MIMS 2008 Holden & HSV Monaro

New chairman and Managing Director Mark Reuss, the American, struggled with some of the Australian names (Toraina, Monairo) but with a background in GM USA’s performance division, it was natural that he introduce the ‘cherry on top’ of the Holden/HSV range, the never before seen Holden Coupe 60.

Coupe 60

A next-generation Monaro in all but name, the Coupe 60 is named to celebrate the 60th birthday of Holden’s 48/215, but it’s also the 10th birthday since the original Monaro was unveiled in Sydney.

With a 6.0-litre engine with Active Fuel Management – cylinders that cut-out to save fuel – plus the ability to run on E85 ethanol fuel, there is a clear contradiction in the Coupe 60: it’s also heavily slanted towards racing.

The Coupe 60 features ‘Diamond Silver’ liquid metallic paint, ala McLaren’s F1 cars, 21-inch alloys with one-off hand-cut Kumho slicks, massive Brembo brakes and a side-exit exhaust. The undertray is flat-bottom, and runs to a rear underbody air diffuser. Bonnet nostrils and side gills are the garnish, but the interesting major features are the pillarless doors and lowered roof line, a feature designers say is production “possible”. Carbon fibre bucket seats feature inside, both front and rear.

Though a concept, the Coupe 60 is “production ready”. Based on the global GM rear-wheel drive platform shared with the VE, the rear end and wheelbase has been shorted to emphasise the length of the cabin and nose. The concept started in 2002 and Holden says is worth somewhere around $2.5 million.

Ruess stated the Coupe 60 was Holden’s gift to its fans. And we will look forward to its evolution into Monaro Mk3.

HSV W427

It’s been a long time coming, but the HSV supercar is finally here. The W427, aka 7.0-litre, is “Australia’s first supercar” claimed Ruess. He added it will be Australia’s fastest car – a title Holden’s own Elfin brand might dispute, quicker than five seconds for the 0-100km/h and sporting a massive LS7 V8 with 370kW and 640Nm – figures that are 20 and 16 percent more than the current 6.0-litre HSVs.

The engine is the same as the Corvette ZR1 which means a dry sump, along with a unique cold-air intake and active exhaust with valves that open under pressure.

Finished in Panorama Silver, the same as the Walkinshaw Commodore released 20 years ago, the W427 will be priced somewhere around $125,000 to $140,000 when it’s available in July.

Holden Sportwagon

Though it raced at the Bathurst 12 Hour three weeks earlier, and rather embarrassingly crashed out with brake failure, the Holden Sportwagon was unveiled as the prelude to its show stoppers. Due in June, the Sportwagon will come in sever versions including Calais and SS carrying a $1000 premium over its sedan equivalents.