Buying a used Holden VE Commodore-Calais (2006-2009)

The VE Commodore ranks as the most important new Holden since the original 48-215.

During 2006 when the broad-shouldered VE was announced, Holden’s parent company General Motors was in dire financial trouble and less than three years away from declaring an historic bankruptcy. Thus had the VE had failed to deliver on its immense investment, General Motors’ large-car strategy would have been in tatters and Holden’s future as a local manufacturer seriously compromised.

However, the Commodore jumped immediately to the top of local sales charts; capturing 43 per cent of the 2007 Large Car market and outselling Ford’s Falcon by 23,000 units. It also contributed to an export program that saw Commodores and the long-wheelbase Statesman sold into Middle Eastern and South East Asian markets, the UK, New Zealand and Brazil.

Holden released the VE in August 2006 after a development program that had taken longer and cost more than any other in Australian automotive history.

The VE shape bore a passing resemblance to preceding Commodores but that is where most similarities ended.  Although just 18mm longer than the VZ it replaced, the new car sat on a wheelbase that was 126mm longer. More obvious were the wider track and larger wheels that obliged Holden to incorporate distinctive wheel-arch flares into the VE design.

The VE’s Alloytec V6 engine had originally appeared in 2004 but exhaust and engine management changes saw the 3.6-litre delivering an extra 5kW of power in basic models and a 20kW boost to the twin-pipe SV6 and Calais variants.

There were new names as well: Omega replacing Acclaim; and Executive and Lumina added during 2007-08 as a supplementary model to the long-serving Berlina. Sports-oriented drivers were the targets of SV6 and SV8 models, while high-performance and luxury buyers could pick from a variety of SS and Calais variations including an ultra-luxury Calais V with the 3.6-litre engine or a 275kW, 6.0-litre V8.

The four-speed automatic was carried over on the base Omega with minimal change but a new five-speed with push-pull selector operation was available in SV, SS and Calais models. Manual cars came with six speeds and upgraded components for improved durability.

Best of the autos was a new 6L80E six-speed sourced from the USA where it was used in Corvette and Cadillac models and incorporating overdrive ratios on fifth and sixth gears.

A modular dash and variations in trim materials enabled Holden to add some character the VE cabin without significantly increasing build costs. The central ‘waterfall’ module housed multi-function display screens, ventilation controls and sound systems of increasing complexity. Colour-keyed dash panels were optional in SV and SS versions, which also featured duo-tone seats.

Range-topping Calais V cars included leather trim, eight-way electric seat adjustment, an 11-speaker CD system with a six-disc CD stacker, rain-sensing wipers and audible park assist front and rear.

Calais buyers looking to upgrade from VZ models were in for a pleasant surprise when checking the price panel for the VE. With a more powerful engine, the five-speed automatic as standard and similar equipment levels, the 3.6-litre Calais at $45,490 was $7000 cheaper than the VZ it replaced.

Adding the 6.0-litre V8 and six-speed automatic pushed the cost of a ‘basic’ Calais beyond $50,000 but that was still cheaper than the 3.6-litre Calais V at $53,490 or the $58,490 V8 version.

VE upgrades included a 10kW power boost in November 2008 for 3.6-litre Omega and Berlina models and air-conditioning becoming a standard fitting across the range. During 2007 a Lumina Dual-Fuel model had been announced to counter the LPG-only version of Ford’s BF Falcon.

The VE was released without a station wagon in the range but that was corrected in 2008 when the Sportwagon was introduced. Unlike previous Commodore wagons, the Sport model shared its wheelbase with the sedan and Holden admitted that cargo space was down 40 percent on the preceding VZ.

An interesting addition was the high-performance SS-V Sportwagon with six-speed manual or automatic transmission that, at $56,000, significantly undercut its largely European equivalents. Only Chrysler’s 5.7-litre 300C Touring wagon came close.

Given the chance to fix handling and stability problems that had dogged the Commodore for decades, Holden didn’t waste its opportunity. A wider track and electronic chassis management, aligned with significantly uprated wheel and tyre packages to help even the least-talented of drivers stay out of trouble. Every VE had revised independent rear suspension with the fuel tank mounted above it for improved weight distribution and traction.

Suspension changes included a dual ball-joint front lower control arms that took full advantage of the wider, lower-profile tyres offered across the VE range. Combined with quick-ratio rack and pinion steering and an upgraded independent rear suspension, VEs sat flatter and delivered greater cornering precision than their VZ predecessors.

Rural buyers weren’t as thrilled by Holden’s move to lower profile rubber as even the 60-Series tyres on base-model Omegas thump and rumble on corrugated roads. SV and SS models with 18-inch alloys and 45-profile Bridgestones don’t deal at all well with unsealed surfaces.

Extra engine management sensors and a free-flowing exhaust combine to deliver higher engine speeds and 15 extra kilowatts from the slightly thrashy Alloytec engine. The five-speed auto transmission’s second gear runs to a 132km/h and delivers better mid-range acceleration than even  the V8 manual which demands a second to third upshift at 107km/h.

Fuel economy was a major priority for Holden’s engineers and tests revealed they had done a decent but not exceptional job. Four-speed Omegas which weigh 1690kg were able to average 11.2L/100km during extended testing and gentle highway use will see consumption improve considerably.

Boot space is an uncluttered 496 litres, with a ‘ski-port’ that allows longer objects to protrude into the cabin. No splitfold seat option was offered. Space is available to accommodate a full-sized extra wheel but early cars missed out unless the owner spent an extra $350 on a full-sized spare.

Improved structural integrity and provision for side-impact air-bags did demand some design compromises; the most obvious being excessively thick front pillars that cause visibility problems, especially for drivers who prefer sitting close to the wheel.

The model with greatest used-market appeal is the well-equipped and performance-oriented SV6. Early versions sell for only marginally more than an equivalent Omega yet offer six-speed manual or a sporty five-speed semi-automatic transmission and 18 inch alloy wheels.

>> 2006-07 VEs were recalled to fix faults including two separate problems with under-bonnet fuel hoses and a rear seat-belt. Check service books or with Holden to ensure the rectifications have been completed.

>> VE front suspension clunks and rattles are common but not especially costly to rectify. Worn sway-bar bushes and suspension strut mounting plates are common noise sources but suspension specialists offer a range of upgraded components.

>> Six-speed manual gearboxes are noisy but generally reliable. Make sure that the car doesn’t jump out of gear under hard acceleration.

>> Look for damp or mouldy carpets due to water leaking through the firewall and a join in the plenum chamber behind the engine. If there is any sign of water inside the car make sure that electric seats, windows and other components haven’t been affected.

>> Rear suspension problems include sagging springs and worn differential cradle bushes. Edge-worn tyres indicate that alignment of all wheels is overdue.

carsales used vehicle grading for a used VE Commodore
Design & Function: 16/20
Safety: 14/20
Practicality: 16/20
Value for Money: 15/20
Wow Factor 12/20
TOTAL SCORE 73/100

ALSO CONSIDER: Ford Falcon BF, Toyota Aurion, Nissan Maxima 350

This article was first published August 5, 2011.