Holden Commodore SS 2006 review

V8 sales have fallen since fuel prices rose, but a Holden spokesman says the main reason is buyers have been holding out.

"I'd be kidding if I said fuel prices hadn't had an impact on V8 sales," Holden marketing manager Philip Brooks says.

Australia is first to get the so-called Gen IV engine, beating the US by a few months. It has been designed so that it can have cylinder deactivation in the future, allowing it to run as a V6 or V4 when cruising to save fuel, like the Chrysler 300C.

However, cylinder deactivation could still be some time off.

"It comes down to engineering time and calibration," Brooks says.

The engine rated at 260kW and 510Nm, the power increase ranging from 10kW on the SS to 25kW on the Calais. Now the Calais and Statesman have the same output as the Commodore SS.

Brooks says SS buyers won't be annoyed that it has no more power than its luxury stablemates.

"I think SS buyers will be satisfied with the increase in performance they get," he says.

Holden outsold Ford in V8 cars by 17,771 to 6541 last year. V8s make up about 15 per cent of Commodore sales, but that increases to 36 per cent for Holden Ute and 49 per cent of Statesman and Caprice.

Holden powertrain engineer Simon Cassin says fuel economy drops marginally by 0.1 litres/100km to 14 litres/100km for the automatic, andby 0.2 litres/100km to 14.6 litres/100km for the manual.

There are some minor equipment upgrades. The SS Commodore is now standard with leather seats and bigger performance brakes.

Holden will start making automatic cars with the 6.0-litre V8 for sale next month. Manual transmission cars go on sale in April.

Prices will rise by up to $600.

On the road

More power and torque may impress the faithful, but the best part of the new 6.0-litre V8 is its refinement.

The L76 might be related to the 5.7-litre LS1, but it's much classier than its older cousin.

The family newborn is smoother, quieter and more consistent in its output. Fans of the V8 sound needn't worry - the exhaust note has an even nicer rumble, but there seems less noise from the engine.

In the SS Commodore, the improvement is in how easy it is to make the most of the extra power and torque. It requires less effort to maintain a good pace.

The big step up, though, is in the Calais and Statesman, the engine giving a level of class expected from what are prestige cars.

Though the engine story is a good one for Holden fans, the transmissions remain off the pace.

The six-speed manual transmission in the SS remains fairly crude. In particular, a change from second gear to third requires more concentration than sharper units in some Japanese and European cars. A minor positive - compared with earlier Holden six-speed manuals -- is a lighter and shorter clutch release, making it less hit and miss.

But it's the improvement in the engine that brings out the best in the manual. The extra torque, particularly at low revs, means leaving the car in sixth with the cruise control on is now a viable option. The driver can put the foot down in sixth at 100km/h and accelerate for passing without having to drop back a gear for more pull.

The four-speed automatic is less convincing, despite the upgrade to the heavy duty 4L65E transmission (previously only on HSV cars, and the Crewman and Cross8 utes).

First gear is low, so there's plenty of kick off the mark. Top is very high, allowing the SS to lope along at 100km/h at only 1650 revs, good for respectable fuel economy.

But compared with the higher Falcons' excellent six-speed ZF auto, there are simply not enough ratios in between for smooth, consistent changes. The price is a jerky change from first to second, and again from second to third.

The other things we like about the SS haven't changed. It still looks tough on the outside and has a smart and ergonomic interior. The trim might not be quite to the premium Japanese level, but the leather seats make it a comfortable cruiser. The controls are all in easy reach.

Our drive at the Holden proving ground at Lang Lang didn't give us a chance to gauge fuel economy.