1999 Holden Statesman 3.8L V6 4AT RWD (200 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Holden introduced the second generation of the Statesman lineup in 1999, and the car shared its platform with the brand’s flagship model, the Caprice, which was basically the same vehicle but with better options.

Introduced in 1970 as an upscale brand for Holden, the Statesman tried to compete in the luxury segment. Unfortunately, that car came at a bad time, and the sales stalled. However, those vehicles lasted until 1984, when the Australian automaker decided to pull the plug on them. Six years later, in 1990, Holden resurrected the Statesman nameplate as a distinct model in its lineup. The first generation, known as the VQ, and its subsequent facelifted versions, the VR and the VS, lasted until 1999, when Holden launched the second generation of the car, the WH. The 1999 Holden Statesman shared its underpinnings with the European Opel/Vauxhall Omega and its Commodore stablemate. The production of the Statesman’s second generation lasted until 2006, with two facelifted versions in 2003 and 2004.

The 1999 Holden Statesman had a front fascia inspired by the bio-design trend, which was already a dying breed in other parts of the world. Its rounded-shaped headlights flanked a chromed grille with rounded corners featuring three horizontal and three vertical slats. Later, along with the first facelift, the automaker took the angular-shaped headlights from the 2002 Commodore and placed them on the Statesman, and the result was a better-looking vehicle. On the lower side of the bumper, the Statesman WH had a slim and wide air intake flanked by a set of fog lamps.

Even though the car shared many parts with the Commodore, it had specific front fenders with more rounded shapes. However, the windshield, the front doors with body-colored door mirrors, and handles were carried over from its smaller sibling. Unlike that, it sported color-keyed rubber stripes that adorned the side of the vehicle. The rear doors were wide and eased ingress and egress to the most important occupants of the vehicle. After all, Holden created the car for upper management and state officials. At the back, the 1999 Statesman had corner-mounted taillights with rounded edges, visually connected via a red and clear stripe that ran from side to side, integrated into the lower area of the trunk lid.

The cabin followed the same bio-design theme created by the automaker for the car. Fronting the driver was a rounded-shaped dashboard that featured a long and curved visor above the instrument cluster and the center stack. A four-dial instrument panel featuring large dials for the speedometer and the tachometer fronted the driver. Below them, the automaker installed three LCDs for the odometer and the onboard computer’s readouts. The wood grains on the center stack offered the vehicle an upscale look. It integrated a standard Blaupunkt sound system with an available CD player. Between the driver and the side passenger, on the center console, Holden placed the controls for the power windows, the gear selector, and an armrest with a storage area underneath. At the back, there was ample legroom for all three passengers that could occupy the bench seat. Since the 1999 Holden Statesman was created mostly for those seated in the back, the car manufacturer also placed a set of vents at the center console’s rear end.

Even though it shared its platform with the European Opel/Vauxhall Omega B (the second generation of that nameplate), the 1999 Holden Statesman was fitted with Australian or American engines, depending on the version. The V6 was made by Holden, while the 5.7-liter V8 came from the Land of the Free. Both versions were married with a four-speed automatic transmission with an available limited-slip differential, which was very useful, especially for the higher-displacement version of the car.