AS far as improvements go, the 1993 VR was a giant leap forward over the hoarse, coarse 1988-1993 VN-VP Commodore series. Almost all body panels were changed while the cabin also come in for a major overhaul. But the VR lagged behind its obvious Falcon, Magna and Camry rivals for engine and transmission refinement. That was partially rectified with the 1995 VS model, with its improved and upgraded US-built drivetrain. Time hasn't been as kind to the VR as its initial flurry of acclaim (no pun intended) might suggest (it did win the 1993 Wheels Car of the Year award), with the 1997 VT Commodore putting the narrower-tracked, awkwardly styled Holden into perspective. By Septmeber 1994 the VR's nemesis arrived in the form of the EF Falcon, a model that leapfrogged it for comfort, refinement, design and overall appeal.