HSV offers cut-price muscle

The cut-price contenders set a new starting sticker for the Holden heroes at $59,990, although a new Maloo does even better at $53,990.  The cars are called GXP and they come as HSV looks to spark renewed interest with fans of the brand who have found the bottom line getting too tough.

"There are a lot of people who have the aspiration to get into an HSV but can't quite make it. This will help them to live their dreams," says Phil Harding, managing director of HSV.  "We think it will bring in people for whom, perhaps, the elastic has broken. It will bring them back to the brand."

He denies any cut-price panic at the hot Holden brand and says there was always a plan to push down at the bottom end of the range.  "We're not discounting HSV. When we launched E1 we left room at the bottom end. We didn't come out with a Clubbie, we came out with an R8," Harding says.

"We've been searching for something to sit under the R8. Now we're taking the opportunity. We'll see how it goes."  The ClubSport GXP and Maloo GXP both come with HSV's 6.2-litre LS3 V8, still with 317 kiloWatts and 550 Newton-metres of torque, each with a special suspension tune and a Brembo brake package unique to the GXP.

There is a unique rear fascia, E2 running lamps, fascia, hood and fender vent.  Inside, the GXP gets the E2 ClubSport R8 package with sports cloth seats.  So, what's missing?

"Specification wise, it doesn't have launch control and ESP. Or the wider rear wheels," admits Harding, but he says it's a competitive package.
"The walk-up to the R8 is still good value. Life is good at the top end and now we're having a go at the bottom.

HSV is targeting up to 750 GXP sales, which could be close to 20 per cent of its total volume in 2010, but Harding admits the program is still a bit of a gamble.  "It's worth having a good go, and that's the view we took. We're going to go for it," he says.  "I want to see how it goes. It's difficult to know."

The GXP models go into production in February, although HSV - like every brand - is pushing the investment-allowance benefits of signing up before the end of the year.