I went to buy a couple of odds and sods for the Senator today and had a look at the ZB while I was at the yard. Spoke to a young salesman there and even though I made it clear I wasn't in the market, we got chatting and discovered we were both right into cars. Anyway long story short, he was bored because they were in the process of moving premises and no one was around, so he showed me all around a CalaisV. I would have been there for a good hour and a half while I drove it around the yard and he explained the various new features it has over VF.
One I really liked was a feature that removed any feel of roughness (ie driving over gravel etc) through the steering column, really neat I thought. The car definitely gives the impression of quality and has a feeling of being a generation ahead of VF. The materials, the fit and finish etc is beyond VF, not by a huge margin, but enough.
In saying that however, it seems almost TOO refined to wear the commodore badge. Our cars have always had a slightly raw feeling about them (I think you all know what I mean), and it's that unique Australian feel about them that made them ours and ours alone. This newcomer, whilst undoubtedly a cracking car in its own right, just doesn't have that same aura about it. But...it is a very good car.
I think it will sell well, and to be honest, it deserves to. All of us here would still love for Elizabeth to be churning out our favourite car, but we know that's done and dusted. I think we need to look to the future and give this Kraut a go, after all it's the best we are going to get.
