Holden Caprice

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The Holden Caprice is the highest model luxury Holden that is available on the market. The Caprice is a fully optioned out version of the Holden Statesman. Leather seats and V8 engine comes as a standard feature in the Caprice. There are a few items that differentiate the Caprice from the Statesman. The grill and upright Holden badge is different to the Statesman.

The Holden Caprice is a full-size luxury automobile built by Holden of Australia dating from 1990.

1 1970s - Pre Caprice
2 VQ Caprice
3 WM Caprice
4 External links

[edit] 1970s - Pre Caprice

First released in 1971 in the HQ range, the Holden Statesman was a replacement for the equally long Holden Brougham from the HK/T/G models. Known at various times as the Statesman Custom, Statesman DeVille, Statesman Caprice (1975 and on), and the Statesman SL/E (79/80 only) the original run ended in 1985 with the final WB Statesman Caprice

Basically a Premier body with a lengthened boot, the Statesman Custom, DeVille, Caprice & SL/E received increasing levels of comfort and options as the years went by. The final vehicle was released in 1985, with the cessation of the WB range. The WB was a re-designed, very well equipped and luxurious model compared with the earlier vehicles and is still popular today with many. See Holden Statesman for further details.

[edit] VQ Caprice

Main article: Holden VQ Statesman

VS Series I Caprice

The Caprice was re-introduced in 1990, 1 year after the VN Range launch. Known as the VQ, the extended wheelbase version came in two separate models, the Statesman and the Caprice as opposed to earlier models which been known as “Statesman DeVille” and “Statesman Caprice” etc as detailed above, making the Caprice a stand alone model for the first time. Previous to this, the Caprice, DeVille names etc indicated the option level of the Statesman.

Now built on the station wagon chassis, the Caprice is approximately 12 centremeters longer than the standard models

Holden’s model designation at the time had the LWB models known as the VQ in the VN Series. For the following VR & VS models, the Caprice did not have its own specific designation, being known as the VR Caprice, VS Caprice etc. In the VT Range (1999), Holden returned to the stand alone model designation, the Caprice being known as the WH Caprice. Subsequent models have continued this differing designations for the normal (Holden Commodore, Berlina, Calais etc) and LWB (Statesman, Caprice) models. Since release the Caprice has followed the Statesman release dates and designations.

The Caprice has also been the ‘donor car’ for the HSV Grange since the WK model.

Caprice is Holden’s top level and most luxurious car, with nearly all features as standard, with usually a very small number of options. For instance, the main options in the VS were a choice of engine, factory sunroof, Self Leveling Suspension, LSD, and a HSV provided 185kW upgrade for the V8. Since 1990 these models have been available with engines such as 3.8 V6, 3.8 Supercharged V6, 5.0 V8, 5.7 (Gen III) V8 and currently, 6.0 (GEN IV) V8 engines.

Caprice (and Statesman) is quite popular in country areas due to their size, power, levels of comfort, towing proficiency and ablility to traverse the large distances required in relative ease. They are also popular as company and government vehicles, one being commonly used for the Prime Minister of Australia. Known for many years as a car that had been marketed towards the more mature age customer, Holden are now trying to broaden its appeal (along with the Calais, the SWB equivalent) to a younger demographic by providing slightly sportier styling and suspension.