THE 3.8-litre Ecotec V6 engine powering the Commodore Executive was first seen on the VS model in 1995 and has since been subjected to a series of improvements. The most recent came with the VX upgrade, which - via a faster and more powerful powertrain control module, larger idle air control valve and a new die-cast inlet manifold - increased power over the VT model 5kW to 152kW at 5200rpm and torque by 1Nm to 305Nm at 3600rpm. Fuel economy was also claimed to have improved, with official figures indicating the automatic Executive will consume 11.0L/100km of normal 91RON unleaded petrol over the (theoretical) city cycle and 6.6L/100km on the highway.