Holden Caprice News

Holden has added a number of features to its Captiva SUV range in a mid-year upgrade planned to keep it close to the head of the sales race. Particularly impressive are fuel consumption decreases of up to 10 per cent in the two petrol engines. Emissions have been significantly reduced at the same time. These changes have been achieved without any increase in the recommended prices. Adding to the savings is the offer of driveway pricing as an introductory incentive. Driveaway price for the Captiva 5 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol with manual transmission is a mere $27,990. As part of the special introductory deal it comes with a sunroof and 18-inch alloy wheels (however, the spare wheel is made from steel). The Captiva 7 SX when fitted with the 2.4-litre petrol and automatic transmission is priced at $33,990. It has a sunroof and side steps. All Captiva petrol engines now have flex-fuel capability, giving owners the choice to refuel with bio-ethanol, E10, unleaded, premium or any combination of the above. Bio-ethanol, usually called E85, is a fuel consisting of up to 85 per cent ethanol - a renewal fuel - with the balance being petrol. It is a cleaner-burning fuel that can enhance vehicle performance and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 40 per cent, compared to petrol. Updates to the Holden Captiva range for 2012 include safety and luxury features. Rear park assist is now standard on the Captiva 7 SX while heated front seats and front park assist are now standard on the top of the range Captiva 7 LX. The five-seat Holden Captiva 5 has a 2000 kg towing capacity when the big 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine is installed. Though the Captiva is sourced from GM Korea (formerly Daewoo) it had considerable input in both body design and mechanical components by Australian Holden staff. The Holden Captiva 7 is proving popular in the sales race, with many buyers praising the versatile interior which offers no fewer than 32 seat/luggage combinations. Interior comfort is good for four adults and three children, but it can cope with seven adults at a bit of a squeeze. Boot capacity is limited with all seats occupied. The third row of seats fold neatly beneath the floor, the second row can be folded flat with a single movement. The front passenger seat flips over for extra long-load space or a flat desktop. Holden engineers worked on improving Captiva’s handling for the 2011 model and it has good cornering feel and less body roll than many in the Asian class. Steering is reasonably sharp and the feedback it offers is good. Having said that, it still lags behind the European SUVs in its on-road dynamics. Holden Captiva is also sold with an economical diesel engine with a capacity of 2.2 litres. Fuel consumption has been trimmed slightly, with improvements in the five per cent range. Exceptional pricing combined with Australian styling and on-road dynamics seem sure to have buyers queuing up for the revamped Holden Captiva SUVs.  

Holden says its car-making operations in Australia are viable and sustainable but it doesn't expect to increase imports while the dollar remains high. The company says car producers in Australia continued to face tough conditions with disrupted supplies of components, unfavourable exchange rates and stronger competition from importers.  Holden had a limited ability to compete with import companies that continued to chase aggressive pricing in the local market, chief financial officer George Kapitelli says. But Holden had made fundamental improvements to its cost base over the past two years, Kapitelli says, and the savings reflected in a brighter longer-term outlook for the company.  "Plant utilisation has increased considerably and local production is viable and sustainable with two car lines at Holden vehicle operations," Kapitelli says. Holden's assessment of its business, which includes the vehicle assembly plant in Adelaide and the Melbourne engine production facility, came as the company yesterday posted an $89.7 million after-tax profit for 2011, with the result hit by a softening large-car market and a shortage of some imported vehicles, including Barina and Captiva. Holden says its revenue was down to $4.3 billion last year, from $4.4 billion in 2010, while its profit result compared to the $112 million net profit the company reported in 2010. The 2011 profit was the same amount as it received in assistance from the Federal Government ($89.7 million), but Kapitelli says the commonwealth funds came with some spending requirements, including local investment in research and development. He says the company's second consecutive year of profit was driven by the success of the Australian-built Cruze small car and the leaner cost structure.  "After the financial crisis, we reshaped our business to improve structural cost, reduce our reliance on exports and bring the Cruze into local production so we could continue to make cars in Australia," he says. "We could be a very profitable importer, no question about that, but we have chosen to make a long-term commitment to advanced manufacturing in Australia." Holden says local vehicle production was up 36.8 per cent in 2011, with 90,424 cars built at its assembly plant in South Australia, compared to 66,061 in 2010. Engine production in Melbourne rose 2.9 per cent to 101,019.  

Even at a time when fuel economy is top-of-mind with a growing number of Australian drivers there is plenty of space on the roads for Commodores and Falcons with old-fashioned V8 muscle under the bonnet. They burble menacingly at idle. They are the backbone of V8 Supercar racing.Yet V8s in the 21st century are not what they were in the days when they first conquered Mount Panorama and a GTHO Falcon or a Monaro - or even a Valiant V8 - was a dream machine for a generation of Aussie youngsters.Since 1970 the crude oil price has exploded from $20 a barrel to double that amount during the Iran revolution, over $70 during the first Gulf War, broke through the $100 barrier ahead of the Global Financial Crisis and has now settled at just below $100.In Australia, petrol prices have correspondingly risen from about 8c a litre in 1970 to about 50c in 1984 and almost $1.50 today.Despite all this, and despite one attempt at a death sentence by Ford in the 1980s, the V8 has not been wiped from Australian showrooms. Holden and Ford have continued to produce large cars with a V8 alternative and continue to slog it out at Bathurst.But Australian cars, even the ones that now have American V8s imported for local use, are not the only bent-eight blasters on the road.Germans are prolific builders of V8s and produce some of the most powerful engines in the world thanks to AMG-Mercedes, BMW and Audi. English V8s are built by Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar, while the Americans provide V8s in the Chrysler 300C sold here. Even the Japanese luxury brand Lexus has a V8 in its IS F hero and its luxury saloon LS460, as well as the LandCruiser-cloned LX470.Most V8s are powerful enough breathing ordinary air, but there are many forced-induction models with either turbo or supercharging to liberate even more power. Walkinshaw Performance does the job in Australia for Holden, BMW is going down the turbo V8 road for its latest M cars and Benz had a time with a supercharged AMG V8.But V8s are not just about unrestricted power. The push for greater fuel economy has also reached V8 land and so Chrysler and Holden have V8s with multiple displacement technology which shuts down half the cylinders when the car is just cruising to improve fuel economy. Formula One racing engines now do the same thing when they are idling on a grand prix starting grid.Holden's Active Fuel Management (AFM) was introduced on the V8 Commodore and Caprice in 2008 and the red lion brand is committed to the engine - with future technology updates - despite near-record fuel prices."It is incumbent on us to keep it relevant and continue introducing new technology that delivers on our customers' needs," says Holden's Shayna Welsh.Holden has the biggest stake in V8s with more models than any other company selling in Australia. It has a total of 12 models with V8 engines across four nameplates and four body styles, including Commodore SS, SS V, Calais V, Caprice V and the recently introduced Redline range. V8s account for about one quarter of Commodore sedan sales and almost half of Ute sales."We see it as being more than just the V8 engine - it's about the entire car. It's the whole performance package that appeals to people and we want to continue making cars that people are proud to own," Welsh says."The combination of features and technology, great handling and braking and outstanding value is consistent across our V8 model range."Ford fans are also committed to V8s, according to company spokesperson Sinead McAlary, who says a recent Facebook survey was overwhelmingly positive."We asked whether they worry about petrol prices and they say 'No, it's the sound of the V8 we love and we are prepared to pay the price'," she says.Both Ford and Holden also have performance divisions where the V8 was, and still is, king. Ford's is Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and Holden's is Holden Special Vehicles (HSV).HSV marketing manager Tim Jackson says their sales are "on par" with last year."That's despite the fact that last year we had the limited edition GX-P which is an entry level product for us," he says. "We don't have that model in our range at all this year and you would expect numbers to come off, but we've been able to maintain sales volume."All of HSV's range are powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine (6200cc 317kW-325kW), while the opposition at FPV has gained the kilowatt advantage with forced induction (supercharged 5000cc 315kW-335kW).Jackson says their LS3 V8 has been "validated" by customers."We're not getting guys screaming at us to go turbocharging. The LS3 is an extraordinary unit. It's a light engine with a good power-to-weight figure. There is not a turbo engine that would do it for us at the right development cost. But I wouldn't rule it (turbo) out or rule it in."Jackson says there have been no repercussions from the rise in petrol prices."Our customers don't have other choices in their repertoire," he says. "A small car doesn't suit them and they're not into an SUV. They're of a certain level where the whole cost of running the car is easy for them to absorb."The top-selling HSV is the ClubSport R8, followed by the Maloo R8, then GTS.However, the greatest HSV in history is debatable, Jackson says.HSV engineering boss Joel Stoddart prefers the all-wheel-drive Coupe4 and sales boss Darren Bowler the SV5000."The Coupe4 is special because of its engineering but I like the W427 because it's the fastest," Jackson says.FPV boss Rod Barrett says they are also experiencing strong sales growth. He says they sold about 500 cars in the first quarter, which is up 32 per cent on the previous year. He also says sales of the F6 have slowed since the launch of the supercharged V8 engine variants late last year, as customers "opt for power". Ford no longer offers a V8 with the demise of the XR8 sedan and ute last year."Our middle name is performance so we have all the V8s," Barrett says. "When we were launching this new supercharged car all the V8s came across here."Barrett says their supercharged engine has changed people's minds about "dinosaur V8s"."The turbocharged F6 was a cult hero car in its day and people thought a V8 was a low-tech dinosaur," he says. "But when we produced a high-tech all-alloy five-litre supercharged V8 built in Australia people started to think that V8s aren't all that bad after all. I'm not seeing the demise of the V8 just yet, but for us, the future is hi-tech."The supercharged 5.0Litre V8 335kW FPV GT continues to be FPV's top-selling vehicle followed closely by the supercharged V8 5.0 litre 315kW GS sedan and GS ute.Barrett believes the current GT is the best FPV car yet with its segment-leading power, light weight and improved fuel economy."However, I think our most iconic car was the 2007 BF Mk II 302kW Cobra in white with blue stripes. That car brought back the passion of '78 with the original Cobra. If you have a look at the second-hand prices, they are still holding up very well" he says.

The company added 165 workers to its 2400-strong workforce at the Elizabeth factory late last year as it began the final pilot builds of its Cruze small car. Holden also has a handful of marked and unmarked Caprice police vehicles undergoing testing in the US and has been getting strong feedback from local law enforcement testers. Holden manufacturing executive director Martyn Cray says the company would not have made the investment without being confident. "The police car is being tested by drivers in the US, they are the ones buying it and when we get an idea on how happy they are we'll be able to make more announcements - the police market is new for us so we're feeling our through the market. "We've invested a lot of engineering resources and a lot of money in the (US) police program - we wouldn't have invested all that if we didn't think we had a fighting chance of getting that business," he said. Acting SA Minister for Industry and Trade John Rau said the extra jobs was a positive development.  "We're very pleased to have been able to partner with Holden and get this great outcome for the people of SA and in particular the people living in the northern suburbs, it's a great opportunity for them," he said.  

The Chevrolet Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle was put up against Ford's ageing Crown Victoria and the new Dodge Charger in a series of on-road tests earlier this year and oupointed its US-built rivals in every aspect from acceleration to braking and outright lap times. That's given the Commodore-based long-wheelbase car the early lead in the sales battle for a market that takes around 70,000 vehicles a year.  Holden will build the Caprice PPV in Australia, with department-specific equipment requested by each police force fitted in the US. Holden spokesman Jonathan Rose says the company has had an encouraging reaction to it's purpose-designed police vehicle, but is still looking to translate that into firm export orders. "We have received initial orders for the Caprice PPV which is very exciting, but we're not in a position to provide full details just yet. The orders we have received so far are from the smaller law enforcement agencies in the US," he says. "We don't expect to receive the larger fleet orders from departments such as Los Angeles and Michigan until the first quarter of next year.  We have already started building pilot vehicles for testing and fleet marketing activities in North America and we will begin building cars for customer orders early in the new year." The Caprice PPV is powered by V8 and V6 engines, though the V8s _ rated at 265kW and 521Nm _ were the ones tested in the Michigan Police Vehicle Evaluation trials and it was the ethanol-boosted E85 version that performed best. It is competing with the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor _ which had been the backbone of the various police department's vehicles - and the Charger Pursuit.  The Crown Victoria is being replaced next year by the Taurus Police Interceptor sedan, which will have a two V6 engines - a 196kW/338Nm 3.5-litre V6 engine and an all-wheel drive model using a 3.5-litre EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 with 272kW/475Nm. Holden and it's parent company GM have invested considerable time and money to customise the Caprice PPV - and an unmarked police equivalent - for the US law-enforcement market. The front seats have been specially designed to sculpt around police equipment belts, inculding the gun, Taser and handcuffs. Trial units were fitted to vehicles for police to evaluate and the resulting shape, foam densities and hard-wearing fabric covers is a result of feedback from police on patrol. The electronics - from stability control to ABS - have also been adapted for police use and the side curtain airbags don't prevent a full-width rear security screen from being fitted. Chevrolet Caprice PPVPrice: $30,995Engine: 6-0-litre V8Power: 265kW at 5300 revsTorque: 521Nm at 4300 revsTransmission: Six-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveSeats: FiveSuspensions: MacPherson strut front, independent spring-over-shocks rearBrakes: 345x30mm ventilated fronts; 342x22mm solid rears.

Mr Devereux remains coy about offering up numbers on orders for its Caprice police car export model. "We have orders, I won't tell you how many, but the process of tendering - from smaller departments to the larger ones like LA - these are extremely large purchasing decisions, it's not a short process. It's a big deal to win a tender, our US team is happy with the reception the car has gotten - we're going to sell thousands of these cars," he said. "It will help with capacity utilisation, that's for sure," he said. The company preferred to talk about local small car manufacturing, showing off its first Cruze bodyshell ahead of full Cruze hatch and sedan manufacturing and local production early next year. The imported Cruze has already struck a chord with the Australian car-buying public, averaging more than 2000 sales a month in the largest and most-competitive small-car segment. Holden boss Mike Devereux said Cruze local production was the start of a new era for Holden. "We have the flexibility to build a large car and a small car in Australia, it's a fantastic signal of GM's commitment to manufacturing in Australia," he said. The main focus for Cruze was domestic supply but Mr Devereux did not rule out investigating export options. "Our focus is on getting this car launched with world-class quality, we have a long tradition of exporting as Minister Carr pointed out, it's something we will be looking at in the future," he said.

Holden's parent company GM is promoting the Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle's (PPV) benefits following back-to-back US testing with its current primary competition. "Police departments around the country told us they needed a modern, high-performance rear-drive pursuit car, says GM Fleet and Commercial Operations product director Joyce Mattman. "These results are proof that the Caprice PPV delivers the performance officers want, without compromising safety or comfort," she says. Holden remains in a holding pattern, awaiting firm orders for the police-pack version of the brand's Adelaide-built luxury flagship. GM Holden external communications director Emily Perry says they are optimistic about orders coming in next month. "We're still waiting for feedback from our US colleagues as to how the fleet drives have gone with the North American police forces," she says. "We would expect to open the order books and start taking orders next month and those vehicles could be made before the end of the year - so as soon as we have more news on that we look forward to sharing it," she says. Information from the Michigan State Police Evaluation Program results are preliminary, according to GM, with final results set for publication later this year, but the company says the Caprice PPV hit 97km/h (60mph) and 161km/h (100mph) faster than its opposition, as well as recording a higher top speed and shorter stopping distances. The Caprice PPV will be powered by both V6 (to be offered in 2012) and V8 engines, the latter running a six-speed automatic behind the six-litre V8 that produces 265kW and 521Nm. The Caprice was up against the police specials from Dodge and Ford, although the latter is already headed for the history books. Dodge is waving the Stars and Stripes every chance it gets with the already-available Charger Pursuit, which boasts a 186kW/340Nm 3.6-litre V6 and 317kW/569Nm 5.7-litre HEMI V8 powerplants, rear-wheel drive and two-mode police-specific electronic stability control. Ford's once-dominant Crown Victoria Police Interceptor will be replaced towards the end of this year with a Taurus-based all-wheel drive police model, as well as an SUV Police Interceptor based on the new Explorer. Ford's Police Interceptor sedan will be propelled by a two-pronged V6 engine range - one a 196kW/338Nm 3.5-litre V6 engine, the other a new 3.5-litre EcoBoost twin-turbo direct-injection V6 producing more than 272kW and 475Nm of torque to all four wheels. While the Caprice outperformed its immediate rivals, the new Ford police vehicle won't be in production until the end of this year. Holden's Adelaide plant is taking on an additional 50 staff on 12 month contracts from November as the plant returns to two shifts. The second shift is part of plans to ramp up production of the Cruze from early 2011 - as well as the VE Series II Commodore - but Holden won't elaborate on any plans to expand further on the back of any US orders.

The long-running Holden nameplate has adorned the passenger car flagship for much of the last 40 years but as a result of the Series II upgrade, the long-wheelbase models will now only be known as Caprice. There will be two WM Series II models - the Caprice and the debutant Caprice V-Series sports-luxury model, which follows the Calais and SS V-Series naming policy.  Holden executive sales, marketing and aftersales director John Elsworth says the name changes were the result of customer feedback. "Market research consistently told us that the Caprice nameplate, with its definite sports luxury character, appealed to a far broader customer base," he says. "We believe that presenting a choice of two models which share the same strong brand appeal but differ in specification will now make the step up to Caprice from its short-wheelbase siblings such as the Calais V, a more natural move for many buyers," he says. No doubt it is also helpful in reducing the costs involved in changing models for export, as Caprice is widely used for export versions, including those going to the Middle East. The Series II long-wheelbase models get the new touch-screen Holden-iQ infotainment system interface gives multi-media audio choices which include a hard drive storage for up to 15 CDs, fully integrated iPod connectivity and better Bluetooth connectivity. The touch-screen system also controls the standard colour satellite navigation and a rear view camera.  The Caprice V-Series is only offered with the E85-compatible six-litre V8 with a six-speed auto and also has a sunroof, Nappa leather trim and dual rear DVD screens, tri-zone climate control and Bose premium sound system. offers further inducements, among them a sunroof, exclusive Holden says the fuel economy has been improved by two per cent to 12.3 litres/100km. The Caprice Series II gets the 210 kW 3.6-litre direct-injection V6, which will be E85 compatible by 2012 according to Holden, with the six-speed automatic; fuel economy has improved by four per cent to 9.9 litres/100km.

General Motors' Fleet and Commercial division has stepped up the campaign to make a heavy duty version of the 6.0-litre V8 Statesman the No1 choice of law enforcement agencies across America.  It has released a 12-page brochure with detailed specifications of the car, which will be a rebadged version of the Statesman Caprice, called the Chevrolet Caprice. The car will be available in two police packages, a "black and white" patrol car and a "detective" police version.  GM-Holden spokesperson, Emily Perry, says although the company does not yet have confirmed orders the specifications are "the next step in getting the cars into North America". "It's a specification manual to provide a guide for the police forces," she says.  Perry says GM-Holden will not begin exports "until we get confirmed orders". She says if orders start flowing through soon, exports will happen later this year.  GM-Holden is aiming to export upwards of 20,000 police cars and is confident the powerful rear-drive V8 will win over the good guys. The deal could also renew the export potential of Holden's large car line-up to the US.  After unveiling a concept police car last year, GM-Holden has taken on board the specific needs of the police cars. Among the options are hard-wearing vinyl seats and floors as well as "stealth" mode lighting.  Each will also be built with beefed up electrical systems to cope with on-board computers and the emergency sirens and lights, as well as an optional remote start function. The "stealth" function allows police to close and unlock and lock the car doors without activating exterior lights or making any audible sounds.  However, in keeping with its domestic duties the "black and white" the car has optional vinyl rear seats and floor coverings.  The cloth-covered front seats are moulded with heavy duty foam and sculptured for gun belts worn by officers. GM-Holden has had some export success with the Commodore, which was sold as the Pontiac G8 until the American brand sank under the weight of General Motors' bankruptcy last year.  The police deal comes after a successful pitch last year ago by a Holden team led by former president Mark Reuss, who is now president of GM North America. The sleek 6.0-litre Caprices are likely to replace the Los Angeles Police Department's ageing fleet of Ford Crown Victoria sedans.  The deal means GM-Holden also stands a good chance of becoming a global supplier of cop cars for other countries.  Canada's police departments have already expressed interest. Become a fan of Carsguide on Facebook

New research from Germany proves that the ultra-bright lamps are a major road-safety bonus, with a reduction of up to 50 per cent in the after-dark crash rate.  Only two Australian-made cars are fitted with Xenon lamps — the Holden Caprice and Statesman — but a growing number of European and Japanese imports have the high-intensity lamps, the majority using them for both high and low beams.Despite criticisms from some Carsguide readers about excessive glare for oncoming cars, the ADAC in Germany — the equivalent of the Australian Automobile Association — is a strong supporter after detailed research over several years.  "If all vehicles were equipped with Xenon headlights, the number of serious accidents at night would be reduced by up to 50 percent, and the number of traffic fatalities by at least 18 percent," ADAC says after research in the Rheinland region.The advantage of Xenon lamps — which get their name from the gas used in the globes — is that they provide two to three times more light than halogen types. They can provide a longer range, although this is limited by law in Europe to reduce dazzling, and do a better job of illuminating at the side of a vehicle.“About half of all car drivers feel stressed by poor visibility, with serious accidents occurring particularly often in such circumstances. By illuminating the road better, Xenon can be proved to increase the feeling of safety,” says Tomas Plessinger, spokesman for Hella Australia.But they are not a universal or perfect solution to after-dark driving."The halogen headlamps used in Australian cars actually give better distance, but not the same precision as Xenon," says Plessinger.  "Also, they are expensive. If you look at typical European brands, such as Audi and Volkswagen and BMW, you will pay between $2000 and $3000 extra for a bi-Xenon light system."Plessinger says a factory-fitted Xenon lamp system must also be fitted with a self-leveling device and washers. This is to keep the light in the right space and prevent dirt from diffusing or re-directing the beam.  So he warns against retro-fitting Xenon, despite the proven advantages."The issue in Australia is to educate road users about the fact that the Xenon headlamp is build specifically for a Xenon application. It is illegal to retrofit any Xenon application into the existing halogen headlamp because they do not have the important cleaning and leveling systems. That's why Hella does not offer to its customers xenon retrofit kit," he says.Even so, Plessinger sees a growing number of Xenon systems coming in future.  "It has clear advantages. The research in Germany proves this.  "Hella and the car companies have developed a number of systems including dynamic bend lighting and an adaptive cut-off that automatically dips the high beam when a camera detects an oncoming vehicle."