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Powerful new styling and performance, more luxury and all-round refinement
Holden adds another chapter to the continuing success story of its long-wheelbase luxury cars with the release of the WK series Caprice and Statesman. The Holden flagships are now even better equipped to compete with the world's best marques in Australian and export markets.
Significant styling changes give the new Caprice and Statesman a powerfully aggressive road presence and their well-appointed interiors are more luxuriously accommodating than ever.
An individual Euro sports character has been created for Caprice and the two models now have differing personalities. Both benefit from comprehensive powertrain, chassis system, structural, aerodynamic and technological refinements that combine to provide a responsive and rewarding big-car driving experience.
The WK series will go on sale in May and replaces the WH Caprice and Statesman, easily the most popular Australian-built prestige cars.
Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Peter Hanenberger, says the Caprice and Statesman are currently exported to ten countries, and their sales success here and abroad reflects the fact that the hallmarks of quality, refinement and value are universal.
"It also demonstrates our expertise in niche model manufacturing and our ability to produce customised products that are targeted to meet specific buyer requirements. The level of differentiation now apparent between Caprice and Statesman is an excellent example of this," he said.
"The advancements we have made with the WK series provide further evidence that Holden continues to satisfy the diverse driving needs of Australian and international buyers by listening to what they have to say and by producing high quality vehicles which are exciting to drive and which offer exceptional value for money," Mr Hanenberger concluded.
Emphasising its sports performance credentials, the new Caprice is equipped with a high output 245kW version of Holden's Generation III V8. A dual DVD system with individual screens for rear seat passengers, complete with headphones and remote control - a first for any Australian produced vehicle - is among the limousine luxury items specified as standard. Both models are equipped with advanced electronic systems which lift cabin comfort and convenience feature levels to a new high.
Styling
The expressive and purposeful styling of these limousine-proportioned Holdens is highlighted by bolder front end treatments, a sharper rear end and lower trim heights.
In profile, there's a fresh rear quarter design, with a flowing C pillar and new sixth window shape. Slim bodyside mouldings, 'technical' spoked alloy wheels and new exterior mirrors, confirm WK's harder-edged design themes. Apart from the roof and doors, sheet metal on these models is all-new.
The long curve of the bonnet line is accentuated by twin creases, which converge on a jewelled version of the luxury 'lion and wreath' emblem. The projector headlamp design is new and exclusive, so are the contours and textures of the European-style grille.
The view from the rear - an all-new decklid, bumper and tail lamps in solid red, separated by a simple chromed décor strip - emphasises the trend towards cleaner surfaces.
Caprice advertises its luxury sports tourer status and appeal to younger buyers with its lower stance, nine-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels, low-profile tyres and design cues like black bezels and chrome highlights on the projector headlamps, fog and cornering lamps, a sports graphite honeycomb grille and twin chrome exhaust tips.
The more formal model character of Statesman, responsible for its long-running appeal to traditional long-wheelbase buyers, is evident with the retention of lower accent tones and bright chrome detailing in headlamp bezels, grille inserts, licence plate surrounds, exhaust tip and door handles.
Interior design is now more exclusive to these long wheelbase vehicles and more individually defined between models. Cockpit surrounds - two-tone instrument panel, silver-ringed instrument cluster, the centre fascia and steering wheel are entirely new. All controls and graphics are updated, the layout is simplified and logical. Special features include a sporty binnacle and a central, high-mounted multi-function 'infotainment' display with large screen digital readout and user-friendly settings.
New front seats, now with the added safety benefit of active head restraints, offer more support and cushioned comfort. Caprice has smooth-seamed leather trim as standard, Statesman has plush, high-pile velour with suede inserts. Trim shades, in Shale or darker Anthracite, determine the interior ambience. Once again, this is subtly sportier in the case of Caprice, more traditional for Statesman, and glossy accents differ accordingly.
Fine detailing includes highlight stitching on the leather-trimmed steering wheel, park brake and gearshift surround, satin chrome highlights on the steering wheel, gearshift, handbrake and door handles, colour-keyed, metallised console and fascia surrounds.
Vehicle Dynamics, Performance and Safety
The polished performance capabilities of the new Caprice and Statesman demonstrate the benefits of Holden's long-term commitment to precision and refinement
In refining the WK Caprice and Statesman for world markets, Holden has engineered a luxury vehicle that manages to combine limousine-like space and presence with a great degree of agility and responsiveness.
While exhibiting all the primary ride control attributes and isolation qualities that won their predecessors a reputation for superior chassis dynamics and ride comfort, the latest long-wheelbase Holdens are smoother, quieter and even more enjoyable to drive.
Contributors include improvements in aerodynamic performance, body structure, build precision, chassis dynamics, powertrain and safety performance.
For the first time, Caprice offers a more sporting driving dynamic. A high-output Generation III V8 powerplant delivers an impressive 245kW of power and 465 Nm of torque, while the high performance, stainless steel dual twin exhaust system delivers a V8 base note 'burble'.
Suspension modifications, steering improvements, new 17x8-inch alloy wheels and uniquely developed lower profile tyres further increase Caprice's performance and handling capability.
Similar changes have been made to Statesman driving dynamics, and buyers have a choice of three engines: standard 3.8 litre ECOTEC V6, Supercharged V6 or 235kW Generation III V8. WK models also benefits from V6 powertrain improvements, introduced with the VY Commodore and Calais, that improve engine operating smoothness, enhance automatic transmission shift quality and feel and extend service intervals from 10,000 kms to 15,000 kms.
The fitment of active front seat head restraints, which reduce the risk of neck injury or 'whiplash' in low velocity rear impacts, reinforces Holden's commitment to occupant safety.
Structural modifications to the floor area and centre pillar reduce the risk of lower limb and side impact injury respectively. As with VY, new front seat belt force limiters have been fitted and front airbags have been re-optimised.
Feature Highlights
A single screen, optimally mounted at the top of the new instrument panel, provides an advanced multi-function digital display. Menu-driven, it provides comprehensive information on driving data, climate control and onboard entertainment systems and can be simply configured to suit individual preferences.
The dual DVD system on Caprice features twin LCD screens mounted in the back of the driver and front passenger head restraints. Conveniently accessible by rear seat passengers via a unit located beneath the back seat, the DVD provides excellent picture quality and sound, which can be played through individual headphones or the premium 12-speaker, 430-watt sound system featuring enhanced digital sound processing.
Both models now feature in-dash six stack CD players with, new Blaupunkt audio systems, illuminated switches on steering wheel remote sound system controls and speed-dependent volume controls.
Rear Park Assist is enabled automatically when reverse gear is selected. Ultrasonic sensors mounted in the rear bumper trigger audible beeps which increase in frequency as the vehicle gets closer to obstacles behind it, alerting the driver to their presence and proximity.
Projector headlamp technology improves low beam pattern spread (a 42 per cent improvement over the previous model) and penetration and improves safety performance by reducing glare to oncoming vehicles, while the clear lens fog and cornering lamps improve beam spread and intensity.
New convenience features include new fold-out twin cupholders in the instrument panel and retractable cupholders in the rear armrest, accessory power outlets in the boot and centre console, a mobile phone power point, sunglasses holder mounted above the rear view mirror, mobile phone concealed storage compartment and dimmable vanity mirrors.
Personal security is enhanced with the addition of a feature that allows the doors to be set to lock automatically when the transmission is shifted out of Park. As an added theft deterrent, sound systems and the DVD player will operate only in the original vehicle.
Both models have a programmable 'rest reminder' warning that operates after two hours' continuous driving and the trip computer now has the ability to track two journeys - a short day trip within a lonvg interstate trip, for instance.
For the first time, Caprice and Statesman buyers can order their vehicle with an 'online' factory-fitted sunroof. This exclusive, tailored option offers the benefits of reduced wind noise, improved headlining integration, durability and safety performance.
These features are additional to such existing features, exclusive to Caprice, as an electro-chromatic interior rear vision mirror that automatically reduces headlamp glare, a passenger side exterior mirror that dips when reverse gear is selected to show low-level obstacles, a rear overhead console and a personal driver's seat and exterior mirror memory setting for three drivers.
Holden Assist, the telematics system which combines mobile phone and global positioning technology, also offers drivers a range of in-car support services at the touch of a button.
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Recommended Retail Pricing |
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Holden Statesman |
(3.8 litre ECOTEC V6)* |
$53,490 |
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(3.8 litre Supercharged V6)* |
$54,490 |
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(235kW 5.7
litre Gen III V8)* |
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(235kW 5.7 litre Gen III V8)* |
$58,240 |
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Holden Caprice |
(245kW 5.7 litre Gen III V8)* |
$72,990 |
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(3.8 litre ECOTEC V6)* |
$68,250 |
*With
electronic control four-speed automatic transmission
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Options/Accessories |
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Level ride suspension
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$495 |
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Leather Trim (Statesman) |
$1980 |
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Holden Assist
(Statesman) |
$1990 |
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Online Sunroof |
$2050 |
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Holden By Design |
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Satellite Navigation |
$3800 |
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Rear Spoiler |
$395 |
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17" H series alloys |
$1330 |
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17" X series alloys |
$1590 |
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17" Y series alloys |
$1590 |
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18" J series alloys |
$2150 |
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Colour Selection
Vespers - dark, inky blue metallic
Turbine - deep gunmetal metallic
Martini - pale olive green metallic
Phantom - metallic black with silver highlights
Quicksilver - sharp silver with brilliant highlights
Heron - solid white
*Shanghai - chromatic mid-red metallic
*Available September 2003
On Sale
May 2003
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