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| Car Comparison - Ford AU Fairlane Ghia V8 v Holden WH Statesman V8 |
| From CarPoint Nowhere in the world do prestige and luxury cars come as large, powerful and downright affordable as they do in Australia. The Ford Fairlane and Holden Statesman are long-standing names on the prestige scene, and while the latest AU Fairlane is a recent addition to the range after its February 1999 launch date, the WH Statesman is a whole new proposition. It's a long-wheelbase version of the VT Commodore with fresh styling, a glossed-over interior and a bigger boot. It also has the availability of Holden's Chevrolet-sourced Gen III V8 engine. While the V6 versions soldier on in naturally aspirated and supercharged form, 5.7 litres of American alloy engine gives prestige buyers a powerful new reason to consider the Statesman. Over the years it has been obvious these type of customers love V8s for their easy but solid performance and also their towing ability. We've taken the new WH Statesman fitted with the Gen III V8 and put it up against its nearest rival from Ford, the V8-powered Fairlane Ghia. They are not quite the pinnacle of local luxury � those laurels rest with the more expensive, but identically powered Caprice and LTD � but for less than $60,000 it's difficult to think of anything else that measures up. Verdict Given these cars are very close in terms of size, interior space, pricing and equipment levels, there must be something to separate them. There is, and almost all the cards fall the Statesman's way. In isolation the Fairlane is quite a classy act, with the exceptions of its noisy suspension, which detracts from its feeling of prestige, and the ride quality which is a little too jiggly for comfort. Then there's the look of the car. Some may say styling is a subjective thing, but from most angles and when placed alongside the Statesman, the Fairlane looks wrong. Otherwise it has strong on-road performance, nice flat handling and plenty of room inside. The Statesman, however, is a full step above its Ford rival. The towering performance of the big V8 is one thing, but that it's not at the expense of excessive fuel consumption is a big bonus. The transmission could be a lot smoother, but qualities such as a very supple ride, low noise levels and a more classy interior than the Fairlane count in its favour. Nobody could argue it is short of space, especially in the rear seat which counts so much in a segment where size equals prestige. Holden has managed to combine bulk with refinement, an excellent achievement, and the Statesman can't help but be a better prestige buy than the Fairlane in this case. |
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