The Monaro lives on

After months of speculation and secrecy, the VE-based Coupe Holden that rolled on to the stand is little more than an engineering tweak, a designer's pen stroke and public demand away from becoming the third generation of the Monaro — in spirit if not in name.

“Coupe 60 is Holden's 60th anniversary gift to its fans worldwide,” GM Holden chairman and managing director Mark Reuss said in introducing the Coupe 60.

In an echo of the 1998 Sydney Motor Show introduction of the two-door coupe that was to become the second generation Monaro, GM Holden head of design Tony Stolfo said: “This is a pure concept vehicle. There are no plans to take it to production.”

“Would I like to see it built? Absolutely, but there have been no discussions along those lines,” he said.

The “last” Monaro was auctioned for charity in February 2006, going to a Queensland buyer for $187,600 as GM Holden stopped production of the two-door coupe amid falling sales demand and the shift to the current VE shape.

The Coupe 60 is almost 60mm shorter than the VE sedan, sitting on 21-inch centre-lock alloy wheels with unique design Kumho high performance semi-slick tyres.

The car's racetrack leanings are highlighted by a full flat underbody, rear underbody air diffuser, rear deck-lid spoiler with LED tail lamps and huge side-vent exhausts poking out from in front of the rear wheels.

Inside the Coupe the racing theme continues, with one piece carbon fibre bucket seats and a sports-inspired flat-bottomed steering wheel with integrated shift light display and LCD sports instrument cluster.

Under the bonnet is a 6.0-litre V8 engine incorporating the latest technologies such as active fuel management and calibrated for E85 ethanol fuel.