2011 HSV GRANGE
Holden Special Vehicles has today revealed the 2011 HSV Grange, bringing with it more power, new technology and updated styling inspired by the company's E-Series 2 line-up.
On the styling front, the updated Grange takes a leaf out of the playbooks of its HSV stablemates, with a new look both front and rear.
As with the rest of the HSV line-up, the updated Grange also gets LED daytime running lights at each end of the front bumper.
"We have made the Grange a more dynamic looking car, and the update delivers greater on-road presence," HSV Chief of Design and Styling, Julian Quincey said.
"It definitely still retains the classy appearance and proportions that you expect from a luxury performance car; however, we have added a few more masculine-looking details like the DRL’s and the shockwave inspired exhaust tips."
Inside, the new Grange features two new updates: a new optional trim colour called Light Urban, and the all-new Enhanced Driver Interface (EDI); an intuitive touch-screen display that offers real-time data on vehicle dynamics and performance.
The 2011 Grange is the first HSV model - and first Holden for that matter - to feature the new EDI system.
"Our customers are passionate about driving, and this system is about delivering race bred technology in a new engaging way that is relevant to a road car,” HSV Managing Director, Phil Harding said.
"We are confident our customers are going to love the way they can access data, and interact with their car."
Through the touch-screen display, HSV's EDI system offers a total of 11 different functions, allowing drivers to tap into the car's computer and monitor fuel consumption, stability, g-force and vehicle dynamics.
Other screens include data logging options, digital gauge displays, stopwatch, driver and racing options, along with controls for the Grange's Bi-Modal exhaust and Side Blind-Zone Alert.
Perhaps most appealing to HSV enthusiasts is the race screen, which utilises GPS technology to log and display your efforts on the race track, including lap times, fastest laps, and lap gain and loss.
As an added bonus, many of Australia's race tracks are featured in the system, combining GPS with programmed data to give drivers a more accurate record of their track exploits.
Gauge display options include instant fuel consumption, intake and external air temperature, power and torque, manifold pressure, elevation, LPI level for models fitted with HSV's LPI system, and exhaust pressure for models fitted with HSV's Bi-Modal exhaust system.
HSV has yet to reveal when the EDI system will make its way to the rest of its range, but we can likely expect it to begin filtering down in the next year.
Power for the 2011 Grange is provided by HSV's GM-sourced 6.2 litre LS3 V8, producing 325kW and 550Nm of torque. The updated Grange is only the second model in the HSV range to feature this range-topping powerplant, following the GTS.
The 2011 Grange will also be available with HSV’s new optional LPI technology, allowing the engine to operate on both LPG and regular unleaded petrol.
HSV says its LPI system offers improvements in running costs and emissions outputs of up to 15 percent, while retaining the LS3 engine's power and torque figures.
"LPI technology injects the LPG as a liquid rather than a vapour. This allows for cooler combustion and better metering, which allow us to maintain engine performance while reducing CO2 emissions," HSV engineering boss Joel Stoddart said.
In a first for any Australian-made car, the new Grange also gains Side Blind Zone Alert, warning drivers of objects passing through or sitting in the car's blind spot.
18 Comments
I've been waiting for TMR to launch this article just so I could comment on this monstrosity. WTF are HSV thinking? Completely ruined a great design. Shocker.
I mean, I thought "E Series 2" was bad. Why don't they just have one, long, continuous strip of LEDs the WHOLE WAY AROUND the car? That way no-one in a 500m vicinity will be able to get by without looking at you and noticing just how much of a hero you are. Tops. Maybe they should just drop the sheet metal altogether and just make the panels entirely out of LED.
Those LED strips are just tacky. Looked very much like an after thought (slapped on). Audi it aspires to be, Audi it ain't.
Buddy one of the designers for the E2 and WM3 HSV's was from Audi, probably why they got the LED's. Sure they could have made them flow a bit better, rounding the edges off, but I don't mind the "gilled" pastics front. My biggest problem is the interior.... People think mostly about the exterior of the car because that's what everyone else will see, that's what puts the presence on the road, but the interior in my opinion now looks tacky. You sit in the car, so the interior has to be good, coz that's all you see. They should have followed the piano black all down the center console, hi-lighting the windows, air -con dials and buttons, menu and the side 8 buttons in a polished aluminium. Same goes for the steering wheel and cup holders, NOW THAT WOULD LOOK AWESOME. My best friends father had the WM Caprice and it was very nice but sitting in it the centre console bits were too plastic, not a good thing. These are just my opinions anyway.
I don't have much to say about the LED lights as most cars these days has it. But what is totally appalling to me is the front bumper design. It looks like an elephant sat on the front bumper of a car, then HSV cuts the bottom half of it and mould it onto the new Grange. Just beware though, HSV chairman gets really animated when people critic his cars because he worships the cars that comes out from HSV, even this ugly-elephant-Grange. Back to buying the much cheaper Caprice V gentleman!
The EDI sounds like fun and the Blind-spot warning system is a good idea - Kudos to Holden HSV for being the first Aussie car to feature it. Cant wait for it to filter down through to the other Holdens and HSVs
True, HSV often pioneer new tech in Australia. I just wish they'd kept their proverbial hand off it when designing the update(s) for the VE. I would actually consider buying a VE Senator as I think they're a great looking bit of kit. They've just gone slightly too far with this stuff. One might say, oh, the Walkie (the first HSV) wasn't exactly pretty - at least everything that people object to on that car actually provided real funtional benefits in the way of aerodynamic efficiency.
It looks like it wants to be a wannabe C63 AMG at the front, and an old Hyundai Sonata at the back.
*Edit
It looks like Jocelyn Wildenstein. With LEDs.
New Ford Falcon GT 5.0lt supercharged sounding better every day......... Not too keen on the Design though, Scott your right it does look like a Sonata rear end.
Overdesigned sums it all up. LED dangerously too many too bright for on-coming traffic ( Holden and HSV take note*** )
Not much detail on the AMAZING and revolutionary LPGi system, like a whole feature done on just this please. Would be the ONLY reason i would buy one.Mind you i would/nt pay more than $40k for ANY Falcodore, even if they where gold plated. Any news if this LPGi system will be fitted to other HSV's and SS, Calais [what a stupid name for a car] models?
I reckon HSV were headed in the right direction with the original VE (E Series), with the styling and features they took the brand upmarket, and the sales proved it - there were a considerable number of user-chooser fleet buyers trading in their 3 series and C class for a Senator or R8. Then they just went and ruined the hard work by going all try-hard bogan.
Not much detail on the AMAZING and revolutionary LPGi system, like a whole feature done on just this please. Would be the ONLY reason i would buy one.Mind you i would/nt pay more than $40k for ANY Falcodore, even if they where gold plated. Any news if this LPGi system will be fitted to other HSV's and SS, Calais [what a stupid name for a car] models
Wannbe Merc AMG .......
Budget frock with Dame Edna glasses . Tacky.
Yeap, i agree, its still to much in-ya-face, if you like that buy a ClubSport, the Grange needs to be stealth and class like the Germans do. I want all this powertrain in a base line stealth white rep-special commodore