{"id":3019,"date":"2026-04-03T03:36:55","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T03:36:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/australianholden.com\/?page_id=3019"},"modified":"2026-04-14T05:42:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T05:42:24","slug":"when-the-holden-vl-commodore-was-released-australia-in-1986","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/australianholden.com\/index.php\/australian-holden\/commodores\/vl-commodore\/when-the-holden-vl-commodore-was-released-australia-in-1986\/","title":{"rendered":"When the Holden VL Commodore was released &#8211; Australia in 1986"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/australianholden.com\/index.php\/australian-holden\/commodores\/\">Commodore Home<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/australianholden.com\/index.php\/australian-holden\/commodores\/vl-commodore\/\">VL Commodore<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cost of a new Holden VL Commodore<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Base sedan models started at approximately&nbsp;$12,500\u2013$13,000 <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The VL featured&nbsp;updated styling with sleeker lines, new imported 3.0L six-cylinder engine options, improved suspension, and upgraded interiors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Luxury and performance options were available, including&nbsp;Calais trim and turbocharged engines in limited models. It would be the only Commodore model where a turbocharged 6 cylinder engine was offered.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The VL Commodore was arguably one of the most popular Commodore models, the VL Calais, and Factory VL Turbo models are highly sought after today. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The VL Commodore offered&nbsp;a blend of performance, comfort, and practicality for Australian families<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It would be the last Commodore sold as a &#8216;mid size&#8217; car. Every Commodore model from here on in would be classed as &#8216;Full size&#8217;.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Average wage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Average weekly wage: about&nbsp;$340\u2013$350<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Average annual wage: roughly&nbsp;$17,680\u2013$18,200<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Average house price<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Around&nbsp;$85,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Price of petrol<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>About&nbsp;90 cents per litre<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prime Minister<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bob Hawke (Labor Party)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Population of Australia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>About&nbsp;15.5 million people<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Top-grossing movie<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Top Gun, Crocodile Dundee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Top song<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>West End Girls&nbsp;by&nbsp;Pet Shop Boys&nbsp;topped Australian charts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significant world event<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Global stock market volatility and technological innovation influenced economies. The black Friday stock market crash of 1987 was just around the corner.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rising awareness of environmental and energy issues<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Popular TV \/ radio in Australia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Neighbours, Countdown, The Don Lane Show, and A Country Practice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FM radio and music television continued to shape youth culture<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significant Australian news story<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Economic policy, suburban expansion, and car ownership trends dominated headlines<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Interesting comparisons<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The VL Commodore cost roughly&nbsp;0.75 years\u2019 average wages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The average house cost about&nbsp;4.5\u20135 years\u2019 wages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Filling a ~60L tank cost roughly&nbsp;$54 AUD<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A week\u2019s wages could buy roughly&nbsp;380\u2013390 litres of petrol<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The VL Commodore represented&nbsp;the mid-1980s evolution of the mid-size car, balancing performance, comfort, and practicality<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Commodore Home VL Commodore Cost of a new Holden VL Commodore Average wage Average house price Price of petrol Prime Minister Population of Australia Top-grossing movie Top song Significant world event Popular TV \/ radio in Australia Significant Australian news story Interesting comparisons<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3465,"parent":51,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3019","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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