Tow Test Holden Calais V Series

By Tom Oltoff

Sometimes in life disappointment can turn into surprise. And so it was with our Holden Commodore tow test. Initially I was hoping for a six-cylinder Commodore with the features that most motorists or caravanners would choose.

Instead we tested a V8 Calais V Series, which only the more fortunate among us are able to sample. After covering 1600km with the luxury Holden, I can appreciate the advantages of a car like the Calais and realise why people would buy one.

We know that car company advertising executives are good with words but in this case it is worth quoting a paragraph from the Holden brochure which sums up the car’s attributes aptly.

It reads, “No more sacrificing performance for style, handling for luxury or build quality for affordability”.

As far as the Calais is concerned it definitely meets all these elements.

Before mentioning why I’m so impressed with the Calais, I should make it clear from the outset that a Holden Commodore Omega, with its host of desirable features, will meet the needs of most motorists.

Standard Omega equipment includes an 180kW 3.6L V6 alloy engine, four-speed auto, Electronic Stability Program, trip computer, cruise control, power windows, dual stage front airbags and six-speaker CD audio system.

In fact the base model has features that not so long ago could only be found in a top-of-the-range and fully optioned model.

The difference between the Commodore and the Calais can be likened to flying economy and business class. Each gets you to your destination at the same time and in the same safe manner, but business class provides a few extras that add to the enjoyment and the comfort of the journey.

In the Holden luxury range there are three models: the Berlina, Calais and Calais V. With a Berlina the standard features include 3.6L V6 engine, four-speed auto transmission, Electronic Stability Program, rear park assist, dual stage front airbags, side impact airbags, seven-speaker six-disc MP3 compatible CD player, four-way electric adjustment of driver’s seat, dual zone climate control air-conditioning, cruise control, trip computer, front fog lamps and Bluetooth compatibility.

In addition to a high output V6, the Calais also gets five-speed automatic with Active Select, side curtain airbags, nine-speaker CD player, sports suspension, six-way adjustable front seat, projector headlamps and dual sports exhaust.

Opt for the Calais V and you’ll find front and rear park assist, 230W 11-speaker CD player, 18in alloy wheels, DVD player, heated exterior mirrors, rain sensing wipers, leather trim seats, eight-way adjustable seat with memory for three settings and night panel illumination.

Options include a 270kW 6L Generation 4 alloy V8 that produces 530Nm of torque, six-speed automatic (on V8 only), limited slip differential (only with sports suspension), quad sports exhaust with V8, metallic paint, satellite navigation, sunroof and Holden Assist Telematics. So as you can see, in a Calais you are surrounded by comfort, opulence and technology.

New technology

Like every car today, you have to spend some time reading the owner’s manual. Sure you can drive it as it’s not that complicated to control, but to get the most enjoyment and benefits from the features available you’ll need at least an hour of familiarisation.

Driver’s information is divided into two zones. The ‘essentials’, consisting of four instrument dials and three digital readouts which are directly in front of you. Secondary information appears on the centre panel.

The most frequently used systems like audio trip computer, Bluetooth and navigation can all be operated from the steering wheel via scroll wheels and buttons.

Just about everything on the Calais is programmable. Depending on preferences, the trip computer can display trip distance, average speed, average fuel usage, distance to go, range, odometer reading, speed (in addition to the analogue speedometer), overspeed and underspeed warnings and a rest reminder.

It is even possible to track two trips simultaneously, eg, a short day trip within a long interstate trip.

It is also possible to set the headlights to stay on for 30, 60, 90 or 120 seconds when locking the car at night, have the lights come on when you approach the car, choose which doors you want to unlock and only have the speedometer illuminated at night to reduce distraction.

And finally the two ‘priority’ keys can store individual driver’s preferences in regard to trip computer display options, personalised settings and radio station presets. Come to think of it, an hour with the owner’s manual may not be enough.

When towing, the system can be programmed to allow for the trailer behind so that the ‘Park Assist’ doesn’t think that you’re about to hit something and beeps unnecessarily.

Having been a motoring enthusiast from way back, I had almost forgotten what sets a car with a V8 apart from others.

From the moment the engine springs into life you can sense that this is something impressive. The exhaust note is sporty without being intrusive. Acceleration is smooth but powerful and with 270kW and 530Nm on tap, performance is formidable.

With the Sports suspension and larger diameter wheels the ride is probably a bit firmer than the Calais of old but it’s nothing objectionable. On the plus side, handling is superb. The Calais’ steering is light but direct and the car goes exactly where the driver points it.

Seating is extremely comfortable and with an eight-way power seat, finding the optimum position is easy.

The transmission offers a variety of options. For day-to-day motoring, select ‘D’ and the management system will choose the best gear according to the engine load and driving conditions.

For improved performance and acceleration the ‘Sport Shift Mode’ can be selected by the press of a button. This also activates the ‘Performance Mode Lift Foot’ feature that holds the current gear if the throttle is released when, for example, you’re cornering.

Another feature on the five and six-speed transmission is the Powertrain Braking. When driving down hill or when frequent braking is required, the vehicle will automatically downshift to provide engine braking and reduce brake temperature and wear.

And then there is what Holden calls the ‘Active Select Mode’ or what is often referred to as the sequential or manual mode. Finally there is the ‘Cruise Shift Mode’. When cruise control is selected while the selector is in ‘D’ position (normal or Sport Shift Mode) the cruise shift mode overrides all other modes to provide a special shift pattern for optimum driveability.

For towing the Sport Shift Mode, or cruise control where conditions permit, is recommended for the Calais.

Tow to tow

The Commodore/Calais range is permitted to tow 2100kg with a maximum of 210kg as vertical ball load. Needless to say the V8 Calais took our 18ft (5.4m) Crusader with an ATM of 2020kg in its stride.

We tried the various transmission options but found that for operation in the city or towns and on flat open road, the ‘D’ gear takes care of everything nicely.

Going up or down hill the manual, or Active Select Mode, was used to either keep engine revs where there was lots of pulling power or provide some engine braking. On the flat, cruise control maintained an even speed.

Holden had fitted one of its 2100kg hitch receivers and put a weight distribution or load levelling kit in the boot. Where possible we try to use equipment supplied by the manufacturer.

Holden’s ballmount is not adjustable but does provide two different towing heights, depending on which way up it is inserted in to the receiver. As has been the norm for many years, Holden’s offers three towing packs for the Commodore/Calais range – 1200kg, 1600kg and 2100kg.

If you want to tow over 1600kg you need to own an automatic. The manual version is limited to 1600kg whether it is matched with the V6 or V8.

Holden recommends a load distribution hitch when the loaded weight of a trailer exceeds 750kg. When the weight exceeds 1600kg it is mandatory. The towing information in the owner’s manual also recommends loading the trailer so that the towball load is about 10 per cent of the total trailer weight.

When putting fuel consumption figures in context it is worth noting the ‘official’ ADR 08/01 data.

For the 6L V8 it is 14.3L/100km. On our solo journey from Adelaide to Melbourne the consumption worked out at 10.9L/100km for the leg from Adelaide to Tailembend but then dropped to 9.6L/100km for the remainder of the journey to Melbourne. The average speed for the trip was 99km/h.

A couple of hundred kilometres around the suburbs of Melbourne returned 12.8L/100km. As is to be expected, the numbers with the van in tow were somewhat different.

From Melbourne to Tailembend, and while averaging 82km/h, the V8 consumed fuel at the rate of 18.2L/100km. While this is considerably more than the solo consumption, it is not much worse than a V6 engine would use under similar conditions.

Considering that most of the fuel is used to provide power to overcome wind resistance, and that weight also has a big bearing, the consumption is more than acceptable.

The biggest challenge with a car like the V8 Calais is to keep the speed down to a level where consumption is reasonable. With so much power on tap, there is always the temptation to use it.

The Bottom Line

While a car like the Holden Calais V Series with a V8 engine may not be within everyone’s budget, it isn’t an expensive car considering its level of luxury and features. Sadly people still believe that you have to buy an imported car to obtain a high level of comfort, quality and features.

From my perspective it was hard to fault the Calais. But if the budget only stretches to an Omega or a Berlina V6, don’t be disappointed. You’ll still be owning a world-class quality, locally produced car. Not only is it extremely safe, it makes a great towing vehicle. The fact that it was awarded Wheels magazine ‘Car of the Year’ makes it more enticing.

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