2006 WM Statesman and Caprice: First Look

By Motoring Channel Staff - 18/July/2006

Breaking News - Holden's biggest surprise yet: pricing for VE Commodore and WM Statesman slashes prices on some models by almost $10,000.

Melbourne, Australia — When Holden unveiled its new VE Commodore in Melbourne, which has been the culmination of years of research and development, and a hefty $1.04 billion investment, the Australian branch of the General Motors empire surprised everyone when it also showed off the brand-new WM series Statesman and Caprice.

The Statesman and Caprice are the long wheel-based (LWB) models that augment the Commodore range by offering a more salubrious ride and increased cabin space, complemented by luxury interior fittings and features.

The Statesman is the base LWB model and will be priced from $58,990 when it goes on sale mid-way through September (2006). The Caprice is the range-topper, offering all the luxury features you'd expect of a European car and starts at $65,990 for the 195kW V6 model, and asks $69,990 for the 6.0-litre V8 model, representing a saving of $5400 compared to the previous model V8 Caprice (reviewed here).

Both the Statesman and the Caprice can be optioned with the 195kW 3.6-litre V6 or the 270kW 6.0-litre LS2 V8, and are available with automatic transmissions only.

GM Holden boss Denny Mooney said during the car's launch that the design differences between the all-new WM Statesman/Caprice and the recently unveiled VE Commodore were greater than ever before, adding that the new models would be world leaders in terms of rear seat space, matching the stretched wheel base models of the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series.

"This car delivers design themes worthy of its leadership of Australia's automotive hierarchy, a luxury vehicle setting its own path more than ever before," Mr Mooney said.

"The all-new WM Caprice is the most distinctive modern vehicle which Holden has had the pleasure of calling its own. Virtually every panel is unique to WM. This car is now our biggest seller overseas which has allowed us to take the car to a whole new level," Mooney said.

As well as being a popular car with senior politicians, and often the Prime Minister of Australia, the Statesman and Caprice models are also highly sought after in the Middle East, where they're badged as Chevrolets. The long cars, expected to measure more than 5.0 metres in length, are also exported to New Zealand, South Korea and China. Holden sold more than 27,300 vehicles based on the outgoing WL series Statesman and Caprice last year, which is seven times the number sold in Australia.

"You’re not buying a longer Commodore, you’re buying a stand-alone car," continued Denny Mooney. "Caprice will be among the most spacious passenger cars in the world, designed, engineered and manufactured right here in Australia. The space and comfort for rear passengers is particularly impressive and relevant for the buyer type and its proportions are truly stunning," concluded the GM Holden managing director.

Because they're based on the same architecture as the VE Commodore, but with an extra 94mm added to the length of the wheelbase, which adds heaps of rear seat leg room, the new WM models feature all the best bits from the VE Commodore, such as ESP, the 6- and 8-cylinder engines and gearboxes and a host of extras, such as a dual-screen DVD player for Caprice models.

And seeing as the the VE Commodore cost $1.04 billion, and the WM Statesman and Caprice program added another $190 million to the costs (taking the total investment for Holden to $1.23 billion for its two new model lines) you'd expect a lot of features. Holden has not yet released any of the major interior features of the new WM models, as the vehicle isn't scheduled for sale until later in September 2006, but you can expect the usual luxury car extras, such as proximity parking sensors, audio and climate controls for rear seat passengers, 11-speaker CD stereo with sub woofer and 12-way adjustable leather seats. And judging from the interior photos, the new models should offer improved levels of luxury and improved ergonomics.

Featuring new bodywork, the WM Caprice and Statesman - like the new VE Commodore - look much sleeker and more modern than their predecessors, and there's even a touch of Audi A8 to the WM's profile. New and improved headlights sit either side of the grille, and the car has been given a touch more sportiness thanks to the blistered wheel arches. There's also a nice touch to the side indicator lights that live just behind the front wheel arches, which are made up of bright LEDs, bringing the new cars well and truly into the modern motoring era.

At the time of writing, Holden sent us dossier detailing the pricing of all of its new large car models, including the VE Commodore range and the WM Statesman/Caprice. Of most interest is the price for the entry level Commodore, called the Omega, which has risen by $500, and doesn't include air conditioning or a full-sized spare wheel, arguably two of the most important standard features for an Australian car. With A/C, the Omega Commodore costs $36,490, an extra $2,000, but Holden did mention that it will offer a special edition with the V-Series markings, also seen on the Calais and SS models. For $34,990 buyers can get the Omega V, which adds air conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and a few other extras, all of which will help the Commodore's transition from VZ to VE.

Other big surprises with the pricing of Australia's top selling car include the Berlina, SS and Calais models, all of which have had their prices well and truly slashed, largely because the new V-Series models that are now available. The SS, powered by the 270kW Chevrolet-sourced 6.0-litre V8, can be had from just $44,990, which is a saving of some $6,800 compared to the preceeding VZ pricing. Moreover, this eye-opening pricing regime undercuts its main rival, the Ford Falcon XR8, by more than $6000, and even costs less than Ford's iconic XR6 Turbo. The automatic SS, benefitting from the American Corvette's slick 6-speed automatic gearbox, costs $46,990, a saving of $4,800 compared to last year's VZ model SS Commodore.

The Calais' price has been reduced, dropping from the VZ model's $53,890 (6-cylinder) to $45,490, which is a truly massive saving of $8,400! The V8 Calais models are similarly slashed price wise. Where the previous model VZ Calais V8 was $58,590, the new VE Calais V8 - complete with four exhaust pipes - is priced at $50,490, a saving of $8,100.

The other model that has been reduced in price is the Berlina, dropping from the current $43,890 to $39,990 for the 195kW V6 model, a saving of $3,900. The V8 Berlina has also been marked down by $3,600 to $44,990.

Holden has managed to drop the prices of many models by big margins, which will no doubt help sales of vehicles like the Calais and SS, though volume sellers like the Omega Commodore (previously Executive) and SV6 haven't changed by much. Here's the complete pricing list, with the last number in brackets being the difference between the VZ model. Therefore, if there's a +$500 (like for the Omega model), that means the new VE model costs $500 more than the model it replaces.