With word that GM plans to close its Australian manufacturing division, Holden fans around the world are bemoaning the loss of an innovative and performance-driven brand. The Holden Commodore is adored around the world as the last of a dying breed; a four-door, V8, rear-wheel drive sedan.

America gets to enjoy the Aussie muscle sedan until Holden’s shutdown in 2016, but beyond that there are lingering doubts about the SS’s future. That also means GM’s recently-introduced police car, the Chevy Caprice PPV, may also be in trouble

According to a report in Car & Driver though, GM is already planning a successor, and production of the current Holden Commodore could move to North America by 2015. Perhaps rumors of the Commodore’s demise were premature?

It doesn’t make sense for GM to so quickly abandon two vehicles it just introduced to America, after all, and giving up the PPV would mean conceding the police cruiser market to Ford and Chrysler. Instead though, a new Zeta II platform will keep the Commodore alive, or so we’re led to believe by Car & Driver. There’s definitely a market for these vehicles, albeit a limited one given strict fuel economy regulations and high gas prices.

But if all of this comes to fruition, there is even talk of doing a Commodore-based wagon or Ute, rekindling our hopes for a 21st century El Camino. As for the wagon version, a sporty-four door, long-roof vehicle with a V8 and manual transmission should have a lot of takers, at least on paper.

Another benefit of moving production to North America would be far lower prices, meaning the new Chevy SS could end up being a bargain compared to the current model.

Hopefully there is more to this than just wishful thinking.