No Corvette heart for HSV hottie

Buyers eagerly awaiting a preview of a 7.0-litre E-Series replacement for HSV's once-flagship GTS-R were disappointed at the Australian International Motor Show (AIMS) in Sydney. Indeed, there wasn’t even mention of such a model -- showcar or otherwise.

The monster 377kW/637Nm engine introduced in the latest Corvette series remains a tantalising possibility for the E-Series range but HSV is non-committal.

CarPoint has confirmed that an evaluation car has been built. Lately a senior Holden executive, who is also an HSV board member, has been hyding (sic) the new engine in his long-wheelbase company car.

The biggest problem moving forward, however, is the cost of this engine. Built for ultimate street performance and a modicum of track work, the LS7 features titanium pushrods, valves and other exotic internals then demands serious driveline and infrastructure upgrades (eg: the LS7 is dry-sumped requiring separate oil storage, etc).

Indeed, the landed cost for this special engine alone is estimated to be up to five times that of the 6.0-litre engine currently fitted to HSV models.

This would push a HSV so-equipped into the six-figure range which in turn creates dilemma as buyers would expect an extensively upgraded body and interior to go with the new pricetag (and engine). This in turn could push the asking price to the sort of territory inhabited by serious European performance badges ($150,000 has been mentioned!) and restrict any new model to a very exclusive and limited clientele.

HSV sources say they are not convinced this is the way to go in the current climate. And in that have destined an LS7-engine Commodore to folklore.

All is not lost, however. One of the options open to HSV is to replicate the performance of the LS7 engine without using the exotic internals as the HSV application doesn’t require the sustained high-revability of the Corvette Z06 sportscar.

According to HSV Managing Director Phil Harding, there are two, perhaps three new engines that have yet to see the light of day that would meet HSV requirements for a new super E-Series without the huge price premium.

Reading between the lines, HSV is effectively evaluating a repeat of what the company achieved with the Callaway-upgraded VTII GTS 300 -- only this time in a 'powered up' 2007 context.