Supercharged HSV? - Part 4

[GTS LSA]

Will be interesting to see how many opt for the SV wheels, appears to be quite a few. Personally I've stayed with the standard GTS wheel and love them, think it is the best wheel they've ever had, but horses for courses, I guess the option wheel does show off those monster brakes better.....couldn't get over how large the brakes look in the flesh, that and the exhaust tips just look so much better in person.

I prefer the standard wheels, one of the best I have seen on a HSV and set the GTS apart... everyone to their own

[mjrandom]

The wheels are strickly a personal thing. While I was torn by the fact that the 6 spoke wheels are only offered for the GTS I prefered the look of the SV wheels and that was my decision. After looking at both on Friday I am still happy. I am sure there are lots of people who think the other way and that is good. Can't have a heap of clones on the road!



We had some light rain overnight and it is the first rain for a while. Of course it had to rain, I washed the car yesterday and we have a good viewing spot for Riverfire tonight! The roads were wet with the dirt and rubber not washed away so it was a good check of how the car went on damp roads. Well I have to report there is no problem at all. Drive like a human and the GTS is a comfortable drive for granny.



I am going to head up the coast tomorrow for a longer run.

If any of you haven't seen the little windscreen sticker that talks about the fuel consumption you are better off getting that removed before you pick up the car! I am in need of fuel. Ah well didn't expect it to be cheap to run.

Michael

[jaykay]

I think the white is the new black....it looks great Mick

How many kms out of the first tank ?

[mjrandom]

At least 329! Still a few mm of gauge to go.

[GTS LSA]

Sounds like my old GTO.... Would just crack 350.... But I drove that way

[Drizt]

Simply beautiful.

[offshore]

Just some mods I found for the LSA engine in the US http://www.katechengines.com/perform...12-camaro-zl1/
Stage 1

Supercharger overdrive pulley
Supercharger snout porting
Katech high capacity heat exchanger
Chassis dyno tuning
Serialized plaque
Price: $4,425

Stage 3

750hp
Supercharger overdrive pulley
Overdrive damper
Supercharger snout porting
LS9 camshaft
C5-R timing chain
PSI springs
Titanium retainers
Denso IT22 plugs
160 degree thermostat
FAST 85lb/hr injectors
Katech high capacity heat exchanger
Halltech carbon fiber air intake system
Chassis dyno tuning
Serialized plaque
Price: $10,450

Stage 4 (E85)

775hp
Supercharger overdrive pulley
Overdrive damper
Supercharger snout porting
LS9 camshaft
C5-R timing chain
PSI springs
Titanium retainers
Denso IT22 plugs
160 degree thermostat
FAST 85lb/hr injectors
Katech high capacity heat exchanger
Halltech carbon fiber air intake system
Fuel system
NPP exhaust controller
Chassis dyno tuning
Serialized plaque
Price: $14,355

[jaykay]

Has any one else thought the standard ride height on the GTS looks great..my Calais looks like it has an ARB hi lift kit on it

[johnfhall]

Sounds like my old GTO.... Would just crack 350.... But I drove that way

Hey, guys, when you talk fuel, why not post from the trip computer? - Av. l/100km and Av. Speed. That's what all that wizardry is for. Saying something like "350 out of a tank" is not too useful.

[CLUBRED]

There's been allot of others in the past that I'd like, but I've just realised that this is the car I can't afford that I really really want.

[GTS LSA]

^^ Yep, but I sold it 14 months ago so no chance and I have to admit I have never looked at per per 100 or anything else as i didnt care, i was only interested in total to save myself the heartache of running out it out of town

[mjrandom]

I drove up to the Sunshine Coast today to visit a mate and family and see what the car was like on the open road. I drove up the old highway to see how it felt on secondary roads (or main roads if you live outside Brisbane!) but also because the Bruce was crap. I usually avoid the first part of the highway anyway and today I joined the highway and then left at the first exit I came too! Had a couple of guys in a 4wd ute work out what I was driving and they spent a lot of time adjusting mirrors and twisting heads off to keep me in sight behind them.

The old highway is a combination of broken bitumen, coarse chip bitumen and the odd spot of decent tarmac. The surface varies from smooth (a relative term) to rough patches and repairs. Happy to report that the ride is comfortable in Touring mode and handling more than adequate. The car sits nice and flat. The ride is smooth and not choppy nor is it harsh. A good compromise between stiff suspension and that comfortable ride. I passed a couple of slow cars on the way and 'look, indicate, manoeuvre' is more like 'look, indicate, hang on'. Nice. The GTS feels very sure footed and stable. Steering is still a strong point and the more I drive the more I am loving the gearbox.

I fuelled up before I set off and poured 53 L into the tank for 340ish km. Trip computer suggested 17.9 L/100km at an average speed of 34 kph.

I reset the data a few times checking what was going on.

The return home was on the highway after the traffic abated. It stuns me that there was a big stretch down to one lane for road works on a Sunday evening so drove a few km at a crawl.

At 110 kph there is a little wind noise around the A pillar. Something I didn't notice with the E1 or E2 but then they weren't as quiet so any noise would have been drowned out. I was on my own so will have to wait for a passenger to see if the near side is the same. Tyre noise on the highway was very acceptable and it is only on coarse bitumen the Continentals are noisy.

Coming back the last 25 km average consumption in the 110 kph zone was 9.2 L/100km at a steady 110 kph.

Not really anything more to report. 750 km on the odometer and a week of commuting ahead.

By the way the car is dirty and needs a wash.

With a few more due to be delivered next week I will take a rest and read what everyone else thinks! And don't forget pictures please!

[HOTSV8]

Great write up . I'm sure all the other GTS (to be) owners appreciate it .

[evl.346]

Out of curiosity, How much boost do these run standard?

[Vulture]

The new addition is here!
I've barely covered 20km in the red manual GTS and still getting used to all the switchgear and other gadgets which can be a distraction in a new car. Happy to report that I am grinning ear to ear. As peak hour approaches, I don't feel a strong desire to sit in traffic getting frustrated so will head out again later. It is getting lots of looks from blokes who know what it is.
Very impressed with how smooth and refined it feels in comparison to my previous E1 GTS, E2 Senator and also the venerable VZSS still in my possession - which is a tractor in comparison albeit still a lot of fun. The ride quality is amazing and very compliant in the softer MRC modes. I am used to a very harsh and firm setup in the 370, which has aftermarket coil-overs, so currently prefer the GTS in the second firmest setting. There is no chance I will fiddle with anything there at all. HSV spent a lot of time getting the suspension tune right and I think the aftermarket has very little chance of improving the ride/handling compromise. The gear shift on the manual is surprisingly light and more precise than the gearbox on my 370z, which is a little agricultural in the spirit of 'zed cars' of yore. I cannot give you a good review just yet as I don't feel as though I have experienced it enough to give a decent informed comment but stand by and I will come back here over the next few days. Also at the dealership, and looking very like it had just been deposited on the driveway, was a Prussian Steel GTS manual, I must say that I do like the colour. I always thought of this shade as more of a Senator or Grange colour but it works surprisingly well on the GTS.
Many thanks to Hayden at Zupps Aspley and Andrew at HSV for keeping me up to date.

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Pics of the Prussian steel car
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