Model Update

What’s there to look out for in the 2011 Holden Calais? Lot’s and lot’s, but let’s point you to a few nice tit- bits to get you that little bit more informed.

The exterior has been updated, resulting in more refined and detailed lines. The Holden Calais Sedan and Sportwagon come equipped with a modernised 3.6 litre SIDI Direct Injection V6 motor. Lots of power and torque are backed up by an amazing 12 percent improvement in fuel economy over the outgoing motor. Linked to the 210 kW, 350 Nm engine-plant is the latest six-speed automatic gearbox with Active Select.

Holden have included the V-series Calais in their model line-up, which is just a little more luxury orientated. The V-series boasts a rear seat overhead DVD player, front and rear park assist, leather appointed seating and beautiful 18-inch alloy wheels.

By Jingo, I better have a look at this one myself.

Queen Mary of England – the one who lent her name to the cocktail Bloody Mary – said that when she died, the doctors could open her up and find the word “Calais” engraved on her heart. She was, of course, referring to the city on the coast of France that she had previously controlled. If she had been alive today, she may have been referring to the luxury vehicle, the Holden Calais.

Both the Holden Calais and the Calais V-series are jewels in Holden’s crown. And they look it, too. It isn’t for nothing that the Holden Calais was awarded the “Car of the Year” by Wheels in 2006. Sophisticated tailored lines make this sports luxury sedan look smooth, swift and classy, and the uncluttered bonnet is a masterpiece of minimalistic beauty. This sculpture of steel is finished with a colour from the subtle palette (most of which are metallic) and 17 inch alloy wheels (18″ for the Holden Calais V series).

Sitting inside the palatial interior of the Holden Calais makes you feel like an absolute monarch, and your lumbar-support seats (cloth with leather bolsters in the basic Holden Calais, full leather in the V series) give you a comfortable throne. And the power under the bonnet can easily make the Holden Calais the queen of the road. The 3.6 litre High Output Alloytec V6 engine has a mighty 195 kW of power on offer (talk about all the king’s horses!). A feistier engine is on offer as an option: a 6.0 litre Generation 4 Alloy V8 engine that puts out a massive 270 kW. The reins of power are in your hands courtesy of the leatherwrap multifunction steering wheel controlling the very accurate steering, and the matching gearstick to control the five-speed automatic transmission (six speed for the V8 option).

The Holden Calais is ready to obey your every whim on the road, with the Linear Control Suspension ironing out all the bumps while still keeping you in touch with what the car’s doing – and an optional sports suspension package is available. And the ESP system incorporating ABS, EBD, traction control and electronic brake assist give iron grip to balance the velvet-glove comfort of the ride suspension.

The Holden Calais continues to cater to your comfort inside. The Blaupunkt AM/FM radio stereo combines with the MP-3 compatible 6-disc CD system to give you crystal clear sound through all of the nine speakers (11 in the V series version of the Holden Calais), and the volume adjusts to the driving speed and mutes automatically if a mobile phone is in use (the Holden Calais comes with Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity). Other creature comforts to please other senses include the dual zone electronic climate control. Both the climate control and the sound system (and the optional satellite navigation, if you choose it) are controllable via the 6.5″ multifunction colour display screen with DVD player. For your convenience, the power windows have “express up and down” facility, twin cupholders are provided in the centre console (not for a Bloody Mary while you’re driving, I hope. Try a Virgin Mary instead), as is an auxiliary power socket. The eyes are pleased by the Onyx trim and the ergonomic design of the dash.

A range of safety features, including dual stage front airbags for driver and passenger, side airbags, curtain airbags, pretensioner seatbelts with load limiters in the front, whiplash-preventing adaptive front head supports and a computerised system that turns on the hazard lights, unlocks the doors, and turns the engine and fuel off if the pyrotechnic pretensioners are deployed, help to ensure that you won’t be dying at the wheel and having a doctor look at your heart. Even if it has got “Calais” engraved on it.

Current model series include:

• Holden Calais V V6 VE
• Holden Calais V V8 VE
• Holden Calais V6 VE
• Holden Calais V8 VE

For anymore information on the Holden Calais, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Holden dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

Back to Holden Car Reviews