Despite record high petrol prices and world wide panic surrounding carbon emissions, just over 25% of all new Holden Commodores are sold with V8 engines.
Holden’s performance arm HSV has more then enough reason to celebrate 20 years in the business this year, with thanks to all time sales records been broken for the last twelve months consecutively. HSV boss Scott Grant had this to say.
Car enthusiasts are prepared to pay for performance, The cost of fuel is in many ways incidental to the total cost of the car. And while many HSV customers use their cars daily there are a number of buyers who only drive their cars on weekends.
At the moment HSV are moving more hot Commodores in a month then they used to build in a year, which is why it was a bit of a let down to see that the 20th anniversary celebratory model was nothing but a standard Clubsport R8 with sandy coloured paint. Perhaps when the motor show hits HSV’s home town, Melbourne in early April 2008 we will see something more substantial, like a 7.0 – litre GTS-R.
With humble beginnings as a homologation based road car the first HSV was controversial at the time and named the ‘bat mobile’ due to its massive body-kit. The VL Group A SS SV ‘Walkinshaw’ Commodore went on to race in the Group A touring car series, along with its follow up model, the VN Group A SS (see below).
Darcy
[Source: HSV]
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I just wonder if it’s because people are buying up HSVs like mad, for no other reason than there is an increase for performance V8s, or FPV buyers are moving to the Holden camp.
We can only pray, Darcy, that HSV builds a 7-liter model… we can only pray *falls to knees and starts to mutter to the great V8 engine in the sky*
The GpA Commodore that won at Bathurst in ‘90 was the VL Walky, not the VN. The VN did not hit the track until ‘91. Too little, too late. Mr.Gibson’s Skylines were ROCKET ships by then. The VN and VB are the ONLY Commodore models to never win Bathurst (So far.)
Right you are Ramlock - thanks for pointing out the error. Article has been modified accordingly. My favourite was the VK in the Marlboro colours, before they changed the rules, lost the flares and the power and switched to Mobil sponsorship. I still remember “The last of the big bangers” poster I had on the bedroom wall at the time…