For our trip to the Spring Car Nationals in Shepparton, Holden were kind enough to hand over the keys to one of their brand new VE Omegas to use over the weekend.
It proved to be perfect vehicle for the trip, giving great comfort levels, economy and more than adequate poke for the millions of speed cameras we were to encounter.

It’s hard to comprehend when stepping into an Omega that they actually the lowest spec model in the Commodore range, with plenty of nice dress up bits and interior gadgetry that kept us amused for hours. There is an absolute bucket load of room available inside the VE, with compartments available everywhere to store little bits and pieces. It was even discovered that a can of Red Bull will perfectly fit into the overhead sunglass storage compartment.

With all the marketing hype surrounding the VE, and how much time, money and effort was put into the design of the car, I had some huge expectations to be filled. One of the first things that you will notice when taking a seat in the new Commodore is the excellent drivers seating position. Holden have done a fantastic job in locating the pedals and steering wheel in positions that just feels right. Other interesting interior highlights are the easy to read, nicely illuminated LCD read out that sits right in the centre of the speedometer and tachometer. This display can just about show anything you want it too, such as speed, distance traveled, fuel economy, radio station, track number etc.

So how does it go? Well, when I noticed the little red sticker on the number plate that read ‘LPG’, I had little expectations of it being a traffic light warrior. While it is by no means a weapon on the street, performance is enhanced by a little trick that happens behind the scenes, and that you would not even know was happening at all. Once the right foot is buried into the floor, the LPG system automatically switches over the petrol to optimize acceleration performance. This transition period is that unnoticeable, it is impossible to tell when it is happening except for the little LED above the fuel readout changes colour. Acceleration is impressive considering the weight of the car, and the torque to climb hills is readily available from about 2,500rpm onwards. Despite overly soft suspension, the steering still feels quite direct, with the car eager to respond to every twitch of the wheel. But don’t forget this is the taxi-spec VE, with the SS models fitted with a much more ‘race friendly’ package.

The VE is a well thought out bit of gear, with just about every aspect of the perfect drive covered. We even found it to be very efficient, covering nearly 600kms with only just over $30 worth of LPG.

Stepping out of the car at Sydney, I was rather reluctant to hand the keys back, but of course, the thought of losing my job and becoming a fugitive for the sake of scoring an Omega just didn’t outweigh the consequences that would follow in my head. Had it been an SS V, the outcome may have been somewhat different.