interaction you have with the traction or stability system is quite smooth in its transition, so it’s not really clamping the car and shutting you down. It has this nice feel where it’s still delivering the power, but it is controlled power.” For anyone lamenting the loss of Not the first rear-drive purity, it’s heartening news. Commo 2.0 At the Yarra Valley Type 2 diabetes clinic, I mean Everyone knows chocolaterie, which thankfully also serves caffeine, I there was once a ‘Commodore 4’ (a switch from the almost nondescript white Calais into 1.9-litre nail from the heavily camouflaged V6 AWD. A year on from our 1980-83) but did proving ground drive, the prototype V6 still looks just you know there as outlandish, covered in all manner of plastic bumps was also a VL and confetti-like body wrap, but its pre-production Commodore 2.0? For interior has had its modesty garment removed. NZ and Thailand, Ironically, it’s the camo ZB that punters are drawn Holden produced a to, completely oblivious to the fact that an undisguised downsized 2.0-litre example is parked right next to it. Someone jokes that to sit below the 3.0-litre RB30 sixes. maybe the best way to hide an unreleased model is But the VL 2.0 was to leave it undisguised, though that’s not such a good no ordinary dunger. omen for the Calais. In appliance white with plain Drinking leaded halogen headlights and non-event wheels, it looks fuel, it produced a understated in the extreme. strong 95kW/180Nm In fact, driving tandem with the admittedly higher(compared to grade VFII Calais V, the ZB Calais appears borderline 114kW/247Nm for insipid, lacking the muscular stance, imposing the ULP 3.0). And wheelarches and classically beautiful form of the larger as its RB20 engine designation might VE-VF body. There’s no doubt the ZB’s flush flanks help imply, it packed six contribute to its slick 0.26 drag coefficient, but viewed cylinders, not four. from behind, it lacks the VFII’s undoubted presence. And the liftback-sedan’s tapering tail makes it look
VFII ZB
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considerably smaller than it actually is. There’s a different feel inside too. The base ZB Calais’ relatively standard interior conveys the impression you’re in a XXL Astra trimmed with leather, whereas the more upmarket V6 AWD with its jazzier instruments, more heavily bolstered seats, and perforated-leather wheel rim is clearly on another level. And same goes for its drivetrain. Lusty and refined as the 2.0-litre is, it’s the V6 version – an engine uniquely specified by the Aussies – that provides the most tangible DNA link with the current Commodore. Turned sideways and now featuring cylinder deactivation, our ‘LGX’ 3.6-litre direct-injection V6 features a unique exhaust system for a few extra herbs and a bit more acoustic meat than the US version that’s set to appear in the Buick Regal GS. And while the V6’s 235kW and 370Nm outputs are unlikely to get pulses racing on paper, the reality is an eager, purposeful unit that clearly delivers a higher calibre of performance. It also revs harder than the four-cylinder. Both engines will soar to 7000rpm, but the floored V6 upshifts at seven grand even in Drive (6500rpm in the 2.0-litre) and sounds like it wants to be caned. It’s still not the sweetest V6 in the world, but it produces a keener, less thrashy note than the 210kW/350Nm ‘LFX’ version in the rear-drive VFII and remains impressively vibration-free at all engine speeds. “One thing I’ve absolutely loved working on is the V6 AWD,” says Trubiani. “I think once people live with