THE strides made by Australian car manufacturers on improving efficiency of their large passenger sedans and wagons are no more evident than with the Calais Sportwagon 3.6 SIDI. With the benefit of direct injection and a decent boost in power and torque, the new 3.6 SIDI has lifted the Commodore six-cylinder engine out of aged mediocrity and into smooth modernity. Could this finally become the Holden six-cylinder that has a more rounded blend of performance, refinement and economy than the Commodore V8?
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Calais Sportwagon 3.6
Released: September 2006
Ended: September 2009
Family Tree: CommodoreMUSCULAR, handsome, strong and safe, the 2006 to 2009 VE Calais is an excellent example of the evolution of the great Australian family car.As part of the one billion-dollar development project, the spacious and comfortable Holden offered aggressive styling and European-like dynamics, but the lacklustre 195kW/340Nm 3.6-litre Alloytec V6 and five-speed automatic combination seemed to belong to an older American sedan.Ho-hum fuel consumption didn’t help the Calais’ cause either, but this did not stop it being a remarkable and compelling value story.
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