FOR the VZ Holden Calais, a new, refined V6, a new five-speed automatic transmission and electronic stability control are all grounds for considerable excitement. This is the sort of sophistication that could finally wash away remnants of the cultural cringe that hovers around our homegrown cars. And it does, although in the metal and on the road, the differences are actually quite subtle. The new V6, as we already know, is less spectacularly different than we expected, while the five-speed auto merely brings the Holden into line with everybody else. And the electronic stability control? Well, like airbags and impact-absorbing body design, it’s in the category of being one of those things you hope you’ll never get to experience.

Holden VY Calais
Released: October 2002
Ended: August 2004
Family Tree: CommodoreDirect predecessor to the latest VZ Calais is the VYII Calais, launched in August 2003 and offering only cosmetic updates to the more convincingly different looking VY Calais released in October 2002 (pictured). Before that, VXII Calais (launched August 2001) featured a new grille, with the VX Calais of October 2000 delivering the last change to Holden’s 3.8-litre pushrod Ecotec V6, which upped its power and torque from 147kW/304Nm to 152kW/305Nm. All these Calais variants are derivatives of the original VT Commodore model launched in September 1997.
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