Ute, Crewman and One Tonner
The VU Ute range was facelifted in 2002 to create the VY ute range. VY Utes received the same upgrades as the sedan/wagon range, which involved a new, sharper-designed nose, and more European-styled interior. The same three specification models were carried over for the VY, and picked up the same upgraded equipment lists as the VY sedans. The VY ute models were not badged as "Commodores".
The VY range marked major change for Holden's Ute range, with the 2003 addition of two new models: the return of the One Tonner cab-chassis utility after a 18-year hiatus; and the introduction of Holden's first-ever 4-door utility, arriving in the form of the Crewman. The Crewman brought a longer wheelbase – 3,206 mm (126.2 in) compared to the 2,939 mm (115.7 in) of the Ute; and a shorter tray – 1,463 mm (57.6 in) compared to the 2,193 mm (86.3 in) of the Ute In December 2003, Holden released an all-wheel drive variant of the Crewman known as the Crewman Cross 8. Powered by a 225 kW (302 hp) V8 engine, the Cross 8 featured a modified appearance, more suited to an off-road vehicle.
Both the Crewman and One Tonner models added instant sales to the Holden range, sparking rapid expansion of the Holden Ute range, its first major growth spurt since its 1990 re-introduction. Once again the same three specifications were carried over for the VY, with the Ute range available in base Ute, S & SS forms. The same did not apply for the One-Tonner cab-chassis range though – it was available in just two model forms, base and S.
- Base: Based on Commodore Executive specification. Available with 3.8-litre 152 kW (204 hp) Ecotec V6
- S : Based on Commodore S specification. Available with 3.8-litre 152 kW (204 hp) Ecotec V6 – 4sp auto, 5sp manual
- SS: Based on Commodore SS specification. 5.7-litre 235 kW (315 hp) Generation 3 V8 – 6sp manual or 4sp auto
Crewman models were on the other hand available with the same three specifications as the Ute range, and were launched conjointly with the rest of Holden's VY Series 2 range, the major update this time being the addition of 10 kW (13 hp) to the Gen.3 V8. By December 2003 the Crewman range had expanded to include Holden's very first AWD utility in the form of the Crewman Cross 8. The Cross 8 received bolstered wheelarches, raised ride height as well as additional equipment, with the sole drivetrain being the recently upgraded Gen.3 V8 connected to a 4-speed automatic. V6-powered versions of the One Tonner & Crewman were only available with automatic transmission. The VY's were superseded by the arrival of the VZ range in August 2004
Read more about this topic: Holden VY Commodore