By DAVID PIKE

The VK was the first major body change in the compact Commodore series. Even though it used some body panels from the VB-VC-VH, it had much more aggressive looks with a stronger grille/bumper look at the front. At the rear all panels were new, with a split C-pillar holding a third side window. The tail was higher and squarer in shape. The overall result was a sedan that looked longer and tougher than the VH.

Bigger looks were also achieved in the VK Commodore wagons. Though it retained the same basic body style of the preceding compact Commodores, it used a bolder three-slat grille and a bumper with deeper styling that worked into the lower grille section.

There was a major restyle inside the VK Commodore. It included a set of somewhat ugly, square-faced instruments in the cheaper models and, then fashionable, digital instruments in the topline model. The instruments were a styling failure and were soon slated for a total revamp in the Commodore.

The introduction of an electronically fuel-injected version of the 3300 six was the high point of the VK redesign. The engine, which could trace its ancestry all the way back to the EH in 1963, surprised the critics with its newfound vigour in combination with impressive tractability, fuel economy and smoothness. So good was the injected 3.3 that it made the 4.2-litre V8 redundant.

The injected six was standard fitment in the Calais and optional on other models. The carburettored 5.0-litre V8 was offered across the entire VK range, including the wagons for the first time. The 1.9-litre four and 2.85 litre six were dropped as Holden finally remembered that Australian drivers liked big engines with plenty of grunt. Both small motors remained in production, however, for supply to export markets.

With the arrival of the VK Commodore came some model name changes also. Gone were the SL/E and SL/X suffixes previously used to classify different equipment levels and in came model names. The Holden Calais replaced the SL/E - here the name Calais replaced the name Commodore - whilst the Commodore Berlina took over from the Commodore SL/X and a new Executive model slotted in between the baseline SL and the well-equipped Berlina.

The Calais was more differentiated from cheaper Commodores than the previous SL/E models. Body styling set the Calais apart and a two-tone finish was a design feature, this time with the lower areas done in polycarbonate plastic and set off with alloy wheels.

As well as digital instruments and cruise control the interior had plush velour upholstery with the option of leather. The VK showed a return by Holden to its roots. No longer did it pretend to be European, it was distinctly Australian in both its looks and underbonnet features.