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HSV Clubsport LSA and Maloo LSA 2015 review

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EXPERT RATING
8.0

Likes

  • Democratisation of horsepower
  • Awesome acceleration
  • Superb ride comfort despite low profile tyres

Dislikes

  • Too quiet
  • The price rise
  • There won't be another one after this

Meet the fastest and most powerful family wagon ever made in Australia: the HSV Clubsport LSA.

Those last three letters may not mean much to the uninitiated, but LSA is the model code for the supercharged 6.2-litre V8 previously found in high performance Cadillacs and Camaros in the US -- and the flagship HSV GTS in Australia for the past two years.

Talk about going out with a bang. Holden has clearly come a long way from the limited edition “Vacationer” models of the Commodore wagons from the 1980s, complete with sun blinds.

Better late than never, the supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine has been added to the Clubsport sedan and wagon and Maloo ute as the car maker empties the big guns before the end of local production.

It is now less than two years before the Holden car factory in the Adelaide suburb of Elizabeth falls silent, and the shutdown will mark the end of an era for its performance car partner, Holden Special Vehicles.

While HSV -- a separate entity to Holden -- plans to live on, it will no longer be working its magic on locally-made cars.

Instead of making design and engineering changes to homegrown models -- and then adding the finishing touches after the cars have been trucked from Adelaide to HSV’s production facility in Melbourne -- HSV will turn its hand to imported vehicles.

What the HSVs of the future will look like, no-one is saying.

After about five attempts in each we eked out a 4.8-second time in both cars.

But it’s a fair bet nothing will be as exciting as HSV’s current line-up, given General Motors has confirmed there will be no V8 sedan in Holden’s future.

What we have here is a slightly detuned version of the 430kW/740Nm supercharged V8 found in the HSV GTS.

The result in the Clubsport and Maloo is a still healthy 400kW of power and 671Nm of torque. 

HSV reckons buyers of the GTS  (which didn’t get more power with this model update) still have something special because it won’t be easy for Clubsport and Maloo customers to take their car to an aftermarket tuner and find more power. 

In the Clubsport and Maloo, HSV engineers removed the GTS sedan’s unique “two-mode” air intake that enables it to suck in as much air as possible.

We ran 0 to 100km/h acceleration tests using our satellite based timing equipment to find out the difference.

After about five attempts in each we eked out a 4.8-second time in both cars.

It was a lot easier to get the time out of the Clubsport than the ute because there is more weight over the rear tyres, and the auto transmission launches hard (0 to 60km/h in 2.5 seconds, versus 2.6 for the manual).

By way of comparison, we’ve previously done a 4.6-second time in a HSV GTS and a 5.2 in the new Commodore SS.

For the record, HSV claims 4.4 seconds for the GTS and 4.6 for the Clubsport LSA and Maloo LSA.






With the usual disclaimers of “don’t try this at home” and “race track only”, it’s worth pointing out those claims are in ideal conditions: a grippy road surface, cool air temperatures, hot rear tyres and an engine that hasn’t been running too long. While the supercharged V8 gets the headlines, the Clubsport LSA and Maloo LSA also get the heavy duty hardware from the GTS to handle the extra grunt, including stronger gearboxes, tail-shafts, differential and axles. HSV says currency pressure and extra hardware are behind the price rises of up to $9500 for the Maloo, Clubsport and Senator, to $76,990, $80,990 and $92,990 respectively.  The GTS has risen by $1500 to $95,900, meaning there is a $15,000 gap to the Clubsport. Auto adds $2500 to all models, except the $85,990 Clubsport LSA wagon which is auto only.

On the road

There is no doubt the Clubsport LSA is the fastest wagon Australia has ever built, but you can feel the computer wizardry starve it of power below 4000rpm, at which point the engine comes alive. It takes next to no time to hit the rev limiter at 6200rpm (the same as the GTS). Once the LSA is on the boil it feels like nothing will stop it. Fortunately it’s equipped with the biggest brakes ever fitted to a Clubsport. The other impressive thing about the Clubsport is the ride comfort over bumps. How HSV has managed to make these big brutes feel supple is quite an engineering feat. But one thing that’s too subtle is the sound. HSV may have the biggest gun in town, but the latest Holden Commodore SS-V Redline sounds tougher and more powerful, even if it isn’t.

HSV Clubsport 2015: R8

Safety Rating
Engine Type V8, 6.2L
Fuel Type Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency 12.9L/100km (combined)
Seating 5
Price From $49,610 - $56,980

Verdict

And that will leave Holden enthusiasts with a dilemma: buy the $55,000 Holden that sounds like a V8, or buy the $85,000 supercharged beast that's too quiet most of the time.

Is it worth the extra money to get to the speed limit 0.4-seconds quicker than the latest Commodore SS? That’s the $30,000 question. 

Related: Joshua Dowling's 1400km mega test of the 6.2-litre Holden SS-V Redline

Which way would you go? Supercharged HSV might or budget-brawler Holden SS? Tell us in the comments below.

 

HSV Clubsport Wagon LSA
Price $85,990 plus on-road costs
Warranty 3 years/100,000 km 
Capped servicing $1316 over 3 years
Service interval 9 months/15,000km 
Safety 5 stars  
Engine Supercharged 6.2-litre V8, 400kW/671Nm  
Transmission 6-speed auto; RWD
Thirst 15.0L/100km  
Dimensions 4978mm (L), 1899mm (W), 1454mm (H), 2915mm (WB)
Weight 1974kg  
Spare Temporary spare
0-100km/h 4.8 secs

Pricing Guides

$77,249
Based on 16 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.
LOWEST PRICE
$61,990
HIGHEST PRICE
$94,999

Range and Specs

Vehicle Specs Price*
R8 6.2L, Premium Unleaded Petrol, 6 SPEED AUTO ACTIVE SEQUENTIAL $49,610 - $56,980
R8 Tourer LSA 6.2L, Premium Unleaded Petrol, 6 SPEED AUTO ACTIVE SEQUENTIAL $64,680 - $74,360
See all 2015 HSV Clubsport in the Range
*Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price
Joshua Dowling
National Motoring Editor
Joshua Dowling was formerly the National Motoring Editor of News Corp Australia. An automotive expert, Dowling has decades of experience as a motoring journalist, where he specialises in industry news.
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$61,990
Lowest price, based on third party pricing data.
For more information on
2015 HSV Clubsport
See Pricing & Specs

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