 Introduced in July 2008, the A $ 110 million VE Sportwagon programme represented a departure from previous Commodore station wagons. Holden was concerned that the traditional wagon market was being severely eroded by growing sport utility vehicle (SUV) sales and over-reliance on fleet purchasing. Up to 90 percent of VZ wagons were bought by fleet companies and Holden sought to attract more retail customers. The decision was made to develop a sportier, more stylish wagon as an alternative to SUVs. The Sportwagon, unlike the previous VZ wagon, which shared its long-wheelbase with the Statesman / Caprice is built on the same short-wheelbase platform as the sedan. This shift in thinking means cargo capacity is reduced from VZ's 1,402 litres (370 US gal) to 895 litres (236 US gal) but the sedan's near 50: 50 weight distribution is retained. The Sportwagon is styled with an aggressively sloping rear profile. To ensure the cargo opening is sufficiently large with such a profile, the tailgate hinges part way up the roof line. The design of the tailgate is compact enough to open in just 268 millimetres (10.6 in) of space, a publicised feature in Sportwagon television commercials.
