Holden Caprice in depth

If the Commodore doesn't offer you enough space in a piece of rear-wheel Australiana, then there's always the Caprice. But just how different is the long wheelbase car?

Unlike previous stretched Falcons and Commodores, this Caprice features unique rear doors that are appropriately sized.

Measuring just shy of 5.2m long, the Caprice certainly isn't wanting for size.

The rounded roofline certainly does a fair impression of the Audi.

The Caprice V is fitted with xenon headlights with pop-out washers.

Developed locally, the Caprice is sold in the Gulf as a Chevy and will soon be available to American police forces as an undercover vehicle.

LED tail-lights have been a feature of Caprices for a little while now.

Framing the Holden lion in wreaths (almost) makes us think of Cadillac.

Badging is no longer carried on the boot's now plain chrome strip.

The vents may be cosmetic, but it does come equipped with nice LED indicators.

Still no wing mirror indicators, but the Caprice V does come with puddle lighting.

Bumpers, headlights and the like are all unmolested, so the visual differences between Series I and II Caprices are minimal. Look closely and you might notice the new alloy wheel design and Series II badging.

Go for the regular Caprice and there's a 3.6-litre V6 under the bonnet. Step up to the V-Series (pictured) and you'll find a 6-litre V8 doing duty instead.

The V8 likes to drink and it doesn't mind what it drinks, so long as it's unleaded.

The dash is obviously Commodore related, but is laid out differently and there's a rather nice strip of aluminium running around too.

The instruments are not just classier than those on the Commodore, but they're actually legible because they're not as keen on catching and reflecting daylight.

The front passenger's seat is all the way back and there's still plenty of leg room for the passenger behind.

Bolsters on the outboard seats hold the passengers in should the driver get a little excited by the road ahead.

If you're not careful this thing could wedge your thumb in.

A six-speed auto is the only transmission offered in the Caprice line.

A two-zone air-con system is present on the Caprice, with an extra zone available on the Caprice V.

The boot release lives in the glovebox.

It doesn't feel the most sturdy, but the rear-seat cup holders slide out from under the seat.

A 10-speaker, 220W Bose system is included with the Caprice V, but the results aren't mind blowing.

Each headrest has a screen and a headphone jack. The passenger's side also contains an additional auxiliary jack.

The controls for the rear-seat entertainment system, as well as the climate control air-con, are in the headlining. Rear seat passengers can partake in the entertainment being served up by those in the front pews, or watch their own movies or listen to their own music.

Infrared wireless headphones are powered by AA batteries.

DVDs being played in the back can be view in the front, but only when the car's parked.

The 535-litre boot can only be expanded via a ski port. The boot itself has no interior grab handle, so be prepared for some dirty fingers.

A full-size alloy spare wheel resides under the boot.

A radar-guided system would be nice in a vehicle like this.

Rain-sensing wipers work well, unless the rain is patchy and light.

The reversing camera sits naked on the boot's chrome strip, making it easy for dirt, dust or water droplets to (sometimes fully) obscure the lens.

It's not the highest resolution camera we've seen.

Given the car's size and the reversing camera's rather basic flaw, it's a good thing parking sensors are included.