HSV GTS News

Even at a time when fuel economy is top-of-mind with a growing number of Australian drivers there is plenty of space on the roads for Commodores and Falcons with old-fashioned V8 muscle under the bonnet. They burble menacingly at idle. They are the backbone of V8 Supercar racing.Yet V8s in the 21st century are not what they were in the days when they first conquered Mount Panorama and a GTHO Falcon or a Monaro - or even a Valiant V8 - was a dream machine for a generation of Aussie youngsters.Since 1970 the crude oil price has exploded from $20 a barrel to double that amount during the Iran revolution, over $70 during the first Gulf War, broke through the $100 barrier ahead of the Global Financial Crisis and has now settled at just below $100.In Australia, petrol prices have correspondingly risen from about 8c a litre in 1970 to about 50c in 1984 and almost $1.50 today.Despite all this, and despite one attempt at a death sentence by Ford in the 1980s, the V8 has not been wiped from Australian showrooms. Holden and Ford have continued to produce large cars with a V8 alternative and continue to slog it out at Bathurst.But Australian cars, even the ones that now have American V8s imported for local use, are not the only bent-eight blasters on the road.Germans are prolific builders of V8s and produce some of the most powerful engines in the world thanks to AMG-Mercedes, BMW and Audi. English V8s are built by Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar, while the Americans provide V8s in the Chrysler 300C sold here. Even the Japanese luxury brand Lexus has a V8 in its IS F hero and its luxury saloon LS460, as well as the LandCruiser-cloned LX470.Most V8s are powerful enough breathing ordinary air, but there are many forced-induction models with either turbo or supercharging to liberate even more power. Walkinshaw Performance does the job in Australia for Holden, BMW is going down the turbo V8 road for its latest M cars and Benz had a time with a supercharged AMG V8.But V8s are not just about unrestricted power. The push for greater fuel economy has also reached V8 land and so Chrysler and Holden have V8s with multiple displacement technology which shuts down half the cylinders when the car is just cruising to improve fuel economy. Formula One racing engines now do the same thing when they are idling on a grand prix starting grid.Holden's Active Fuel Management (AFM) was introduced on the V8 Commodore and Caprice in 2008 and the red lion brand is committed to the engine - with future technology updates - despite near-record fuel prices."It is incumbent on us to keep it relevant and continue introducing new technology that delivers on our customers' needs," says Holden's Shayna Welsh.Holden has the biggest stake in V8s with more models than any other company selling in Australia. It has a total of 12 models with V8 engines across four nameplates and four body styles, including Commodore SS, SS V, Calais V, Caprice V and the recently introduced Redline range. V8s account for about one quarter of Commodore sedan sales and almost half of Ute sales."We see it as being more than just the V8 engine - it's about the entire car. It's the whole performance package that appeals to people and we want to continue making cars that people are proud to own," Welsh says."The combination of features and technology, great handling and braking and outstanding value is consistent across our V8 model range."Ford fans are also committed to V8s, according to company spokesperson Sinead McAlary, who says a recent Facebook survey was overwhelmingly positive."We asked whether they worry about petrol prices and they say 'No, it's the sound of the V8 we love and we are prepared to pay the price'," she says.Both Ford and Holden also have performance divisions where the V8 was, and still is, king. Ford's is Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and Holden's is Holden Special Vehicles (HSV).HSV marketing manager Tim Jackson says their sales are "on par" with last year."That's despite the fact that last year we had the limited edition GX-P which is an entry level product for us," he says. "We don't have that model in our range at all this year and you would expect numbers to come off, but we've been able to maintain sales volume."All of HSV's range are powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine (6200cc 317kW-325kW), while the opposition at FPV has gained the kilowatt advantage with forced induction (supercharged 5000cc 315kW-335kW).Jackson says their LS3 V8 has been "validated" by customers."We're not getting guys screaming at us to go turbocharging. The LS3 is an extraordinary unit. It's a light engine with a good power-to-weight figure. There is not a turbo engine that would do it for us at the right development cost. But I wouldn't rule it (turbo) out or rule it in."Jackson says there have been no repercussions from the rise in petrol prices."Our customers don't have other choices in their repertoire," he says. "A small car doesn't suit them and they're not into an SUV. They're of a certain level where the whole cost of running the car is easy for them to absorb."The top-selling HSV is the ClubSport R8, followed by the Maloo R8, then GTS.However, the greatest HSV in history is debatable, Jackson says.HSV engineering boss Joel Stoddart prefers the all-wheel-drive Coupe4 and sales boss Darren Bowler the SV5000."The Coupe4 is special because of its engineering but I like the W427 because it's the fastest," Jackson says.FPV boss Rod Barrett says they are also experiencing strong sales growth. He says they sold about 500 cars in the first quarter, which is up 32 per cent on the previous year. He also says sales of the F6 have slowed since the launch of the supercharged V8 engine variants late last year, as customers "opt for power". Ford no longer offers a V8 with the demise of the XR8 sedan and ute last year."Our middle name is performance so we have all the V8s," Barrett says. "When we were launching this new supercharged car all the V8s came across here."Barrett says their supercharged engine has changed people's minds about "dinosaur V8s"."The turbocharged F6 was a cult hero car in its day and people thought a V8 was a low-tech dinosaur," he says. "But when we produced a high-tech all-alloy five-litre supercharged V8 built in Australia people started to think that V8s aren't all that bad after all. I'm not seeing the demise of the V8 just yet, but for us, the future is hi-tech."The supercharged 5.0Litre V8 335kW FPV GT continues to be FPV's top-selling vehicle followed closely by the supercharged V8 5.0 litre 315kW GS sedan and GS ute.Barrett believes the current GT is the best FPV car yet with its segment-leading power, light weight and improved fuel economy."However, I think our most iconic car was the 2007 BF Mk II 302kW Cobra in white with blue stripes. That car brought back the passion of '78 with the original Cobra. If you have a look at the second-hand prices, they are still holding up very well" he says.

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 aggressive double-scoop bonnet originally designed to cut through traffic in the USA has been transplanted to the second-generation VE models from HSV, pointing directly to a stonking 325kW V8 engine in the front-line GTS.It is part of a massive $500,000 model change that is almost the reverse of the low-key change for the regular VE Commodore, which has zero body changes but lots of engineering upgrades. HSV has also done a lot of tweaking, but designer Julian Quincey has gone wild with a range of changes and a lot more body jewellery to turn heads.Every E Series 2 manual also comes with full-on, race-style 'launch control' and there are a range of other technical upgrades across the line-up that runs from a competition mode on the stability control to 19-inch E2 alloy wheels on the ClubSport and beyond.But it's the bonnet that cuts through for E2 and HSV chief Phil Harding is happy to defend the donation from the Pontiac program. "We call it our performance bonnet. It's an HSV bonnet now," Harding says. "Actually, we asked for this opportunity over a year ago and at that stage no-one knew the fate of the G8 or Pontiac. We wanted Julian to have it for the facelift."We like the look of it. We think that makes our car look horny, or sporty, or whatever word you want to use."It helps give a tougher look to the E2 line-up but Harding, an engineer, is more focussed on the mechanical changes for the latest HSV line-up. "When we launched E Series we called that our $1 billion baby. This E2 is our half-billion baby. This is the biggest facelift we've ever done," Harding says. "We spent a huge amount on E Series and our sales went up 25 per cent in the first year. That approach worked and we decided to let the engineers loose to entice our customers three years later. "I'm guessing the appearance changes are around 20 per cent of the total bill. The rest is in technology and that stuff is going down pretty well."He targets the 325kW version of the LS3 V8 and the launch control system as the highlights for 2009. "Why do 325? Because we can, and because our customers want it. And they will probably tell us that it still isn't enough. "But, in parallel, we've done the responsible thing and worked on fuel economy. Every E Series II is more efficient than a VY II manual Clubsport, which had 5.7 litres and was 100kg lighter."The extra kiloWatts in the GTS have come from a re-calibration and a new lower-loss exhaust system, which points to a trickle-down to other models in future. Not that Harding is saying anything. "As for launch control, I think this is a kinder way of treating the clutch. It's a repeatable thing and easy to use. And we're putting the 7-litre clutch into the manual models."Apart from the model-by-model tweaking, the E2 models are also available with a new line-up of SV Enhanced options. They vary by model by generally include larger wheels, different exhausts and some cosmetic upgrades.The latest HSV cars hit showrooms this month but Harding is not making any big predictions because of the economic situation. "We'll more than double our daily output with this range. We'll still be down at the end of the year and I'm not sure how it will go. The market needs a kick," Harding says. "We have starved the market. I wanted the cleanest changeover and it's been the most successful since I've been here. At the moment we're trying to make one fewer car than is necessary, unlike the years when we've made one too many."VariantsThe 2009 lineup from Holden Special Vehicles has more visual differentiation than before and a bunch of technical changes. This is the basics, model-by-model:ClubSport R8 - from $65,990:Visual upgrade, 317kW V8, manual launch control, new seat trim, 4- piston brakes, 19" alloysMaloo R8 - from $62,990:Clubsport package, front-side-curtain airbags, 8" subwoofersR8 Tourer - from $66,990:Clubsport packageGTS - from $80,990:325kW engine, extended launch control, 20" alloys, performance leather seatsSenator Signature - from $82,990:Manual launch control, extended cruise controlWM Grange - from $87,990:Extended cruise control, competition mode ESP, new 19" alloys 

Holden Special Vehicles has launched two new models, revealing the ClubSport R8 Tourer and W427 Showcar to the Sydney audience. But there are also a couple of milestones for the brand, celebrating 20 years of the brand and 40 years of the first Australian Gran Turismo Sportivo (GTS).First appearing on a HK Monaro in 1968, the GTS nameplate has been part of the HSV lexicon since its return to the market in 1992 in the form of the 200kW VP GTS and has since been the hero car-line for the high performance car company.To commemorate 40 years of GTS, just 100 specially released models will be built, with black heritage stripes, tyre pressure monitors and a commemorative '40 years of GTS' logo embedded on the headrest, brake calliper, sill plate and rear panel.Priced from $80,170, the 40 years of GTS is only available in Sting Red and Heron White.Meanwhile a new Senator Signature SV08 introduces a new Tremec TR6060 manual gearbox to the range, which will become standard across the HSV line-up later this month.Twenty years on from the SV88, Holden Special Vehicles has released a limited run of 50 HSV Senator Signature SV08s.The luxury SV08 receives exclusive lower paint-outs, sill plates and additional chrome accenting on the side mirrors and door handles, along with 20-inch alloys.  Available in Nitrate (Silver), Sting Red and Voodoo (Blue), production is limited to 20 manual and 30 automatic versions priced from $82,700.HSV has also got its hands on the Holden Sportwagon and created the ClubSport R8 Tourer, HSV’s first wagon since the all-wheel drive 2003 Avalanche.Powered by HSV’s LS3 engine producing 317kW and 550Nm, the manual R8 Tourer is priced from $65,990 which is a $1000 premium over the ClubSport sedan.HSV has also brought to Sydney the W427 showcar finished in the same Panorama Silver as the original Group A SS VL Commodore, aka Walkinshaw. The modern day Walkinshaw 427 is powered by a 7.0-litre V8 engine with 500hp, that’s hand built at  GM’s Performance Build Centre in Detroit. The W427 retails for $155,500.

In August 2006, a month after Holden released the new VE Commodore; HSV introduced its own new E-Series. It came with changes to the exhaust system and the LS2 engine gained an extra 10kW, powering it up to 307 kW.The latest E-Series engine upgrade means that the power output for the ClubSport R8, GTS, Senator Signature, Maloo R8 and VM Grange’s power output will increase to 317kW.Managing director Scott Grant believes the new engine, the LS3 is a welcome upgrade for Australia’s HSV models.“We know our customers want the latest and greatest technology in their cars” he said.“The general Motors LS3 engine continues the HSV tradition of sourcing the world for technological advancements to enhance the driving experience,” Scott Grant said.The LS3 engine built by General Motors Powertrain in North America will also be used in the new Pontiac GXP. The GXP will be built by Holden in Australia, which will export it to the United States at the end of 2008.The 6.2 litre LS3, produces 317 kW at 6000 rpm and 550 Nm of torque at 4600 rpm.Production of the LS3 will begin this month and should be available in April 2008. 

Close your eyes and you could be riding in a Euro car. Open your eyes and it feels as if you are driving a Euro car.The difference is that Euro cars don't approach the bang-for-your-bucks blast of the HSV cars with their thumping exhaust notes from well-tweaked big-bore V8s.The Euros also don't have the all-round value of the HSVs.The preview of the E Series cars is short but runs over some great roads, including a dash through the Dandenongs.This highlighted a couple of minor glitches in the final finish of the cars, but these are not full production cars and HSV says there will be no dramas in showrooms.The Clubsport R8 is up first and delivered as expected. It is quick, composed, well-equipped and delivers the driving enjoyment you expect in a car with an HSV badge.It feels more planted and more balanced than any earlier HSV car, even the high-priced ones, and - at last - a real leap up from an SS Commodore.It works well with the new six-speed auto (an extra $2000), but really honks with the slick new manual shift.The Senator Signature is, as you would expect, a more relaxed drive.Still taut, but with the emphasis on luxury in the cabin, a subtle ride and auto-shift V8 bang for overtaking.And the GTS? This is the car with the Magnetic Ride Control, which is awesome, as well as the full pack of go-fast gear.The suspension system crushes bumps while giving astounding grip and balance.There is a switch to flick between road and track settings, but even the firm option is compliant and keeps the car sitting flat in corners.The car encourages you to push harder, but we never get close to the limit. That must be reserved for a racetrack.We didn't try HSV's sub-five-second claim for a 0-100km/h sprint, but it seems about right, and the LS2 engine is a real stormer.We wonder about a single spacesaver spare, in front-wheel size, and some people will huff about the economy. But not the owners.Based on our first drive, and the GTS in particular, Australia is ready to shoot for the world cup.