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03/04/2006
By EWAN KENNEDY
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With the latest HSV models nearing the end of the line the Melbourne based supplier of hot Commodores has come up with strong styling changes guaranteed to grab serious attention. The front end has been revamped with strong angular lines in the intake ducts, the best news of all is that these now have race-car mesh grilles. Unusually, mesh is also used on the rear diffuser.
 Gracing the flanks of the ClubSport R8 are fender vents in an open-mesh look that works well, though inserting the side-turn indicator doesn’t do it any favours by distracting the eyes from the feature.
Wheels on the Z series ClubSport are 19-inch units with an interesting ‘silver billet’ finish and have the popular design that was used with such success on the HSV VY Commodore GTS.
These days the ClubSport has a huge 6.0-litre V8 putting out a very handy 400 horsepower, or 297 kW if you like to think in metric numbers, though very few muscle-car guys do. HSV does attach a ‘297’ badge to the car’s rump, so is pushing in that direction.
This latest HSV powerplant is an evolution of the famed Chevrolet small-block. Tagged the LS2, it is now up to generation four, or Gen IV. The engine not only has plenty of grunt from a little over idle, it finally has the exhaust note HSV buyers have been screaming for since the demise of the Aussie 5.0-litre. There's not a huge amount of volume of sound, the wowsers amongst the rule makers have killed that, but the quality is way ahead of that of the superseded 5.7 V8.
Both the six-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions have been uprated and have revisions to their gearing. Our test car on this occasion was a manual, as is often the way with gearboxes designed to handle big torque, it’s somewhat heavy and notchy in its action. The clutch pedal also requires a fair bit of muscle to make it work.
 We’ve also had a brief drive of the HSV with an automatic transmission. The auto has been modified to give it a sporting flair and is particularly effective, with sharp changes that even have the ability to chirp the tyres if you really want to get stuck into the car. We seldom favour an auto over a manual in any car with the slightest sporting flavour in its makeup, but we’ll make an exception in this case.
There's plenty of grunt from this big V8 engine, but if you can avoid the temptation to get stuck into it all the time it can be surprisingly economical. On motorway running at a bit over the speed limit we were pleased to see the big HSV was capable of dropping its consumption below 10 litres per hundred kilometres. That’s in very easy running with the engine barely over idle. During cruising trips in the country you would expect it to use about 10 to12 litres per hundred.
Around town the fuel story does change and it’s easy to push fuel use to the wrong side of 15 litres. And if you care to take it to the track, and you should do so at least once a month in our considered opinion to really understand what the car is all about, the consumption can go sky high. But who cares…
HSV has added sonar parking to the rear of the ClubSport R8 to let drivers better judge their parking distances. That’s a sensible as the bulky rear of the vehicle is further heightened by the rear wing and it would be all too easy to lose sight of fast-moving toddlers back there.
 On the dash there's a silver-finish on the console. It looks good and adds a real sporting note to the interior. The instrument layout with its interlocked circular dials is simple to read. An additional binnacle above the centre of the dash holds the oil-temperature gauge and voltmeter.
HSVs received further improvements to their suspensions with the introduction of the Z series in October 2004. This included modifications to the traction control to make it less aggressive than in the past.
This is a car that can be punted hard and fast for long periods. The engine is a real delight to sit behind. The urge is all-but instantaneous when you hit the loud pedal and the action continues in a nicely linear manner all the way to about 6000 rpm before tapering off slightly. The steering is precise with plenty of feedback, yet not so fast as it would become a pain when using the car as a daily driver.
The brakes were upgraded to match the rest of the car with the launch of the 6.0-litre engine and stop the ClubSport quickly with no loss of power or stability after a number of hard stops.
Holden Special Vehicles produces an excellent range of vehicles at very modest prices for the performance and equipment levels they supply. We would be only too happy to have one sitting in our garage at any time.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
ClubSport 6.0-litre four-door sedan - $61,850
ClubSport R8 6.0-litre four-door sedan - $70,990
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard on both models
Air Conditioning: Standard on both models
Automatic Transmission: No cost option on both models
CD Player: Standard on both models
Central Locking: Standard on both models
Cruise Control: Standard on both models
Driver Airbag: Standard on both models
Passenger Airbag: Standard on both models
Front Side Airbags: Standard on both models
SPECIFICATIONS (HSV ClubSport 6.0-litre four-door sedan)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 5.967 litres
Configuration: Longitudinal V8
Head Design: OHV, two valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 10.9:1
Bore/Stroke: 101.6 x 92.0mm
Maximum Power: 297kW @ 6000rpm
Maximum Torque: 530Nm @ 4400rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: All-wheel-drive
Manual Transmission: Six-speed
Automatic Transmission: Four-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 3.46:1
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4789mm
Wheelbase: 2788mm
Width: 1840mm
Height: 1397mm
Turning Circle: 12.0 metres
Kerb Mass: 1696kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 75 litres
Towing Ability: 500kg (2100kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES
Front Suspension: Independent, MacPherson struts, cast-iron lower I-arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Rear Suspension: Independent, semi-trailing arm, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Ventilated disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 5.8 secs
Standing 400 Metres: 14.0 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
City Cycle: 18.2 L/100km
Highway Cycle: 12.6 L/100km
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/ 100,000 km |
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