The W427 . . . facelift to distinguish it from other HSV sedans. Photo Gallery
HSV's 370kW of thunder, the W427, starts production in July with a potential order book far outstripping its limited production run.
There is much interest about the car dubbed Australia's fastest production vehicle.
HSV managing director Scott Grant has 1500 expressions of interest and yet has production plans of only 200 of the hand-built special sedans.
Prices are now being crunched but Grant sees it falling in the $150,000 to $170,000 slot, a bit higher than the $125,000-plus hint dropped by HSV at the model's Melbourne Motor Show debut.
But the price could be even higher. What won't change is the 200 production run though Grant won't rule out a second-tier model line using the same drivetrain.
Only six W427 — for Walkinshaw and the imperial-measure cubic-inch capacity of the engine — cars will be made each week.
“We can only manage six a week,” Grant said. “We're saying 200 today. But when we fix the price, we'll also confirm production numbers.
“We'll stick at 200. But we could produce variations on that theme.”
The W427 celebrates the 20 years of HSV that started in 1988 using the VL Commodore donor. Only 421 sales were made in 1988 compared with 5222 in 2007.
Grant is aiming at 80 builds of the GTS-based W427 this calendar year and the remaining 120 in 2009.
The 427cublic inch (7-litre engine) produces 370kW at 6500rpm and 640Nm at 5000rpm to be the most powerful HSV road-going model.
The engine is based on the US-made LS7 though fine-tuned by HSV with cold-air induction, ceramic-coated 4-into-1 extractors and active twin-mode rear mufflers.
Inserting the 7-litre V8 has proved to be a shoehorning exercise made awkward because of the engine's dry-sump design that requires a separate oil canister under the bonnet. The battery has been relocated to the boot to make some room.
The W427 gets a new face to distinguish it from other HSV sedans, a carbon-fibre rear lip spoiler, 20-inch “cookie cutter” wheels, uprated springs that are 30 per cent stiffer than HSV's GTS and new adjustable MRC suspension settings. It sits 20mm lower than the GTS. It also uses six-piston brake calipers.
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