I had already been impressed by the entry-level Executive (which is taking an increasing presence in the important fleet market) for ride comfort, low NVH levels, body build integrity and general handling - all the things that make a good car good.

There are other derivatives, from the tidily-optioned Acclaim to the full-fruit-basket Calais, and then there's the SS - your basic sedan with 5 litre V8 and a choice of 5-speed manual or 4-speed auto, and a factory bodykit.

But exciting as they might have looked, SS models of the past were occasionally closer to hotrod than performance touring sedan, with small details often overlooked.

The VT-SS, however, gives the strong impression that every little detail has been scrupulously checked before it was allowed out of the factory gate.

Doors are a good indicator of build quality, and the VT's doors have a closing action that calls for a re-think by those who instinctively give a cardoor a good hard swing. Almost close the door then give a firm push and it closes, with not so much a `thunk' as a `thoonk' (hope that makes sense to you).

The SS has a `sport' suspension, but it often has you thinking you are riding on 60 or 65 series tyres, instead of serious low-profile rubber. Yet it turns into corners very neatly in response to steering, with beautifully predictable oversteer easily dialled up - the whole package is extremely well balanced.

But the biggest attraction of the SS is that visceral rumble, which is felt rather than heard as the 5.0 litre V8 kicks up its heels and gets the car moving with effortless ease.

Standard powerplant  in the SS punches out 179 kiloWatts of power (which makes it the second 179 engine in Holden's 50-year history.) Though admittedly, good as the legendary 179 cubic inch "red motor" of 1964 may have been,  it falls a long way short of this wee beastie...

The specification brochure says there is also the option of a 195 kW version, which doubtless offers an even firmer kick in the kidneys when the loud pedal is pressed, and is hopefully just as sweetly  matched by the smoothness of the 5-speed Getrag manual gearshift. It may not have the shortest `throw' between gears ever encountered, but the shift action is flawless.

A drawback to such exuberance, even in the 179kW V8, is its thirst. The SS  averaged 16.5 L/100km (17mpg) on our test, with the saving grace that it does not insist on costly (and often hard to find in country areas) premium unleaded. Happily for rural buyers of this car, it is content with regular unleaded. (And then of course, there is JT's own `theory of relativity'; that petrol consumption is an inverse square to the depression of the right foot…)

It would have been good to see a performance sedan like this fitted with a smaller diameter steering wheel, with an appearance that  reflected its capabilities, instead of just a standard item wrapped in leather. But we remain impressed by the vents, which deliver generous quantities of fresh air, and are easily adjusted to provide warm feet/cool face.

The front seats are quite broad, comfortable for persons who buy their clothes from the XXL rack, yet particularly good in terms of lateral support when cornering.

VT's power height and tilt adjustment on the driving seat still seems odd when taken in context with manual controls for everything else, but it works well. And the spring-loaded tilt adjustable headrests are a nice touch.

It looks meaner than your common or garden variety Commodore, and has all the grunt and handling needed to match its appearance. There is just one question raised by the all-round prowess of the VT-SS (and it could be a tricky one for buyers balancing desires against dollars) ; do you really need to look at other letters in the alphabet ? You know - letters such as H, S or V…