Supercharged HSV?

[bouka]

Sounds like the 340kw versions are getting their extra power via a different "air intake" according to the Wheels article. Almost certainly this will be a variation of an OTR yes?

Yep, sure is.

[C4B]

The GTS is going to be a limited build??? thats fantastic news & great for the buyer who thinks their getting the bee's knees of australian automotive history for their hard earned......Until someone @ HSV decides that they could smooth out the front & rear bumpers a little more & put bigger paddle shifters in & bring out an *update* 12 months later............As we ALL know that holden/HSV just can't be satified with leaving something the way it should be for a few years so the punters feel as though their driving/enjoying the current model for those few years......Just sayin.

Hence the appalling resale on HSV's.

[bouka]

Sounds like the 340kw versions are getting their extra power via a different "air intake" according to the Wheels article. Almost certainly this will be a variation of an OTR yes?

I'm in two minds about buying a new supercharged GTS over an AMG Merc. Will wait until the full details are revealed. As others have mentioned, HSV have a habit of releasing the latest and greatest only to dilute this a few short years later. They do this with special edition wheels etc in particular, maybe it is possible this one remains special for years to come as the LT1 is not going to be making this sort of power in NA form but won't a supercharged LT1 be in the last HSV later on in its model cycle (11.5:1 compression so maybe not!)? I'm confident that the LT1 HSVs are going to be very good with paddle shifts, rev matching on the manuals (like my 370z, the rev-matching is excellent).

You echo some of my thoughts Doc. The A AMG has been on my radar for a long time as well. It's going to be a tough one for me. I love driving the sc gt and every time I start her up it's like it's the first time so I am doing my research this time around. My car is a daily and does around 30k klm a year so I need to take lots of factors into consideration. I looked at all comers when I changed the senator (isf, evo 10 with mods, 370z, 335, rs5 etc) but the gt was too good mechanically and wanted a local car. My brothers modded golf r is an awesome little thing and had a hot hatch after my vc sle was stolen (I was 19 and bought a twin cam sx corolla).

Anyway, look at what will be in new camaro for what HSV will do after ls3. I can't see it being more than 12-14 months away (give or take). The series 2 (or whatever they call them) would be my pick of the gen f (silly name).

My current thoughts are:
A AMG (hatch or sedan) - cheap AMG but very expensive hot hatch. Technological tour de force and highly strung turbo pocket rocket.
Gen F GTS - much more luxurious interior (than VE), cheap powerhouse sedan with high end tech and brutal lsa but expensive commodore.
Gen F Senator - wild card. Luxor qcar now with high end interior and gadgets. Would make the wife happy (she doesn't get involved in my cars but loved my senator and not a fan of gt interior/exterior). May wait for update as been there done that with ls3 and would be too big a step down from gt in performance.

Having said all that, I am pretty confident the GTS will impress you. You are the type of buyer they are trying to attract (keep).

[Plenty]

Yeah I had a good laugh too......Especially when the bloke who wrote these comments owns a VT.....Ha ha. And talks about wasting money on "old pieces of junk"

Who really gives a toss what car you or I own? Really? I'm struggling to see how that is a reflection of ones financial situation. A multi multi millionaire that I know drives a second hand TRD Hilux with 200k on it, he can afford any car you care to mention yet drives that hunk of crap.

So trying to insult someone (especially a mod) about the car they drive is just ridiculous and won't gain you any friends here.

[Plenty]

The GTS is going to be a limited build??? thats fantastic news & great for the buyer who thinks their getting the bee's knees of australian automotive history for their hard earned......Until someone @ HSV decides that they could smooth out the front & rear bumpers a little more & put bigger paddle shifters in & bring out an *update* 12 months later............As we ALL know that holden/HSV just can't be satified with leaving something the way it should be for a few years so the punters feel as though their driving/enjoying the current model for those few years......Just sayin.

It's pretty hard to sell something that is not fresh in some way, do you buy the bright yellow and even slightly Green bananas? Or do you buy the ones with the black spots already on the skin?

[C4B]

.So trying to insult someone (especially a mod) about the car they drive is just ridiculous and won't gain you any friends here.

It certainly screams "Where is the departure lounge?" Huh......

[sjhugh]

If the GTS interior is up to scratch as most people here seem to think it will be then the rest of the car is a bargain for a $100k compared to most other offerings on the market that have this kind of performance (the Ford GT excepted).

I’ve been waiting 3 years for a Commodore like this to hit the market, fast with a good interior and useable tech.

Being a limited run will be a downfall as has been the case with most limited run HSV’s before it.
Great for the collectors who keep them hidden in garages but not much point for the run of the mill motoring enthusiast.

Regardless of the product, brand loyalty is a dead issue for most consumer’s these days.
A hero car will no longer produce sales for the basic models as consumer spending and way of thinking has changed considerably.

I’d prefer the new GTS pricing to be more or less in line with that of the Ford and available to anyone who wishes to order it.
No limited runs, no over the top pricing for a known drivetrain and brake package, just a car that you can buy without getting caught up in the collector frenzy.

I gotta agree with some of the comments, that baby Benz looks to be headed for success.
A few people I’ve spoken to recently have said they’re placing orders for one.
These are people who have no interest in cars but still like to own nice ones.
When the Germans figure out the right pricing point to suit the Aussie market for their performance models, look out everyone else.

[XUV]

When the Germans figure out the right pricing point to suit the Aussie market for their performance models, look out everyone else.

not a chance unless we convert to left hand drive. http://www.news.com.au/business/low-...-1226630649830

A BMW 320i sedan in Australia costs $58,600 (just below the Luxury Car Tax threshold) but in the USA can be had for the same money as a Holden Commodore: $35,805. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan has a greater disparity: $67,900 here versus $35,350 there.
The car industry argues new-car prices are higher in Australia because it costs more to recoup the development costs of right-hand-drive cars given that the markets are smaller.


"Volume is king and more cars are sold in left-hand-drive countries than in right-hand-drive countries, so the customer has to pay," said Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman David McCarthy.

[Jag530G]

not a chance unless we convert to left hand drive. http://www.news.com.au/business/low-...-1226630649830

But the right hand drive excuse doesn't stack up.

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/cont...ices.0001.html

A Merc C63 sells for 57K pounds driveaway in the UK and this includes 20% VAT (Value Added Tax, same as out GST basically), net of VAT the C63 is 48K pounds, converted to AUD is about $80K.

In Australia it is $155K which when you net out the taxes, $14K GST (at 10%) and approx $25K for Luxury Car Tax (30% of $141K-$57K) equals $116K, approx $36K dearer net of taxes for Oz versus UK yet both are RHD markets.

But there is good news. Jaguar, BMW and Porsche have started cutting prices lately. I don't think we will get down to UK prices (let alone US prices) due to lower volume of sales here, but hopefully more of the egregious rip-off element will disappear.

Cheers, Matthew

*Edit*, if the base price for a C63 in Oz was $80K then LCT would be $7K so $87K + 10% GST = $96K. Actually the new HSV GTS LSA would be fair competition at this price.

[Goggles]

But there is good news. Jaguar, BMW and Porsche have started cutting prices lately. I don't think we will get down to UK prices (let alone US prices) due to lower volume of sales here, but hopefully more of the egregious rip-off element will disappear.

there's one part of the article you missed and that is the shipping cost which the car makers claim is expensive since Australia is a long distance and the ships come back empty.

[VYSHSV8]

Yep, sure is.

Hey Bouks 1 question for ya mate, seeing as the GTS maybe a limited edition or actually made to order, what do you know about the Senator, do you think they will bring back the optioned model ie senator and signature, signature getting the supercharged engine hehe

[Pickles]

there's one part of the article you missed and that is the shipping cost which the car makers claim is expensive since Australia is a long distance and the ships come back empty.

I don't think that arguments stands up.....check out New Zealand AMG pricing & you'll see what I mean....quite simply, in Aus...we are RAPED.
Also....Forgot to ask....is everyone sure this is a 150 unit limited run run...why would that be?....I reckon that they'll sell 150 VERY quickly if the stated pricing is correct. I've also heard that HSV are having difficulty in sourcing the required number of engines?
Cheers, Pickles.

[Goggles]

I don't think that arguments stands up.....check out New Zealand AMG pricing & you'll see what I mean....quite simply, in Aus...we are RAPED.
Cheers, Pickles.

agree with you. I certainly don't support claims by any manufacturer/supplier that products have to be expensive in this country because of our remoteness

[FFAMan]

agree with you. I certainly don't support claims by any manufacturer/supplier that products have to be expensive in this country because of our remoteness

I thought models sold here have to comply with our unique ADR's, some of which require that model to be modified and treated differently to other RHD variants which also contributes significantly to the cost of the product.

[bouka]

Hey Bouks 1 question for ya mate, seeing as the GTS maybe a limited edition or actually made to order, what do you know about the Senator, do you think they will bring back the optioned model ie senator and signature, signature getting the supercharged engine hehe

I tried drew, and tried and tried.

No lsa for senator. Senator will be a good thing though.