holden vt calais

HOLDEN VT CALAIS
 

By PHIL SCOTT

Date of publication: September 14, 1997
The Sun-Herald

CAR: Holden VT Calais

PIGEONHOLE: Executive express.

PHILOSOPHY: Holden's burger with the lot.

WHO'S BUYING IT: Salary-packaged corporate bosses (who dream of a BMW or a Benz) and well-heeled patriots.

WHY YOU'D BUY IT: Sprawling luxury, muted ambience and refinement - at last!

WHY YOU WOULDN'T: It's a whopper, not all that CBD-wieldy or fuel friendly. Lacks snob factor of a German import.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT: Power everything. Only notable options are leather trim, larger alloy wheels/tyres and a choice of supercharged V6 or revamped V8 engines.

SAFETY: Front crumple zone, side impact system with air bags and seat belts designed to be non-aggressive.

CABIN: Import quality cockpit features Honda patented technology. A huge improvement over the old car in every area: comfort, ergonomics, fit, colour, trim, finish and gadgets like trip computer. Useful storage areas, CD and cassette-customised centre bin.

SEATING: Buckets are all-ways electrically adjustable and score well for comfort as long as you don't mind the flat, feet-forward driving position. The full bench has plenty of appeal in the back with lap/sash centre belt. Leather trim version is opulent without going over the top.

ENGINE: With the VT's extra lard, standard V6 is now the weak link. Still perfectly adequate, the 171kW supercharged version is a better match. Better than the 175kW V8, although the old timer still sounds potent.

TRANSMISSION: Familiar four-speed automatic with standard electronic traction control to tame the tail. No complaints in this department.

STEERING: Calais persists with American influenced road-speed sensitive power steering. It's very light and doesn't convey a lot of feel. A less sophisticated system fitted to other models is more communicative.

RIDE: A wider footprint, long wheelbase and major suspension revisions dramatically improve stability and comfort. The Calais is taut but never harsh.

FUEL: Thirsty. Expect 13.0-14.0 litres/100km in the city from the standard V6. The supercharged version requires premium unleaded. Both engines are remarkably frugal highway cruisers - given the car's size.

BRAKES: Never a Commodore long-suit but the new stoppers address the problem.Standard Commodore pedal, slightly squishy, but no obvious signs of traditional Holden brake fade. Much improved, as it needed to be.

BUILD: Early press cars are of a high standard (they always are).Excellent paint, very good panels and a tight, solid body. Many have a poor fitting garnish on the rear pillar and most too much wind-ruffle around the front pillars. No plastic squeaks or sizzles: a good sign. Six months' practice and the VT will be as good as the better imports. It's already better than the average Euro Ford/Opel/Peugeot.

WARRANTY: Three years/100,000km.

ANTI-THEFT: Terrific countermeasures: immobiliser, burglar-proof rotating locks, auto deadlock at the press of a key.

AUDIO-SYSTEM: A ripper. Eight speaker with 10-disc CD stacker in the boot.
FM reception even handles the Harbour Bridge.

COST Not cheap at $48,760 in standard guise. The supercharged and V8 models are both priced at $51,260. Leather trim option is reasonable at $1,900. Sports suspension ($302) and limited slip diff ($520).

VERDICT
Dollar for dollar, kilo for kilo, it's hard to argue the Calais isn't better value. New-found refinement, better aesthetics and less American glitz move Holden's not so short-wheelbase flagship into a new league. No longer does it feel like a gussied-up fleet car. In spirit, it's mid-Atlantic with an Aussie accent - and that's not a bad combination.

Prices correct at date of publication