HSV Senator Signature 2007 Review

Road Test

Overall rating: 4.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.5/5.0
Pricing/Packaging/Practicality: 4.5/5.0
Safety: 4.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.5/5.0
X-factor: 4.5/5.0

Can HSV's styling tweaks, extra power and equipment support a Senator price tag that is almost double the benchmark VE SS? And does it have enough of the sophistication and cool factors to warrant comparison with its European price rivals even if they can't match the grunt?

On first acquaintance, the answer must be no on both scores. The HSV name is now generating a big enough cringe factor among some buyers for it not to even warrant consideration. Yet live with the Senator for over a week and drive it over 700 km as we did and the Senator's depth of abilities will soon reveal it as something of a bargain.

It is truly a car of extreme abilities on both the luxury and sports ends of the spectrum. At one point, it was filled with lanky teenagers on a long journey to the cricket. Cruising along the freeway, it was so soothing, so spacious and so comfortable that all promptly fell asleep.

Yet when driven beyond the capabilities of 'every day' cars, its turn of speed, grip and agility can turn even seasoned passengers white. Its handling balance enhanced by HSV's MRC (Magnetic Ride Control) with its Luxury Sports Settings in this application is enough to turn the Senator Signature into a Z-series ClubSport DTS (Dealer Team Spec) beater.

At first, it is difficult not to see the Senator's extra cockpit equipment as add-ons which of course they are. Yet the sound system is excellent and the horizontal dash layout engenders a feeling of luxury better than the sports cockpit of Holden's sporty range.

In the dark Onyx trim, the overall effect is sombre to the point of oppressive as the feel good touches are scarce. Add the light urban option which adds a contrasting light colour to the seats, door trim and dash and suddenly the Senator interior comes alive.

The huge seats are magnificent with their premium Nappa leather and suede-like highlights. The only drawback is keeping it clean.

This is a big car for big distances and the complete eight-way power adjustment in both front seats plus separate rear seats and full steering column adjustment allow four big Aussies to co-exist in comfort with space to spare.

The only jarring notes are the VE's thick windscreen pillars, the legacy of providing top-shelf crash safety using entry level steels, and flawed instrument graphics. During daylight hours, the black on white dial faces provide better contrast than Holden's but the numbers are too small and the markings too busy. At night, the markings disappear altogether and the needles glow in red which might be fine for Disneyland but it causes the needles and the numbers to lose their definition.

There seems to be a conspiracy among local manufacturers to make the instruments in their sporty models as cluttered and difficult to read as possible which would be fine if Australians drove on the roads of the free and reasonable, not the heavy enforcement that is reality. And when base Corollas also use black on white instruments for effect, they lose something. The Senator deserves something classier.

The optional sunroof and its neat rotary control was a treat if a little noisy compared to recent BMWs on test. HSV might need to look at the latest serrated wind-deflector designs that seem to break up wind turbulence. Cabin equipment is extensive without being gimmicky with a top sound system, useful reading lights, dual-zone climate control, big centre screen, front, side and curtain airbags and rear seat DVD player. Smaller drivers will like the extensive seat adjustment with its memory settings and reasonably good vision (except for the windscreen pillars).

Because the Senator doesn't share the cartoon looks of HSV's sportier models, it has a purposeful, understated presence that grows on you over time. The only jarring note is the black sills. Because dealers have been so busy painting them out under customer request, HSV has been forced to offer the Senator with or without the lower body blackout treatment.

The whopping 19-inch wheels are fussy, hard to clean and invite kerb damage. For serious driving in rural areas, they might be too much of a good thing even if they are an inch less in diameter than the GTS wheel. The rear tyres are only 35 series, enough for a break in the bitumen to destroy a rim or a tyre. At least there is a full-sized spare that matches the front wheels.

The Senator's ultimate achievement is to allow the driver to access class-leading luxury and extreme performance without having to constantly walk a middle line. In this area, it is not matched by anything this side of the wildest Europeans that start at least $50,000 higher.

The technology behind MRC plays a big role in this although HSV didn't get this aspect totally right first up. An earlier assessment suggested that even the softest damper setting is too firm for the Senator's flagship role but this test confirmed that HSV has achieved an outstanding balance of ride and handling settings.

Because the Magnetic Ride Control changes the viscosity of the damper fluid so fast in response to bumps and cornering loads, the combination of the 19-inch tyres and standard bushes initially fed too much shock into the structure, too quickly for a luxury car. This generated extra noise and the impression that the suspension was running out of travel. A re-engineering of key bushes since the car was first released means that there is now a more progressive transition. Gone is the hard edge off the ride.

All MRC-equipped HSV models are now fitted with this upgraded specification and can be easily retro-fitted if required. As if to prove the point, the issue didn't show up in the ClubSport R8 with its conventional dampers.

And that leaves the best part until last. Get past the extra bling and it's that big 6.0-litre LS2 engine that makes the Senator what it is. At cruising speeds, it generates a soothing, lazy rumble that makes any trip effortless.

The combination of the MRC's silkier ride settings and reasonable isolation of the extra tyre harshness gives it a clear lead over most Europeans. Under this usage, an owner can expect a best of around 12.5lt/100km which can climb to 17lt/100km as soon as you start accessing what is now close to supercar performance. These extra fuel costs are well worth it.

At 1844kg, the Senator is no lightweight but still quite reasonable considering its size, equipment and crash safety levels. What is noteworthy is how the amazing powertrain can make it feel like a rag doll.

It is just gobsmacking the way that this car can change from a seductive luxury cruiser to a demented track special. It can haul out of corners at an exhilarating rate and be at the next one in a blink of the eye ready to be pinned down by its massive brakes.

If you have never owned such a capable luxury muscle car before, don't waste it. Go and enrol yourself in one of the many great driving courses around so you can identify and exploit the nuances in what is really a fine chassis.

And note, whatever you do, its enormous capabilities must be treated with respect as it can still deliver a savage bite despite the many safety systems. It is only very recently that the Senator has shared the most powerful GTS engine which demands another level in terms of driver expertise especially when its seductive luxury can hide the monster lurking within.

Apart from a little tramlining on some surfaces from the big tyres and the extra noise and thump in the suspension which HSV claims is now rectified, there is not much in the Senator not to like. Occasionally, the new six-speed auto can be caught on the wrong foot in partial throttle situations and even if it is not quite as good as Ford's ZF six-speed, the monster engine more than compensates.

At a recent function, it was fascinating to park the Senator next to some of the daintier six-cylinder Euro sedans that are rivals only in price. It was like leaning a sledgehammer against an engineer's small ball peen hammer.

At least now, for the first time in HSV history, it was if as if the Senator sledgehammer was chrome-plated with a carbon-fibre handle. More than anything else, the Senator highlighted the awesome potential and inherent quality in the VE chassis wasted in the base Holden models.

As for badge snobbery, get over it.