Review: Holden WN Caprice (2013-17)

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• Powerful 6.0-litre L77 V8 and, for WN.II Caprice, 6.2-litre LS3 V8 engines
• Impressive ride/handling balance
• Accurate steering
• Cavernous and comfortable interior
• Quiet, well-insulated cabin

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• Overly firm ride for Caprice V
• Interior plastics scratch easily
• Poor fuel economy for V8 engine

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Review: Holden WN.I Caprice (2013-15)

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Overview

Released in May 2013, the Holden WN Series I (WN.I) Caprice was a long wheelbase sedan. Manufactured in Elizabeth, South Australia, the rear-wheel drive WN Caprice and Caprice V were powered by 3.6-litre dedicated LPG V6 and 6.0-litre V8 petrol engines, respectively. In October 2014, however, the standard Caprice was discontinued and the LPG engine was made available for the Caprice V.

Engines: LPG V6 and L77 V8

Of the engines,

• The 3.6-litre LWR dedicated LPG V6 engine had all-aluminium construction, gaseous multi-point injection, a forged steel crankshaft, forged powdered metal connecting rods, twin knock control sensors, double overhead camshafts (DOHC), four valves per cylinder, continuously variable camshaft phasing for inlet and exhaust valves, electronic throttle control and a compression ratio of 12.2:1; and,
• The 6.0-litre L77 V8 engine had all-aluminium construction, flat-topped pistons, forged powered metal connecting rods, a billet steel camshaft, two valves per cylinder, external knock sensors, a compression ratio of 10.4:1 and displacement on demand hardware (Holden’s ‘Active Fuel Management’ or AFM) that could shut down four cylinders under light throttle loads in higher gears. The L77 engine could run on regular unleaded petrol or ethanol blends up to E85.

While the 6.0-litre L77 V8 engine was initially flex-fuel capable (i.e. capable of running on E85 fuel which consisted of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol), this capability was discontinued in October 2014 as part of the ‘MY15’ update.

6L45 and 6L80 transmissions

While the V6 engines were offered with six-speed 6L45 automatic transmissions, the V8 engines had six-speed 6L80 automatic transmissions. [su_table responsive=”yes”]

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Development and dimensions

The WN Caprice was underpinned by the same Zeta architecture as the WM Statesman and Caprice . For the WN Caprice, however, ultra-high strength Boron steel was used to reinforce the A-pillars and the header which joined them and aluminium was introduced for components such as the front steering knuckle and tension arms to conserve mass.

The WN Caprice was 5160 mm long, 1898 mm wide, 1470 mm tall and had a 3009 mm long wheelbase.

Suspension

The WN Caprice had double-pivot MacPherson strut front suspension with dual lower links (with individual ball joints), a tension link, lateral link and a direct acting stabiliser bar. The rear suspension was a four-link independent system with coil-over shock absorbers, three lateral ball joints per side, three cross ball joints and a decoupled stabiliser bar.

Electric power steering

The VF Commodore and WN Caprice introduced an electric power steering (EPS) which reduced fuel consumption and enabled different calibrations. Like the Commodore Evoke and Calais, the Caprice had the lighter ‘Touring’ calibration. In October 2014 (‘MY15’), the EPS settings were recalibrated to enhance on-centre steering feel and precision.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Holden WN Caprice included dual front airbags, front side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, Blind Spot Alert and Reverse Traffic Alert systems, Hill Hold Control, Hill Start Assist and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters.

The Caprice V was further equipped with Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning systems.

Brakes

The braking package for the standard Caprice consisted of 298 mm by 30 mm vented front brake discs with two-piston aluminium calipers and 302 mm vented rear discs with single-piston aluminium calipers. The Caprice V, however, was fitted with 321 mm by 30 mm vented front brake discs with two-piston aluminium calipers and 324 mm by 22 mm vented rear discs with single-piston aluminium calipers.

ANCAP crash testing

In ANCAP crash testing , the VF Commodore and – by extension – the WN Caprice received five star adult occupant protection ratings with scores of 35.06 out of 37. In the offset crash test, occupant protection was generally rated as good, though chest and lower leg protection for the driver were acceptable. In the side impact and pole tests, however, maximum points were awarded.

Features: WN Caprice

Standard features for the WN Caprice included 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/50 R18 tyres, an eight speaker sound system with a CD/DVD player, MP3-compatibility and auxiliary inputs, an eight-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation (including full colour mapping, live traffic updated and traffic management control), Holden’s MyLink, enhanced voice recognition and Siri Eyes Free integration, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, leather seats, an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, cruise control, a digital instrument display, front fog lights, automatic headlights, a rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote central locking, proximity key with remote vehicle start, push-button start, power windows and mirrors, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, an electric park brake, a 12 volt power outlet, trip computer and an immobiliser.

The Caprice was also fitted with an ‘Auto Park Assist’ function which enabled the vehicle to steer into parallel and 90-degree angle parks while the driver operated the accelerator and brake pedals.

Features: WN Caprice V

The Caprice V was distinguished by its 19-inch alloy wheels with 245/40 R19 tyres, a 220 watt Bose sound system with nine speakers, an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, premium leather seats, heated front seats, colour head-up display, bi-xenon headlights, rain-sensing wipers, a rear seat entertai Nment system (with DVD player, remote control, auxiliary input and dual channel wireless headphones), heated door mirrors with automatic dipping on reverse, driver memory settings (seat and mirrors) and a power-operated sunroof.

From October 2014, ISOFIX anchorage points were fitted across all three rear seats.

Brochure

• Brochure: Holden WN Caprice (June 2013)

Related links

• Features: Holden WN Caprice (June 2013)
• Specifications: Holden WN Caprice (June 2013)
• Product Information: Holden VF Range (May 2013)
• Holden Media: New Holden Caprice – Luxury Lives Large (May 2013)

Review: Holden WN.II Caprice (2015-17)

Overview

Produced from September 2015, the Holden WN Series II (WN.II) Caprice was powered by GM’s 6.2-litre LS3 V8 engine and fitted with a bi-modal exhaust – including a Holden-designed ‘Baillie Tip’ – and mechanical sound enhancer.

Visually, the WN.II Caprice could be identified by its new 19-inch alloy wheel design, lip spoiler and single exhaust tips; a new ‘Empire Bronze’ paint finish was also introduced.

LS3 V8 engine

The all-aluminium, ‘Generation IV’ 6.2-litre LS3 pushrod V8 engine had a 103.25 mm bore and 92.0 mm stroke, flat-topped pistons, cast-steel roller rocker arms, roller cam followers, coil pack ignition, two valves per cylinder, hollow-stem intake valves, twin knock control sensors, distributorless ignition and a compression ratio of 10.7:1.

Compared to the L76 and L98 engines, the 6.2-litre LS3 V8 engine had longer bores (103.25 mm compared to 101.6 mm), a stronger block, higher-flow cylinder heads and injectors, hollow-stem intake valves, unique pistons, a more aggressive camshaft with 14.0 mm lift and a revised manifold. [su_table responsive=”yes”]

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Features: Calais V

Compared to its WN.I predecessor, standard features for the WN.II Caprice V were unchanged. As an extra-cost option, a Performance braking package was available.

From February 2017, the Holden WN.II Caprice V was fitted with a perforated leather steering wheel as per the Commodore SS-V Redline.

Brochure

• Brochure: Holden WN.II Caprice (September 2015)

Related links

• Wikipedia.org: Holden WM Caprice