2004 HSV Avalanche Reviews

Forget record high petrol prices: Aussie revheads are rushing to buy V8-powered Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons in record numbers as the iconic sedans near the end of the production line.

The return of the former chief engineer means big plans at Holden's fast-car division.

Holden's performance-car division will continue to build the Clubsport sedan and wagon, Maloo ute, Grange limousine and GTS super-sedan until the October 2017 end of Commodore production.Carsguide understands it may even stockpile enough cars to run into 2018 because once these homegrown heroes go, there will be no more.In the meantime, HSV is looking to broaden its range. Don't be surprised to see the high-performance Opel Astra OPC hot hatch and Opel Insignia OPC sedan and wagon in Holden showrooms wearing HSV badges.HSV has sold Opel's high- performance Astra before and the Astra hatch and Insignia were sold here last year as Opels before the brand was withdrawn from sale. That means they have Australian Design Rules approval and the parts are available. Only the HSV badges are missing.

THE new boss of Holden has boldly claimed the company will be Australia's top-selling car brand by the year 2020 -- just three years after shutting its factories. Holden hasn't been number one for 11 years, has just posted a 20-year low, and currently sells a little more than half the number of cars as market leader Toyota.Despite this, Holden boss Gerry Dorizas has bravely set his targets high barely five weeks into the new job. It seems like a tall order when the claims are judged against Holden's current model line-up.But behind the scenes the company is searching every corner of the globe to bolster its showrooms once Holden doesn't have a car factory to protect beyond 2017. That means all bets are off and Holden executives are going through the entire General Motors catalogue to fill every possible niche to win back buyers who've defected to other brands.Some of the cars listed here may seem fanciful based on Holden's recent history. But make no mistake, anything is possible in Holden's new era.As with all car makers, Holden refuses to discuss its future model plans and these cars are by no means confirmed. But this list has been compiled with some inside knowledge and a review of how Holden has done business in happier times, such as the late 1990s and early 2000s when European and US models helped drive it to Number One.Here are the 10 cars that could power Holden to the top of the market over the next six years.1. CamaroYou read it here first: Holden executives told dealers in a secret meeting late last year it's hopeful of getting the next generation Chevrolet Camaro in local showrooms by 2018, just after the homegrown Commodore fades from view.Normally such hot news would be kept under wraps, but Holden was trying to give dealers a confidence boost after announcing the 2017 factory closure.A right-hand-drive version of the current Chevrolet Camaro was under development when it was axed in 2009, in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis.Now that Ford has confirmed the Mustang is coming to Australia (due in late 2015) Holden is believed to be fighting hard for a right-hand-drive Chevrolet Camaro to meet its rival head-on.And the iconic Corvette? Former General Motors CEO, Dan Akerson, told Carsguide in January 2013 a right-hand-drive version was coming -- only to be corrected by his second-in-command Tim Lee less than 24 hours later.It's unlikely there will be a right-hand-drive version of this generation Corvette, but the head of General Motors global product development, Mark Reuss, a former Holden boss, told Carsguide in January 2014 he wants right-hand-drive versions of all Chevrolet vehicles in the future.2. Cascada convertibleIn the same top-secret meeting Holden dealers were told about the Camaro, they were also told the Opel Cascada convertible will be coming to Holden showrooms by year's end.The Cascada -- Spanish for rain or waterfall, unusual for a convertible given that they're about sunshine, except when they leak -- was supposed to be introduced as an Opel before General Motors pulled the German brand from sale locally last year, less than 12 months after it launched. All Holden needs to do is fit Holden badges, get cars to dealers and starting printing brochures.The Cascada is the spiritual successor to the Astra convertible, which Holden sold across two generations from 2001 to 2010.Holden is yet to decide whether the convertible will wear the Cascada badge or if Holden will use the Astra name for the convertible.Holden dealers have told Carsguide they would prefer the Astra badge because of its recognition, but Holden executives have been referring to the car by its Opel name in preliminary meetings.3. Astra hatchThe Holden Astra is going to return to showrooms, it's just a matter of when. At the moment, Holden doesn't want to dent sales of the locally-made Cruze but the Astra is on stand-by, ready to go.Holden dealers had to clear the unsold Astra stock once the Opel brand was withdrawn from Australia, so the network has already handled the new model.The three-door and five-door hatch versions of the Astra are likely starters, but the Astra sedan will probably be left behind, leaving the next generation Cruze sedan to fill the void.4. Cruze sedanHolden will import the next generation Cruze sedan once the locally-made model goes out of production. It will opt for the Cruze sedan (over the Astra sedan) because it will give Holden a strategic price step through the small-car range.The Cruze sedan will likely be the price-leader at close to $20,000 while the Astra hatch will likely be priced closer to fellow European, the Volkswagen Golf, at about $23,000.General Motors is yet to commit to a new version of the Cruze wagon.Although the current Holden Cruze wagon is well priced and regarded as a sound vehicle, it is selling in small numbers, with buyers favouring SUVs.5. Trax faceliftThe recently-released Holden Trax compact SUV is well-equipped and sharply priced but hasn't proved popular with buyers.It seems not everyone is a fan of its cutesy Dumbo Elephant looks. But a fix is a phone call away.The Trax's twin, the Opel Mokka, was due to go on sale locally until the brand was withdrawn late last year.The Mokka has a more European design inside and out even though it comes from the same South Korean factory as the Trax.Holden could simply fit Trax badges to the better-looking model on a “facelift” for a sales boost.6. BarinaAs one of the best-priced and roomiest cars in its class, the current-generation Barina is another Holden that deserves to be selling better.But it is heavy and thirsty compared to the class leaders. And while the attractively designed interior looks good in brochures, the plastics are hard to the touch and feel cheap once you're behind the wheel.The next Barina will likely continue to come from South Korea (rather than sourcing the European Opel Corsa) because it will enable Holden to keep prices low.Better quality plastics will improve the interior's appeal, while a more efficient engine and a lighter body will improve fuel economy, giving the next Barina a better chance in the cut-throat light-car class.7. Captiva SUVAn all-new Captiva SUV can't come soon enough. Most cars have a model cycle of five-to-six years. The Captiva is entering its ninth year on sale and a new-from-the-ground-up model is still about two years away.The current Captiva is selling well because it is the cheapest ticket into a seven-seat full-size SUV. But the new model will have to step up to newer competition, especially if it loses its current $10,000 price advantage.The other key to the Captiva's success is the two-model strategy: a slightly smaller five-seater and a slightly bigger seven-seater.Holden would like to continue with two models given the SUV market is still booming, but General Motors is likely to consolidate to one model globally.The Captiva is critical to Holden's 2020 Number One target: it accounts for almost one-third of sales and is currently the biggest selling model behind the Commodore and the Cruze.8. Next CommodoreHolden has scrapped plans to share the next generation, front-wheel-drive Commodore with a Chinese Buick.Now that the Commodore (or whatever Holden chooses to call its next large sedan) is no longer going to be built locally, Holden has the luxury of choosing between the Buick, Chevrolet or Opel versions of the same car.Expect four-cylinder and V6 power for the front-drive sedan, but there will no longer be a Commodore V8, wagon or ute.The Camaro is expected to fill the V8 void, while Commodore wagon customers will either downsize to a Cruze or step up to a Captiva SUV. Commodore ute buyers will have to learn to love the Colorado.9. Colorado uteThe Holden Colorado is travelling ok but it's still not selling as well as the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton. That means there is still plenty of sales potential.The Colorado is being held back at the moment because it doesn't drive as well as its peers and the cabin isn't as user-friendly or as upmarket as the newer competition.It also doesn't look like a tough truck. Making it drive better will take some chassis tuning, but making it look tougher is not as hard as it sounds.General Motors in North America redesigned the nose for the Chevrolet version of the 2015 Colorado, to make it look like a full-size pick-up. And guess what? The parts clip straight on to the Holden Colorado. Simples.10. Tahoe/SilveradoHolden has been trying to get right-hand-drive versions of General Motors' full-size SUVs and pick-ups from the US for more than a decade. Since, in fact, the Chevrolet Suburban was discontinued after being sold here between 1998 and 2001.Back then, when the Australian dollar was weaker than it is today, the “Holden” Suburban sold for between $64,000 and $87,000.At today's exchange rates, the prices for the Tahoe SUV and Silverado pick-up would likely be between $50,000 and $75,000 -- smack bang in the middle of Toyota Prado and Toyota LandCruiser territory, which last year accounted for more than 10 per cent of Toyota's sales.General Motors is yet to confirm right-hand-drive versions of its full-size pick-ups and SUVs -- but former Holden boss Mark Reuss, now the head of GM's global product development, told Carsguide in January this year he wants right-hand-drive versions of all future models.If they became available, Holden would grab them with both hands.What about HSV?Holden's performance-car division will continue to build the Clubsport sedan and wagon, Maloo ute, Grange limousine and GTS super-sedan until the very end of Commodore production in October 2017.Carsguide understands it may even stockpile enough cars to run into 2018 because once these homegrown heroes go, there will be no more.In the meantime, HSV is looking to broaden its model range. Don't be surprised to see the high performance Opel Astra OPC hot hatch and Opel Insignia OPC sedan and wagon appear in Holden showrooms wearing HSV badges.HSV has sold Opel's high performance Astra before and the Astra hatch and Insignia were sold here last year as Opels before the brand was withdrawn from sale.That means they've been approved for Australian Design Rules and there is already parts availability. All that's missing are the HSV badges.Friends in high placesHolden boss Gerry Dorizas believes Holden will get more support now than ever before from its overseas head-quarters.Former Holden boss Mike Devereux is in charge of sales for the Asia-Pacific region, and the man who saved Holden from extinction during the GFC, Mark Reuss, is now in charge of General Motors' global product development.The new president of General Motors, reporting directly to CEO Mary Barra, is New Zealander Dan Ammann, who grew up around Holdens.Will Zafira make it?Opel was poised to introduce the latest Zafira people mover in Australia before the brand was withdrawn suddenly late last year.Holden is understood to be evaluating whether the Zafira can be priced competitively against the other seven-seater family wagons before introducing it locally.Holden sold the Zafira in Australia between 2001 and 2006 but was dropped from the line-up as buyers began to favour seven-seat SUVs.Today, the people-mover category represents just 0.9 per cent of the new-vehicle market.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

When Mercedes invited us to the Race the Runway charity event at Edinburgh Airport, we lept at the chance.

THE new boss of Holden Special Vehicles says the performance car division will have a life after Holden stops making cars in Australia in 2017 -- but would not elaborate on what type of vehicles.Tim Jackson, who joined HSV four years ago, has been promoted from his director role in charge of sales, marketing and product planning, to become the managing director who will oversee the transformation of the company once local manufacturing ends in three years.For 27 years HSV's business has been almost solely reliant on the locally-made Commodore range of V8 sedans, wagons and utes, modifying them to increase their performance and handling -- and selling them for up to three times as much as a basic Commodore.It currently builds the fastest and most powerful car Australia has ever created: the Holden Special Vehicles GTS, priced close to $100,000. With 430kW of power from its supercharged V8 it was briefly the fastest sedan of its size in the world until it was overtaken by a Mercedes-Benz AMG that costs more than twice as much.But HSV, which currently employs about 100 workers at its Clayton assembly line and engineering centre, will be forced to modify and adapt imported models if it continues its relationship with General Motors once Holden stops making cars locally in 2017."We are excited about the future," said Mr Jackson. "Our job is as it always has been -- deliver great value performance cars and we definitely plan to continue. We don't plan to stop. Our product offering has been evolving constantly and will continue to do so."Mr Jackson, a former high-ranking executive at sports-shoe and apparel company Adidas in Australia and overseas, will succeed the long serving and highly regarded Phil Harding, who led HSV for 8 years over two separate terms and has been working with the Walkinshaw Group for 19 years.Ryan Walkinshaw, the son of the company's late founder Tom Walkinshaw, issued a bulletin to dealers late on Wednesday 26 February 2014 advising of the leadership change, following a board meeting earlier that morning.Mr Harding, originally from England and a former Rolls-Royce executive and engineer, will stay at HSV as a non-executive director and work on "key projects".Mr Harding told News Corp Australia: "I'm not retiring, just spending more time on other Walkinshaw (company) interests for three days a week and the rest on what I want to do after 47 years in the automotive industry."In the statement to dealers Ryan Walkinshaw said Tim Jackson was "ideally positioned to continue our focus on performance, innovation, and design" of motor vehicles.Ryan Walkinshaw also paid tribute to Phil Harding's work with the Walkinshaw Group: "I would like to thank Phil for his leadership, as well as his 19 years working within the Walkinshaw family businesses. Phil has contributed an enormous amount to HSV and TWR, and we cannot thank him enough for the commitment, experience and expertise that he has brought to the various businesses in which he has been involved."This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

Aussie car fans and nostalgia buffs will tell you that local motoring reached its peak in the 1970s.

Lexus claims its cars are all about the pursuit of perfection -- but Toyota’s luxury division has made a less than perfect claim for its new V8 coupe unveiled at the Detroit motor show overnight. The company says the Lexus RC F has the “world-first use” of a Torque Vectoring Differential in a front-engine, rear-drive sports vehicle.The problem with that claim is that both the Jaguar F-Type convertible and coupe and Holden Special Vehicles GTS sedan introduced torque vectoring technology last year; Porsche’s 911 has had it for two years, although it is a rear-engined vehicle. “Torque Vectoring” is geek-speak for technology that can prevent a car from having a rear-wheel skid. Lexus claims its system works differently to others, however, the result is the same. Meanwhile, the world’s motoring media became frustrated with Lexus’ decision to not reveal more details about the performance of its new hero car, a pointer to the upcoming Lexus IS F replacement. Although Lexus appears to have over-hyped that claim too. Lexus said the RC F had the “most powerful ever Lexus 5.0-litre V8”, but the company would not say how much power or how fast the car would complete the 0 to 100km/h dash.One of the most popular automotive websites in the US, Jalopnik, summed up the mood at the show when it vented on Twitter: “The Lexus RC-F is faster than a Shelby Cobra, maybe. We dunno.” “The Lexus press conference debuting the RC F Coupe wasn't just slim when it came to details. It was totally devoid of them. No official specs, no nothing,” wrote Jalopnik.Lexus said the V8 concept coupe had “at least” 335kW of power and 520Nm of torque. The current Lexus IS F V8 sedan has 311kW and 505Nm. So no rocket grenade improvement, then. The end. Next story please.      

We had a run in the wild Walkinshaw Performance supercharged V8 Commodore a few years back and it was a mind bending experience as well as chassis bending.

Police in Dubai have Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Aston Martins and Porsches -- but the NSW highway patrol has the next best thing. The long arm of the law has a new weapon against high-speed criminals, and it just happens to be the fastest and most powerful car ever made in Australia.NSW Police have just taken delivery of a brand-new HSV GTS. Powered by a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 it can reach the speed limit in just 4.3 seconds. The one-off project funded by the NSW Centre for Road Safety joins the supercharged Ford Falcon GT (funded by the Motor Accidents Authority) that joined the police fleet last year.The HSV GTS won't be used for regular highway patrol duties, instead it will join the arch rival Ford at regional shows and enthusiast events across the state to drive home the road safety message."This car is a conversation starter," says Superintendent Stuart Smith, from the NSW Police Traffic Services headquarters. "Whether you're a young hoon or just curious, this car is an opportunity for offices to engage with the public and educate them about road safety."The $100,000 HSV GTS has about $20,000 worth of performance upgrades, lifting power from the standard 430kW output to close to 500kW, more than a V8 Supercar. "It's designed to showcase our best police technology and also get people talking," said Superintendent Smith.If motorists don't see the police HSV GTS in their mirrors, they still have plenty to fear.  Almost every NSW Police car now has onboard video cameras (front and rear), as well as roof-mounted cameras that can in milliseconds read the licence plates of cars travelling in either direction.The automatic number plate readers can detect stolen or unregistered cars, and wanted criminals. This equipment is in addition to the mobile radar unit, drug and alcohol testing devices, and road spikes in the boot to stop fleeing drivers in their tracks. With all the onboard police computer and radio systems, the modern police car is almost a mobile police station.The HSV GTS will be doing "high visibility" police work in the lead-up to and over the summer holidays. You have been warned.