updated running gear included a new electronically controlled version of the GM 4L60-E automatic transmission, and the latest revision of the Buick 3.8-litre V6 engine. The engine now featured rolling-element bearings in the valve rocker arms, increasing compression ratios from the VQ II series engine. The revised V6 was now standard on the Statesman and available for the very first time as an option on the Caprice. These changes combined to deliver an increase in power to and further improvement in noise, vibration, and harshness levels. In terms of equipment, a driver's airbag became standard on both the Statesman and Caprice. For the VR series, Holden no longer used separate model designations for its Statesman and Caprice. Instead, they adopted the same two-letter title as the Commodore. This same principle applied for the VS models, but not for those succeeding it. VS The VS, launched in April 1995, saw the introduction of the updated Ecotec (Emissions and Consumption Optimisation through TEChnology) version of the Buick V6 engine which coincided with the changes to the engine in the United States. The Ecotec engine packed 13 percent more power, an increase of over the VR. Holden mated the new engine with a modified version of the GM 4L60-E automatic transmission, bringing improved throttle response and smoother changes between gears. Series II and III revisions came in September 1996 and June 1998, mainly consisting of a more rounded rear treatment and new alloy wheel designs. The Series II also heralded the introduction of the L67 Supercharged V6. This engine slotted in between the existing V6 and V8 engines and was officially rated at , just below the V8, though a HSV option for the 5.0-litre V8 was available. A special edition Statesman International was briefly offered in October 1995 and again as a Series II in February 1997. For the Statesman, Holden included the ten-stack Compact Disc player from the VR Caprice as standard. A new two-stage door remote was also made standard across the range. The remote, located on the key fob allows for just the driver's door to be unlocked. Safety-wise, a passenger airbag was introduced as standard in the VS range, following the introduction of a driver's airbag on the VR series. The Used Car Safety Ratings, undertaken by the Monash University Accident Research Centre, found that first generation Statesmans (VQ–VS) provide an "average level" of occupant safety protection in