The buzz generated by the Burns & Co auction of the Echuca National Holden Motor Museum and the brown NZ-spec VN Berlina 2.0Ei inspired us to dig further for more obscure Holden treasure.
There are plenty of obscure treasures listed in the aforementioned auction, such as this HJ Statesman Coupe. It features a 308ci V8 and an automatic transmission. As the story goes, area director of GMH Asia Pacific Region, Max Wilson, apparently wanted the luxury of a Cadillac but not in a common sedan form.
It’s understood only three of these Statesman Coupes were ever made, making this quite a rare find. It looks like it was originally sold through Suttons Holden in Homebush, Sydney.
One car we found that spiked our interest is a 1998 Holden VS ‘Royale’. Listed on trademe.co.nz, the Royale was, for a while, the Calais equivalent in New Zealand. You’ll notice this VS II has a Caprice front end and something else more bizarre under the bonnet.
Plucked from the locally-assembled JS series II Holden Vectra V6 is the 2.5-litre X25XE V6. This motor was mooted as the successor to the Dual Ram 2.6-litre Opel inline-six for Holden’s Asia Pacific export program – due to punitive taxes on cars with big engines.
With 125KW and 227Nm, it is significantly down on the boat anchor 3.8 Ecotec Buick, but would have probably been more refined. Oddly enough, this engine was also available in the Opel Omega B, which sired the VT Commodore.
This car was reportedly the result of a cancelled order from GM Singapore, due to exorbitant import tariffs and the 1997 Asian financial crisis, meaning a handful of cars were redirected to New Zealand to be sold alongside the newer VT. Up to this point, a version of the VS was sold in Singapore as the Opel Calais.
Our quest for underpowered Commodores doesn’t end there. A five-speed manual VN Berlina 2.0Ei has popped up on Facebook NZ for NZD$13,000 as well. This indicates they are getting thin on the ground, either due to being converted or their lack of desirability from new.
Have you encountered any of these rare beasts in real life? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
