wmcaprice.com - WM Holden Caprice

2006 Holden WM Caprice (credit: TopSpeed)

Welcome to the wmcaprice.com, dedicated to the legendary Australian long-wheelbase car and its exported variants. This site summarises information on the lineage, specifications and international variants of the WM Caprice. Feel free to take a look around and we hope to see you on our new Discussion Board!

The Elizabeth, South Australia-assembled WM series Holden Caprice was introduced onto the domestic market in September 2006. It replaced the WL series and, contrary to the historic trend with models such as the 1990 VQ and 1999 WH, the new car was released at the same time as its short-wheelbase Commodore siblings.

Based on a long-wheelbase version of the Australian 'Zeta' platform, the WM also broke tradition by sharing no exterior panels with the Commodore besides its front doors. Safety was a high priority including stability control, curtain airbags and an extraordinarily strong passenger compartment. Power for the 6.0 V8 was increased by 10 kW to 270, with the pair of extra ratios in the new 6 speed automatic further aiding efficiency. The bulk of the engine's weight was located behind the front axle for superior weight distribution. New features included Bose audio, 3-zone climate control, tyre pressure monitoring and bi-xenon headlamps.

Detail updates over the following 4 years included minor interior trim changes allowing for a full 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Active Fuel Management was belatedly added in '09, allowing the V8 to run on 4 cylinders under low-load conditions for improved fuel efficiency.

The Series II update in September 2010 added flex-fuel capability, meaning the car will run on any blend of ethanol from 0% up to 85%. This is reserved for the V8 for now, with the base 3.6 litre V6 presumably to follow suit in the future.

The series II also saw the dropping of the Caprice's cheaper stablemate, the Statesman. The V8 model is now known as Caprice V and, like the V6-powered base Caprice, includes the addition of a reversing camera, satellite navigation and a multi-function 'Holden-iQ' in-dash touch screen. The Caprice V is also equipped with an electric sunroof, previously optional, and a new 18" alloy wheel design (pictured above).

Holden Special Vehicles (HSV)

In line with a tradition dating 10 years prior, a sporty variant of the new Caprice called the HSV Grange was launched in January 2007. This so-called E-Series model featured more aggressive styling, 19" alloy wheels, a beefier 307 kW LS2 motor, uprated brakes and an American-derived 'Magnetic Ride Control' adjustable suspension system.

In April 2008 the Grange gained an extra 10 kW from the upgrade to the 6.2 litre LS3 motor. The following September it became an 'E2' model, gaining LED running lights and an optional bi-modal exhaust system to vary noise levels between two settings.

A further year later, the 2010 E3 added an advanced 'EDI' data-logging system to the regular Series II Caprice touch-screen, capable of providing real-time information on G forces, steering inputs, wheelspin and slides. A small power increase to 325 kW came courtesy of an improved LS3 previously reserved for the short-wheelbase HSV GTS model. A new lane departure warning feature was a first for an Australian car.

In response to both ecological and running-costs concerns, the option of a cutting-edge, liquid-injection LPG system added compatibility with a clean alternative fuel. In contrast to older systems, HSV's so-called LPi (liquid propane injection) suffered no power loss compared to petrol.