Despite the V2 Monaro still being an out-and-out head turner nearly two decades after it was launched, Holden is about to elevate one particular 2004 VZ CV8 Monaro to the next level. As part of a special promotion, dubbed ‘Project Monaro’, the company is putting a well-used original vehicle through a ‘zero to hero’ restoration to create a V2 Monaro like no other.
Taking the lead are Holden’s design and engineering teams based at the company’s Port Melbourne headquarters. Members of the design team, including some who were involved in the initial V2 Monaro development, will be responsible for adding some extra pizazz to the interior and exterior. At the same time, Holden’s engineering team, with help from Red Bull Holden Racing and some key build partners, will set about enhancing the way this unique two door performance car goes, stops and turns.
Given colour is such a crucial factor, Holden enlisted PPG as its paint partner. Indeed, the process of developing the bespoke colour has many similarities to the long-term Holden / PPG partnership which saw PPG supply the production line where the V2 Monaro was built, as well as playing a key role in creating Holden’s overall colour palette. For Project Monaro, it started with Ben Wood, from Holden’s Colour & Trim department, putting together a ‘storyboard’ of visual cues which he presented to staff at PPG’s Clayton Colour Laboratory. Using this to guide them, PPG chemists got to work formulating a series of colour variations. These were then sprayed out at a variety of different gloss levels – from full matt, to satin and full gloss – by using a combination of off-the-shelf PPG products, D8115 Matt Clearcoat and D8117 Semi-Matt Clearcoat. The result is a bold and unique colour in a satin finish which has been named, ‘Panorama Blue Suede’ (
Note: This colour formulation is not available to the public). It will be applied by B&A Motor Body Repairs, in Clayton, Melbourne, a respected family business which is not only a long-running PPG customer but, in 2018, also became Australia’s first ever Holden Certified Collision Repairer.
How do you win this modern-day classic Monaro? Holden has opened the promotion to both trade and retail service customers of the company’s dealers across Australia and New Zealand. You can even watch the restoration process via a series of videos hosted by motorsport icon, Craig Lowndes. For more info, check out
www.acdelco.com.au/offers/project-monaro.