HSV Clubsport GXP
If you thought the days of the home-grown V8 sedan were numbered, think again.
Holden's hot-rod division, HSV, says sales are up by almost 70 per cent in the first three months of this year. While some of that dramatic improvement is due to lousy sales for the same period last year, the future is looking brighter for the specialist home-grown muscle-car maker.
Part of HSV's recent success lies with the new special-edition GXP ute and sedan; more affordable - and partly stripped-down - versions of its ever-popular ClubSport sedan and Maloo ute.
As HSV has added more gear to the ClubSport, it has drifted out of the reach of some Holden enthusiasts, leaving too big a financial leap from the regular Holden V8s. The limited run of GXPs (400 sedans and 350 utes) is designed to bridge that gap.
At first glance it's not easy to tell the GXP from the pricier ClubSport. The two look identical from the front, with the same aggressive racing-car inspired styling. The wheels and sideskirts are different, though, and the rear end is closer to the Holden Commodore SS-V than the ClubSport, with Holden tail-lights and a Commodore bumper.
At $61,990 drive-away, the automatic sedan we tested is about $10,000 less than a ClubSport, which starts from $68,690 plus on-road and dealer costs.
Read more about the HSV range at drive.com.au/hsv