HSV News

Walkinshaw Performance is selling what must be the most desirable used ute in Australia. The rare and genuine Walkinshaw Performance HSV E3 Maloo is from their VIP fleet and is being moved on to make way for new fleet vehicles. Any doubts about the desirability? Just read some of the details in the ad. It's a 2011 plated super low km (<3,500kms) vehicle that features some of our finest work. This thing has more soul than Marvin Gaye, more power than seven of the Toyota Yaris -- and looks-wise it would give Miranda Kerr a run for her money (note: also faster than Miranda). Lists are usually boring, but this one is not. Read it while seated. First up we whacked a WP230 Supercharger atop the LS3 engine which turned a 317Kw Maloo into a 480+kw Maloooooo. It also now boasts more torque than a political rally while actually producing results. The wheels. We thought "20s would look nice". Up onto the hoist and shortly after the beast was shod with HSV SV Black 20" wheels with Bridgestone Potenza 275/30 rears and 245/35 fronts. Looks. A Maloo is already the best looking ute out there, but we added an HSV GTS front bar in matt black and a number of HSV Black parts (Bonnet and side vents) to make angry look angrier. The factory bimodal exhaust remains (As Top Gear's Richard Hammond once said "Makes it go to eleven"), but we added our billet aluminium matt black tips to ensure it was very WP styled. It has a towbar with a WP cap on it for when you're not pulling an Airbus A380 for a friend (did we mention 800nm of torque?). Of course it has a full service history, with all work done by us and backed by a balance-of-new- car warranty from WP. This ute has been snapped up by a buyer that says he is "very excited."    

The home of Holden in Cairns has been transformed into a state-of-the-art dealership, which not only looks good but meets high environmental and cyclone rating requirements.The Ireland family is investing $3 million in the Mulgrave Rd property, which exceeds exacting GM Holden standards. Ireland Holden and HSV now boasts a new showroom, upgraded workshops, a new service reception area, increased sales staff space and reception, new administration and corporate offices, new IT and customer contact centres and will soon have a newly renovated parts department and used vehicle sales offices.Holden dealer-principal Richard Ireland said the showroom was double the size of the previous building, able to fit nine Holden Caprices comfortably. He said the showroom, fronting Mulgrave Rd, featured high-quality fixtures and fittings, including custom tiled floors, stainless steel features, exterior cyclone-rated aluminium cladding, energy efficient lighting and larger window space."One of the surprises will be a 4m by 2m high-definition LED television screen which will show the latest product images and previews, advertising and special events such as Bathurst. The audio will include internal and external speakers,'' Mr Ireland said.The showroom and other parts of the building include heat shields to reduce the need for costly airconditioning. The aluminium panelling outside is designed to eliminate mould and reduce dust surfaces. A new sales reception area is included in the showroom as well as room for eight sales staff, an increase on the previous five.Customer sales desks and chairs are scattered throughout the showroom and there is a dedicated HSV area. "We don't want our customers to feel closed in. We have created an open and friendly environment,'' Mr Ireland said.Holden's high-tech Volt electric car will feature pride of place in the showroom and there is a designated rapid power-charging station outside, available to Volt buyers. Wheelchair access and automatic doors, the latest Holden and HSV corporate branding signs and paint finishes are included.The service reception area features a large TV, lounges and tea and coffee making facilities. Four customer service work stations with free wi-fi have been installed and customers are able to watch their cars being serviced. The heat shields and large overhead fans cool the workshops down to make conditions more comfortable for staff, while improving environmental impacts from cooling systems.The building features compartmentation which is automatically triggered in the event of fire, to isolate half the dealership and assist in mitigating damage. A $100,000 elevator gives easy access to the second floor which houses the dealer-principal's office, the boardroom, administration and corporate offices, the IT and customer contact centres.The administration area has doubled in size with a further eight people working in the department, now totalling 14. Ten extra staff have been hired at Ireland Holden with 130 in all. The customer contact centre makes 400 services and sales calls a week. A new IT server room has a double roof and ceiling as well as extra cyclone bracing.The new boardroom easily seats 22 people, more than double previous capacity, plus there is a full kitchen for catering. Ongoing work includes the new used car centre and the parts department. Joint managing director David Ireland was the project manager, liaising between the family and the three building and design firms involved in the redevelopment.The Hartley Group designed and built the new showroom and service area, RC Harder undertook the corporate offices and board room designed by Peter Dall'Alba Design of Gordonvale, while the Chappell Group is working on the used car and spare parts refits. Design work started in December 2010 with builders on site since October 2011. 

Some have something simple, like squeaky brakes or weird tyre wear, but there are others with major dramas.Just this week I've had a Volkswagen owner who needed a new engine and a Range-Rover tragic, owner of close to a dozen of the top-end SUVs, who is heading for an all-new replacement off the back of more than 20 fruitless trips to the repair shop with his $100,000-plus pick.Every one of these problems reminds me that cars are complex. And even the best ones can go wrong. But the cars of today are so much better than the cars of just 20 years ago that it's almost beyond belief.The only truly bad car I've test driven this year is the Chery J1. The Chinese toddler has quality that's worse than the original Korean arrivals in Australia and, if I can pick the difference on day one, then it's going to be bad news once it's got a few years and some serious kilometres under its wheels.Flick the calendar back and things were much worse. I still have nightmares about the press preview of the original Holden Camira.The first 'global' car to land in Australia seemed like a good idea, but that was before the gearstick feel out in my hand. And the bonnet flew up for no reason. And the dashboard squeaked and groaned and flexed and wobbled.Every motoring journalist has some sort of Jaguar horror story, and I recall the luxury XJ that dumped all its oil on the brand-new floor of my garage. Then there was the Range Rover that dropped both of its external rear-view mirrors - for now apparent reason - as I overtook through the shock blast of a B-double truck.In recent year, though, the failures have been few and far between. Yes, I've had complaints about the operation of a variety of DSG gearboxes in a variety of Volkswagens, but every car has come through its Carsguide test program without failing.Which brings me to the HSV Commodore I was once driving down the Hume Highway to Melbourne. Everything was fine through the performance runs and cornering trials, so I was dribbling home at a steady 100km/h when the engine failed. No bang, no crash, just a complete absence of power that was eventually traced to a fault on the crankshaft.The real kicker to the story is that I was forced to take a tow to the nearest town from a motoring journalist friend who was making the same trip. And he was driving a  … Jaguar. 

The HSV Maloo, sold in the UK as the Vauxhall VXR pick-up, now holds the record for the fastest light commercial vehicle on a Worcestershire hill climb track called Shelsley Walsh (try saying that after a few beers). Somewhat appropriately, it was ex-pat Australian Steve Cropley, who is Autocar magazine’s editor-in-chief, who drove the brutish ute. “The plan was not just to set an LCV record time at Shelsley, but make it respectable enough to stick for a while,” Cropley says. “Despite the track being dampish, and littered with wildlife that thought the hillclimb season had ended, we managed a 38.65 second run. The Maloo’s huge torque, decent launch control and easy handling made the whole experience less of a chore than it should have been, too.”  

Holden’s fast-car division is studying the same type of hybrid technology used in Formula One – for possible use in road and race cars.  Holden Special Vehicles – which also runs the Holden Racing Team in the V8 Supercar category – is working on an “energy recovery system” for a one make racing series in India. But the technology could be adapted to a limited run of road cars, the company says. “We know how to adapt with race cars and the technology could be adapted to road cars,” says HSV managing director Phil Harding. “It’s early days but we are investigating it for our road cars. If it meets our quality, reliability and performance standards, it’s the type of thing we would consider.” The kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) gathers and stores energy when a car is braking, but then provides a brief power boost when accelerating. In Formula One, KERS is most commonly used for overtaking; drivers push a button for a six-second power boost. The system usually takes a lap or two to recharge. In road cars it could be used to boost acceleration, either from a standing start or on the move. The KERS device HSV is looking at is about the same size as a large can of fly spray and is fitted to the rear axles of the car. HSV says it is only experimenting with the technology for the race car export program to India – but if successful, the system could be used on road vehicles. HSV will ship the first of two race cars to India next week, the first of up to 30 to be used in a one-make racing series there. “We have identified an untapped market for the design, development and engineering of race-spec cars for the Indian market,” says Harding. “There is an affluent business community in India which is passionate about high performance cars and the potential to race them.” HSV exported 25 cars to the Middle East in 2005 for a one-make racing series there.  

With the introduction of an updated VF Holden Commodore pegged for early next year, HSV, official tuner to Holden, will be introducing its own new models based on the car in the form of the F Series range. Prototypes for HSV’s F Series are already testing, and according to some reports the noise emanating from under their hoods has the signature whine of a supercharger. With HSV’s direct rival FPV having won the local power stakes with its own range of supercharged Ford Falcon GT sedans, the decision to adopt supercharged power for its new F Series is a no-brainer for HSV, especially when Holden’s parent, General Motors, already has several supercharged V-8s in its parts bin. According to Go Auto, the most likely option for HSV is using the supercharged 6.2-litre LSA V-8 found in the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, with which the Holden Commodore and HSV’s model range shares a Zeta platform. While output of the Camaro ZL1’s engine stands at 432kW of power and 753Nm of torque, for application in the HSV F Series the numbers will likely be toned down. HSV’s current flagship, the GTS, only develops 325kW and 550Nm, so expect only a gradual rise in output initially, probably enough to just eclipse the 335kW/570Nm rating of its FPV GT rival. www.motorauthority.com

The limited edition HSV 25th Anniversary car will be launched at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney on October 18 and be available in HSV dealerships from that day. But we suggest you contact your favourite dealer as soon as possible as stocks are limited to 125 cars and they are likely to disappear quickly. The HSV 25th Anniversary GTS has a recommended retail price of $84,990, plus on-road costs. This is just $2000 more than the standard GTS. HSV tells us the value of the special equipment is about $7500 of added extras (including the added extra LCT they attract). Should you want the convenience of a six-speed automatic transmission add another $2000 to the rrp. It’s hard to believe that 25 years have passed since the infamous falling out between the late great Peter Brock and Holden stunned the Australian muscle car scene. One positive result of that public affairs disaster was the setting up of Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) to replace Brock’s Holden Dealer Team (HDT). As part of its ongoing celebration of an impressively successful 25 years in business HSV is releasing the limited edition GTS. The HSV 25th Anniversary GTS features a number of styling, performance and technology upgrades. These include all-new, lightweight, 20-inch forged-alloy wheels finished in Satin Graphite. These forged wheels give a weight saving of 22 kilograms over the standard GTS wheels. The weight saving is, of course, in the most important area of all, because reducing unsprung weight improves on the limit handling as well as making for a better ride. What HSV calls its “Vector” bonnet scoops and side vents also get the distinctive Satin Graphite that makes the new forged alloys stand out. HSV has added six-piston brakes with a huge 50 per cent increase in pad area. While many drivers will never experience the better brake on the road, those who take the hot Holden HSV GTS to track days will certainly appreciate the benefits in lowered lap times. Interior additions for the special HSV include seat embroidery, exterior badging, sill plates and an EDI start-up screen. It’s hard to imagine that any drivers of HSVs don’t adjust their door mirrors correctly, but just in case, HSV has added General Motors’ Side Blind Zone Alert to the 25th Anniversary GTS. This is a genuine limited edition car and only 125 units will be built for sale in Australia, Each with a build plate that’s individually numbered. HSV’s 25th Anniversary GTS will be available in a range of stand out paint colours: Heron, Sting, Phantom and Hazard. HSV’s general manager - sales, Darren Bowler is justifiably proud of his hot new GTS special edition, telling us that, “Twenty-five years is an important milestone in the HSV journey. We believe this 25th anniversary GTS truly embodies all that HSV stands for – race-bred performance, design and technology at a price that represents outstanding value.”  

The base model ClubSport and Maloo join the Holden Special Vehicles' lineup to lead a new value drive and start celebrations for the brand's 25th birthday. Prices have been pegged at $58,990 for the Maloo ute and $64,990 for the ClubSport, with no loss of punch from their 6.2-litre V8 engines. The only thing missing, compared with the R8 version of the ClubSport, is HSV's high-tech Enhanced Driver Interface system. But the cars do get a new 20-inch alloy wheel called Pentagon. The born-again ClubSport is much the same as the short-run GXP Commodore but, says HSV managing director Phil Harding, this time it's a "real HSV, all the way around". "We brought the ClubSport back as a GXP a couple of years ago and there was a desire to bring it back in a more solid way. It satisfies a need," Harding tells Carsguide. "It won't be significant volume, but it helps bring people to the marque. It's for the sort of guy who perhaps had an HSV but fell off the ladder and wants to come back." He admits the pricing is an important reason for the ClubSport and Maloo tweaking, but says HSV is happy with its sales despite the large-car downturn that has hit the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon. "The biggest change to get to a ClubSport from the R8 is the loss of the EDI system. It helps us get down to a price poiint. With the Luxury Car Tax, once you take something out it has an added effect. "As for sales, we're about where we wanted to be at this time of the year. We're not panicking and we're doing alright." The new starter car comes as HSV goes public with a range update called MY12.5, although there will be other significant 25th anniversary action. "There is nothing that's public yet. Watch this space," Harding says to deflect any extra questions. The 12.5 changes are very minor, although the ClubSport R8, Maloo R8 and ClubSport Tourer R8 pick up a power boost to 325 kiloWatts in addition to the 20-inch alloys and leather seat trim. Power in the Senator Signature also improves to 325kW, together with optional 20-inch forged alloys and `Vector' hood scoops and side vents. The 25th anniversay is refected in a special `start-up' screen in the infotainment system, build plate, internal identification and sill plates.  

...Drool. Check your bank balance. Sigh.

"The clearance yard has been set up to clear trade-ins, government, rental and off-lease cars," Motorama Group chief executive Mark Woelders said."This means high volume sales, low margin business offering customers a great opportunity to buy a vehicle at close to wholesale prices."A large volume of vehicles are coming into stock due to the success of the new car market and a high number of company car role overs."The price range for vehicles on sale is predominantly in the $10,000 to $25,000 range with vehicles provided with a 110 point check and road worthy certificate, and a three month guarantee. "Motorama is a 52-year-old family business. We stand behind the products we sell," Mr Woelders said."The newly created clearance car centre has taken pride of place in the previous Toyota showroom." The management team of the Motorama Clearance Centre is being headed up by a young and enthusiastic customer-orientated team.Manager Clayton Smith is happy to field any questions or inquiries with the clearance car centre located at 1160 Ipswich Rd, Moorooka. Motorama has a large number of brands and operates Toyota, Holden, HSV, Mitsubishi and Kia sales on the Magic Mile at Moorooka."Toyota has now moved into a new complex with Motorama City Holden, which is Brisbane's first green, sustainable dealership." Holden will reveal its new Holden Colorado this month and Toyota will debut its new sports coupe called the 86 next month."The investment by Motorama in sustainable green dealerships is second to none in Queensland," Mr Woelders said. The Motorama Group has been a Queensland icon since 1959 when the business came from the humble beginnings of a Gold Coast service station.Jan Woelders started to help people with their motoring needs and over the years, it has expanded to become one of Queensland's largest private family-owned motor groups, with multi-franchise dealerships all across Brisbane.