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Local Launch
Perth, WA
What we liked
>> Usual VE chassis balance
>> Authentic V8 soundtrack at last
>> Stand-alone presentation
Not so much
>> Thick A-pillars kill cornering vision
>> Flawed dash presentation
>> Boring at Aussie speeds
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 4.0/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 4.0/5.0
About our ratings
OVERVIEW
The latest E-Series range has generated record sales for HSV in every model. Although the new model range made less sense when launched in 2006 incomplete, it has since proved exactly what was required to achieve sales dominance, following running changes and additions. These have all come together in the latest LS3 upgrade to deliver HSV's most cohesive range ever.
If you are in the market for a new HSV, it is worth reflecting on what prompted these critical changes to the HSV model range and how they have impacted the hotties' value for money.
HSV insiders have acknowledged that Holden effectively grabbed the entry niches that HSV once owned with the base ClubSport and Maloo via the VE SS-V sedan and ute. At the top end, Holden also eliminated HSV's base Senator level with its Calais V.
Unlike the current FG Ford and FPV ranges which don't offer a V8-powered Calais V rival or a Senator Signature-rival powered by FPV's F6 powertrain to avoid conflict, HSV chose to lift the complete E-Series range up a niche while containing prices.
It was not as if HSV had any choice. For buyers wanting a seriously competent entry-level sports sedan or ute, both Ford and Holden now offer models that are at least as quick and better-equipped than previous HSV and FPV models at massive savings.
HSV now acknowledges that Holden's VE moves forced the company to invest heavily in several embedded appearance changes including more elaborate vents in the front guards and unique HSV rear styling including different tail lights. It also prompted a unique front styling package for the Senator Signature. After Holden snaffled the Maloo's unique rear number plate location for its own ute range, HSV was also forced to tool up a new tailgate for its E-Series Maloo.
Overall, it has been a spectacularly successful strategy when according to HSV this extra separation has attracted an extra 20 per cent of buyers who would normally have never considered a Holden or HSV.
During the LS3 launch, HSV also acknowledged that this shift has generated new problems in dealing with owners who won't accept any association with Holden at the showroom or service level. HSV commenced the LS3 drive program from the showroom and service location of its biggest-selling dealer.
It's significant that visitors to this former Porsche site in Perth would struggle to find any hint of Holden within the building apart from race team merchandise. Even its location is several blocks from the Holden side of the same dealership. Observers were left in no doubt that HSV's vision for its retail interface Australia-wide is based on the total separation model established by Lexus and Toyota.
The LS3 upgrade, by lifting capacity to 6.2-litres away from the 6.0-litre V8 in the Holden range, adds to that separation even if it doesn't translate into a useful improvement (over the previous HSV engine) on the road.
There were also small but fundamental shortfalls in the E-Series range that were addressed in 2007 for the launch of the Maloo not fully revealed in representative test vehicles until this month's LS3 drive program.
Although the base ClubSport was dropped at the E-Series range, the new ClubSport R8 was left with a dull base interior that was not enough to support the cost premium over Holden's new SS-V. Base Maloo and ClubSport R8 now have slick new suede-like interiors that look like leather from a distance.
HSV's six-speed auto was initially better suited to a luxo barge than sharp sports sedan until it was recalibrated for the Maloo release and given new Sports mode along with throttle-blipping downshifts. The LS3 upgrade takes this another step further.
The original MRC suspension on GTS, Senator Signature and Grange reacted too quickly for the early suspension bushes and loaded them up for a rattly, harsh ride under certain conditions. This had been tuned-out and rectified across the range by the time the Grange reached showrooms.
With all these initial bugs addressed, the latest LS3 engine marks a well-sorted range that doesn't carry any extra exterior identification except for the 317 badge on some models.
When the 317 badge is made of three separate numerals, it won't take much for earlier owners to substitute the zero in their 307 badges for a one. Owners hoping to parade the latest and greatest in HSV models might be disappointed by HSV's unusually low key switch to the bigger engine.
Apart from the obvious styling differences, all models share the same engine with only chassis and interior specifications to vary the ownership experience. This differentiation has been further diluted by a new 20 inch Pentagon wheel option, in a stunning standalone style, that adds $2500 to the cost of all models except the GTS or Maloo R8 Option Pack which already feature 20 inch wheels.
HSV now paints the brake calipers on Senator Signature and Grange models in silver (still red on other models) which changes the overall effect more than expected. HSV has partly addressed its limited hero colour choice by adding a bright new blue called Voodoo and a darker blue-grey called Karma.
Sting Red is also now available on Senator Signature and Grange. In combination with the new 20 inch wheel option and silver brake calipers, the red exterior allows both models to create a classy new middle line between HSV's more conservative liveries and a GTS in red.
PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
The entry level for the latest HSV range is the Maloo R8 at $61,550.
Unlike the ClubSport R8, it features the GTS Performance seats trimmed in the ClubSport R8's Unity cloth and Gore suede highlights as standard then adds dual-zone climate control, triple centre gauge pack, 19-inch alloys, 6.5-inch LCD screen, Blaupunkt 150W six stacker in-dash CD and five speakers.
The Maloo R8 Performance Pack adds leather and 20-inch alloys for $3990. The six-speed auto costs $2200 on all HSV models where it is not already standard.
The ClubSport R8 sedan (and upcoming Tourer wagon) is similar to the Maloo R8 except it has the less aggressive Sports seats trimmed in the same cloth/suede combination and 230W sound with 11 speakers. The sedan body adds an extra $3000 over the ute for a $64,550 starting price for the manual, while the Tourer will add another $1000.
The $76,990 GTS features Performance seats in Dakar leather with Gore suede highlights (or optional red leather), eight-way electric front seat adjustment, special sports steering wheel, choice of two 20-inch alloy wheel styles and the MRC (Magnetic Ride Control) Performance suspension.
The Senator Signature, currently auto-only at $79,190 (identical to the GTS auto figure), provides more sedate body detailing, 19-inch alloys, Luxury seats in Nappa leather in a choice of two colours, rear seat overhead DVD and upper-level body electronics including extra cabin lighting, front and rear parking sensors, driver's seat memory and rain sensing wipers. It also features the Luxury Sports variation of the MRC suspension.
The $84,690 Grange is more of the same but in the long-wheelbase sedan body which misses out on the unique HSV tail styling and vents in the front guards. Its sound system switches to a 220W BOSE system with 10 speakers including roof-mounted centre speaker and sub-woofers, DVD entertainment system with centre front screen and twin rear screens. Standard wheels are 19-inch alloys specific to the Grange while a unique variation of the Senator's MRC Luxury suspension is standard.
MECHANICAL
The new LS3 engine brings much more than just a 0.2-litre capacity increase. Changes include: bigger exhaust ports to improve gas flow; larger intake valve diameter (up from LS2's 50.8 to 55.0mm); hollow intake valve stems for reduced reciprocating mass; exhaust valve diameter increased to 40.4mm; revised camshaft timing and increased intake valve lift (from 13.25 to 14.0mm); composite intake manifold with acoustic foam and new intake ports to match the new cylinder-heads; more consistent runner design for greater flow efficiency; larger bore block with casting and machining upgrades for extra strength; new piston design and higher-flow injectors.
HSV says that the six-speed automatic transmission is now fitted as standard with a transmission cooler across the range.
This is somewhat misleading when previous HSV autos already featured a coolant-to-fluid heat exchanger in the base of the engine's radiator as for most current models. However, the new cooler is a large air-to-fluid heat exchanger mounted at the front of the vehicle and is very different to the separate coolant-to-fluid units which are mounted next to the transmission on the latest FPV models.
This development is quite significant when most modern autos won't tolerate the loss of pressure generated by such a large cooler so far away from the transmission. Providing this issue has been fully addressed by HSV, it should dramatically increase durability while allowing far more radical calibrations for this HSV application than would normally be prudent.
The transmission's torque converter can now exploit a partial lock in fourth, fifth and sixth gears in default mode which dramatically reduces the 'slush' so apparent in the previous LS2 application. Kick down from sixth to third, sixth to second and fifth to second has been recalibrated to be far more decisive.
Shifting in the 'sequential shift' mode has been revised for faster shifting up and down especially during power-on changes from first to second and second to third.
HSV has introduced a Performance Mode Lift Foot (PMLF) as soon as the selector is moved to the Sports mode. This allows the transmission to hold lower gears during performance-driving through corners and downhills among other scenarios.
Although the M10 version of the old T56 six speed manual was significantly improved for the E-Series application, the arrival of the new Tremec TR6060 in Ford's new FG range has highlighted its age and limitations which will be addressed later this year.
For those wanting the exact figures, the new engine is 6162cc with a 103.25mm bore and 92.0mm stroke. It delivers 317kW at 6000 rpm and 550Nm at 4600 rpm -- considerably less than other applications of this engine.
HSV claims improved fuel economy from the new engine, in some applications (Grange and Maloo), despite the boost in capacity and extra horsepower. Automatic short-wheelbase sedans (ClubSport R8, GTS and Senator) show a slight increase with a figure of 14.5L/100km from the LS3, as opposed to 14.4 for their LS2 counterparts.
The manual ClubSport R8 and GTS post 15.3L/100km with the LS3 engine, versus 15.2 for the LS2 models. Fuel consumption for the Grange LS3 is 15.0L/100km, compared to 15.2 for the LS2 Grange. For the Maloo R8 auto, consumption is now 14.7L/100km versus 14.9 previously while the Maloo R8 manual also shows an improved 15.7L/100km versus the LS2's 15.8.
Just why the heavier models show an improvement and the lighter models don't, is not clear but it is possible that the extra capacity means the engine is not working as hard in the bigger cars, an impression confirmed on the drive program. The more decisive auto may also have a more significant effect in reducing torque losses in the heavier models.
PACKAGING
As all HSV models share the same platform, powertrain and chassis components, the differences are defined by the packaging and fine-tuning. HSV has done well to achieve a discernibly different character in each model.
The ClubSport R8, which as an auto is now settling in as HSV's biggest seller, is the family-friendly package with less-contoured seats, warmer cloth and suede interior and less aggressive body detailing (though it's all relative). In terms of safety and luxury equipment, it's all there and leather is an option.
It is also the only sedan that doesn't come with MRC but that's no hindrance when HSV has done such a fine job of tuning the conventional suspension for ride refinement and handling.
The GTS with its aggressive black highlights and 20-inch alloys has a much harder edge. Drivers who need to jump in and out all day need not apply when the aggressively-contoured seats in leather and suede are designed to lock you into place and stay there.
From the chunky steering wheel to the harder-edge in the MRC suspension (which would otherwise be intolerable if the clever electronics couldn't adapt to different demands), the GTS is the current pinnacle in Australian sports sedans in its driver focus. The red leather option and new Pentagon wheel option allow further personalisation.
The Senator Signature takes the family focus to another level with its indulgent luxury seating and extra cabin details, less aggressive styling and more subtle 19-inch alloy wheel design. The MRC suspension is recalibrated to allow a wider variation in ride comfort while still allowing the driver to firm the handling at will, or allow the suspension to do it automatically. It feels and drives like a platinum-class ClubSport yet the MRC provides a hint of GTS on demand.
The Grange is more of the same except for its sprawling room in the rear which is already more than adequate in the standard wheelbase models. The Grange brings an intangible limousine quality which HSV has preserved via a new MRC calibration.
Its main drawback is the limited build numbers prevent HSV from differentiating the Grange exterior from Holden's Statesman/Caprice models to the same extent as other HSV models.
It's significant that both luxury models are enjoying boom sales as HSV attracts more buyers to the fold who don't want the boy-racer association of the other models. None of the sedan bodies offer extended luggage space, not even as an option, but the Tourer's arrival later in 2008 will address that.
The Maloo goes it alone with the GTS seats at both levels. By definition, it won't see much family use so the "sports coupe with a very long boot" focus as described by HSV sums it up pretty well. It's carrying capacity is a token 384kg.
The remote tonneau release and tray security along with the elaborate styling changes to the rear section have brought Maloo packaging closer to passenger car than light commercial. An increase in internal storage in the E-Series Maloo is also a significant advance.
SAFETY
All models feature electronic stability control, ABS, EBD, EBA and TCS which is the full complement of electronic traction, braking and stability aids to make sure you stay on the road. Even the Maloo shares this package.
Crash safety starts with a body shell of exceptional strength which Holden has maintained in the ute with its double skin unitary construction and full passenger car independent rear suspension. Apart from the inherent balance and grip in the chassis that applies to all models, Holden says the centre pillar received particular attention for side impact resistance, a quality that also applies to the Maloo when a separate pillar supports the door aperture beside the seats.
While the Maloo has only two airbags, the sedans have six.
There are three key safety shortfalls that become more significant when the LS3's 317kW output makes all models the most powerful of their type ever built in Australia forcing a downward adjustment in what would otherwise be a high safety score.
HSV's cluttered instruments are simply too small and become almost illegible at night. HSV has also stuck with the add-on look of its centre dash minor instruments while FPV has integrated them into the main cluster which also adds clutter.
Because neither are paragons of clarity, perhaps it's time for both companies to return to simple separate instruments in front of the driver.
The thick windscreen pillars, while a major shortcoming in a VE Commodore, become a serious fault in a car that now has well over 400bhp on tap (see below).
The Maloo's styling additions leave an over shoulder view so compromised in both directions that it is potentially lethal with children around and it should be fitted with a rear view camera immediately.
COMPETITORS
Because each HSV model is targeted at a different niche, rivals vary considerably.
As a two-seater ute with full length load bed, the Maloo has only one direct rival: the FPV ute range, except FPV offers a choice of engines and higher payload. With their separate load areas and live rear axles, the FPV turbo six and V8 models have more of a light commercial feel which some may prefer over the Maloo's passenger car approach.
Toyota would also be hoping that Maloo buyers might consider its TRD Hilux twin cab light truck which is even further removed from the integrated, race-bred feel of the Maloo.
The ClubSport R8 now faces seriously competent competition from the latest FG FPV GT and F6 which both offer a sharper and more entertaining driving experience before performance is compared on a more objective level.
As fuel economy becomes more of an issue, several roomy small performance cars which can double as an occasional family car appear on the radar screen. The most notable include the latest Subaru Impreza WRX STI and the coming Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Subaru's various hot Liberty GT-B models Tuned by STI also have the ClubSport R8 in their sights in capabilities and price.
As mentioned above, Holden's SS-V and Ford's XR6 Turbo/XR8 Luxury Packs are much closer in real world terms than ever before but miss out on the HSV cachet. The TRD Aurion without all-wheel drive has to wait for another bout to be a serious challenger.
The GTS still enjoys a fairly lofty position but is now seriously challenged for the first time by FPV's new F6 models, but less so by FPV's Boss 315 range in a hard-charging track context. Serious challengers from the smaller BMW or Mercedes-Benz ranges are going to cost at least another $30-40,000.
The Senator Signature provides a serious alternative to the relatively tame midrange models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz as a fully-equipped and very fast luxury family car, while offering savings of six figures over the most powerful performance versions.
However, there are several new Senator challengers from the blue oval worth considering. The stand apart looks, superior driving experience, equivalent luxury and respectable performance of Ford's new FG G6E Turbo warrants a closer look when the savings approach $20,000. FPV offers a new FG GT-E which now closes the gap on the Senator in most areas including appearance.
In terms of sheer cabin space and presence as well as this level of performance in such a big car, the Grange doesn't have a rival at the price except its Caprice stablemate from Holden. Some might consider the Chrysler 300C SRT8, yet it is showing its age in several areas, despite recent upgrades, hence it can't match the all round competence and freshness of the HSV approach.
ON THE ROAD
Sneaking in its LS3 launch immediately ahead of FPV's launch of its new FG range (more here), it may have proved to be a tactical error. As already documented by the Carsales Network (see here), the HSV drive program was headed by a VE Commodore driving at the Western Australian secondary road speed limit of 90km/h.
The most that can be said about the performance of the LS3 engine under these conditions is that acceleration in any model was ballistic in first gear in both the auto and manual. After buttoning off halfway through second as the car hit 90km/h, the only option for all testers was to slot it into sixth gear and stay in the freight train with the other HSV drivers.
In this way, the LS3 launch drive can be no more conclusive than last year's Maloo launch [Ed: and the Grange before it] held under similar speeds and conditions.
It must be said that under these 1950s speeds, which are now the norm across Australia, it might have been far more entertaining and engaging staying on the rear bumper of the lead Holden in a Morris Minor or VW Beetle.
This is the quandary facing all high performance vehicle drivers in Australia. Step outside this draconian regime and you risk getting your pride and joy confiscated so why tempt fate in the first place? Can any LS3 HSV provide driver satisfaction within these confines?
Those who have driven any E-Series HSV outside these parameters would know that the only time that it can feel stretched under virtually any local road conditions is when the vehicle is approaching 200km/h. There can be little doubt that the LS3 HSV range stands alone as the safest, grippiest, fastest and most balanced high performance model that can cope with whatever Australian conditions can throw at it.
Even with the optional 20-inch wheels and tyres, HSV's suppression of initial ride harshness and road noise is better than any FG FPV model on 19-inch wheels by a significant margin. The latest HSV range can also make any BMW running on low-profile runflats feel like a railway wagon that has jumped its tracks.
The cost, of course, is a car that can feel inert and dull when travelling at legal speeds. Driving an HSV under Australian speed limits is like having to feed every mobile phone call through a rural manual switchboard. These latest HSV models expose a similar mismatch between the latest technology and the country's infrastructure and driver culture.
In this context, the GTS was the most boring because it was the most competent. The Senator Signature and Grange were the least demanding when they had the ability to cosset and trickle along without fuss but no better than any equivalent Commodore or Falcon. The ClubSport R8 was as good as it needed to be, while the Maloo was the most entertaining when at least it could be provoked to move around a little at these speeds.
Subjectively, the LS3 sounds much more like a 'real' V8 compared to the thrashier sounds that come from the previous LS2 and LS1 engines. The LS3 quickly creates the impression that it is unstoppable from much lower engine speeds than before. Under load, it emits the most delightful roar that seems several octaves lower than before. Even during short bursts in first and second, it might be worth considering just for this experience.
HSV's manual, while it's good as it can be for the old T56, is now no match for the new TR6060 unit now offered in FPV's range. Yet the LS3 auto upgrades have transformed the US transmission. Although the changes are far more decisive and it behaves less like a US slushbox, it is still not quite a match for the FPV ZF six-speed's intuitiveness and response but the gap is no longer large.
If your choice is an auto, HSV showrooms now have a range that offer significant advantages over the previous LS2 models. Although manual buyers might pick a slight improvement in low-end pull and a worthy improvement in the V8 soundtrack, the experience is much the same with the old gearbox. No wonder HSV expects the big demand will centre around the ClubSport R8 auto when this model has progressed the most in several vital areas since 2006.
The back-to-back launch with FPV models revealed that FPV has engineered its range to come alive and entertain under 110km/h. While objective testing might still hand the verdict to HSV, there is no getting around the fact that the FPV range demands more from the driver at all speeds and is therefore more engaging. Even the Boss 315 which needs at least 4500rpm on the tacho to match the low-speed response of the LS3, the challenge in getting the best out of it might make more sense in a "feel-good" purchase.
The new FPV models also highlighted how much the VE windscreen design handicaps the HSV range. Coupled with the enormous footprint of the VE chassis which leaves little room for error on secondary roads where these latest HSV models really shine, the HSV driver simply can't see where he or she is heading quickly enough to fully exploit the performance and roadholding on tap.
The back-to-back driving revealed that it is not just the thickness of the pillars that is the culprit but the unusually narrow distance between the pillars and flatness of the screen itself.
This locates the HSV pillars in the forward vision of the driver which means the bigger the driver, the further they converge into the centre of vision as the seat is adjusted rearwards. After Ford has consciously addressed this issue, the fundamental differences can no longer be ignored.
This will not show up in a track test where the driver knows the route yet in an unknown road situation it can be such a hindrance, there seems little point in any further power increases until Holden addresses this issue.
That the LS3 is a massive 20-year advance over the first HSV there can be no doubt, yet the day might have been a lot more fun in a 1988 VL Group A Walkinshaw. Maybe those Australians who are paying six figures for these icon Australian muscle cars are more switched-on than some people think.
More research
FPV F6 and F6 Ute -- launch review: here
Ford FG Falcon G6E Turbo -- launch review: here
TRD HiLux 4000S and 4000SL -- launch review: here
Subaru Impreza WRX STI and WRX STI spec.R -- launch review: here
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X -- road test: here
Chrysler 300C SRT8 -- launch review: here
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