HSV GTS-R 427: delayed or dead?

It was no surprise to Carsales Network readers that there was no HSV GTS-R 427 on display at this year's Sydney motor show despite firm predictions elsewhere.

HSV still refuses to acknowledge any existence of the project and the company may now have good reason to remain silent.

As pointed out in early CN reports (more here) , the installation of the Corvette ZO6's special LS7 engine in a VE Commodore engine bay is fraught with difficulties. A special feature of this monster and very expensive 7.0-litre engine is its race-style dry-sump lubrication which requires elaborate plumbing and a large oil tank.

In the Corvette, installing the oil tank was relatively straightforward. It was a case of moving the battery from the right-hand rear corner of the engine bay, shift it to the boot then install the oil tank vertically beside the exit and entry points for the oil lines. In the VE Commodore, the engine bay is so tight that the battery has already been moved to the boot and the right-hand drive hardware for steering, brakes and clutch fill up the space that would otherwise be vacant in the Corvette.

One of the vital pre-conditions for keeping the cost down of a future GTS-R 427 was to install the LS7 engine on the Holden production line. There have been several practice runs to indicate that the engine itself presented no problems but installing the dry sump lubrication and its oil tank was not as easy.

It is believed that one of the few solutions open to HSV engineers was to install the oil tank ahead of the engine in the radiator area. To make room for the oil lines and the oil tank, it is believed that the radiator and intake system will need modifications, both major operations that had the potential to create disruptions on Holden's assembly line.

Since the GTS-R 427 project's evaluation stage was commenced, Holden is now committed to delivering a new left-hand drive Pontiac G6/G8 at export quality levels in US volumes that need to be flexible if sales take off. The possibility that the new VE Ute and Sportwagon will follow is also looking more likely.

In fact, export plans for these other body styles may already be more advanced than Holden is letting on publicly. This might explain the latest reports that Holden plant management is no longer willing to install the LS7 engine on the Holden assembly line.

This effectively sends the business case for a new GTS-R 427 back to square one. It means that HSV will have to accept turn-key Commodores with engines and transmissions installed which will then have to be rebuilt with the LS7 engine and its special gearbox -- doubling the handling and labour component. This also creates a problem with the disposal of the original engines and transmissions which are technically used.

It is believed that HSV is now faced with assessing whether the project should proceed at all or whether they should simply install a supercharger on the coming LS3 6.2-litre engine or, perhaps, opt for a more 'pedestrian' wet-sump 7.0-litre engine. When the aftermarket Walkinshaw Performance hot-up arm has been set up to provide these options with fewer hassles, there seems little point.

However, there are persistent reports that there are those within HSV who want a platform for a serious racecar with some even talking about a Le Mans entry.

There is also a potential Middle East market for such a model badged as a CSV but would a dry sump be so critical in that market? It is only in the competition and exotic low-volume context that a GTS-R 427 with a dry sump LS7 engine would now make sense. But at what price and how many?

The only other wildcard, as happened with HSV's final GTO versions of the Monaro, is that Pontiac could decide it needs a special LS7-powered hero version of the G8. This could hand HSV a local version on a plate.

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