2004 HSV Avalanche Reviews

The production run of the E-Series Senator Signature will be just 30 manual and 59 automatic cars. They will be powered by HSV’s LS3 317kW V8 engine, with HSV performance suspension and 19” billet silver Senator wheels with silver brake callipers incorporating the black HSV logo, while the Senator logo features on the front and rear headrests. The Senator comes with leather onyx seats as standard and is available in Heron, Sting, Phantom, Nitrate, Karma, Voodoo and Evoke. It will be priced from $69,990.   The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show...  

The highest bidder will receive the fender from HSV’s W427, which spectacularly collided with a wall of tyres at Oran Park late last year.The prize also includes a ‘hot lap’ in the HRT rides car and lunch with the man behind the wheel of the famous Aussie Supercar at the time of the prang, the Toll Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander, at the company’s Clayton headquarters.According to the 2007 V8 Supercar Champion, the money raised will be a small contribution to support the victims of the bushfire tragedy.“So many people have lost everything and both HSV and HRT wanted to put together a unique opportunity to make a donation to this most worthy cause,” Tander said.‘I’d urge all V8 Supercar fans and motoring enthusiasts to get behind this auction – not only will they be supporting a really worthy cause but it’s a chance to own a pretty special piece of motoring history.”The auction has a reserve of $1000 with last bids due by 4.25pm on Friday February 27.For further details and to place a bid visit www.hsv.com.au or www.hrt.com.au. 

The burly Scot is just past 60 these days and looks a little more relaxed than he was during his early days in Australia in the 1980s, but don't be fooled. Walkinshaw is a hard-headed businessman who hates to lose just as much as he did when he was winning car races and championships for everyone from Ford to Jaguar and Benetton F1. Just ask Mark Skaife, who lost a tug-of-love for the Holden Racing Team last year, or anyone from Ford Performance Vehicles who has to front up each day to battle the might of Big Tom's Holden Special Vehicles. Walkinshaw has rebounded from the time when he faced bankruptcy and lost his mighty Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) empire in Britain as a result of a cash crisis for his Arrows Grand Prix team. He is now kicking goals and cashing cheques, which means he is finally happy to sit down and talk. Walkinshaw is still not happy about his setbacks in Australia, but emphatically denies he was ever bankrupt or in danger of losing HSV. "I'm not bankrupt. I was never bankrupt," he says blunty. He also says the loss of HRT, which cut him deeply and sparked his motorsport comeback plan down under, was entirely down to the ambitions of former Holden head Peter Hanenberger. Walkinshaw is open on almost every front except Skaife and keen to set the record straight. Particularly on HSV and his other local business interests. "I think we've got to manage a way with HSV through the tight financial times we find ourselves in. Keep our volume as near as possible as we can to last year, keep the structure in place . . . and support Holden through the same process, as they are our partner and biggest customer. Is he confident? "Yes." But Walkinshaw had a health scare last year, he is not getting younger, and the travel between the UK and Australia gets him down despite a home-away-from-home in Melbourne. So, is he thinking about retirement? "No. I go down and have a coffee with Bernie Ecclestone (the 78-year- old F1 supremo) from time to time and realise I've got a long way to go," he says. "I wouldn't know what to do. The wife would throw me out. She's quite happy every morning when I go out to work." Here, then, is what Walkinshaw has to say on the key issues facing him and his companies: PERSONAL HISTORY: "The last year I raced seriously was 1985 in the Jaguars we brought to Bathurst. "I was pretty good. I think I had a strong head. I was brought up in single seaters so in a touring car nothing was happening very quick. "I was good at getting cars engineered to perform properly. I was driving the factory Ford in the UK, and they had a special vehicle operation. I was asked to look at some of the Ford product and I got the job of developing the RS2000 Escort as an engineering job. "Then I picked up another job that meant I had to hire someone to help me. It sort of grew from there. "I've worked for Ford, BMW, over 60 brands. Saab, Volvo. On all sorts of things. "Most of the work we did with TWR was confidential, so people don't need to now about it. "I probably had 2000 people working for me at one time. Now it's about 600. We've got Australia and we've got stuff in India. There is not so much stuff in the UK any more. It's too expensive." HOLDEN SPECIAL VEHICLES: "I think it's got a very bright future," Walkinshaw says. "I think we're as good as anything in the market, irrespective of where it comes from. We're much better value than Audi or BMW or Mercedes. "We say we're better, but let's say we're comparable and at a much lower price. "To be honest with you, we've not looked at Ford that much. We were tasked originally to create a high-performance car for Holden. We benchmark everything with the European products. "The latest car is by far the best and the latest range of HSV products is exceptionally, exceptionally good. The 427 is a phenomenal car, and I think it's the best high-performance car ever built in Australia. It sits at a price, but for that price it had to be very unique and very special. "We're keeping growing every year. I think we're an integral part of the Holden product range. "We will do, as we do with the Astra at the moment, look at a broadening the range with smaller cars. "I think exports are going reasonably well. They're a bit slow at the moment with currencies flowing up and down all over the place so you've got to be careful not to get your fingers burned. "We've sold about 1500 if you include New Zealand." ELFIN: "That's a good question. I've asked myself that several times "When we decided to invest everything was roaring ahead. Once we got into it we realised it really needed to create a better product than we had at the time. The guys have done that. "At the moment the car is launched and we will build a modest volume until the economies improve through the world. It is very difficult to plan. . . "What I'm pleased about is that, in the, T5 we've produced a cracking car. And I think it's the right size for today's human being. "At the moment you wouldn't make anything for the UK because it's too expensive and nobody is buying toys. It's not everyday transport, it's something you take out on the weekend and have fun in." HOLDEN RACING TEAM: "I'm not a good loser. I think it was particularly difficult to take last year, because it was the third year in a row that we threw Bathurst away. The last two years we were leading, and . . . "It's just not acceptable. For whatever reason. This is not what we're paid to do. "Nothing was working. They were all fighting with each other. Then Holden asked me to come in an manage it, tell them what was going wrong. "I think we are starting again and getting re-focussed. We are not paid by Holden to go motor racing to have fun. We're paid to get results and we're re-focussed on that. That's as it should be. "I expect them to win a lot of races. I think they are two good young drives, both with enormous ability, and I think Will Davison will extract the performance back out of Garth Tander that he is capable of." "I'd like to know who's won more races in V8 Supercars than me. If you look at the support we've given the formula over the last two decades I doubt anyone comes close to investing the money we have. "We're got to get back to winning races regularly and Bathurst and the championship. The priorities are quite easy." FORMULA ONE: "It ended badly, but not really through any fault of our own. It was venture capitalists being too damn greedy with Arrows. "I was the one that brought Michael Schumacher into Benetton. I was put into Benetton to sort it out from being a comedy outfit into a decent team. I actually restructured Benetton, and I had 35 per cent of the company of the time. "We were fairly fundamental to the success of that team. "Arrows failed because we had an offer of $160 million from Red Bull, and the venture capitalists wanted more. We were tied up in so many rows . . . the whole thing then very quickly fell over. "The problem then was to get to the end of a year I put in a lot of money from TWR . . . and you had the knock-on effect on the TWR governance on debt. "I often think back and ask how I did not go crazy. You were dealing with things that you thought could never happen. But it did, and so you have to deal with it. "Nothing in Australia was affected by it. We were asked to give up the ownership of HRT because there were people at Fishermans Bend at that time who had aspirations of running a race team. We didn't need any pressure on our core business and that's why I agreed to roll over. MARK SKAIFE: Let's be quite clear. We're not revisited everything that went on last year. It's time to move on. There has been far too much written about what went on. "I'm not opening that up again. I think it's inappropriate. "I met Mark for lunch yesterday. We had coffee and lunch. There is no problem between Mark and I on that front. Mark, I don't think, has any clear process on whether he is even interested in racing now."  

The fresh new face of Team Red was finally made public at Holden headquarters in Fishermans Bend on Wednesday.But as Will Davison jumped up to fill Mark Skaife's giant shoes at the Holden Racing Team, stepping into the spotlight alongside Garth Tander for the first time, there was no sign of the man he is replacing.Instead, Skaife was taking it easy and looking after his motorsport future, with his 13-year-old son Mitch.The youngster clearly plans to follow his dad and grandad Russell into racing and was deeply into a final tuning session with his father at the Oakleigh go-kart track in suburban Melbourne."We were doing a bit of go-karting," Skaife said."Mitch has had a couple of goes. I'm not pushing him at all with it.He's had two or three runs over the summer and he's back to school later this week so it was the final chance for a go."He is bloody good. He's got good car control. He's enjoying it."The same applies to Davison, who has graduated to the benchmark team in V8 Supercar racing after making the big breakthrough last year - including his first win - with Dick Johson Racing.He has jumped the fence from blue to red in a smart move which positions him as the brightest young star in the Holden camp, as well as setting him up to learn and pressure Tander in a revitalised HRT operation for 2009 and beyond.But Davison has no intention of becoming the new Mark Skaife."I'm Will Davison. I'm my own person," he said."I'm not in this thing to be anyone else, simple as that. But this is a new era and I'll be looking to do as good as I can."Davison is set for success with a team that knows how to win, but refused to set a timetable for his first win or championship."I know I'm ready to win, but I don't know when. I just know I'll put in 110 per cent," Davison said.Tander is also pumped with the youngster alongside him although, like Davison, he has no plan to become the next Holden icon following Skaife's retirement at the end of last year."Why does there have to be another Mark Skaife? Why have one when you can have two with Will and me," Tander said.He is expecting a tough challenge from Davison, who was set for a career in Formula One and tested for Paul Stoddart's Minardi team before the money ran out."Obviously the first bloke you want to beat is your team mate, because he has the same equipment, but having said that we both want the bes for the team and Holden. I think it's a good chance to replicate what Rick Kelly and I had at the HSV Dealer Team, when we won two championships," Tander said.He is fit and focussed and believes the latest incarnation of Team Red, with Tom Walkinshaw back at the top, has a big chance to return to its glory days in 2009."There is more that needs to be achieved. I'm certainly not relaxing."This week is a big one for driver confirmations, as teams return to business without the gag of contract restrictions.James Courtney is now finally official at Dick Johnson Racing, where he takes over Davison's former spot alongside Steven Johnson, as Jason Richards moves to Brad Jones' Commodore team and Davison's older brother Alex returns from Porsche racing in the USA and Europe to become team leader with Stone Brothers Racing.But that was no real interest to Skaife, who was getting his kicks with the kids."I've always liked watching kids learning the craft, and seeing them learning and experiencing karting," Skaife said."I love it with Mitch. He's got to stop me from tweaking all the team.He thinks I'm a bit overboard."That's no surprise, considering Skaife's laser-lock approach to his own career in motorsport.He is still to confirm his plans for 2009, although he will be an ambassador for Holden and V8 Supercars and is likely to do commentary work for Channel Seven, and said he is learning to take things a bit easier."I'm the most relaxed I've been in years. I've had a month off with the kids at the beach, just fooling around. I think I could get to like this." 

John Harvey took a huge risk when he decided in 1990, in the absence of his boss, John Crennan, to back his judgement and order a batch of cars from Holden for the first run of ClubSports HSV built. Thankfully for Harvey, whose position as HSV’s Marketing and Public Affairs Manager was on the line, his audacious move proved to be a master stroke and the ClubSport has gone on to become HSV’s top selling model.Harvey, rightly as it transpired, believed that there was a place in the HSV line-up for a more affordable car that delivered plenty of performance, but didn’t necessarily have the luxury that HSV models of the time had.The Bathurst champ knew from his time with Peter Brock’s HDT Special Vehicles outfit that there were plenty of buyers who wanted a V8-powered, Aussie-built sports sedan and didn’t want all the comforts of home when they took to the open road.With the HSV boss overseas on business Harvey took it upon himself to draw up the car’s specifications from the HSV parts bin, chose the ClubSport name, and placed an order for 80 cars.When he informed Crennan of what he’d done he was told in no uncertain terms that he’d better be right. Fortunately he was and all 80 cars were sold by the time Crennan arrived back in the country.“I had the authority to order cars from Holden, but ordering 80 cars at that time, when HSV was still a relatively small operation was sticking my neck out,” Harvey admits. “When I told John he indicated that it would be a good idea if I sold them before he got back.“Thankfully the HSV dealers were supportive and all 80 cars were sold before John arrived home.”So popular was the ClubSport that more than 400 VN ClubSports were eventually built. The ClubSport is now HSV’s most popular model, making up more than 50 per cent of HSV’s current annual production.MODEL WATCHHarvey knew there was an unsatisfied demand for a sports sedan that was high on performance but without the luxury and price tag of the models HSV was then building. It wasn’t rocket science, he was close to the HSV club movement and the dealer network and had been getting feedback telling him there was a demand for a less expensive car.He began with the VN Commodore Executive, which could be optioned with Holden’s 5.0-litre V8, and then turned to the existing HSV parts bin for the special bits and pieces.There he found the special intake and exhaust systems, which were already used on other HSV models. Then with some tinkering on the engine electronics the power jumped to 180 kW from the 165 kW of the standard VN V8.There was a choice of five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed auto transmission, the sports suspension was lifted from the HSV SV model, and the 16 x 7-inch alloy wheels had been seen on the ‘Batmobile’ TWR VL Group A Commodore.Inside, there were few frills. There was a Momo sports steering wheel, but the seats were standard Holden, the trim was standard Holden cloth, the windows were manual, as were the mirrors.Outside, the VN ClubSport had a single slot grille, a body coloured body kit made up of front spoiler, side skirts and rear wing, and ‘ClubSport’ badges to clearly identify it.It might seen a little basic, but that was Harvey’s intention. He wanted a sports sedan that could burn rubber without being burdened by too many performance sapping extras.IN THE SHOPThe ClubSport is one of those vehicles that falls within the enthusiast category of cars that tend to get better treated than the regular run-of-the-mill models. They usually get driven with greater care and maintained with more dedication, which means they’re usually in quite good shape when they come up for sale.The VN was a make-or-break model for Holden, the car that had to bring the company back from the brink of extinction. Thankfully it did, but it was built in a time of great austerity at Fishermans Bend, which meant it was built down to a budget.Build quality was ordinary which means that VNs today are generally pretty loose in the body, the trim is often falling apart, and the paint is fast fading.Mechanically the news is better. The Holden V8 is pretty solid and reliable, but have a good look for oil leaks, from the rear main seal, front cover, rocker covers, and oil pan. Also check the power steering carefully for oil leaks, from the pump and rack.The five-speed manual gearbox gives little trouble, but the auto needs regular servicing and often needs a rebuild around 150,000 km.It’s a good idea to check with the HSV Owners Club as you’re sure to find someone who knows the car you’re considering buying, and can give you the ‘real’ story.LOOK FOR• Sports motoring with family car comfort• Rumble of Holden V8• Solid proven engine and gearbox• Check for oil leaks from engine and power steering• Average build quality• Early Holden paint is prone to fading

Bargwanna backJason Bargwanna is back in a full-time V8 Supercar ride this year. Since the collapse of the WPS Racing squad just before the start of last season, he has rebuilt his career at the top level, driving everything he could and starring in the Mini Challenge last year. The former Bathurst winner will now partner Greg Murphy at Tasman Motorsport, driving a Commodore in Sprint Gas colours.Algarve impressesGrand Prix drivers have begun testing at a new circuit in Europe on the Algarve in Portugal. Ferrari and McLaren were first on to the impressive new layout and have praised everything from its location to a track design that takes advantage of the rolling country where it was built. It has Formula One test approval until 2011.Detroit derailedIndycar racing has taken a hit with the cancellation of one of this year's headline events, the Detroit Grand Prix. Motown has been hit hardest by the economic downturn and the race, run since 1990 on Belle Island and revived in 2007 as an IRL event, has not been able to raise the sponsorship necessary to continue.Call to BathurstCashed-up racers are being called to Bathurst for the WPS 12-hour race next month. There are plenty of race places available, including several in HSV R8s built by former V8 Supercar racer Cameron McLean. Details on the spots, and the race, from www.bathurst12hour.com.auCruze controlThe latest Chevrolet Cruze compact, to be produced in Australia as a Holden from next year, will be General Motors' spearhead in the World Touring Car Championship. A three-car Cruze team will go up against factory entries from Seat and BMW in this year's series, replacing the previous Daewoo Lacetti hatchbacks.Daytona's old magicJames Hylton is hoping to become the oldest driver to qualify for the classic Daytona 500 when the Nascar season starts next month. Hylton, 74, who was Nascar's rookie of the year in 1966, aims to run a full program in the Sprint Cup this year.Hickman surprisesDarren Hickman was the surprise winner of the latest round of the SRA sprintcar series at Avalon Raceway in Geelong on the evening of Boxing Day. Hickman, a former star in super sedans, scored the unlikely win in a 350 racer from youngster Tim Rankin. Darren Mollenoyux finished third and is now second in the Eureka-sponsored series behind Matthew Reed as the championship moves on to Horsham on January 10. 

...and made some changes for the better with its range up date for 2009.The first HSV wagon since the Avalanche will be $1000 above its R8 sedan equivalent at $65,990 and available with the new six-speed manual or a re-calibrated six-speed automatic, which ups the pricetag ante to $68,320.The recalibrated auto and new Tremec TR6060 manual transmission are part of the MY9.5 HSV model upgrade, which also includes some engine recalibration.As is de-rigeur for the HSV models, there's a bit of a bodykit - focussed mainly on the nose and side skirts - with the rear remaining largely similar to the Sportwagon.Unlike the sedan variants, HSV has left the rear lights alone, something that would have cost $1.5 million to alter and the company is taking a measured approach to this wagon.The company will get just over 160 built but the orders already stretch well into the first quarter of 2009 - even HSV boss Phil Harding wants one, but he's waiting patiently for sales to be fulfilled first.The interior gets upgraded seats (full leather trimmed versions are $2490), a new rear seat, dual-zone climate control and also adopts the new white-faced instruments and centre-pod of gauges, which will go range-wide for 2009.The Tourer is also fitted standard with a reversing camera and rear park assist and gets a shorter final drive ratio.It sits on 19in wheels with 245/40 front and 275/35 rear rubber as standard, but can be optioned up to a 20in wheel with slightly lower profile tyres for $2500.The R8 Tourer is 20 per cent firmer in its suspension but has a reduced rear roll bar diameter.HSV chief engineer Joel Stoddart said the aim was to leave the wagon driver with the same wheel-time experience as that of a sedan."One of our main objectives when we decided to embark on this car was that the driver should lose nothing in the driving experience in this car over and above the sedan," he says.The suspension tune differs a little bit from its sedan sibling as the HSV engineers have tweaked a few things during the development - it's about 20 per cent stiffer all round, with the same rear dampers as the Maloo utility and a smaller-diameter rear anti-roll bar than the Clubsport R8.On the launch drive through the hills north-east of Melbourne, the first R8 Tourer sampled had the 20in wheel option, which gives the handsome wagon a more aggressive look.The company was working from a more-than-competent base with the Sportwagon and the suspension tweaks - with either wheel package bolted on - has only enhanced the drive experience.The tighter tune keeps the body under control but rolling (and oversteer) from the rear takes a lot more provocation before it becomes evident.For the driver, the addition of a new six-speed manual to the range almost overshadowed any other changes - while HSV says it's not a massive change from the old gearbox, the new six-speed is quicker and sharper to change, with better defined gates and a cleaner action.The six-speed auto also benefits from recalibration and the benefits are most felt in sport mode.It's not a hyper-aggressive alter-ego and seems to have a little more in the way of smarts on the way into corners under brakes.The addition of the camera makes parking and manoeuvring quite a bit easier - given the whopper D-pillars it probably should have been there from the get-go at Holden.For those shopping for load-luggers and/or kid carriers but not interest in SUVs, HSV has plenty to offer.In terms of performance wagons, they are few and far between that could match the R8 Tourer for pace, let alone on price - Audi has its $270,000 RS6, Benz has the $146,000 C63 and $239,000 E63 wagons.The R8 Tourer seems to have the versatility of a wagon and the performance and driving manners of a home-grown hotrod sedan.

The fastest car to emerge from the hot Holden shop is now pegged at a production run of 200 cars, and not the 427 optimistically forecast when the car was launched earlier this year. HSV believes the 200 cap will be a better deal for its owners, as it has held limited-edition numbers to a similar level in the past. "Today's announcement clarifies the final build number for this ambitious, ground breaking program," says HSV's managing director, Phil Harding. "With the W427 we have designed, built and sold our most exclusive vehicle ever. Production has already reached 95 cars and there are up to 40 orders in the pipeline at Clayton, where HSV created a special mini production line to create the 7-litre monster. Final orders will be taken in June and Harding confirms the price will be held at $155,500. While the W427 program will finish by the end of '09, Harding does not rule out something similar in coming years.

Newspaper reports have this week suggested that Top Gear Australia has racked up a significant figure in car repair bills as a result of "eager driving" and "wild and silly stunts".

So well in fact that some customers are buying two of HSV's most-powerful weapons, the W427, one to drive and one to keep as a collectors' item and investment.HSV spokesman, Simon Frost, says the Clayton-based performance car builder is on target to deliver 90 W427s this year and has 30 forward orders already for the first quarter of next year."Our experience is that it's not marginal customers who are buying the 427, it's really passionate car enthusiasts who love our brand," he says.In a sense the W427 is HSV's crisis proof car.Frost says the plan is to build “up to" 427, a number that refers to the 7.0-litre V8's old-fashioned cubic-inch capacity.However, he says that the car does not have a "never-ending" lifespan."These will be built to order," he says."At some point or other there will have to be a decision about the final build but it won't be any more than 427."That means there's a good chance the 427 be HSV's hero car for future generations despite the unveiling of the 7.4-litre Pontiac GXP Street Concept at the recent SEMA trade show in Las Vegas.Frost says HSV has no plans to slide the massive 7.4-litre V8 _ codenamed LSX454 _ under the bonnet of a local HSV for an even brawnier performance car.The show car is a made for America car only, he says."We have no plans to look at that car from an HSV perspective," he says."Our hero car is the 427 and the two-year research and development program to bring that to market was expensive and it's produced a car that we're excited about and has a good reception in the market despite all the doom and gloom around."The W427 shares its V8 with the Chevrolet Corvette and is hand-made on a separate production line at GM in Detroit, the same line that built the 7.4-litre Street Concept engine.The W427 develops 375kW at 6500 revs and 640Nm at 5000 revs.The LSX454 cranks out 476kW and a whopping 813Nm, 101kW and 193Nm more than even the hottest HSV.Frost says HSV is conscious of growing green concerns about fuel-guzzling V8s.HSV is looking at different technologies as well as their conventional V8s as part of the wider approach to deliver greener cars."It's not about producing bigger and more powerful engines," he says."And we still want to have that core HSV DNA in any vehicle."But other options that use less petrol or different forms of combustion are under consideration."