The rebadged Holdens are available in this country as
the Chevrolet Lumina. Here they come with the V6 engine, but in Oz you can
also get the V8, with the General’s new Gen 3 power plant. My old mate,
and now a confirmed Thailand enthusiast after his visit for the Bangkok
International Motor Show, is John Weinthal. A top motoring scribe, he is
also fearless in his approach to road testing. Here is his critique of the
Holden Calais (read Chevrolet Lumina).
Crash
testing a (Holden) Chevrolet
“Today I’m taking what some will consider a
hypercritical look at the top model in Australia’s top-selling car range
- the Holden Commodore. Although the test car was an ultra-smart silver
Calais, most of what follows applies to all Commodores.
Very shortly, Holden will relaunch the VT Commodore -
and thus Calais - so we can for the moment hope that some of the grouches
that follow will be overcome and the cars generally brought more up to
date.
Ford has upgraded their product, so now it’s up to
Holden to do the same to the Commodore - basically fine cars for their
primary role as company cars, police cars, taxis and general conveyances
for government employees and others who don’t pay their own running
costs. In most cases these people do not even have a say in what car they
will drive anyway. More than 80 percent of Commodore sales fall into these
categories.
OK - what will I look for in VT11? First, while these
are probably the best Australian-built Holdens yet, there remains room for
much improved fit and finish. I can’t remember the last car in which
wind rustle around the driver’s door was intrusive - mildly so, but
irritating nevertheless. Remember, with Calais we’re considering a
$50,000 car.
The interior, even on Calais, still shrieks its
distinctly working car roots... a general plasticky look and feel which
ill behoves a $50,000 car. The column-mounted cruise control and wiper
intermittent switches are both awkward to use and deliver no tactile
pleasure - just like most of the controls. Please, Mr Holden, study the
Ford Falcon’s steering wheel controls for the cruise control - and
follow their lead.
The informative, but somewhat complex, computer
information set-up in the Calais would be fine, if only one could read it
in all lighting conditions. As it is, the grey with greyer backdrops and
figures are impossible to read in many daylight situations. And the only
reason I can fathom for putting the electric window switches on the centre
console is that it’s cheaper. I still find them awkward and illogical to
use. And the fact that the Calais has fast operation only for lowering the
driver’s window is quite inexplicable. Even Holden’s own Vectra CD has
fast up and down on all four windows (An Opel out here!).
I don’t agree with Mr Holden’s decreeing that I
shall not have a cigarette lighter. My smoking is stupid of course, but
that’s my damn foolery and none of the General’s business. Sure,
there’s a power socket which can take a lighter, but it ain’t there
when you buy or hire your Commodore.
But to top off everything - can you believe an
Australian car with twin front seat cupholders which won’t even hold a
Coke can, much less a stubbie of Ginger Beer or the liquid of your choice.
OK, them’s the grouches. Most could be righted at
very little cost. Let’s see what has been attended to when the update
arrives.
Otherwise the Calais was a fine car. Tough feeling,
reasonably refined and quiet most of the time. The test car also had the
delicious new 220kW Gen 3 V8 engine. This is a terrific powerplant - and a
big Holden Ace. It can even be pretty economical. A trip to Northern NSW
with the cruise set on 100 returned a highly impressive 7.2 litres per
100km. Around town it’s another story altogether, but this car is at its
best out on the ranges, even if most will spend their lives in the cities
with just the driver on board. What a waste is about all I can say.”
Well that’s how an Aussie sees their home grown
product. Over here, you will pay 2.4 million for the V6. Me? If I’m
going to be that splashy with my money, I’d rather chuck another mill on
the counter and get a BMW Z3!
