2006 Holden Statesman Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the VS, WH, WK, WL, WM and WN Holden Statesman and Caprice from 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 as a used buy.

For much of their existence the Statesman and its Caprice big brother played second fiddle to the all powerful Ford Fairlane and LTD, but with the demise of the Ford duo they reigned alone in the market.As much as Holden tried it seemed there was nothing they could do to dent the dominance of the big Fords, even though they followed the same proven formula for building a big car off a regular passenger car platform.The formula was simple enough; you simply stretched the wheelbase to create a massive back seat, enlarged the boot, tuned the ride for comfort, and added some bling to give it prestige appeal.MODEL WATCH Like all previous models in the Statesman and Caprice line the WM was based on the mainstream passenger car model of the day. In the case of the WM that was the VE Commodore.The trick with the bigger models was to distinguish them from their lesser siblings so buyers felt like they were buying something special.That was achieved mostly by extending the wheelbase of the VE by 94 mm and the overall length by 266 mm, which was used to increase the rear cabin space and the boot.The profile was smoothed and refined to achieve a visual balance with the new, longer body, and there was extra chrome trim and badges applied to give it the sophisticated presence buyers in the class demand.The final result was an elegant sedan that clearly stood apart from the run-of-the-mill Holdens from which it was derived.Holden offered two models in the WM range, the Statesman and the range-topping Caprice, essentially differentiated by their trim and features list.Both could be specified with either the 3.6-litre high output Alloytec V6, putting out 195 kW at 6500 revs and 340 Nm at 2600 revs, or the 6.0-litre V8 boasting 270 kW at 5700 revs and 530 Nm at 4400 revs.The V6 came with a five-speed auto with shift paddles for manual shifting, while the V8 came with a six-speed auto that also featured tap-up/tap-down paddle shifting.Underneath the chassis was in essence the same as the VE, with multi- link independent suspension front and rear, front mounted steering rack, and large disc brakes. It was an awesome package that handled with the aplomb of a much smaller car.Inside the Statesman had woodgrain highlights, power front seats, front and rear park assist, rain-sensing wipers, powerful 11-speaker CD sound, MP3 and Bluetooth connectivity.The Caprice badges also calls into play aluminium accents, deep bolstered sports seats, leather and suede trim, Bose premium sound, and Tri-zone air.IN THE SHOP Overall the WM is proving a sturdy, reliable car, but it is subject to the same woes that can befall the humble VE Commodore.Watch for a slump in acceleration when it seems the six-speed auto transmission isn't quite sure what is going on. When it happens it's usually at low speed when you want to accelerate again after lifting off the gas pedal.Cars Guide has received few complaints about the WM; owners appear content with their choice of car.Look for a service record, and inspect for possible crash damage.IN A CRASH Befitting its status at the top of the Holden tree the WM had a comprehensive array of safety gear.It began with a solid body structure designed to absorb the energy of a crash, and included steering column ride-down mechanism and breakaway pedals, then added a host of airbags, electronic stability control, traction control, anti-lock braking, electronic brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution.ANCAP gave it five out of a possible five stars.UNDER THE PUMP Carsguide reader Kevin Alsop is resigned to the fact that the V8 WM Caprice is a big heavy car and is content with the 12.4-12.6 L/100 km from it.Holden's claim was that the V6 would average 11.7 L/100 km and the V8 14.4 L/100 km.OWNER'S SAY Kevin Alsop reckons his 2008 WM Caprice is the best, and he should know, it's the sixth Statesman/Caprice he's owned. While he's clearly enamoured with the big Holden it's not like he's one-eyed about it, his other car is a Falcon XR6 Turbo ute, which he says is a hoot to drive.As for the Caprice he loves its armchair-like comfort and the easy-flowing performance of the 6.0-litre V8, particularly on long trips, where the big boot is also appreciated. To date, having done a little over 25,000 km, there have been no issues whatsoever with it.LOOK FOR Elegant looksSpacious cabinLarge bootLarge sizeCan be thirstyComfortable rideTHE BOTTOM LINE Big buy for those wanting to make a big statement.

Holden impressed with the highly anticipated VE Commodore launch last month, with lights, cameras and well, a blimp. So for the luxury WM models, it's only natural that they went one step further this week by inviting the Prime Minister along.And while previously these cars may have conjured up an ideal audience of, let's say people of Mr Howard's era, the new WM models, to put it plainly, are more hip and stylish, yet still offer that level of sophistication and classiness.The Statesman and Caprice are available in both V6 and V8 engines, with the Caprice experiencing a considerable price drop over the previous WL models. At $69,990, the range-topping (and most expensive) WM model has dropped by $5400.The V6 Caprice has a $65,990 price point, $4700 less than its predecessor.The Statesman, on the other hand, has seen a slight increase in price, with the V6 now costing $58,990, compared with the previous $56,990 and the V8 priced at $62,990, $1300 more than the WL V8 Statesman.With their great, sturdy looks, impressive on-road performance and a lengthy list of goodies, it's no wonder the PM echoed the words of his predecessor, Ben Chifley, who also appeared at a Holden launch in 1948, in exclaiming: "I think she's a beauty, too", referring to both new models.The launch of the new long-wheelbase luxury sedans is the result of a $190 million investment, on top of the $1.03 billion VE program.The new models are made in the Elizabeth plant in Adelaide, and a tour around the factory showed the amazing process of the Matrix-like, animated robots, which almost seemed to have their own personalities, hard at work.When reaching full production in the coming weeks, the factory will produce 620 vehicles a day, which include WMs, VEs and the VZ Utes and wagons.The WM models differ from the shorter wheelbase VE Commodore, obviously with a stretched wheelbase providing more interior space, lengthened rear doors, an increased rear overhang, to name but a few of the exterior changes, and the new models have a wheelbase 70mm over the WL, but an overall length 32mm shorter.The 3.6-litre V6 produces 5kW more power and 5Nm more torque than the previous model, with 195kW at 6500rpm and 340Nm at 2600rpm.The 6.0-litre, V8 engine also experiences an increase in performance, with 270kW at 5700rpm, up from 260kW and 530Nm at 4400rpm, an increase of 20Nm of torque.The WM models are big cars and similarities can be seen to the Chrysler 300C. But on road they aren't as hard to manoeuvre as you'd expect, and tight turns and parking lots are easier to tackle than you initially think.Both models have great steering and go exactly where you point them. The Caprice has a sportier feel with firmer suspension compared with the Statesman. The V6 sounded a bit noisy, but that could just be the result of just having departed the quiet V8, where you could almost hear a pin drop.The Statesman is marketed as the "comfort prestige" model, while the Caprice has been given more aggressive styling, with a "prestige sport" persona. And while the differences between the two are minimal, they are noticeable, including the grilles, 18-inch, five-spoke wheels for the Caprice and 17-inch, 10-spoke wheels for the Statesman and different lamps for each. And if you think the Statesman has an impressive list of features, the Caprice goes even better.The Statesman comes with front and rear park assist, 11-speaker sound system with a six-disc CD player, MP3 and Bluetooth mobile-phone connectivity, eight-way electric front seats, night-mode dash illumination and auto rain-sensing wipers.The Caprice also offers a Bose audio system, an impressive DVD player, a tri-Zone electronic climate control system, and 10-way electric adjustment front seats.And what's a beauty without its jewels. These luxury vehicles are adorned with front fog lamps, grilles and badges, rear valance and exhaust tips, chrome bodyside moulding and Bi Xenon headlamps for the Caprice, all the jewelled elements for a sparkling finish.On the safety side, the WM models come with six airbags, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), traction control, electronic brake assist, anti-lock braking system and electronic brakeforce distribution. There's a notion of exclusivity attached to the luxury models and the interior is especially designed to match this description.The leather interior provides great comfort for all passengers, adding to the cosiness of the spacious cabin. The onyx with metro leather trim, in other words the black or darker leather interior, had a more stylish, sporty feel over the lighter, light urban leather. The interior also features wood trim.And the Caprice is particularly more suitable for the entertainment buffs, or those just wanting the "are we there yet?" cries to stop, with a DVD player featuring a roof-mounted speaker and rear DVD screens set into the headrests. The Statesman offers a roof mounted DVD player as an option.Fuel economy for the V6 in both models is 11.7-litres per 100km, and 14.7-litres per 100km for the more powerful V8. Holden says the target customers for the long wheelbase are those "fortysomething, successful and self-assured" buyers and it's the Caprice where Holden hopes to attract new customers.

Hermetically sealed from the grime, hustle and bustle of city streets, passengers and driver can be lulled into a peaceful ride with quality acoustics.I had to almost beg three of my dinner companions to take a ride in my luxury vehicle after a night in Gouger St.It lacked the thrill factor but my passengers soon relaxed into the plush seats and realised the pleasure and ease of conversing without competing with engine noise.This car is all grace, gentility and poise rather than noise, agility and pace.While the V6 engine gives Statesman the muscle to reach high speeds, it seems almost inappropriate to head north of a diplomatic 60km/h.To be honest, I wasn't inspired to head east into the foothills and see how well it performed on winding roads or how fast it took to reach 100km on the freeway.Instead I was content to cruise and float through city traffic using the steering-wheel controls to crank up the radio – Cruise 1323, of course (to tap in to the Statesman demographic). There's plenty of room – Holden's specs show leg room for rear-seat passengers is an extraordinary 1.1m and 1.07m up front.In terms of carbon footprints, this car has a larger shoe size than most.While Statesman falls within the luxury category, this glorified Commodore has a relatively spartan price tag. But, I wonder, outside of fleet buyers in Canberra and for North Tce, just who would buy a Statesman? Perhaps the ageing elite or basketballers with special leg-room needs? But for a young(ish) female looking to impress or be impressed by excess – it's as long a stretch as its wheelbase.And another thing – Henry Ford's famous quip "Any colour as long as it's black" may have been fine before cars contributed to global warming but black interior and paint doesn't work in an Australian summer. No matter how good the air conditioning is.