HSV ClubSport R8 2015 Review

Instead, the Clubbie hunkers down on its 275-section rear Continentals and grips up completely. The GEN-F chassis is good, no doubt, but a local icon sporting a 6.2-litre V8 should require some finessing before it grips and goes – Australian machismo demands as much.

Beyond its inherent traction, the issue lies in the ClubSport R8’s mechanicals. Ever since Holden took Chevrolet V8s with the VT Series II, the donks have been criticised for lacking the low-down urge expected of a mega-capacity V8… and the latest version is no different. Right at 2500rpm, the R8’s long-gearing – and the fact it’s some 2150rpm off its torque peak – creates a feeling that it’s missing two cylinders. It’s probably good for economy, though…

Of course, the feeling changes when 4000rpm is breached and the bi-modal exhaust kicks into life, a simultaneous thump in the back ensuing and the V8 finding its voice. And it’s at this point that you wish you were on a race track, such is the ferocity of the final 2000rpm in the rev range… and the resultant speed.

The updated-for-2015 ClubSport R8 receives gains beyond its 15kW/20Nm power and torque upgrades (thanks to a new exhaust and ECU tuning) over the 2014 model. The featured car introduces a new colour to the HSV palette, known as ‘Some Like It Hot’. Jungle Green has also been added to the list, though Karma and Fantale have been dropped.

Also available on 2015 models is the ‘Hyperflow Performance’ rear spoiler, and ‘Pitch Black’ styling option which darkens the exterior mirror casings and side vents and adds a low-mounted spoiler. Finally – in both senses of the word – paddle shifters have been fitted to the automatic version.

With updates in place, the ClubSport R8 six-speed manual is priced at $73,290 (plus on-road costs; a bump of $2000 over its predecessor), with the six-speed auto an additional $2500.

Inside, not much has changed, and that’s no bad thing. There’s space and comfort aplenty, and the standard ClubSport R8 specification is high with eight-way electrically-adjustable leather seats, 8.0-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation and reversing camera built-in, nine-speaker BOSE premium sound system, enhanced Bluetooth connectivity, dual-zone climate control, blind spot and cross-traffic alerts, head-up display, forward collision and lane departure warnings and auto park assist among the highlights.

A centrally-mounted ‘SVR8’ ID plate adds a sense that you are driving something, well, a bit special.

The ClubSport R8 rides on flow-formed 20-inch alloys that feature Tornado Grey accents and cover impressive four-piston AP Racing-designed brake calipers.

The centrally-mounted driver preference dial alters stability and traction control settings as well as the electrically-assisted power steering’s response rate and bi-modal exhaust system. There’s also a launch control facility in the manual variant.

Firing up the R8 gives a brief glimpse into the engine’s potency, but the subsequent smooth idle reveals this is a vehicle with two personalities. Indeed, selecting ‘tour’ on the driver preference dial provides smooth, quiet, long-legged progress, although the ClubSport R8 never truly feels less than its size.

Both clutch and gearshift have a solid, but easily managed feel, and while the shift itself isn’t the last word in tactility, it’s certainly more manageable than you might otherwise expect of a big-capacity, big-dimension machine.

Altering the driver preference dial to sport – where, incidentally, the car defaults to on start-up – reveals a difference of… well, not much, really; at least in regular driving. There is a little more heft to the steering, but the bi-modal exhaust still cracks open at 4000rpm. Finally, performance mode further loosens the safety net and adds steering weight.

Regardless of the setting, the HSV ClubSport R8 proves an all-round competence that hints at just what the local manufacturer could have done with the budget of BMW’s M-Division. It’s quiet and comfortable at highway speeds but comes alive in the corners with a combination of strong, consistent braking and mid-corner grip that is truly impressive, especially given its heft.

The Continental tyres are sticky and, if you manage to load the nose on turn-in, resist understeer well and – as previously mentioned – there is actually solid traction available to power out of corner exits. Even the ride, for so long overly firm on bumps in local performance vehicles, has mellowed out to allow the chassis to better work with the road.

About the only negative to its dynamics is that on tighter, narrower stretches of tarmac, the HSV becomes more than a one-lane car, sheer mass overcoming the chassis’ competence. Still, given its ability to swallow a week’s worth of holiday gear, it’s a trade-off you can live with.

After the spirited mountain drive, I can’t believe that I feel the driveline is now the HSV’s weakest point. It’s overly refined at low speed (if you want refinement, buy a Grange), and once it gets howling you’re very close to exceeding the speed limit.

I’m sure some shorter gearing would help real-world performance, but given the ClubSport consumed 14.8L/100km across the week of our test, I can understand why it’s simply not an option.

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