2004 HSV Avalanche Reviews

If you’ve been dreaming of owning one of these rare high-performance cars, the Melbourne-based company has just made the move into performance territory more palatable. It has launched two new entry models, the ClubSport GXP and Maloo GXP with driveaway pricing of $61,990 for the six-speed manual sedan and $55,990 for the manual.  The cars are based on the Pontiac GXP, which sold for a brief period in the United States.HSV says the sedan and ute are ‘limited editions’, meaning just 400 sedans and 350 utes will be built.  However, HSV executives are mindful that as an entry level car, both are expected to sell out quickly.HSV general manager sales and marketing, Darren Bowler, says it is unlikely the GXP will join the lineup as a new model, beyond the limited edition cars.  “We don’t want too many variants in our model range,” he says.However, the company has left the door open for a similarly priced entry level model at some time in the future.  “We will learn a lot from this exercise and if they work, we will look at it,” Bowler says.HSV managing director, Phil Harding, says the cars are designed to bring new customers to the brand.  “Importantly, both cars also adhere to the HSV brand pillars of performance, handling and unique design,” he says. Harding says it “was always our objective to find a solution for the model that sat below the ClubSport R8”.  “We received a lot of customer inquiries for a model like that and GXP provided us with that opportunity,” he says.There are many common parts between the GXP and the ClubSport R8, including the 317kW/550Nm 6.2-litre V8.  The cars also get unique suspension settings, a Brembo brake package, E Series 2 daylight running lights, E Series 2 front bumper and bonnet and mudguard vents.Harding is quick to point out that the GXP pair were not a result of left over components from the Pontiac parts bin.  “There is a great danger that you might refer to this program as inventory user,” he says.“It’s absolutely nothing of that sort. And certainly companies these days don’t end up with stuff left over; certainly we don’t.  “In terms of building these cars new parts have had to be ordered.”Body and appearanceIt’s no surprise the GXP looks familiar. It uses the same name as the Pontiac G8 GXP model sold briefly in the United States and phased out early this year.  For Australia both the ute and sedan get a mix of Clubsport R8 interior and exterior tweaks, including the same 6.2-litre V8 developing 317kW and 550Nm.The ClubSport GXP gets a unique rear bumper on the sedan with a blacked-out diffuser into which the quad exhausts are set.  The ute follows a less is more treatment with the rear end and looks similar to an SS ute. Instead of the Maloo hardcover tonneau, the GXP ute opts for a soft-cover.DrivetrainThe 6.2-litre V8 is already a well proven beast in the ClubSport and this engine is the one and only choice here.PricesBoth models will debut with driveaway pricing of $61,990 for the ClubSport GXP sedan manual and $55,990 for the Maloo GXP manual ute. Autos attract another $2000.  Options include satellite navigation, rear park assist, sunroof and roof-mounted DVD player for the sedan.InteriorClubSport R8 owners will recognize the cabin. The sedan gets HSV sports seats with cloth trim while the Maloo gets the performance sports seats. There is also a dual zone climate control system, 6.5’’ multi-function colour display screen, electric windows and Blaupunkt stereo with six-disc in-dash CD player. There are 11 speakers in the sedan and seven in the ute.EquipmentOutside there are projector headlights, daytime running lights, bonnet scoops, chrome mirror housings and chrome door handle surrounds, sports tail lights on the sedan, soft tonneau cover with HSV logo on the ute, 19-inch Series I alloys.  Inside there is a leather wrapped HSV multi-function steering wheel, trip computer, alloy faced pedals, tyre pressure monitors, HSV sports instruments and triple centre mounted gauges.Both models are available in Heron White, Nitrate, Sting Red, Phantom, Voodoo and Karma. The ClubSport GXP is also available in Evoke.SafetyDual front, side and curtain airbags with seatbelt load limiters, limited slip differential, four piston Brembo performance brakes, electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes and traction control.DrivingIF the GTS has too much “bling” for your liking then the GXP sedan is a natural choice.  The car steers, brakes and accelerates just like a HSV should but without the “look at me” styling.  That doesn’t mean it’s not without some nice touches, from the mudguard vents and bonnet vents to the skillfully crafted diffuser treatment on the sedan’s rear bumper.Inside there are touches of the ClubSport R8 around the cabin, and that’s a good thing. To keep the price down it misses the launch control function.  The sedan is a smooth operator when it comes to the nip and tuck of every day traffic. The V8 will help dispatch slowcoaches easily and without drama.The most surprising thing about the Maloo GXP is that it is a ute. You have to keep checking the rear view mirrors because until you drive it, you’ll dismiss it as just another ute. It’s not.And that’s the key to all HSVs. There is some serious under the skin engineering on the suspensions, engines and steering to back up the go-fast looks.  HSV’s general manager sales and marketing Darren Bowler calls the GXP a “sleeper”.  He might be right but if you hang around too long this sleeper will rocket out of showrooms.At a glanceEngine: 6.2-litre LS3 Gen 4 V8Price: $61,990 sedan, $55,990 Maloo ute.Power: 317kW at 6000 revsTorque: 550Nm at 4600 revs. 

Diehard fans can recall famous Bathurst victories of up to 40 years ago that they watched trackside or on the couch year-by-year. They remember the legendary drivers who used to race roadcars around the mountain at breakneck speed.But the V8 Supercars that tore themselves to pieces around the new Homebush track  have little in common with the road-going V8s on sale today.  Rising fuel prices have scared many away from buying a V8 for the road but there is a passionate core keeping the bent-eight flag flying high. Sales figures this year show the V8 is a constant in a dwindling big-car market.Holden director of sales John Elsworth says 10 to 14 per cent of Commodore sales this year are V8-engined machines and that hasn't changed "for years".  At Holden and Ford's performance arms, Holden Special Vehicles and Ford Performance Vehicles, V8 sales are the core of their existence.One of the biggest V8 fans is Sam Mangiapane who owns two HSVs. Mangiapane bought a new HSV GTS this year and also has a VY Clubsport. He is the vice-president of the HSV Owners Club of NSW.  The GTS has a 6.2-litre LS3 V8 engine putting out 317kW of power and 550Nm of torque.The claimed fuel economy is 14.5 litres per 100km but Mangiapane says rising petrol prices wouldn't stop him and many others buying a V8."I'd keep buying them regardless," he says. "It won't stop people buying an HSV, or an FPV for that matter, because they are so passionate about them."Put it this way: I've yet to hear someone say they'd have to sell their car because it had become too expensive to run it."  Mangiapane says many V8 owners keep their fuel costs down by not driving them every day. Instead they are used for weekend runs, club activities and special outings.   Driving it every day becomes expensive," he says.Mangiapane says opponents of V8s who see them as gas-guzzling dinosaurs don't realise that technology has improved the cars' efficiency and economy."  The V8s of today are not like the V8s of the `80s and `90s. They are a lot better on economy and with greenhouse gases."Automatic-transmission V8 Holdens now feature technology that enables four of the cylinders to be shut down to save fuel when the car is cruising.Mangiapane loves driving V8s because of their performance. "The horsepower is the main thing. It's the power and it's the looks."  According to Mangiapane, club membership is rising by up to 10 per cent a year, ranging across the age groups. Nearly 10 per cent of the members are women.The current VE model is popular among club members, though the cheaper and older VS and VR models are also common club cars.  He says Holden's racing history, and Peter Brock in particular, are fond topics of conversation among HSV owners.HSV is now in its 21st year of business. It was started in 1988 as a joint venture between Holden and Tom Walkinshaw Racing, which then also ran  Holden's race team.  After years of the company passing through different hands and arrangements, today Walkinshaw owns the business again.

The hotrod GTS is a waiting-list proposition despite an $82,990 starting price, with demand creating a delay in production. "If you want a GTS with red leather and big-piston brakes our waiting list is out to April next year. We can't keep pace with demand," says Phil Harding. "We haloed that car and it's doing well as a halo. A lot of customers who are picking the car up are pleased with the differential now with the ClubSport and R8. And GTS is now almost running at 100 per cent with the big-piston brakes.Harding says the reaction to the in-your-face styling of the E2 models has been entirely positive, despite some early attacks on a front-end that borrowed heavily from the American Pontiac G8. "We have had no negative feedback whatever. It's distinctive on the road. We're not having any problems at all with the styling," he says.

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.

Given the Australian passion for utes it was only natural that HSV would give the humble Holden workhorse a makeover and produce a hot hauler like the Maloo.The first Maloo appeared on the scene in 1990 and became an enduring classic that will continue to turn heads well into the future.  Holden had only just released the new VG utility when the Maloo came out; the VG was an all-new model based on the Commodore and the first Holden ute for six years.Not surprisingly fans of the good ol' Aussie ute who had missed their favourite workhorse warmly welcomed the VG ute.  When HSV dropped the Maloo on the market they were over the moon with delight.MODEL WATCHThe VG Maloo followed the tried and true HSV formula, itself taken from Peter Brock and his earlier HDT operation.  In essence it was to take a regular run-of-the-mill model from Holden's product line-up and tinker with it around the edges to create something more exciting.HSV's makeover was largely skin deep, the changes kept to those parts that could be easily unbolted and replaced with new parts.  That way it was a simple operation and the result was eye-catching to say the least.In creating the Maloo HSV took a humble V8 ute and reworked it with much of what it was doing in creating its sedan models.  The core 5.0-litre V8 engine was pretty much left untouched, but its output was boosted by the use of a high-flow dual exhaust system, a free-flowing air cleaner, both of which allowed the engine to breathe better, and finally a recalibrated engine management computer that took the engine closer to the limit.The result was peak power of 180kW at 4600rpm and max torque of 400Nm at 3800rpm, increases of 15kW and 15Nm over the rock-stock Holden ute.  That sounds puny today, but was pretty hot in its day.Maloo buyers could choose between a five-speed manual gearbox, which was untouched, or a four-speed auto that was recalibrated to shift cleaner and crisper.  When pressed, the Maloo would reach 100 km/h in a fraction over seven seconds from rest; and account for the standing 400-metre sprint in around 15.5 secs.The Maloo's developers wrestled with how they could retain the original payload of the Holden ute and still give the Maloo a sporting feel as they felt HSV owners would expect.  They couldn't, and eventually dropped the payload to 592 kg, which allowed them to use meaty low profile tyres, softer rear springs, along with the front suspension from the SV5000 sedan.It all came together nicely; the handling was as crisp and sharp as an HSV sedan, with good grip even during hard cornering.  With the performance nailed down HSV turned to the cosmetics and produced a neat looking sports truck that stood out without being too far out-there.The colour-keyed body kit was made up to 10 parts, including a grille, front bumper, side skirts, and rear bumper. There was also s a roof-mounted airfoil and a sports bar in the rear, along with an HSV monogrammed tonneau cover, as well as badges and decals to alert the neighbours to what was making all the noise next door.The sports look was nicely completed with HSV-styled five-spoke 16 x 7 inch alloys in the guards.  Inside, it had sports seats, a Calais dash and dials, a Momo steering wheel, air, and a Eurovox sound system.IN THE SHOPFirst thing to do when checking a Maloo is to make sure it is one; do that by checking the tags.  Once that's established make sure it's got all the correct bits that were fitted by HSV; modifications can rob a car of its classic value.If it all stacks up start looking for the same sorts of things that affect all cars that have been on the road for close to 20 years.  Look for oil leaks from the engine, gearbox and diff; check for smoke from the engine, listen for rattles at idle and when you rev the engine.Make sure the clutch fully disengages, the gears go in without any baulking, and there is no gear noise driving down the road.  Inside, expect some wear and tear on the fabric seat trim, and some fading from the sun.IN A CRASHA well-balanced chassis with reasonably good disc front brakes gives the driver a chance to avoid a crash.  In the event of a crash you have to rely on body strength to absorb energy, there are no airbags to intervene.Check seat belts for wear on the webbing and smooth action.  Safety was satisfactory for the time, but by today's standards it isn't great, especially if the Maloo is going to be a daily driver.UNDER THE PUMPA big-bore V8 souped up by HSV isn't the recipe for fuel economy, so expect 12-16 L/100 km depending on the driving style used.LOOK FORHSV cred.Standout styleCollectabilityStandout performanceSharp handlingTHE BOTTOM LINEAn exciting mix of good ol' Aussie ute and HSV magic makes for a fun classic.RATING70/100 (classic)

Since cars all deliver on the same basic promise of personal mobility, and many vehicles do it with incredible value and panache, good design can often make the difference between buying and losing.Ian Callum knows it and, after more than four decades of top-class design work on everything from HSV Holdens to Volvos, Aston Martins and now Jaguars, he is the right man to be talking. "This is a time of car design. It's not just styling any more. You really have to understand design, and the elements that make up a good design," Callum says. "We're also seeing a lot of change in the automotive world. The make-up of cars is changing. Designers are going to have an incredible influence."Callum has revolutionised Jaguar design over the past 10 years and just visited Australia to showcase his all-new XJ flagship, which steps right away from anything which has previously worn the brand's leaper mascot. "I didn't want to be a slave to heritage," he says simply.Callum believes good design is simple but incredibly difficult, elegant and timeless, but also challenging and filled with tiny little details. He is rare among designers because he backs his promises with commitment and talent, and is also happy to give an opinion.So, then, how does he judge the work from some of his rivals? Surprisingly, Callum is happy to go on the record with a simple tick-or-cross verdict on the latest designs in showrooms.Here are his ratings: Aston Martin Rapide - tickAudi A5 - tickBMW GT - two crossesBMW X6 - crossFerrari F458 Italia - tickHSV EII Commodore - tickLexus LFA - tickMercedes E-Class - crossMercedes SLS Gullwing - crossNissan GT-R - crossPorsche Panamera - crossRolls-Royce Ghost - tickToyota Prius - tickVolkswagen Golf - tick 

Driving Hyundai's new Santa Fe diesel we had a spectacularly good run on the leg from Port Augusta to Adelaide thanks to a handy tail wind, a distance of just over 300km.   A figure of 4.9 litres per 100km is an impressive achievement for a wagon that weighs almost two tonnes, but still not as good as the one achieved by Mitsubishi rally great Ed Ordynski who brought his vehicle home with just 4.8 on the trip computer.  Bugger.Hyundai entered two, 2.2-litre diesel Santa Fe CRDi's in the Eco Challenge section of the event that caters to production cars.  It's run in tandem with the famous World Solar Challenge out of which the event grew a couple of years ago.It took the two Hyundais six days to drive from Darwin to Adelaide, with the longest leg between Alice Springs and Coober Pedy 685km.  It might not sound that far, but at a speed of around 75km/h the journey starts to take on epic proportions, especially with no air conditioning and an ambient temperature nudging 40 degrees.It turned that particular leg into 9.25 hours of living hell.  You can't use air conditioning because it eats into the fuel consumption.  Now, no one in their right mind is going to drive that far in those conditions without air, but it shows what can be achieved if you try hard enough.The two Santa Fe's were neck and neck for most of the way, averaging between 4.8 and 5.4 litres/100km each day, with only a tenth of a point separating them.  It led to some good natured rivalry as the teams vied to see who would record the greatest improvement in fuel consumption (the Santa Fe is rated at 6.7 litres/100km).While the the rally driver may have won the day, it's the journalist that gets to have the last word.  "We was robbed,'' springs to mind.  Ordynski had had some practice conserving fuel on the transport stages of rallies, where he'd managed to achieve 8.5 litres/100km instead of the outrageous 100 litres/100km that the car consumed in competition.Records tumbled and the rules evolved as the Green Challenge unfolded.  Japan's Tokai University team took out the Solar Challenge while the Tesla sports car set a new record of 501km for the greatest distance travelled by an electric car between charges.Incredibly, it was HSV's Maloo ute that was declared the winner of the Eco Challenge with a figure of 7.74 litres/100km, while Ford's Fiesta EcoNETIC recorded the lowest fuel consumption slipping below 3.0 litres/100km.The winner was the entry that recorded the most improvement and while the Maloo may have done that, it also used the most fuel and produced the most carbon emissions.  Hyundai was elated to claim the crown as the most economical SUV after Ordynski's car finished a fraction ahead of the Kia Sorento at 5.1 litres versus 5.17 litres/100km _ a 24 per cent improvement.The other car piloted by myself and other Carsguide journos finished with 5.35 litres/100km.  The Kia and the Hyundai share the same 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine and transmissions, but the Kia is lighter and has a better wind drag co-efficient.The event concluded with a three hour urban leg around the streets of Adelaide.Make One Degree of difference today by calculating your carbon footprint and finding out what you can do to reduce it.

It has been a great month for Holden and its performance offshoot Holden Special Vehicles. Last weekend's Bathurst 1, 2, 3 result and the favourable response to its new E2 Series is setting the company up for a good year.HSV sales are tipped to hit around 3000 for the year, just a few hundred shy of last year's result, which HSV chief Phil Harding reckons is pretty damn good in the current economic climate. Since Sunday too, having Bathurst winners Garth Tander and Will Davison on side as HSV ambassadors cannot hurt the brand's status. Both Tander and Davison were involved in developing the new E2 GTS, tweaking the car's ride and handling along with HSV engineers.The company can rightly claim the GTS has proven race-bred performance, which is important to HSV's heartland.E2 DrivetrainsBut let's get to the grunt. For the E2 cars, HSV has taken the opportunity to lift GTS power by 8kW to 325kW/550Nm for the 6.2-litre V8, while the ClubSport, Maloo, Senator and Grange carry over with 317kW/550Nm.Fuel economy -- despite HSV research showing it is not being a high priority for owners -- has been improved slightly too. Chief engineer Joel Stoddart says improved economy was one of the goals of the E2 program. "We have achieved up to 4.5 per cent improvement in fuel economy, with an auto ClubSport R8 now returning 13.9 litres per 100km," he said.AppearanceApart from the Bathurst brush with fame, the E2 introduces bolder ‘look-at-me’ styling as well as some new driver-oriented gear. All E2 cars get Audi-style daytime LED running lights set into the bumper and a competition setting for motorsport track days that lifts the threshold for the stability control system. Manual models also get a launch-control feature.The range certainly looks more distinctive as well as more aggressive than the previous E1 models. What buyers did tell HSV is that they wanted greater visual differentiation for the GTS, as befits its status. And if you really want to be noticed though the GTS is the pick of the pack.The massive wheel and tyre package and ‘shockwave’ hourglass styling graphics of the front bumper and deep rear bumpers lends an air of purpose to the already brash sedan.Like the rest of the range, the GTS's retina-sizzling daytime running lights let everyone know you're driving HSV's latest and greatest. Borrowing the twin bonnet scoops from Holden's Pontiac G8 export cars for the Clubsport, GTS and Maloo adds an air of menace to the newcomers. The twin scoops and more assertive grille on the sportier models are designed to separate them from the luxury cars in the range.The Senator and Grange miss out on the scoops and HSV says even if buyers wanted to, the bonnets cannot be interchanged. Apart from being more distinctive, customers also wanted to be able to trick out their cars with more personal touches.OptionsHSV has responded by introducing an upgraded option package called SV Enhanced across the range, which it expects to be very popular. The SV pack includes a freer-flowing ‘bi-modal’ exhaust that produces a meatier sound at higher revs, leather seats and 20-inch wheels on the Clubsport and Maloo.On the GTS the pack adds six-piston front brake calipers finished in yellow and four-piston rear brakes. The GTS also gets a recalibrated magnetic ride-control suspension that is 20mm lower and 30 per cent stiffer with wider wheels that really fill out the mudguards. All that will set you back $3790 on the GTS while the trick exhaust is $2290 on other models.Clubsport buyers can add performance suspension for $1850 or opt for the SV Enhanced kit with 20-inch wheels, bi-modal exhaust, performance suspension and leather for $7450. To make sure the neighbours know you're driving something different, buyers ordering the options get special badges to differentiate them from standard E2 models.PricingPrices remain the same, with the Clubsport opener from $65,990 while the GTS and Senator Signature rise $700 to $80,990 and $82,990.Driving - Paul GoverIt is absolutely impossible to ignore the new GTS. It is one of those cars that just screams for attention. Then I fire the V8 and get an instant reminder, from the loud and proud new active exhaust, of the engineering work that has gone into the Series II update of the HSV VE.The body bits are in-your-face aggressive, but the real work is in everything from the engine to the suspension and even an F1-style launch control on the six-speed manual gearbox. "We've spent 75 per cent of the money on things you cannot see. I am an engineer and I always want the money to be spent on engineering," says HSV chief, Phil Harding."I promise you will not find a car that rides as well on 20-inch rims as this one." The body bits are a love-it-or-hate-it job, and the cabin is not much better than a regular SS Commodore, but it's hard to ignore the work done by Harding and his team.The car really has a superb ride, the front-end grip and response is exceptional, and the engine has more grunt you can feel from 4000 revs. It is nowhere near the refinement of a Mercedes E63, but it torches the V8s from Ford Performance Vehicles and is way cheaper than the booming new Benz. When you're driving the GTS you need one of two things: a big ego or thick skin. If you like the stares you will love the cars, but otherwise you need to ignore the endless looks and cracks. Oh, some driving talent also helps in a car that now cracks with 325kW.It's easy to drive the car briskly, just slotting into a high gear and letting the torque do the work, but there are vast reserves of power and brilliant corner grip available on the right road at the right time. Drilling all the way down to GTS bedrock, however, would mean booking a racetrack. Once you hit 4000 revs the engine comes alive and you need to be paying attention, but the GTS has HSV's best brakes and that makes for a well-balanced package. The six-speed shift and clutch are still heavy, but the launch control is brilliant.It means anyone can do a thunking good job of a 0-100km/h sprint, although I was not able to match the sub-five second run of the HSV engineers. A few ticks more is still pretty good for a car this big and heavy. The fuel economy will run 9.1L/100km on the highway, and averages 13.9 during my test, but will easily slip beyond 16 if you call up all the horses.I also like the car's supportive seats, and the punchy sound system, and the Bluetooth phone connection, but a car with this price should come with satnav as standard. And with something, anything, to make the cabin more rewarding for the person who has paid big to get HSV's hero.Lined up against its rivals the GTS is an easy winner over anything from Ford Performance Vehicles, even the turbo I personally prefer over the V8 GT, and is a bargain against the class benchmark from Mercedes-Benz. It is also a car that looks like becoming an instant benchmark for Aussie muscle.You can love it or hate it, but it is impossible to ignore it. Overall, it’s a knockout car that scare European performance sedans and thrill died-in-wool HSV enthusiasts.Score 80/100HSV GTSPrice: $80,990Engine: 6.2-litre Gen III V8Power:  325kW at 6000 revsTorque: 550Nm at 4600 revsTransmission: Six speed manaul (six-speed sequential automatic)Economy: 14.8 litres/100km (13.9 litres/100km auto)CO2 Emissions: 352g/km (329g/km auto)RivalsMercedes-Benz E63: 86/100 (from $234,900)Ford Falcon FPV GT: 76/100 (from $67,890)Ford Falcon F6E FPV turbo: 78/100 (from $79,740)BMW M5: 80/100 (from $291,200)

Although just 137 were sold, HSV managing director, Phil Harding, says the car was still a success. “Some journalists and commentators seem to suggest that because we didn't make our volumes - whatever number that was, the program failed, he says. “As far as I am concerned, the program was a success.” Harding, who was involved in all stages of the W427s development, says the business case for the car always focused on three possible build numbers - 100, 150 and 200. Even if we had have built 125, the program would still have been a financial success, leaving aside the brand benefits and engineering know-how the W427 program has brought to HSV. Harding says that building and selling - to order - the 137 W427s was a major achievement. Particularly given we launched the car into the market in July 2008, just weeks before the entire world financial system almost ground to a halt, he says. Harding says he would like to do another W427-style car but not for a few years. “Absolutely,” he says. “I would like to do another hero car but there needs to be some breathing space between the W427 and another program.” The 7.0-litre V8 W427 cost $155,500 and was ordered by a handful of HSV fans for its high-end engineering. HSV chose 427 as the model designation because thats the cars non-metric cubic-inch capacity.

The company’s managing director, Phil Harding, admits some work still needs to be done to convince HSV dealers and customers to get onside with a dual-fuel LPG HSV. I am doing this program without solid customer demand, Harding says. My philosophy is that we have to have this in the cupboard.Harding says the LPG car is one of a range of initiatives being looked at by the company as the drive for fuel economy and lower emissions builds momentum. "We have been looking at a range of alternative powertrain solutions to complement our existing range, including LPG, diesel and E85," he says. "There hasn't been much we haven't studied in detail."Despite a dual-fuel LPG car emerging as a HSV priority, the company's own research shows that fuel economy is not a high priority among its buyers. Harding says the 6.2-litre V8 LPI — liquid propane injection — sedan and ute will have all the driving attributes and performance of a petrol car.Most people would not know that it is an LPI car, he says. Under full throttle the car accelerates on petrol. HSV has sent three test cars for cold weather testing in recent weeks and the reports back from the engineering team are encouraging, Harding says. Engines are also undergoing durability testing.If all goes well, HSV expects to have the LPI car in dealers in the first quarter of 2010. "That's a little later than I planned but it's still an exciting program," Harding says. "We are very excited about the potential for high performance LPG-powered HSV."Harding says the LPI sedan will have a fully trimmed boot with the LPG tank hard up against the rear seat. In the ute, the tank will be set into the load bay. Harding says he is very excited about the potential for high-performance LPG-powered car after HSV bypassed a turbo-diesel engine. The diesel fell over because the profit returns could not be generated from the investment required.HSV has been working hard to make sure the LPI HSV has comparable performance to a conventional petrol engine. Acceleration is as quick as the petrol-only car. Harding says the payback for an HSV LPI owner would be 12 months. We have not set a price but we are not going to subsidise it, Harding says.At this stage a diesel is unlikely, even though Holden is pushing ahead with its own diesel program. "We looked at it seriously and the business case does not stack up," Harding says. The diesel most likely for the Commodore is a 2.9-litre V6 with 184kW/550Nm being developed in Italy.With a torque output of more than 200Nm above the 3.0-litre petrol SIDI V6 now used in the Commodore, the turbo-diesel is expected to have lively performance and good fuel economy. The engine is being developed as part of a General Motors partnership with VM Motori, which specialises in diesels.