2007 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.

Consider last October's $13.4 million handout by the federal and two state governments to GM Holden so it might "introduce safety and fuel-management improvements, and further reduce greenhouse emissions on Commodore vehicles".This would be the same "billion-dollar baby" we'd been hearing about ad nauseam all year.Are we to take it that such crucial considerations — ones that every other car-maker in the world addresses as a matter of course — weren't factored into the Commodore series' endlessly vaunted eight-figure development sum?One hopes — though with no great optimism — this money is being well spent. To say nothing of the the $7 billion earmarked for the protection of local car manufacturers under the Fed's Automotive Competitiveness Investment Scheme.All of which will be of enormous comfort to the 600 workers Holden made redundant last month ...Howard can claim that when he's being moved around in a long-wheelbase Commodore, he's merely making like foreign leaders do. Not least his favourite foreign leader.The US President is often transported in an armoured Cadillac — the bar, no doubt, having been removed to avoid the incumbent suffering relapses or nasty snack-food incidents.In France, le prez is carted about in a massive Citroen. And in many of the African countries the French once called colonies, the local despot wouldn't be seen dead in anything except a Mercedes-Benz.Nice symbolism, that, given that the history of France largely consists of being invaded by Germany. Such were the thoughts that occurred when driving Holden's Statesman V6.By now, you've possibly reached the conclusion that we dislike the Statesman. Or perhaps you'd rather we shut up and simply told you about it.Certainly, this is the best-looking large Australian car for yonks, the designers having emulated (to put it kindly) within and without the best bits of desirable European sedans, not least Audi's A6.In terms of ride and handling, the Statesman is a vastly more attractive proposition on NSW's third-world roads than any foreign marque. It also steers and handles with an adroitness that not only belies its size, but compares favourably with the Euros.Not so the transmission. It's difficult to attain frenzied levels of patriotism about the Statesman's five-speed auto, which is a cog shy of contemporary (think Ford's Falcon) and two (Mercedes-Benz has seven), if not three, short of cutting edge (Lexus does eight).It is, of course, way better than the improved, but still old-world, four-speeder that remains in lesser Commodores. The top-line Statesman and Caprice get six speeds but eight pots.The "entry" Statesman's 3.6-litre, 195kW/340Nm V6 does a convincing job of hauling a kerb weight of 1805kg — but not so good a job that one won't pine for two cylinders more.After a week of urban driving (government ministers catch planes on intra-city trips, so open-road figures are irrelevant) the V6 had consumed an average of 19.25 litres per 100km.This was over several days of typically stagnant Sydney traffic — but what is a Statesman asked to do if not cart statesmen from hotel to ribbon-cutting and back?At least these occupants are cosseted within fit and finish that noticeably exceed Holden's previous norm, the final touches needed to make the Statesman the fine executive mobile it is.And, at $58,990, the V6 Statesman embodies the exceptional mega-metal-for-your-money equation that is the marque's hallmark.Which, paradoxically, is the Statesman's problem.When the car was placed out front of the office — our litmus test for gleaning the opinion of the generality — one colleague merely, but tellingly, remarked: "It's just a big Holden, really."Another sniffed and said he was about to chuck his VZ-series long-wheelbase Holden for a Lexus IS250 Sports Luxury — thus personifying the paradigm that confronts all local car-makers.Their traditional, and formerly captive, audience are not only defecting to imported marques, they're also downsizing and up-speccing.As the polls indicate, what's good for John Howard is no longer considered good enough for the country.