Sporting style lifts the club

HSV had plenty to live up to when it was formed back in the late-1980s, following on as it did the legacy established by Peter Brock's HDT Special Vehicles.

Brock wove magic in a series of mundane Holdens and created cars deserving of the 'special' tag. Brock's cars are now very collectable.

Despite lacking the Brock name, HSV has established its own niche and has a strong following. Its most prominent and popular model has been the Clubsport, a name first attached to an HSV-modified Commodore in 1990.

It's been HSV's mantra that they build refined performance cars and the VY Clubsport was true to that concept. Words such as refinement, sophistication and quality were liberally splashed around on the release for the Y Series in 2002.

The addition of body kits had a dramatic effect on the Commodore's appearance, taking it from family-friendly four-door to sports stunner.

A lower stance, courtesy of the HSV-tuned suspension, was further enhanced by some sharp 18-inch alloy wheels filling out the wheel arches.

The Clubsport boasted sports seats, a leather-bound steering wheel, sports dials, bright colours and sports highlights to reinforce the concept while maintaining relative sophistication.

Under the skin lay sports shocks and springs, which produced a sporting bias and sharper turn-in. It also boasted the HSV Performance Braking package, which included larger ventilated front and rear discs, and larger front calipers.

The standard 5.7-litre LS1 V8 was boosted to 260kW at 5600rpm and 475Nm at 4000rpm, which made it capable of propelling the 1600kg Clubsport from zero to 100km/h in less than six seconds. HSV offered the choice of a four-speed auto or a six-speed manual, and drive was through the rear wheels. ABS antiskid stoppers and traction control assisted drivers.

For an even sportier ride there was the Clubsport R8 with added enhancements, particularly the improved braking from the Premium Braking package, which included larger front and rear discs, and more powerful calipers.

A year after the Y Series was released HSV updated it with a Series 2, which brought more power (285kW) and torque (510Nm), a heavy-duty four-speed auto, and on the R8 the Performance suspension that was previously only on the GTS model. Inside there were new seats with four-way power adjustment and new trim.

Poor resale has been an issue with HSV cars while Brock Commodores increase in value. The LS1 V8 suffered piston problems so check if it's had a rebuild. The Clubsport's suspension offers agile handling and responsive steering.

There's front and side airbags for the front seat occupant's safety. It's a tuned V8 so expect 13-15litresper 100km on average around town, 10-12 when you hit the highway.

Snapshot

HSV Clubsport

VY/VY 2

Years: 2002-2004

Price: $25,000-$28,000 for an early Y Series Clubsport; add $2500 for the R8. A VY 2 can be had for $28,000-$31,000; another $2500 will secure an R8.

Engine: 5.7L/V8; 260kW/475Nm

Economy: expect 13-15L/100km

Rating: 70/100

Verdict: Looks good, goes hard, but it's not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced driver.

Rivals

Falcon XR8

Years: 2003-2005

Price: $23,000-$30,000

BMW 540

Years: 2000-2003

Price: $40,000-$70,000

Jaguar XJ8

Years: 1997-2003

Price: $22,000-$70,000