Holden Statesman

The Holden Statesman is an automobile which wis produced bi Holden in Australie frae 1990 tae September 2010. The seemilar Holden Caprice, which wis awso introduced in 1990, continues in production. Atween 1971 an 1984, Holden marketit thair lang-wheelbase sedans unner the Statesman marque. The Statesman an Caprice are essentially lang-wheelbase variants o the Commodore range, an as o 2006, are the lairgest rear-wheel drive sedans affered bi GM. Internaitionally, Statesmans an Caprices are sauld as the Bitter Vero, Buick Park Avenue, the Chevrolet Caprice an the Daewoo Veritas. Previously, Statesmans hae been badged as the Buick Royaum an Daewoo Statesman.

The main difference atween the Statesman an the Caprice lies athin thair equipment packages; Caprices are commonly pouered bi V8 ingines rather than V6s, an whilst thay mey be thocht o as fully specified versions o thair Statesman siblings, the twa wur separate Holden models bi this period. Appearance wise, Caprices can be distinguisht bi thair unique interior an exterior trim sic as the grille. Tradeetionally, the Statesman alang wi the Caprice hae been direct rivals tae the Ford Fairlane an LTD correspondingly. Housomeivver, the 2008 discontinuation o the Fairlane an LTD haes ceased sic tradeetions.

In 2010, Holden made the decision tae discontinue the Statesman nameplate, instead reducin the price o the upmarket V6 Caprice an fillin the gap ance occupied bi the Statesman.

 Statesman (HQ–WB; 1971–1984) 


Prior tae the introduction o the Holden Statesman a Caprice models in 1990, Holden marketit its lang-wheelbase range throu a separate Statesman marque, absent o aw "Holden" brandin.Luck (1971), p. 62.Wright (1998), p. 336. "Back in 1971 when the HQ Statesman was launched, the name Holden was not even applied. Ridiculously, GM-H’s marketing people wanted to convince the public that somehow 'Statesman' was a marque rather than a model." Thir oreeginal vehicles, wur sauld throu the General Motors-Holden's dealership channel, an wur based on the mainstream Kingswood/Premier range, affering more luxury, additional lenth, an stylin tae differentiate it frae the smawer donor caurs.Wright (1998), p. 209. "...although the ineffective Brougham luxury model was replaced by the Statesman, which used a longer wheelbase and featured styling that set it more clearly apart from the smaller models." The first o sic caurs wur introduced in 1971 as the HQ series Statesman, replacin the short-lived Holden Brougham.Bebbington (1998), p. 40. "The all-new HQ series Holden was GM-H’s most important new model range to date. [...] The Brougham was replaced by the all-new Statesman...". Subsequent HJ, HX an HZ models wur updates tae the oreeginal HQ bodywirk,Bebbington (1998), p. 52. "GM-H [...] released the HZ series in October 1977, this being the fourth version of the HQ/HJ/HX body style." as wis the final WB series which introduced a new sax-windae glasshoose.Robinson (1980), p. 25. "...the WB has gained an extra windows in the C-pillar...". WB representit the maist significant update yet, wi ae the front doors an bonnet common wi the HZ sheetmetal.Bebbington (1998), p. 56. "[WB] Statesmans were more than minor facelift of the HZ. They had virtually all-new exterior sheetmetal, with only the front doors and bonnet carrying over from their predecessors." Notwithstandin thir alterations, the WB fell short o great mercat success, that is, till 1984 when production cessation wis annoonced, generatin a rapid sales ascent. For Holden, the decision haed been made—the line’s discontinuance wis perpetual.Davis, Wright (1994), p. 10–11. "...the days of the big Holden were short numbered. Late in 1984 GM-H announced it was vacating the big car field... Incredibly, sales of Statesman were on the rapid ascendent when production was stopped in 1984. However, GM-H was already irreversibly locked into the decision to discontinue the model line."

References

Category:Caurs o Australie
Category:Full-size vehicles
Statesman
Category:Luxury vehicles
Category:Rear wheel drive vehicles
Category:Sedans
Category:Vehicles introduced in 1990