Holden Statesman News

Prices of anything vaguely collectible and Australian-made have really gone through the roof lately. The reasons depend on who you talk to, but it’s obvious that stay-at-home rules have led some people to use what would have been annual-holiday money to buy themselves a weekend car. And what could be better than a genuine Aussie original?

Holden has announced pricing and details of its new WN Caprice and Caprice V models, before officially going on sale with the VF Commodore range on June 1.The big news for Caprice buyers is a price drop of $10,000 for both new variants, with the Caprice listing at $54,990, and the Caprice V now topping off the Holden range at just $59,990.These price reductions follow the significant price reductions across the new VF Commodore lineup, as Holden aims to increase its share in the Australian new car market.Significantly the WN lineup drops any petrol V6 option, with the Caprice now fitted exclusively with the 3.6 litre LPG-only engine, where the the WM II Caprice was available with a petrol-only 3.6 litre V6 for a $3000 cheaper ($61,990)entry price.The flagship Caprice V remains exclusively available with the 6.0 litre petrol V8, with both engine options reflecting respective market demands.“The vast majority of private buyers opt for the V8-only Caprice V flagship, whereas the LPG-only Caprice is designed to better suit fleet buyers,” Holden’s Craig Cheetham  told Carsguide.   Exterior changes over the previous WMII Caprice models are minimal, with the Caprice gaining the 18 inch alloys and extra chrome detailing previously fitted to Caprice V, and the Caprice V gaining the same 19 inch wheels fitted to the VF Calais V.On the inside, a version of the VF Calais V’s new interior design has been grafted into the WM II’s VE-era body, with new front seats, dash, door trims, and centre console bringing a significant aesthetic leap over previous versions.Both models benefit from a suite of new safety and technology features introduced with the VF Commodore range. The $54,990 Caprice comes equipped with leather trim, proximity key, eight-inch satnav screen with MyLink integration, along with Auto Park Assist, Blind Spot and Reverse Traffic alerts, front and rear parking sensors and reverse camera, electric park brake, hill assist, trailer sway control, and remote vehicle start.The $59,990 Caprice V adds Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, colour heads-up display, deluxe leather trim, sports steering wheel, Bose nine-speaker audio, an electric sunroof, and a new rear seat entertainment system, with the Cadillac SRX-sourced unit moving the twin DVD screens from the headrests to the seatbacks.“We think we’ve made a smart investment in our long wheel base models. Caprice has always been an extremely well designed, well-proportioned large car and the all new interior is particularly important to customers in this segment,” Holden’s Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, Philip Brook said. “Holden has added the features and advanced technology that customers would only expect from prestige brands to Australia’s own large luxury car.”This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

Married with a daughter (who is also a Ford fan), Mr Watson currently has an FPV GT 335 sedan, the latest in a long line of Ford products."We have had around 20 Fords - various models, not just Falcons - after some Holdens. We have had many Fords, one has followed the other ever since and we have no plans to change camps," he says.Mr Watson looks at the red versus blue rivalry as something that is now generational. "When it started it was Moffat versus Brock and has grown since then to have people either red or blue, now we're talking second and third generation fans as children follow their parents," he says.The family has had an FPV GT since April - the supercharged 335kW version - and now wouldn't have anything else. "I absolutely love it, the supercharged V8 has plenty of power - we use it for normal road work, not track days, we don't push it that hard, but it has plenty of poke for overtaking," he says."We're also restoring an old XB Falcon - a full bare-metal restoration - with 393 stroker V8, that will sit proudly next to the new GT," he says.A big shed and a tolerant wife are two key ingredients to Daryl Leaker's impressive stable of Holden product. The 1998 HSV Senator Signature 220i shares garage space with a number of Holden, HSV and HDT machines."I've got a very big shed for them all, I've always liked Holdens because my father was a Holden salesman so it is in the blood I guess," he says.Mr Leaker hasn't always just owned Holdens - a Mitsubishi Pajero replaced a Ford Territory recently, but there balance of power has always been to the General, harking back to his formative years with a Holden salesman for a father."It was great when Dad was selling Holdens, I got to drive GTR XU-1s and 327 Monaros when they were brand new," he says. "When I turned 21 I bought myself an HQ GTS coupe and got some discount through my father, I wish I still had that car as well."The HSV shares shed space with a VN SS Group A and an HSV Statesman, as well as a HDT VK Brock Commodore SS in silver and an HJ Monaro four-door."I'll always be a Holden fan - I think I'd die of shock if the missus came home in an FPV GT," he says.

The five-time Bathurst winner toured the circuit in his Holden Statesman before the road is closed to the public today, setting a time of three minutes, 25 seconds amid the tourist traffic, red lights and construction workers."We used to do about one minute 52 seconds around here on the longer track, but I reckon this shorter circuit will shave about 40 seconds off the time so the fans will see the cars go by more often," the reigning Bathurst champion said.The circuit was revised from 4.47km to 2.8km to reduce the construction and dismantling time by five weeks and lessen the impact on residents.  Lowndes surveyed the circuit and noticed several changes such as resurfacing and widening of the track which he said would make it better for the drivers."They appear to have widened the main straight by pushing the concrete barriers back which will make the approach to the first chicane straighter allowing passing under brakes," he said.The second chicane has been replaced by a hairpin, first-gear left, followed by a short straight and a left kink on to the beach straight."On the exit of the new turn two they've opened it up so you can pass by lunging under brakes and then doing a switchback coming out of the corner," he said.Lowndes approved of the resurfacing in several areas of the track including the main straight, the northern corners and the new southern section."They appear to have laid thicker bitumen patches where the load-bearing tyre will be, so the grip will be better and the track shouldn't break up as easily," he said.  Although the track has been shortened, Lowndes said the top speed of 260km/h on the main straight would remain.Team Vodafone has given its drivers a head start on the new track by preparing a computer simulator.  Jeromy Moore, race engineer for Lowndes, said the drivers would practise on the simulator and walk the track today to familiarise themselves with the new corners before they drive the circuit.   

as Holden shifts its focus entirely to Caprice in the long-wheelbase world. It has added a Caprice V at the top end of the Commodore range, mirroring the earlier work with the sportier upmarket SS-V and Calais-V which have brought more customers - and better profits - to Holden. The Caprice V picks up a sunroof, full Nappa leather trim, a dual-screen rear DVD system, Bose audio and a three-zone aircon system. "Market research consistently told us that the Caprice nameplate, with its definite sports luxury character, appealed to a far broader customer base," says Holden's executive director of sales, marketing and aftersales, John Elsworth. The Statesman name was first used by Holden in 1974, three years before the Caprice nameplate was introduced, although both were 'retired' between 1985 and 1990 after production of the Kingswood-based luxury cars ended. The long-wheelbase Commodores came in 1991, as the VQ, sharing their extra length with the station wagon.

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."

A Holden is being recruited to police the mean streets of Los Angeles in a deal that could eventually make the car the top choice with cops across the US. The multi-million dollar bid is for 20,000 cars and will be announced in the US today by GM-Holden chairman Alan Batey and Industry Minister Kim Carr. The law-enforcement lifeline renews the export potential of Holden's large car lineup to the US.The VE Commodore had been a major success as a Pontiac G8 until the American brand sank under the weight of General Motors' bankruptcy earlier this year.The latest deal comes after a successful pitch more than six months ago by a Holden team led by former president, Mark Reuss, who has since returned to the US to become the product development boss at General Motors.The sleek V6 and V8 Statesmans - badged as Chevrolet Caprices - are likely to replace the LAPD's ageing fleet of Ford Crown Victoria sedans. If successful, GM-Holden also stands a good chance of becoming a global supplier of GM cop cars for other countries. Batey, along with other Holden executives, are in Denver attending an international law enforcement conference.Carr said if successful, the bid would be a big money spinner. "They're talking about 20,000 cars immediately with the prospect of a much higher number in the future," he said. "I'm optimistic about the quality of the car and if accepted by the Los Angeles police it could enhance Holden's ability to sell more cars to other US police departments."Carr said the Holden police car was an opportunity for Australian initiative to be displayed ‘to show its true worth’. "I don't want to pre-empt the process though," he said. "It is quite rigorous. "However, we are very optimistic about the bid. "I'm quite sure they can persuade people how good the car is."Carr is already in the US to spruik the local car and component industry to Detroit's leading car executives. The LA police car idea was the brains of Melbourne-based company, National Safety Agency. Earlier this year it built a prototype based on the left-hand drive Pontiac G8 to show off to the LAPD. The car showcased new law enforcement technologies. It integrated many separate technologies used by police forces into a single platform to create a police station on wheels.The car has fingerprint recognition technology, video surveillance and CCTV access, traffic information and web access. It also boasted a police computer screen molded directly into the dashboard. The NSA specialises in innovative technology for emergency service vehicles. 

GM-Holden's executive director of sales and marketing, Alan Batey, says the V8's active fuel management system, on sale since January, has helped spur on sales. However, he concedes that lower fuel prices coming off the highs of last year may also have helped."There is really not one single reason for the lift in V8 sales," he says.Batey says Holden's AFM system has been well received. "It's got momentum," he says.Last month, GM-Holden sold 6570 Commodore sedans, utes, wagons, including the long-wheelbase Statesman and Caprice and of those 1682 were V8s."We've had good sales of V8s in the last two or three months but in June we recorded 1682 V8 sales, the best V8 sales since November 2004," Batey says."Primarily they were automatics, and we think one of the main reasons for that is the introduction of AFM."Holden says it could have sold more V8 Commodores and Statesmans but stocks are running low."Our inventories are pretty tight," Batey says.Holden's order bank is up 50 per cent compared to the same period last year and Ford too is experiencing increased traffic for its Falcon models, particularly the G-Series cars.AFM is only available with automatic transmission cars but Batey credits the fuel saving technology as having a positive impact. Holden says AFM can conservatively save up to 1.0 litre/100km on its 6.0-litre V8.In past years, eight-cylinder Holdens have accounted for 20 per cent of the mix of Commodore and Statesman sales. A Holden V8 with AFM cuts the fuel supply to four cylinders when coasting to improve economy and lower emissions.When it is working, mostly at consistent highway speeds or coasting down hills, a "4-cyl mode" light illuminates in the car's dashboard display.GM-Holden's AFM system is similar to that used in other General Motors vehicles, particularly its luxury Cadillac brand, in North America. GM uses the system in 15 of its North American models with V6 and V8 engines.Other brands, like Honda and Chrysler, have similar cylinder deactivation systems in their Accord and 300C models.

The car industry is reeling from the Federal Government's increase in the luxury-car tax.