2004 HSV Avalanche Reviews

The age-old battle between Ford and Holden is set to sizzle at this year’s Melbourne Motor Show.

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 ClubsportVY/VY 2Years: 2002-2004Price: $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/475NmEconomy: expect 13-15L/100kmRating: 70/100Verdict: Looks good, goes hard, but it's not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced driver. RivalsFalcon XR8Years: 2003-2005Price: $23,000-$30,000 BMW 540Years: 2000-2003Price: $40,000-$70,000 Jaguar XJ8Years: 1997-2003Price: $22,000-$70,000 

The jaundiced might view HSV's Clubsport R8 as quintessentially 'Strayan as seafood at Christmas, inviting a mate along on your honeymoon, or claiming a catch off an Indian batsman's pad.A bit retrograde. A boganmobile.If you're a little more wide-eyed, the Clubbie is a blissful manifestation of roaring power in aspirational yet affordable form. It's the performance sedan that a Commodore owner is meant to covet — going up to the Clubbie, as it were.It's also true that a Commodore owner might be dismayed by its too close a resemblance to that most utilitarian device. Against that — heavily against it — is the glaring fact that the Clubsport can be sensibly spoken of as an uber-cheap AMG, at least in terms of its chief purpose in life.That'd be getting across the landscape with contemptuous, apparently effortless speed.Those ferocious Mercs are the only bent-eight sedans of similar size able to dispatch the HSV in a straight-line run from standing to 100km/h.The official time for the latter, with the six-speed automatic we guiltily enjoyed over the standard manual, is five seconds flat. The extra 0.4 second (using claimed figures) the HSV takes over an E63 AMG saves some $160,000. And some testers reckon the margin narrower still. Hmm ...So if there really is a conundrum about the Clubsport R8, it didn't bother us past the first few hours of an acquaintance that became a fast friendship (or as fast as you'll allow yourself at a time when the road is lousy with revenue collectors armed with radar guns). Given the truly staggering go-for-the-dough equation, you begin not to mind that the interior, despite very pleasant and generous leather-trimmed seats, ain't so very far departed from the stripper Commodore.Outward visibility is not great — the sloping A-pillar is bollard-like, the wing mirrors are compact by contemporary standards and the rear spoiler might have been borrowed from a light aircraft.The built-to-a-budget impression isn't dispelled by doors that don't thunk, window buttons that have to be held down to raise the pane and plastics that fail to inspire confidence as to the long term. Gratingly — given that the petrol gauge needle does seem perennially pointed south — a 'low-fuel' read-out cancels the digital speedo until the tank's thirst is slaked.Given the licence-threatening readiness with which the Clubbie responds, and the difficulty of reading the conventional speed gauge with its unevenly spaced numerals, the digital jobbie is of the essence.As to the exterior statement, if the SS-V is a working-class man, the R8's a light-blue-collar worker.The VE Series HSV has 301 different parts to the VE Commodore.Not sure that you could call that body kit, spoiler and artificial side vents stylish per se, but at least the HSV doesn't shop at Lowes.Whadd'ya want, anyway? Pose, or poise under pressure?The Clubbie has the latter in spades, with extra power and torque wrung out of the 6.0-litre LS2 V8.The 307kW at 6000rpm and 550Nm at 4400rpm are a slight but gratifying boost over the $11K cheaper SS-V.If the lurid power sliding of which the Clubbie would be abundantly capable isn't really on through the Royal National Park, the way this long and heavy jigger tracks around corners is readily appreciated.Some might find that the level, fat, steering wheel wants somewhat.I think it's right on the money.Turn in is precise, body roll is restrained if not contained, the stance flatter than expected.Taut suspension and big fat 19-inch wheels hold where a lesser Lion's grip would slip. Busting out of the bend, the tail can twitch, prompting a gentle but decisive electronic correction.The guardians have been set just about perfectly you'd have to say, smiling benevolently at a boy while he plays, but stepping in firmly before it all ends in tears.Downshifting through the manual mode — configured correctly forward for downshift — is welcome and if the Holden's transmission isn't so slick as Ford's ZF, it'd have to be close.Crucially (given that it weighs in at two big blokes under two tonnes), the stoppers are huge (365mm up front and 350mm at the rear all with quad piston callipers) and their power prodigious. The superior feel and bite over the SS — and the priceless peace of mind they bring — is alone worth the price of admission from VE to E-Series. Simulated emergency stops on very B-grade roads from more than 100km/h brought it up hard and true. The price for the enhanced performance is cheap indeed — mild skittering over the sort of irregularities that wouldn't perturb a Commodore.The firm yet compliant ride is the perfect example of how Australian tuners do it best for Australian roads, even on the nightmare tracks of NSW.While you might only seldom have the opportunity to push its performance envelope, the Clubbie is a wonderfully comfortable everyday proposition. After all, a bloke needs to relax from time to time. The bottom lineThis one is a hell of a lot more than a glorified Commodore. Snapshot HSV Clubsport R8Price: $64,890 (auto)Engine: 6L/V8, 307kW/550NmEconomy: 15.3L/100km0-100KM/H: 5.0 sec (claimed) The rivalsFPV Force6Price: $71,590Engine: 4L/6-cylinder turbo; 270kW/550NmEconomy: 13L/100km0-100KM/H: 5.4 seconds Holden Commodore SS-VPrice: $54,490Engine: 6.0L/V8; 270kW/530NmEconomy: 14.3L/100km0-100KM/H: 5.7 seconds Mercedes-Benz E500Price: $160,300Engine: 5.5L/V8; 285kW/530NmEconomy: 13.6L/100km0-100KM/H: 5.5 seconds 

The queue for a new Maloo is out to May. The five-month wait reflects the instant success of Holden Special Vehicles' new load carrier.Not that anyone who buys a Maloo R8 is likely to be carrying much beyond their toys and a big, big smile.It is all about sports truck performance and enjoyment, with a 307kW V8 engine and the sort of brakes and suspension you expect to find on a top-drawer car.Holden has been pushing the two-door sportscar line for the ute since it unveiled the VE earlier this year and its sales figures reflect the popularity of the new pickup.More than 60 per cent of utes going out the door at Holden dealerships are V8-powered SS models, and when you add the hottie SV6 the figure rises to more than 70 per cent.So you are unlikely to see any bricks, barrows, glass or plumbing pipes in the back of a HSV ute.But you are also unlikely to see a Maloo because demand for regular utes has choked supplies from GM Holden's factory in Elizabeth to the HSV production line at Clayton.Things should ease sometime next year, but the waiting time is unlikely to shrink to anything less than three months.The Maloo goes all the way for Holden and, like other E-Series Commodore models, it is further away from the regular ute than previous models.The tail-end treatment is unique — even if some of the lamps look stuck-on — the nose is all new, the cabin is more upmarket and even the lift-up load cover has unique HSV power bulges and a different but not as effective locking system.The result is a ute that turns heads with a supercar-style 0-100km/h sprint time, and a relative bargain at $59,990.It costs more than the turbo six from Ford Performance Vehicles and is above the basic 5.4 V8 ute, but matches the Super Pursuit on the bottom line.The HSV machine gets its edge with a full 6.0-litre LS2 V8 that does big kilowatt numbers but, more importantly, makes 550Nm.It is a little hidden up beyond 4000 revs, but dominates the character for the car.HSV is doing plenty of Maloos with the six-speed automatic gearbox, a surprising but effective choice, and the rest of the package includes monster brakes with 365 millimetre discs on the nose, electronic stability control, fully independent suspension, giant wheels and tyres and the same red-lit instrument cluster used in HSV's R8 and GTS sedans.The seats and wheel in the cabin are the same, with smooth leather trimming, and the safety gear includes front and side airbags, and anti-skid brakes with brake assist.It is an impressive package and one HSV is proud to tout.“It's a hot sexy product. We think we've absolutely nailed it,” the new HSV managing director, Scott Grant, says.“Maloo is our newest model and so the waiting time is the longest. But the Clubsport is about two months at the moment and the Grange is still selling at more than 20 cars a month, against our forecast of 10 a month.”He says HSV will easily set a sales record at the end of the month, up more than 1000 cars over its previous mark in 2005, with Maloo contributing about 600 sales a year. On the roadThe Maloo is a terrific drive. It is sharp, responsive and very, very quick.Most people would find it impossible to pick it from a HSV sedan, without looking over their shoulder, which is about as good as it gets in uteland.FPV does a similar job in upgrading Falcon utes, but even theirs are not as refined or car-like as the new Maloo.If you try a similar comparison with any of the imported Japanese one-tonners, even the benchmark Toyota HiLux, you come up with working-class vehicles that are much more work than play.I have already run the regular SS ute through the test program and it came out with classy marks, but the Maloo goes a significant step further. And it's not just a hot-rod.It is smoother and more refined than the SS, thanks to a compliant suspension that is surprisingly good.I did not try the Maloo with much of a load, but most owners want them as sports cars and they will get a winner.It turns like a sedan, rides like a sedan and grips like a sedan, even when you push hard. That's when most utes turn into sliding, wheel-spinning monsters.The Maloo tester had an automatic gearbox and it would be our choice. That's partly because it smooths the engine response and partly because it has the excellent manual shift system, but mostly because it damps out the violence of gearshifts, which can often be a problem in utes. (Holden does not have paddles on the steering column).So the Maloo is quick and responsive, and only a little dull against the R8 sedan. As well, it has a classy and comfortable cabin.There is plenty of legroom, with reasonable storage space behind the seats, which can be tricky to tilt, and the sound system is good.But parking and lane changing are awful. The shape of the cabin restricts over-the-shoulder vision and the lumpy luggage cover takes a huge chunk out of the rear view. Thank goodness for parking radar. But vision is the only niggle and the HSV Maloo is one of my favourite drives of the year.  The bottom lineAn all-Aussie success, and a genuine sports truck. 81/100  Snapshot HSV Maloo Price: $61,990 as testedEngine: 6.0-litre V8Power: 307kW at 6000 revsTorque: 550Nm at 5100 revsTransmission: six-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive.Body: Two-door utilityDimensions: Length 5040mm, width 1899mm, height 1481mm, wheelbase 3009mm, tracks 1952/1590mm front/rearSteering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinionFuel tank: 73 litresFuel consumption: 14.9 litres/100km (claimed, combined)Weight: 1852kgSpare tyre: Full-sizeBrakes: Anti-skid four-wheel disc with brake assistWheels: 19x8 front, 19x8.5 rearTyres: 245/40 R19 front, 275/35 R19 rearSafety gear: Front airbags, electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes, traction control, brake assist with brake-force distribution.Warranty: Three years/100,000km FeaturesAirconditioning 4Cruise control 4Alloy wheels 4Climate control 4Leather seats 4Heated seats 8Parking sensors 4Automatic wipers 44 standard equipment8 nonstandard equipmentHow it comparesHolden Commodore Ute SS: 80/100 (from $39,990)FPV F6 Tornado: 78/100 (from $54,670) Fast factMaloo is an Aboriginal word meaning thunder. 

My friends can't believe it - I've fallen for a ute. They might have understood if this was a meaningless one-night stand with a HSV Maloo R8, born of short-term lust for the outrageous form of that beast, but they're assuming it's a case of 'beer goggles' because I've fallen for a bare-bones, steel wheeled, working Commodore VE ute.  Nobody was more surprised than me, but the moment I hopped in the VE, it began to impress.The high-output version of Holden's V6 is great, significantly perkier than the base V6, yet more pliable and controllable on wet Sydney streets than the V8. Enough of the right sort of noise to be sure you're not driving a diesel, and any quicker from the lights and you'd be leaving the contents of your tray on the car behind you. The six-speed box pulls away acceptably in second without a load, though with a load on and from an uphill start, you'll need first. On the highway, fifth and sixth cruise comfortably and quietly.The cabin had more storage than I expected and a higher trim level than I expected, especially the wheel, gear shift, electric seat and reach-adjustable wheel. In fact, I was surprised how much of the interior I recognised from the Commodore SS-V I'd been driving a few weeks before. Sure, the bright orange leather trim was missing (not at all sorry about that) but the lower-spec audio system was more than adequate, and having no trip computer on the central electronic gauge meant I was no longer wincing at my mileage after heading out in a hurry.The load bay has literally loads of room - not the biggest available, but adequate for anything other than a 2m spirit level or a big ladder. Trade that space off against dynamics and I'll take the dynamics any day. While the VE ute was a little light and springy in the rear when I'd offloaded my 2m of mulch, it was nowhere near as bouncy as a heavier-sprung Hilux, and the traction control nicely managed the standard tires on wet, greasy sydney roads.I found it easy to sweep out the dog hair and mulchy bits from the rear when I'd finished my errands, and the gate took a pounding without complaint from two 20kg six-year-olds determined to use the ute's tray as a temporary driveway playhouse.You'd never pick it from a line-up of glamour-pusses, but the VE ute could find a place in my garage.

It speaks volumes for the HSV brand image and appeal that it can sell $125 million worth of merchandise — clothes and caps, not cars — in its 20 years of existence.The company also manages to retail around 4700 cars annually in recent years and is now riding a wave of 12 consecutive record sales months.HSV managing director Scott Grant said business was booming on the back of the VE/WM-based E-Series.“We've now had 12 very strong months with the sedan range and we think the Maloo will add yet another strong pillar to our sales potential,” he says.The Maloo R8's appeal is strong if the reaction from primary school kids at the fence is any indication — and that was just idling by.The VE-based range has the Clayton factory punching out 30 cars a day — it was around six a day when the company started 20 years ago — and the Maloo R8, pictured right, won't make life any less busy for the HSV staff.The ute product is the company's second-biggest seller behind the Clubsport sedan and the new model has the visual appeal to keep its numbers healthy.The new Maloo R8 gets a sleeker profile using a broader “HSV Performance sail plane” on the B-pillar which, when combined with the HSV hard tonneau, gives the ute a coupe-like look. The tonneau even now operates like a very big boot for a two-door sportscar — the new SMC tailgate now holds the locking mechanism that can be remotely operated from the key fob.The Maloo R8 gets a different tailgate to the VE Ute, with HSV claiming a 10-15 per cent weight saving from the new version — made from a sheet-moulded polyester resin compound.It also gets an extended tail-light motif that looks more like decals and a little underdone.The side-skirts get an extra vent that HSV says takes its inspiration from the Walkinshaw Commodore but also looks a little Lamborghini-esque as well.Apart from the odd tail-light set-up, the rear end gets quad exhausts within a diffuser.Under the skin the Maloo R8 now has stiffer spring rates over the R8 and GTS sedan models — the figures are 40 per cent at the front and 50 per cent at the rear — but it retains the same brake package.There's plenty of gear in this ute that rams home the message this is anything but a tradie's ute — a chunky leather-wrapped sports steering wheel with audio and cruise control switchgear, trip computer, Bluetooth phone connection, alloy faced pedals and a leather-wrapped gear shift.The rear vision is restricted by the hard tonneau, which has made the rear parking sensors a must-have for parallel parking and general safety.The Maloo R8 also gets automatic headlights, HSV sports instrument cluster, an upgraded Blaupunkt 6CD MP3-compatible five-speaker sound system, suede/cloth trimmed sports seats (with leather option), dual zone climate control and only dual front airbags, no side airbags.The engine is the now-familiar six-litre alloy V8, offering 307kW and 550Nm of torque with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission (a $2000 option).The automatic has been given a make-over by the electronic boffins to get rid of the awkward Sport button. The lever flicks to the left for Sport mode.The manual change function is also now accessed on the left but the new Sport mode complete, with downshift throttle blip, does a more-than adequate job.The rear wheels put those considerable outputs to ground via a limited-slip differential and stability control (which can be switched off).HSV says the ute offers 0-100km/h in 5sec and a top speed limited to 250km/h, but that's only half the story.The Holden VE Ute provides plenty of rear-end grip and HSV have built upon that excellent base.The HSV suspension tweaks don't include the sedan's Magnetic Ride Control. Chief engineer John Clark would have liked to put it on but says that the extra cost was a large chunk of money.“Some of the hardware would have carried over, the front would have but the rear dampers would have been different, then the calibration to do it all adds up to a significant cost,” he says.The tauter springs do detract from the ride quality a little, but body control and grip (thanks in part to a bigger rear tyre) in the corners puts many passenger cars to shame.One disappointment in the Maloo was the change from the VE Ute's easy-to-use seat-flip lever to a system that is more difficult to reach and harder to use.At a tickle under $60,000, the Maloo R8 is a couple of grand cheaper than its predecessor and offers serious performance.But only time will tell if the HSV badge, the extra gear and some extra grunt is worth the $13,000 jump from an SSV. 

A new three year, multimillion-dollar export program will deliver a left-hand-drive Chevrolet-badged version of the 307kW/550Nm, six-litre HSV ClubSport R8; to be known as the Chevrolet Special Vehicles CR8.The company has shipped 150 cars to the region and expects at least that many to be delivered in each of the following two years.They will sell for about $49,000; about $12,000 cheaper than in Australia.The Middle East has been Holden's biggest export market, having sold more than 200,000 vehicles in the region since 1998.The VE Commodore and WM Statesman/Caprice ranges are sold in the region as Chevrolet Lumina and as Caprice.GM Holden executive director sales and marketing Alan Batey said the expanding product range in the region illustrated the growing maturity of the Middle East market.“Holden has been able to partner its expertise in tailoring vehicles for the Middle East with the high-performance expertise of HSV to deliver a vehicle that will make a great driving experience,” he said.Holden's export sales for last year totalled 46,074, with more than 31,000 going to the Middle East; a record export year to the region for the company.New HSV managing director Scott Grant said the announcement added another HSV export market to the Vauxhall program in Britain.“HSV is already a well-known brand among car enthusiasts in the Middle East, many of whom are fans of the Aussie high-performance cars and our racing activities,” he said.“The initial response from dealers has been exceptional,” he said.The launch of the new export program is timed to coincide with the Desert 400 V8 Supercar round in Bahrain. 

It speaks volumes for the HSV brand image and appeal that it can sell $125million worth of merchandise; clothes and caps, not cars; in its 20 years of existence. The company also sold about 4700 cars annually in recent years and is riding a wave of 12 consecutive record sales months.HSV managing director Scott Grant says business boomed on the back the VE/WM-based E-Series; “We've had 12 very strong months with the sedan range and we think the Maloo will add yet another strong pillar to our sales potential.”The Maloo R8 has strong appeal if the reaction of primary school children at the fence is any indication; and we were just idling by. The VE-based range has the Clayton factory punching out 30 cars a day. It was about six a day when the company started 20 years ago and the Maloo R8 won't make life any less busy for the HSV staff.The ute is the company's second-biggest seller behind the Clubsport sedan and the new model has the visual appeal to keep its numbers healthy. The new Maloo R8 has a sleeker profile using a broader “HSV Performance sail plane” on the B-pillar which, combined with the HSV hard tonneau, gives the ute a coupe-like look.The tonneau operates like a big boot for a two-door sports car, the new SMC tailgate locking mechanism can be remotely operated from the key fob. The Maloo R8 has a different tailgate to the VE Ute, with HSV claiming a 10-15 per cent weight saving in the new version, made from sheet-moulded polyester-resin compound.It also gets an extended tail-light motif that looks more like decals and a little under-done.The side-skirts have an extra vent that HSV says is inspired by the Walkinshaw Commodore but also looks a little Lamborghini-esque. Apart from the odd tail-light set-up, the rear end gets quad exhausts within a diffuser.Under the skin the Maloo R8 has stiffer spring rates over the R8 and GTS sedan models; 40 per cent at the front and 50 per cent at the rear; but retains the same brake package.There's plenty of gear ramming home the message this is anything but a tradie's ute, a chunky leather-wrapped sports steering wheel with audio and cruise control switchgear, trip computer, Bluetooth phone connection, alloy-faced pedals and a leather-wrapped gear shift.The hard tonneau restricts rear vision, so the rear parking sensors are a must-have for parallel parking and general safety. The Maloo R8 also gets automatic headlights, HSV sports instrument cluster, an upgraded Blaupunkt 6CD MP3-compatible five-speaker sound system, suede/cloth-trimmed sports seats (with leather option), dual-zone climate control and only dual front airbags, no side airbags.The engine is the now-familiar 6.0-litre alloy V8, offering 307kW and 550Nm of torque with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission (a $2000 option).The automatic has had a makeover to get rid of the awkward Sport button; the lever flicks left for Sport mode. The manual change is also accessed on the left but the new Sport mode, complete with downshift throttle blip, does a more than adequate job. The rear wheels have a limited-slip differential and stability control (which can be switched off).HSV says the ute offers identical performance; 0-100km/h in five seconds and a top speed limited to 250km/h, but that's only half the story.The Holden VE Ute has plenty of rear-end grip and HSV have built upon that excellent base.The HSV suspension tweaks don't include the sedan's Magnetic Ride Control; chief engineer John Clark would have liked to put it on but says the cost was a large chunk of money.“Some of the hardware would have carried over, the front would have, but the rear dampers would have been different, so then the calibration to do it all adds up to an extra cost,” he says.The tauter springs do detract from the ride quality somewhat; some compliance remains; but body control and grip (thanks in part to a bigger rear tyre) in the corners puts many passenger cars to shame.One disappointment is the change from the VE Ute's easy-to-use seat-flip lever to a system that is more difficult to reach and harder to use.At a tickle under $60,000, the Maloo R8 is a couple of grand cheaper than its predecessor and offers serious performance but only time will tell if the HSV badge, the extra gear and some extra grunt is worth the $13,000 jump from an SSV.

There has been a rash of locally developed high-performance off-roaders such as the Ford Territory FPV F6 and Toyota's HiLux TRD. Now Holden Special Vehicles is looking to get in on the act.

There has been a rash of locally developed high-performance off-roaders such as the Ford Territory FPV F6 and Toyota's HiLux TRD. Now Holden Special Vehicles is looking to get in on the act.It is considering the idea of an HSV-inspired Captiva but HSV boss Scott Grant is wary of building an HSV Hummer, saying HSV had no plans to do so. However, the HSV Captiva could be a goer, he says.“We don't have any specific programs on that model,” he says. “But since I arrived at HSV, one of my big focuses is trying to expand the relevance and choice within the HSV brand. And the SUV 4WD, all-wheel drive category is too big to ignore.”Grant says HSV has been looking at Captiva but “we're not close to doing anything just yet.”He also believes the new Holden Sportswagon could form a solid base for a HSV-inspired wagon.“That's another opportunity for us,” he says. “But at the moment we've no plans there either.”Despite Ford and Toyota going in hard with their performance off-roaders, Grant says there is no urgency for HSV to get into the segment.“We'd only enter it if it made sense for our core credentials and brand,” he says. “It's obvious the other local players have strategies to expand into performance off-roaders.”However, he says HSV has to consider whether the brand is elastic enough to work with AWDs.The last HSV AWD was the $73,900 Avalanche launched in late 2003.The Avalanche was based on the Holden Adventra AWD which failed to reach sales targets locally despite a price cut and hard-sell by the company.HSV also built a performance XUV ute based on the Crewman.The company spent $4.5 million developing the 270kW 5.7-litre V8 Avalanche, which used Holden's Cross-Trac 4WD system.