do before trying to take it into USA.
Or, since it is just reaching the 25 year exemption, depending on month of manufacture, is there a whole other set of rules?
No doubt it will ‘haul the mail’.
w/in a few miles one can doa RHD easily (even the gear selector/manny trans). It’s that the whole/rest of the country is not made for these. No fun weather urban, exurban, suburban, rural or wilderness~
There is someone over there who was taking utes to the U.S. and converting them to left hook, so if you thank it could be a problem perhaps google them.
This UTE could deliver for Ule with the steering wheel too.
It’s a nice different truck. A local by me goes to car shows with his UTE often.
As I read the story all I could hear was Hank Snow’s Golden Rocket.
I’ve never seen one of these before. It looks like a modern right-hand-drive El Camino.
This would be fun if only to confuse people. All that we wanted but couldn’t have in the States. A V8 with all the pedals and RHD to make your companion a copilot.
We *almost* had it in the States. Lutz planned on a Pontiac-branded Ute to go along with the G8, and several prototype cars were built, but then GM axed the brand and that was that.
Pontiac got the short end of the stick during the reorganization. Would have been cool to have seen as G8 derivative or as a resurrected GMC Sprint.
quite strange looking.
This Ute should have been imported as the new El Camino under the Chevy brand, since the SSR went over like a cockroach on a wedding cake. I think it would have sold like the proverbial hotcakes, yet it was just another missed opportunity by GM. And eventually, Holden ended up being Oldsmobiled.
I didn’t know that cars were manufactured in Australia, but I find out that on October 20, 2017, the last Holden vehicle rolled off the assembly line in Elizabeth, South Australia. After near 100 years. I’m assuming that Holden was the only brand of car manufactured in Australia?
There were also plenty of Australian-built Fords and Chryslers, all completely different from, or at most distantly related to, their American or European models, as well as various Japanese and European marques who built cars there, and a huge variety of smaller independent firms:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automobile_manufacturers_of_Australia
Holden was by far the most legendary auto manufacturer from down under but Ford and Toyota also assembled vehicles there as well. None of them are still active with plants being shuttered within the last decade or so.
Timothy, Not only did the Aussie’s build cars, They built, and continue to build, large trucks Down Under!! Kenworth and Mack, and possibly International, still have operating plants in Australia. On a side note International and Chrysler always had a close operating relationship. In the 50’s International used the Dodge “Pilot House” cab, Then in the 70’s Dodge used the International “A” cab. If you go to the: https://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/index website and scroll back thru their “Events” pages you can find examples of both. IN the Historic chat area under Nev’s Albums and Verdons Transport topics you can find many pictures of modern Australian large trucks.
Love them aussie utes!
Out here in Oz you can buy brand new repro fenders and many other parts for these and earlier models as well as Australian Ford parts. You mention the dash which was manufactured from a different material to the rest of the world so it was more UV resistant for the harsh hot sun conditions in Australia. These along with the last of the Falcon utes were a very handy vehicle especially for the tradesman that wanted a quicker car on the weekends. This one having the Chev engine which Holden used would be a viable proposition over there.
What we should have had as an El Camino.
Plus if General Motors had have been half smart they would have kept the jobs going in Australia and still sending the Statesman which at one time was being sent to the U.S for Police cars as well and kept the Australian plant going for export of right hand drive cars to other countries which would have made sense. But we are talking about accountants I guess. They now bring the Chev and F150 Ford pickup out here in Ozz and then convert the Chevs here to RHD ( right hand drive) Ford I think do RHD F trucks. an dthe Mustangs for here and I guess the U.K. and other right hand drive countries. The Falcon Utes would have been a big hit there to with the inline 6 engined Barra engines that were an amazing engine and with a Turbo would blow many V8’s away.
The good thing about the Falcon utes were they had a separate tray as per a pickup and you could have a flat bed or the well side tray. So with both the Commodore and Falcon utes you had the comfort of a car but usefulness of a small pickup.
Very interesting car/truck. Strange thing is I went to a local car show here in Houston, Texas on Saturday. While no Holden vehicles were there, three Japanese imported right hand drive Hondas were there. They sure can make the exhaust on those things loud.
God Bless America
Good to hear from you again, Johnmloghry.👍🏻
Thank you sir. Most of my comments don’t get posted?They just magically disappear.
God Bless America
Awesome find Adam unfortunately many people don’t understand especially if perhaps manual version. This like car animal equivalent to cheetah 🐆 with bone’s of mountain lion
driving it round here folks would ask me: “Where’s your mullet?”; “No checkerboard sports coat?”; “White shoes w/matching belt?” I’m w/hairy.
Now one of the early Oz falcons or it’s ute with the 2V iron head 250 i6 ( 2.4 iteration or ‘XY”) or the later 3.3 or XC (intro in ’76 known as ‘cross flow’).
Yeah, I’d geta mullet cut if it’d get me one of these. Even up to the Barra (’02/’16) as that’s too heavy, too space taking. I’d put it up against any 2JZ or XK6 (my favs are the i6 or actually i8 but those are more than gone…
They made Commodore stations wagons as well with powerful V8s and manual transmissions. Those should have been badged as something domestic and imported as well.
One of these went by my house last weekend. It was bright metallic blue and had a stylized bed cover. It had what looked like a large red ‘R’ on the side near the back of the car. It struck me as being a huge vehicle but very impressive.