HSV News

So is the potential of a right-hand drive conversion on the Chevrolet Camaro.  Even though the HSV line-up is currently full, thanks to the arrival of the starting-price GXP models, company chief Phil Harding, is continuing to scout for new metal.He says his enthusiasm for an HSV Cruze to sit below the Commodore-based lineup remains strong, and he can also see potential in the Camaro.  But Harding says the Cruze is the more-likely starter at HSV's headquarters in Clayton, Melbourne, although he needs local production to begin before he can create a workable business case for the car."We'll look at torsional rigidity, suspension and all that,'' Harding says.However, there is no urgency.  "I don't have a timeframe. What we'll do is get the package together and if it works we'll look at doing it.  So I don't think it has to be done by 2012 or 2013.''Harding says local production of the Cruze sedan and hatch in Adelaide will make it an easier job for HSV.  "My target is to make sure the package works. If it works then we'll have a target of a model year introduction."However, he says that the Cruze must fulfil the necessary HSV criteria for ride, handling and aesthetics.  "If it doesn't then we won't do it,'' he says.For the Camaro, the biggest hurdle for a right-drive car from HSV is the investment needed for a low-volume seller."We think we understand what that investment level is. I'm not sure the business case works for us though," Harding says.  But Harding says dealers are not asking for a HSV Camaro.  When we launched the Coupe - our two-door version of the Monaro - our customers came from somewhere and when we stopped making that car they went somewhere else,'' he says."Our typical customer is married, in his 40s and got two kids and number one interest is motorsport... the sedan suits his lifestyle.''  He says it would be hard to sustain on-going sales interest in another coupe.

If you’ve been dreaming of owning one of these rare high-performance cars, the Melbourne-based company has just made the move into performance territory more palatable. It has launched two new entry models, the ClubSport GXP and Maloo GXP with driveaway pricing of $61,990 for the six-speed manual sedan and $55,990 for the manual.  The cars are based on the Pontiac GXP, which sold for a brief period in the United States.HSV says the sedan and ute are ‘limited editions’, meaning just 400 sedans and 350 utes will be built.  However, HSV executives are mindful that as an entry level car, both are expected to sell out quickly.HSV general manager sales and marketing, Darren Bowler, says it is unlikely the GXP will join the lineup as a new model, beyond the limited edition cars.  “We don’t want too many variants in our model range,” he says.However, the company has left the door open for a similarly priced entry level model at some time in the future.  “We will learn a lot from this exercise and if they work, we will look at it,” Bowler says.HSV managing director, Phil Harding, says the cars are designed to bring new customers to the brand.  “Importantly, both cars also adhere to the HSV brand pillars of performance, handling and unique design,” he says. Harding says it “was always our objective to find a solution for the model that sat below the ClubSport R8”.  “We received a lot of customer inquiries for a model like that and GXP provided us with that opportunity,” he says.There are many common parts between the GXP and the ClubSport R8, including the 317kW/550Nm 6.2-litre V8.  The cars also get unique suspension settings, a Brembo brake package, E Series 2 daylight running lights, E Series 2 front bumper and bonnet and mudguard vents.Harding is quick to point out that the GXP pair were not a result of left over components from the Pontiac parts bin.  “There is a great danger that you might refer to this program as inventory user,” he says.“It’s absolutely nothing of that sort. And certainly companies these days don’t end up with stuff left over; certainly we don’t.  “In terms of building these cars new parts have had to be ordered.”Body and appearanceIt’s no surprise the GXP looks familiar. It uses the same name as the Pontiac G8 GXP model sold briefly in the United States and phased out early this year.  For Australia both the ute and sedan get a mix of Clubsport R8 interior and exterior tweaks, including the same 6.2-litre V8 developing 317kW and 550Nm.The ClubSport GXP gets a unique rear bumper on the sedan with a blacked-out diffuser into which the quad exhausts are set.  The ute follows a less is more treatment with the rear end and looks similar to an SS ute. Instead of the Maloo hardcover tonneau, the GXP ute opts for a soft-cover.DrivetrainThe 6.2-litre V8 is already a well proven beast in the ClubSport and this engine is the one and only choice here.PricesBoth models will debut with driveaway pricing of $61,990 for the ClubSport GXP sedan manual and $55,990 for the Maloo GXP manual ute. Autos attract another $2000.  Options include satellite navigation, rear park assist, sunroof and roof-mounted DVD player for the sedan.InteriorClubSport R8 owners will recognize the cabin. The sedan gets HSV sports seats with cloth trim while the Maloo gets the performance sports seats. There is also a dual zone climate control system, 6.5’’ multi-function colour display screen, electric windows and Blaupunkt stereo with six-disc in-dash CD player. There are 11 speakers in the sedan and seven in the ute.EquipmentOutside there are projector headlights, daytime running lights, bonnet scoops, chrome mirror housings and chrome door handle surrounds, sports tail lights on the sedan, soft tonneau cover with HSV logo on the ute, 19-inch Series I alloys.  Inside there is a leather wrapped HSV multi-function steering wheel, trip computer, alloy faced pedals, tyre pressure monitors, HSV sports instruments and triple centre mounted gauges.Both models are available in Heron White, Nitrate, Sting Red, Phantom, Voodoo and Karma. The ClubSport GXP is also available in Evoke.SafetyDual front, side and curtain airbags with seatbelt load limiters, limited slip differential, four piston Brembo performance brakes, electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes and traction control.DrivingIF the GTS has too much “bling” for your liking then the GXP sedan is a natural choice.  The car steers, brakes and accelerates just like a HSV should but without the “look at me” styling.  That doesn’t mean it’s not without some nice touches, from the mudguard vents and bonnet vents to the skillfully crafted diffuser treatment on the sedan’s rear bumper.Inside there are touches of the ClubSport R8 around the cabin, and that’s a good thing. To keep the price down it misses the launch control function.  The sedan is a smooth operator when it comes to the nip and tuck of every day traffic. The V8 will help dispatch slowcoaches easily and without drama.The most surprising thing about the Maloo GXP is that it is a ute. You have to keep checking the rear view mirrors because until you drive it, you’ll dismiss it as just another ute. It’s not.And that’s the key to all HSVs. There is some serious under the skin engineering on the suspensions, engines and steering to back up the go-fast looks.  HSV’s general manager sales and marketing Darren Bowler calls the GXP a “sleeper”.  He might be right but if you hang around too long this sleeper will rocket out of showrooms.At a glanceEngine: 6.2-litre LS3 Gen 4 V8Price: $61,990 sedan, $55,990 Maloo ute.Power: 317kW at 6000 revsTorque: 550Nm at 4600 revs. 

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 cut-price contenders set a new starting sticker for the Holden heroes at $59,990, although a new Maloo does even better at $53,990.  The cars are called GXP and they come as HSV looks to spark renewed interest with fans of the brand who have found the bottom line getting too tough."There are a lot of people who have the aspiration to get into an HSV but can't quite make it. This will help them to live their dreams," says Phil Harding, managing director of HSV.  "We think it will bring in people for whom, perhaps, the elastic has broken. It will bring them back to the brand."He denies any cut-price panic at the hot Holden brand and says there was always a plan to push down at the bottom end of the range.  "We're not discounting HSV. When we launched E1 we left room at the bottom end. We didn't come out with a Clubbie, we came out with an R8," Harding says."We've been searching for something to sit under the R8. Now we're taking the opportunity. We'll see how it goes."  The ClubSport GXP and Maloo GXP both come with HSV's 6.2-litre LS3 V8, still with 317 kiloWatts and 550 Newton-metres of torque, each with a special suspension tune and a Brembo brake package unique to the GXP.There is a unique rear fascia, E2 running lamps, fascia, hood and fender vent.  Inside, the GXP gets the E2 ClubSport R8 package with sports cloth seats.  So, what's missing?"Specification wise, it doesn't have launch control and ESP. Or the wider rear wheels," admits Harding, but he says it's a competitive package."The walk-up to the R8 is still good value. Life is good at the top end and now we're having a go at the bottom.HSV is targeting up to 750 GXP sales, which could be close to 20 per cent of its total volume in 2010, but Harding admits the program is still a bit of a gamble.  "It's worth having a good go, and that's the view we took. We're going to go for it," he says.  "I want to see how it goes. It's difficult to know."The GXP models go into production in February, although HSV - like every brand - is pushing the investment-allowance benefits of signing up before the end of the year.

Since cars all deliver on the same basic promise of personal mobility, and many vehicles do it with incredible value and panache, good design can often make the difference between buying and losing.Ian Callum knows it and, after more than four decades of top-class design work on everything from HSV Holdens to Volvos, Aston Martins and now Jaguars, he is the right man to be talking. "This is a time of car design. It's not just styling any more. You really have to understand design, and the elements that make up a good design," Callum says. "We're also seeing a lot of change in the automotive world. The make-up of cars is changing. Designers are going to have an incredible influence."Callum has revolutionised Jaguar design over the past 10 years and just visited Australia to showcase his all-new XJ flagship, which steps right away from anything which has previously worn the brand's leaper mascot. "I didn't want to be a slave to heritage," he says simply.Callum believes good design is simple but incredibly difficult, elegant and timeless, but also challenging and filled with tiny little details. He is rare among designers because he backs his promises with commitment and talent, and is also happy to give an opinion.So, then, how does he judge the work from some of his rivals? Surprisingly, Callum is happy to go on the record with a simple tick-or-cross verdict on the latest designs in showrooms.Here are his ratings: Aston Martin Rapide - tickAudi A5 - tickBMW GT - two crossesBMW X6 - crossFerrari F458 Italia - tickHSV EII Commodore - tickLexus LFA - tickMercedes E-Class - crossMercedes SLS Gullwing - crossNissan GT-R - crossPorsche Panamera - crossRolls-Royce Ghost - tickToyota Prius - tickVolkswagen Golf - tick 

Driving Hyundai's new Santa Fe diesel we had a spectacularly good run on the leg from Port Augusta to Adelaide thanks to a handy tail wind, a distance of just over 300km.   A figure of 4.9 litres per 100km is an impressive achievement for a wagon that weighs almost two tonnes, but still not as good as the one achieved by Mitsubishi rally great Ed Ordynski who brought his vehicle home with just 4.8 on the trip computer.  Bugger.Hyundai entered two, 2.2-litre diesel Santa Fe CRDi's in the Eco Challenge section of the event that caters to production cars.  It's run in tandem with the famous World Solar Challenge out of which the event grew a couple of years ago.It took the two Hyundais six days to drive from Darwin to Adelaide, with the longest leg between Alice Springs and Coober Pedy 685km.  It might not sound that far, but at a speed of around 75km/h the journey starts to take on epic proportions, especially with no air conditioning and an ambient temperature nudging 40 degrees.It turned that particular leg into 9.25 hours of living hell.  You can't use air conditioning because it eats into the fuel consumption.  Now, no one in their right mind is going to drive that far in those conditions without air, but it shows what can be achieved if you try hard enough.The two Santa Fe's were neck and neck for most of the way, averaging between 4.8 and 5.4 litres/100km each day, with only a tenth of a point separating them.  It led to some good natured rivalry as the teams vied to see who would record the greatest improvement in fuel consumption (the Santa Fe is rated at 6.7 litres/100km).While the the rally driver may have won the day, it's the journalist that gets to have the last word.  "We was robbed,'' springs to mind.  Ordynski had had some practice conserving fuel on the transport stages of rallies, where he'd managed to achieve 8.5 litres/100km instead of the outrageous 100 litres/100km that the car consumed in competition.Records tumbled and the rules evolved as the Green Challenge unfolded.  Japan's Tokai University team took out the Solar Challenge while the Tesla sports car set a new record of 501km for the greatest distance travelled by an electric car between charges.Incredibly, it was HSV's Maloo ute that was declared the winner of the Eco Challenge with a figure of 7.74 litres/100km, while Ford's Fiesta EcoNETIC recorded the lowest fuel consumption slipping below 3.0 litres/100km.The winner was the entry that recorded the most improvement and while the Maloo may have done that, it also used the most fuel and produced the most carbon emissions.  Hyundai was elated to claim the crown as the most economical SUV after Ordynski's car finished a fraction ahead of the Kia Sorento at 5.1 litres versus 5.17 litres/100km _ a 24 per cent improvement.The other car piloted by myself and other Carsguide journos finished with 5.35 litres/100km.  The Kia and the Hyundai share the same 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine and transmissions, but the Kia is lighter and has a better wind drag co-efficient.The event concluded with a three hour urban leg around the streets of Adelaide.Make One Degree of difference today by calculating your carbon footprint and finding out what you can do to reduce it.

Although just 137 were sold, HSV managing director, Phil Harding, says the car was still a success. “Some journalists and commentators seem to suggest that because we didn't make our volumes - whatever number that was, the program failed, he says. “As far as I am concerned, the program was a success.” Harding, who was involved in all stages of the W427s development, says the business case for the car always focused on three possible build numbers - 100, 150 and 200. Even if we had have built 125, the program would still have been a financial success, leaving aside the brand benefits and engineering know-how the W427 program has brought to HSV. Harding says that building and selling - to order - the 137 W427s was a major achievement. Particularly given we launched the car into the market in July 2008, just weeks before the entire world financial system almost ground to a halt, he says. Harding says he would like to do another W427-style car but not for a few years. “Absolutely,” he says. “I would like to do another hero car but there needs to be some breathing space between the W427 and another program.” The 7.0-litre V8 W427 cost $155,500 and was ordered by a handful of HSV fans for its high-end engineering. HSV chose 427 as the model designation because thats the cars non-metric cubic-inch capacity.

The company’s managing director, Phil Harding, admits some work still needs to be done to convince HSV dealers and customers to get onside with a dual-fuel LPG HSV. I am doing this program without solid customer demand, Harding says. My philosophy is that we have to have this in the cupboard.Harding says the LPG car is one of a range of initiatives being looked at by the company as the drive for fuel economy and lower emissions builds momentum. "We have been looking at a range of alternative powertrain solutions to complement our existing range, including LPG, diesel and E85," he says. "There hasn't been much we haven't studied in detail."Despite a dual-fuel LPG car emerging as a HSV priority, the company's own research shows that fuel economy is not a high priority among its buyers. Harding says the 6.2-litre V8 LPI — liquid propane injection — sedan and ute will have all the driving attributes and performance of a petrol car.Most people would not know that it is an LPI car, he says. Under full throttle the car accelerates on petrol. HSV has sent three test cars for cold weather testing in recent weeks and the reports back from the engineering team are encouraging, Harding says. Engines are also undergoing durability testing.If all goes well, HSV expects to have the LPI car in dealers in the first quarter of 2010. "That's a little later than I planned but it's still an exciting program," Harding says. "We are very excited about the potential for high performance LPG-powered HSV."Harding says the LPI sedan will have a fully trimmed boot with the LPG tank hard up against the rear seat. In the ute, the tank will be set into the load bay. Harding says he is very excited about the potential for high-performance LPG-powered car after HSV bypassed a turbo-diesel engine. The diesel fell over because the profit returns could not be generated from the investment required.HSV has been working hard to make sure the LPI HSV has comparable performance to a conventional petrol engine. Acceleration is as quick as the petrol-only car. Harding says the payback for an HSV LPI owner would be 12 months. We have not set a price but we are not going to subsidise it, Harding says.At this stage a diesel is unlikely, even though Holden is pushing ahead with its own diesel program. "We looked at it seriously and the business case does not stack up," Harding says. The diesel most likely for the Commodore is a 2.9-litre V6 with 184kW/550Nm being developed in Italy.With a torque output of more than 200Nm above the 3.0-litre petrol SIDI V6 now used in the Commodore, the turbo-diesel is expected to have lively performance and good fuel economy. The engine is being developed as part of a General Motors partnership with VM Motori, which specialises in diesels.

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