WHEN it comes to extra-large luxury sedans, few car-makers do it for less than Holden and Ford. Indeed, if you want more metal and performance than that offered by Statesman/Caprice and Fairlane/LTD, you’ll need to come up with more than $200,000 for something with a German badge. But Australia’s two largest homegrown cars offer more than just size and power. Despite receiving new front and rear styling little more than a year ago, Holden's latest long-wheelbase sedan range has raised the bar again. This month’s WL release brings a new V6/auto combination with stability control (available for the first time in an Australian-built passenger car) and - in the top-shelf Caprice guise tested here - a more powerful and refined V8, more standard equipment and sexy new LED tail-lights. And all for an extra $700.
Holden WK Caprice
Released: May 2003
Ended: September 2004
Family Tree: StatesmanTHE facelifted WL Caprice’s direct predecessor is the WK version, which appeared with major cosmetic updates in May 2003. Given a sporty new look and a higher equipment level, the 245kW WK Caprice also fronted with a 20kW peak power hike (as well as 10kW more than WK Statesman) over its WH Caprice predecessor. Based on the VT Commodore launched in 1997, the WH Statesman/Caprice was released in June 1999 with a 220kW/446Nm V8. In between was WHII Caprice (launched August 2001), which offered 225kW/460Nm. The latest WL revision is expected to be the second and final facelift of Holden’s current long-wheelbase model before an all-new VE Commodore-based WM Statesman/Caprice appears.
Super Test
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