HSV Reviews

It speaks volumes for the HSV brand image and appeal that it can sell $125million worth of merchandise; clothes and caps, not cars; in its 20 years of existence. The company also sold about 4700 cars annually in recent years and is riding a wave of 12 consecutive record sales months.HSV managing director Scott Grant says business boomed on the back the VE/WM-based E-Series; “We've had 12 very strong months with the sedan range and we think the Maloo will add yet another strong pillar to our sales potential.”The Maloo R8 has strong appeal if the reaction of primary school children at the fence is any indication; and we were just idling by. The VE-based range has the Clayton factory punching out 30 cars a day. It was about six a day when the company started 20 years ago and the Maloo R8 won't make life any less busy for the HSV staff.The ute is the company's second-biggest seller behind the Clubsport sedan and the new model has the visual appeal to keep its numbers healthy. The new Maloo R8 has a sleeker profile using a broader “HSV Performance sail plane” on the B-pillar which, combined with the HSV hard tonneau, gives the ute a coupe-like look.The tonneau operates like a big boot for a two-door sports car, the new SMC tailgate locking mechanism can be remotely operated from the key fob. The Maloo R8 has a different tailgate to the VE Ute, with HSV claiming a 10-15 per cent weight saving in the new version, made from sheet-moulded polyester-resin compound.It also gets an extended tail-light motif that looks more like decals and a little under-done.The side-skirts have an extra vent that HSV says is inspired by the Walkinshaw Commodore but also looks a little Lamborghini-esque. Apart from the odd tail-light set-up, the rear end gets quad exhausts within a diffuser.Under the skin the Maloo R8 has stiffer spring rates over the R8 and GTS sedan models; 40 per cent at the front and 50 per cent at the rear; but retains the same brake package.There's plenty of gear ramming home the message this is anything but a tradie's ute, a chunky leather-wrapped sports steering wheel with audio and cruise control switchgear, trip computer, Bluetooth phone connection, alloy-faced pedals and a leather-wrapped gear shift.The hard tonneau restricts rear vision, so the rear parking sensors are a must-have for parallel parking and general safety. The Maloo R8 also gets automatic headlights, HSV sports instrument cluster, an upgraded Blaupunkt 6CD MP3-compatible five-speaker sound system, suede/cloth-trimmed sports seats (with leather option), dual-zone climate control and only dual front airbags, no side airbags.The engine is the now-familiar 6.0-litre alloy V8, offering 307kW and 550Nm of torque with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission (a $2000 option).The automatic has had a makeover to get rid of the awkward Sport button; the lever flicks left for Sport mode. The manual change is also accessed on the left but the new Sport mode, complete with downshift throttle blip, does a more than adequate job. The rear wheels have a limited-slip differential and stability control (which can be switched off).HSV says the ute offers identical performance; 0-100km/h in five seconds and a top speed limited to 250km/h, but that's only half the story.The Holden VE Ute has plenty of rear-end grip and HSV have built upon that excellent base.The HSV suspension tweaks don't include the sedan's Magnetic Ride Control; chief engineer John Clark would have liked to put it on but says the cost was a large chunk of money.“Some of the hardware would have carried over, the front would have, but the rear dampers would have been different, so then the calibration to do it all adds up to an extra cost,” he says.The tauter springs do detract from the ride quality somewhat; some compliance remains; but body control and grip (thanks in part to a bigger rear tyre) in the corners puts many passenger cars to shame.One disappointment is the change from the VE Ute's easy-to-use seat-flip lever to a system that is more difficult to reach and harder to use.At a tickle under $60,000, the Maloo R8 is a couple of grand cheaper than its predecessor and offers serious performance but only time will tell if the HSV badge, the extra gear and some extra grunt is worth the $13,000 jump from an SSV.

Theoretically, HSV making a four-cylinder car is like AC/DC releasing an unplugged album. It wouldn't sound right, it would look stupid and have bogans up in tattooed arms.And yet, as unimaginable as it seemed a few short years ago, it's happened in the form of the VXR otherwise known as an Astra that looks as though it's dressed up to go on Gladiators (that show where lycra-clad muscleheads would hit each other with giant ear-cleaners).It really is an overdone bodykit and seems to have been created by the same guy who did Jordan's breasts.The strange thing about the $42,990 baby HSV was that, at first, it didn't feel that much different to the Holden-built SRi Astra I'd driven a couple of weeks previously, which costs just $34,990.Being merely plain rather than ugly, the SRi won't frighten horses or small children.But it does share the butt-ugly, exhaust-pipe-in-the-middle look that too many designers are borrowing from the Porsche Boxster, mistakenly thinking it looks good. A bit like Lindsay looking at Paris and deciding a mugshot was a neat idea.One would guess what you're paying HSV for is the butch looks and the badge, which is what makes the interior so strange. I couldn't find a HSV badge anywhere.You'd think they'd put in those funky dials you get in a Clubsport. But no, they've just left in the ones that say “Opel Performance Centre” and look a bit uninspired. There's even an Opel lightning bolt, rather than the Aussie Dark Helmet look, on the steering boss.These clues provide the giveaway that HSV has had less to do with this car than Milli Vanilli had to do with their songs.The VXR is fully imported from Europe, which is a good thing unless you buy HSV out of some strange sense of petrol-chewing patriotism.I did finally find a HSV emblem, in the decal on the back window, above the words “I just want one.”It seems a cruel way to taunt someone who's bought this car, making them read this every time they check their mirror. There are HSV badges on the exterior; they get stuck on in a holding yard before the cars go to dealers.Elsewhere in the cabin, there are two nice Recaro seats and a beefy steering wheel, but other than that it looks like the interior designer just shrugged and said “that'll do.” The thing that the letters HSV bring to mind most urgently, besides aggressive styling and loud clothing, is the thundering rumble of a V8.And you're just not going to get that in a car powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four cylinder. Sure enough, the noise the VXR makes is as far from a throaty V8 as James Reyne is from Pavarotti. It's more of a 'parp' than a rasp. Give it a bootful and it will start to wax lyrical, but it never really makes a noise you'd describe as pleasant.After tootling around town for a few days, wondering why its 177kW felt so similar to the SRi's 147kW, I finally took the HSV into more appropriate territory and was duly rewarded.Out on the open road, it was a revelation. Finally, I felt safe to press the Sport button, which, in the city, turned the VXR into one of those fierce little dogs that just has to attack every other canine it sees.Sport buttons are often mere frippery, but clearly this one really does what it claims, quickening the steering, firming up the suspension and improving throttle response.After being underwhelmed all week, the amped Astra took to the Old Pacific Highway with all the aggression the HSV name implies. This is a seriously quick car, a second faster to 100km/h than the SRi, stopping the clock at 6.4 seconds.An even bigger surprise was the chassis, which is wonderfully stiff, banishes bodyroll and generally takes responsibility for making this Astra so much fun through the bends.If you're up it, it really can carve a section of road, with its 320Nm helping you to punch out of low-gear corners. There's undeniable lag before the big turbo punch comes in, but if you keep it on wick, it just flies.The ride is still firmer than a cliched TV prison warder, however, thanks to the very HSV-looking 19 inch rims (the SRi has more practical 18s). The steering is good without being outstanding, It's no BMW 130i, or even a Golf GTI, but it's enjoyable.The one big thing this underling has over the entire HSV range is that it's the only one with a really good six-speed manual gearbox. What it really misses out on, compared to its big brothers, is not being rear-wheel drive.I expected a lot of torque steer, but it wasn't as bad as feared. It was there, you could feel the wheels scrabbling and the steering tugging slightly at speed, but it wasn't awful. Then I took a humble left-hand turn on the outskirts of Hornsby, got careless with that feathery throttle and nearly had both my arms rent asunder.Sorry, but you can't put 177kW through a set of front wheels and not have torque steer, no matter how many Mazda 3 MPS dealers tell you you can.Personally, I enjoyed the SRi Astra just as much, perhaps because it's not trying as hard to deny engineering principles and visually it's less offensive. So if I really wanted an Astra, I'd be pocketing the $8000 difference.Sadly, though, neither comes close to the hot-hatch class leader, the Golf GTI. Snapshot HSV Astra VXRPrice: $42,990Engine: 2L/4cyl turbo; 177kW, 320Nm0-100kmh: 6.4 seconds The rivalsHonda Civic Type-RPrice: $39,990Engine: 2.0L/4cyl; 128kW, 193NmEconomy: 9.3L/100 combined0-100km/h: 6.6 secs Mazda 3 MPSPrice: $39,990Engine: 2.3L/4cyl turbo; 190kW, 380NmEconomy: 14.5L/100km0-100km/h: 6.4 seconds Renaultsport R26Price: $43,990Engine: 2.0L/4cyl turbo; 168kW, 310NmEconomy: 8.8L/100km0-100km/h: 6.5 seconds (est) 

The few opportunities I've had to sample products bearing the Grange name have all been memorable. Apparently. The cork-restrained variety has something of a haze surrounding it, but the four-wheeled versions have been pleasant and better-recalled experiences. Not that I've mixed the two. That would be most unwise.The latest incarnation of the HSV flagship has done nothing to detract from the fond memories.There is something nice about getting from A to B in a leviathan. There's a sense of supremacy about it. It could be the 19 inch wheels, quad exhausts and the stance of a well-dressed bouncer that helps.The Holden Caprice donor platform provides a decent drive for such a large car, so expectations from the Grange are high.There are still some minor panel fit and paint finish issues but the overall quality of the car shows how far Holden and HSV have come.The other gripe is the fog lights. There's no problem with the lights themselves, but the pull-out function of the headlight switch to turn them on is impossible to use as there's no grip, a fault also present throughout the VE/WM range.Commuting in the big cruiser is unfussed, with precious few engine revolutions required to slice through traffic.The six-speed auto is a major improvement on the old four-speed automatic and part-throttle shifts are generally smooth and quick.A couple of shifts were a little rough; Ford's ZF six-speed still takes the cake overall.The Grange drives smaller than its considerable road footprint.Once accustomed to the girth, the Grange can be swiftly directed through traffic or up a winding Hills road. The latter can be achieved with considerable pace, thanks to 307kW and 550Nm from a six-litre V8, although the A-grade underpinnings can't completely deny Newton's laws of physics in the corners.The chassis performs admirably, with Magnetic Ride Control making its presence felt by offering decent ride quality despite tall rims and low-profile rubber. The system took HSV several years and over $4 million to develop.The dampers have a special fluid that contains metal particles that “respond to changes in an internal magnetic field to provide continuously variable damping force without any mechanical delays,” according to HSV.The ride quality is decent, although in Luxury mode there was a little bit of noise from the rear dampers; Performance mode tightens things up and makes the Grange quite agile for a car this size, but broken bitumen is best avoided in this mode.The cavernous and comfortable cabin is covered in light-coloured material, not a great colour for long-term wear characteristics or muddy Adelaide winters.Unlike some of the earlier VE/WM vehicles, we had few electronic problems with the centre screen and associated systems, although the Bluetooth failed to hook up once after being paired to the phone. The Bose sound system is top-grade and has considerable scope for volume, with a two-screen rear DVD setup that should be legislated as compulsory equipment for long drives with rug rats.In metal-for-money or power-per-peso terms, there's not much that will go with the Grange.

The few opportunities I've had to sample products bearing the Grange name have all been memorable. Apparently. The cork-restrained variety has something of a haze surrounding it, but the four-wheeled versions have been pleasant and better-recalled experiences. Not that I've mixed the two. That would be most unwise.The latest incarnation of the HSV flagship has done nothing to detract from the fond memories.There is something nice about getting from A to B in a leviathan. There's a sense of supremacy about it. It could be the 19 inch wheels, quad exhausts and the stance of a well-dressed bouncer that helps.The Holden Caprice donor platform provides a decent drive for such a large car, so expectations from the Grange are high.There are still some minor panel fit and paint finish issues but the overall quality of the car shows how far Holden and HSV have come.The other gripe is the fog lights. There's no problem with the lights themselves, but the pull-out function of the headlight switch to turn them on is impossible to use as there's no grip, a fault also present throughout the VE/WM range.Commuting in the big cruiser is unfussed, with precious few engine revolutions required to slice through traffic.The six-speed auto is a major improvement on the old four-speed automatic and part-throttle shifts are generally smooth and quick.A couple of shifts were a little rough; Ford's ZF six-speed still takes the cake overall.The Grange drives smaller than its considerable road footprint.Once accustomed to the girth, the Grange can be swiftly directed through traffic or up a winding Hills road. The latter can be achieved with considerable pace, thanks to 307kW and 550Nm from a six-litre V8, although the A-grade underpinnings can't completely deny Newton's laws of physics in the corners.The chassis performs admirably, with Magnetic Ride Control making its presence felt by offering decent ride quality despite tall rims and low-profile rubber. The system took HSV several years and over $4 million to develop.The dampers have a special fluid that contains metal particles that “respond to changes in an internal magnetic field to provide continuously variable damping force without any mechanical delays,” according to HSV.The ride quality is decent, although in Luxury mode there was a little bit of noise from the rear dampers; Performance mode tightens things up and makes the Grange quite agile for a car this size, but broken bitumen is best avoided in this mode.The cavernous and comfortable cabin is covered in light-coloured material, not a great colour for long-term wear characteristics or muddy Adelaide winters.Unlike some of the earlier VE/WM vehicles, we had few electronic problems with the centre screen and associated systems, although the Bluetooth failed to hook up once after being paired to the phone. The Bose sound system is top-grade and has considerable scope for volume, with a two-screen rear DVD setup that should be legislated as compulsory equipment for long drives with rug rats.In metal-for-money or power-per-peso terms, there's not much that will go with the Grange.

The initials "GTS" meant something special from Holden.The legendary initials may have been passed to HSV but carry greater importance with new E-Series cars arrival. The new GTS 307 (power output) storms back to front and centre of the performance car world in Australia.As the first of a new genre, the VE series GTS will possibly become a collectors item, and will delight those fortunate enough to own and drive one.It's about as "in your face" as a four door sedan can get more than matching the fast and flash hyper-sedans from BMW, Benz and Audi for wow value.It isn't far behind in terms of handling and performance but the GTS costs about half as much.Refinements have flowed into the new model #comthe like of which we haven't yet seen in an Aussie-built car _Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) and priority key presets that automatically set the aircon, audio, seat, trip computer and speed alert.It's still a rear wheel drive with a pushrod V8 but that's no handicap when push comes to shove because this big brute has the grunt to make you wince and the handling to make your head spin from lateral forces.#comIt's to be expected when you look at HSV's progression from fairly mild beginnings to the wild but refined things coming off the line today.The GTS is the top of the HSV performance tree offering acceleration no other Aussie car can match.#comand cornering to rival anything from Europe.The heart of the matter is a big lump of an alloy V8 displacing 6.0-litres and cranking out a beefy 307kW/550Nm output.It needs 98 octane fuel to do this but you wouldn't feed the LS2 donk anything but the best.It will accelerate from 0-100kmh in less than 5.0 seconds _ impressive considering the car's weight. But on the open road the GTS really comes into its own providing superb roll-on acceleration and rapid throttle response that everyone should experience at least once in their life.This is all underpinned by a gorgeous throaty V8 rumble bellowing from the quad exhaust outlets.The test vehicle was equipped with a six speed automatic that offers sequential change mode and adaptive operation. It is sweet as a nut but can annoy occasionally by holding a gear too long.If you want more control, use the sequential change.It rolls on massive 20in wheels with super low profile 35 and 30 aspect tyres front and rear. They look like rubber bands and don't do a lot for ride comfort. But the MRC suspension does.The "normal" mode softens things up while button selected "Track" mode sets the dampers hard for race-track grip and response. It bangs a clatters a little but there is virtually no give in the tyres.Powerful braking is provided by massive AP Racing discs clamped by quad piston calipers all round but the width of the tyres does wonders for traction in all three planes _ acceleration, braking and cornering.#comThe MRC uses metal particles in the dampers to alter their stiffness.Steering response is lightening fast thanks in part to the low profile tyres. Fuel consumption ranges from heavy to acceptable with as little as 13 litres/100km achievable. Boot it and it will shoot up to the 20s.The car has sensational styling with body add-ons totally transforming the sedan look into something out of a race-car sci-fi. The rear splitter under the bumper is huge, there's a V8 Supercar style rear wing, massive front vents and it's capped off by those gorgeous 20in wheels.The interior is a little tamer lit-up by red inserts in the upholstery. A three dial pod caps the centre console area and the flat bottom wheel has multiple functions.It's comfortable and sporty and when cruising, almost silent inside.Premium audio kicks out 230 watts through 11 speakers and you can plug your iPod into the auxiliary input. A Bluetooth phone system is built in. There's a full size spare.The GTS scores plenty of luxury but misses out on satnav as standard and the headlights are halogen, not xenon.Small criticisms in a car costing $76,990, $2000 less for the manual.Excitement follows this car around. Park it and watch the attraction.#com It's a worthy holder of HSV's top dog position in a lineup that contains some of Australia's most desi rable cars.

Elfin, which produced the two Holden V8-powered club racer models that debuted at the 2004 Melbourne motor show, is set to ramp up production after it was sold to performance-car king Tom Walkinshaw.Plans are under way for the MS8 Streamliner and MS8 Clubman sports cars to be sold through some HSV dealers and for up to 100 cars a year to be built at the company's Melbourne factory. Walkinshaw Performance chief executive Chris Payne says the change of ownership won't rob Elfin of its independence and adds that the 50-year-old company isn't about to be absorbed into HSV.He says there is considerable export potential for the brand once local demand is met."The opportunity for us is to expand the (Walkinshaw) business portfolio beyond what it has been," Payne says. "Elfin cars are not about to become HSVs, though."We recognise it is its own brand with a very long and proud history, which we want to build upon. The vision Tom has for the business is for it to become not just an Australian company, but a worldwide business and for the product portfolio to expand in five years time to quite a different spread of cars. But the essence will be the same."The Elfin brand adds to Walkinshaw's growing portfolio in Australia, which includes management of the Holden Racing Team and HSV-Dealer V8 Supercar teams, in addition to HSV and a new Holden after-market tuning business. The two MS8 cars were developed by previous owners Bill Hemming and Nick Kovatch from a design by Michael Simcoe, the man responsible for the Monaro.They are powered by the same 245kW 5.7-litre GEN III V8 engine as the previous Commodore SS but, at 875kg (Clubman), weigh only half as much. The car's 0-100km/h acceleration of just 4.4sec is comparable to that of a Lamborghini or Ferrari. Production of Elfin's two MS8 models began in March, with 13 cars already finding homes and a further five available for Christmas. But Elfin lacked the resources and clout to become an effective low-volume manufacturer — until now."It was a long, hard road to get it to this stage with the limited resources Bill (Hemming) and I had," says Kovatch, who remains with the company as a technical director."We started talking to Tom (Walkinshaw) and he showed interest. It took about 12 months to get the deal together. It's exactly what Elfin needs, someone with the manufacturing experience and export focus, because it is very important for the brand to export cars."The boost in production has helped reduce costs, with Clubman now priced from less than $100,000 — with the Streamliner under $120,000.That's a healthy $10,000 cut from the original price expectation, says Kovatch. Elfin's next priority is to produce a four-cylinder club car in the tradition of its earlier Type 3 model, that could sell for about $40,000.

So it is comfy and cushy, but still very quick. And it has a 6.0-litre V8, which means instant respect at the lights.Our test car came in black, with a digital dashboard readout that told us it was Skaife 001, and all the luxury and go-fast gear you would want in an ultimate Holden Calais with tweaking by Skaife. But our fun run in the car, officially a Senator Signature, shows Holden needs the VE Commodore and Statesman as soon as possible.The Skaife car is good and the drive enjoyable, but the update work has stretched the rubber band all the way to breaking point on the last of the current-series Commodores.You can see it in the dash and feel it in the driveline shunt, and are reminded of the old-style basics when you plant your foot.The car is still swift but the auto is ancient and there are a few niggling noises from the suspension that won't be there when there is a VE Skaife car.The Skaife car comes in a year when HSV is doing everything it can to make mileage and sales, before the arrival of the VE Commodore family. It has big plans for everything from the ClubSport to the GTO coupe.The Senator Signature is a 50-car run and all of them are high-gloss black with a $75,590 bottom line, compared with a regular HSV Senator at $72,390, the current GTO at $78,990 and a long-wheelbase Grange at $89,990.This is a contradictory car. It is old and showing that age, but it is still a car that's enjoyable to drive. The question is will people want to pay $75,590 when the VE is coming up fast? But is also understandable why the 50 people who do buy it, will enjoy this car.The black Senator can be rewarding as well as challenging to drive.You can dribble around town enjoying the leather seats, punchy sound system and the throb of the LS2 V8 engine.But when you want to go, and there are times when nothing else is good enough, the Skaife car really honks.It's not a full-on Bathurst bruiser, but it is impossible to argue with 297kW.It is one of the world's great engines and, even with everyone worrying about petrol prices, we are lucky to have it. But it shows the ancient history of the four-speed auto.There is no manual driving mode, no touch-change paddles, the ratios are too far apart and it struggles to cope with the car's massive torque. If you really put your foot down the Skaife car slams through the gears, hitting hard enough to spin the rear wheels briefly before the traction control goes to work, and it really thumps the driveline. It is not very nice, even if it is effective.The brakes are effective thanks to the huge grip from the 19-inch rubbers. The Senator gets the premium brake pack and its great.The Xenon headlamps are also terrific, even better than the benchmark system in the basic Commodore, and overcome the lack of light that has been criticised in other upmarket Holdens with the slimline lamp package. There is terrific turn-in for any corner and great feel through the steering.The cornering attitude is up to the driver and use of the engine, though it is comforting to know the car has traction control, particularly on a damp road.The suspension picks up any pockmarks and there is tramlining at cruising speed, which is partly down to the 19-inch wheels and partly down to the age of the basic suspension design. The upshot is that it is good, but not Euro refined.The car's seats look good and have great support, but they are set too high. Even Skaife admits it, but he is a bloke who would prefer to be sitting on the floor in every car.It comes down to the space needed for the motors that provide electric assistance.The Senator is heavy on fuel but is easy to park, has all the luxury gear you really need, including cruise control and a trip computer. It also features a giant digital speedometer, now fitted to every Commodore.The car is great value against its European rivals and more enjoyable and gutsy than the GT models from Ford Performance Vehicles.

That's before you even fire up the 6.0-litre V8.Bearing in mind that it's one of 100 limited edition HSV GTOs and one of just 25 red ones (the ones that go faster), we can't say that we're surprised.The GTO LE (ours was number 81) could be the last hurrah for the coupe which is not part of the new VE Commodore lineup due for launch later this year.Holden is still exporting the GTO to the States which guarantees supply for a while, but for how long is anyone's guess.According to HSV, production will continue in a "limited fashion" in 2006."This is possible because the HSV Coupe shares certain powertrain components with the export Pontiac GTO for the US Market," it says.After the run of special editions is finished, HSV's Paul McDonnell said production will return to normal, but stumps have been called for August.There's already talk of a new Monaro and of course that means a coupe from HSV to go with it, but even if there is – it's not likely to be a ridgey-didge Commodore based one."That's the end of the model," McDonnell said. "The HSV GTO is effectively the last Aussie coupe."We spent the weekend in the HSV GTO LE only to find ourselves the centre of attention wherever we went.It's an accolade that soon wears thin, especially when every man and his dog wants to race.As an owner you'd also grow paranoid pretty quickly about parking the thing anywhere – but it's all part of the fun.As well as the you-beaut red paint job with white accents, our GTO LE came with matching red Indiana leather trim, enough to put any self-respecting Alfa to shame.There's also a discreet roof spoiler over the rear window instead of the usual boot mounted job, stainless steel dual exhaust system with quad tail pipes and the car sits on spectacular 19-inch 10- spoke alloys with ultra low profile 35 series rubber.This car just oozes machismo.Inside, you get Bluetooth and premium dash highlights as part of the package.Brakes, meanwhile, have been upgraded to an AP Racing 4 Piston Premium System, with adjustable APS suspension system optional – front discs are 343mm are rear are 315mm.Just to cap things off our car came with the Victorian number plates "LSTWO".Power comes from HSV's 297kW LS2 V8.The 6.0 litre LS2 is a lift from the American Corvette and produces 297kW of power at 6000rpm and maximum torque of 530Nm at 4400rpm.Fitted with a Tremec six-speed manual transmission, it accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds.That said, it didn't feel anywhere near as quick as the Senator we drove recently which in auto form is good for 5.1 seconds.A four-speed auto is also available.Like the Senator, it will spin the wheels going from first to second gear, regardless of whether traction control is turned on or off.For such a large engine fuel consumption during testing came in at a respectable 13.8L/100km, with plenty of freeway cruising thrown in – but it will chew through the juice as quickly as you want to go.Our passengers were surprised to find the coupe seats four, not five, people – so it's worth reiterating.For night driving we found the standard lights even with the fogs turned on lack lustre and would have liked to have seen xenon lamps part of the package.The optional sunroof fitted to our test car restricts headroom and the 260 watt Blaupunkt 10-speaker sound system is a bit ordinary when it comes to handling the low notes.The HSV GTO LE is priced from $83,990. 

Holden has a 6.0-litre V8 and so does its go- fast department HSV, but they're not the same engine.HSV's 297kW Gen IV LS2 unit has been adapted from the American C6 Corvette and as such has been designed from the outset for high performance.Even more confusing perhaps is the fact that HSV's all-wheel drive models are still powered by the old 270kW 5.7-litre Gen III LS1 engine, that dovetails with the all-wheel drive system.In comparison, Holden's very good 6.0-litre Gen 4 L76 engine found in the SS Commodore puts out 260kW of power.Not much in it you might say, but the proof is definitely in the pudding.Our test vehicle was the upmarket Senator, priced from $72,390, fitted with the optional four-speed automatic transmission – a no-cost option.It's been a while between drinks, but the new Senator is significantly more powerful and much smoother to drive than we remember.In fact, it's the first HSV vehicle in a long time that we have "really" enjoyed driving.Our test car looked fabulous in light metallic Odyssey blue with good use of grey shades inside, with suede leather trim.The 6.0-litre engine sounds fantastic and the power hits hard, much harder than the previous engine.In HSV form the LS2 delivers 297kW of power at 6000rpm and 530Nm of torque at 4400rpm, an increase of 12kW and 20Nm respectively from the LS1 engine.Incredibly too, the auto is a tenth of a second faster from 0 to 100km/h than the manual, at 5.1 seconds compared to 5.2 seconds.It's a bit of an antique in technical terms, but we still like the way it kicks in when you ask the question.In response to customer feedback, HSV has calibrated the auto for what it describes as "a quick, firm, precise shift feel".There's no Power mode anynore and we agree with HSV that it's actually superfluous.We can't help but wonder what these cars are going to be like when Holden finally gets its hands on a five-speed or six-speed auto to match Ford's excellent ZF tranny?Almost as impressive as the punch from the larger engine is the ride quality which is remarkably smooth and comfortable on Sydney's sub-standard roads.At a time when manufactuers are looking to more fuel efficient sources of power, much has been made of Holden's move to an even larger capacity V8.But you wouldn't swap it for quids and, we've got to say, fuel economy is impressive for an engine this size, coming in at around 14.0L/100km.Premium unleaded is recommended for best performance, but the engine will also run happily on the ordinary stuff.The reduction in engine weight with the all alloy unit has also aided weight distribution and chassis balance.Traction Control action is fitted as standard and has been further refined, leaving little reason to switch it off during normal driving, especially since it permits the wheels to spin and the car to give a little twitch changing from first to second under hard acceleration.The HSV Performance Braking package has been upgraded with Corvette twin-piston front callipers.They are more rigid in construction and deliver a higher clamping force and increased brake pedal feel.Standard equipment includes 19in 10-spoke chromed alloys, with 245/35 Pirelli P Zero premium rubber, Luxury 3 suspension includ- ing rear self-levelling, rear park assist and sports seats with eight-way power adjustment. 

A gripe about the recent Z series HSV range was that the cars were let down by their interior, which still felt a little like a Commodore with frills. However the release of the limited edition SV6000 HSV has hit the nail on the head.The SV6000 is based on the Clubsport R8 but it is the SV6000's extra details, which make it the best of the rest in the two-wheel-drive HSV range.Subtle but stylish SV6000 logos on the door trim inserts enhance the car's street cred, along with yellow stitching on the seats, gear shift and handbrake. Even the centre console gets the yellow stitch treatment and the black Anthracite leather seats feature a yellow embroided HSV logo.The yellow exterior screams "look at me" and the wide colour-coded stripe along the lower part of the doors further enhances the profile. The brake calipers have been painted yellow, as is the little HSV insert on the wheel.The 6.0-litre engine cover is yellow with a yellow HSV logo and the LS2 6.0-litre badging also in yellow.On the road the SV6000 drives pretty much like the other HSVs. This lively beast growls and cheekily tempts the driver to give it a real go. The torque is on tap, so much so that if the driver does not actually have to stop for a red light he or she can comfortably cruise around in fourth gear.The upgraded brakes were not worked to their maximum (not being taken on a track) but pedal pressure was firm and responsive.While there appears to be no changes to the clutch the SV6000 did not feel as heavy to drive as some of the other manual HSVs.The test car, however, suffered two issues during the week. On the last day a problem (which was thought to be a loose spark plug) caused the car to run on four cylinders with safety warning alarms and lights flashing on the dashboard.The same morning the cold weather and loss of just one psi in a tyre caused havoc with the tyre pressure monitoring system, which continued to flash its red warning signs and let out an annoying beeping sound until the system was finally silenced.The yellow exterior is the preferred colour choice here but the SV6000 is also available to buy in black.The SV6000 is limited to 50 vehicles (unfortunately), however, this may be extended to 100 if there is a demand.The SV6000 also introduces a driver aid called Driver Dynamic Interface (DDI), which combines the attributes of a modern PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) with the convenience of satellite navigation, as well as a direct line of communication between the driver and the car. When functioning as a PDA, the DDI is portable and offers features including a Microsoft operating system, Bluetooth download capabilities, address book and appointments notification.This creates a mobile office for the driver on the move. By plugging the PDA into the car's GPS system it operates as a satellite navigation system.When plugged into the centre console HSV drivers get an almost V8 Supercar-like treat.The system can be used to monitor coolant and oil temperatures when towing, or the new DDI feature can record track times and the car's performance for later analysis. The data stream mode can monitor up to four vehicle operating parameters at one time and they can be recorded and later played back in various forms. The system cannot be used when driving because of safety reasons.The individual highlights give the SV6000 character, credibility and charisma that its other HSV stablemates just can't match.