"Senator should be shopped against Euros" -- HSV boss

Holden Special Vehicles boss, Phil Harding, is so confident in the credentials of his company's new E-series range that he has challengd the media to compare it against the best Europe has to offer.

Harding's challenge came at Monday's launch of the new HSV E-Series range at the company's headquarters at Clayton in Melbourne. The three-car range includes the new $76,990 Senator Signature -- a luxury executive express aimed four square at the likes of BMW's 5 Series, and Audi and Mercedes-Benz like-sized models.

Boasting a specification list that builds on the considerable goodies of Holden's own VE Calais V, the Senator Signature shares the specially-developed mechanicals and electronics of HSV's hotshoe GTS sports sedan (for more click

With a 307kW 6.0-litre V8, a uniquely set-up version of HSV's Magnetic Ride Control suspension and a recalibrated six-speed auto all standard, the Senator looks likely to be able to match or indeed better the dynamics of Euros with six-figure pricetags.

"The traditional HSV buyer will, I believe, embrace what we've done [with E-Series] and acknowledge a job well done -- that'll be easy," Harding told CarPoint.

"The challenge for us through our dealerships will be to go for those buyers that choose a lowly-specified imported brand just for brand snobbery."

"I would like you [the media] to put this car [Senator Signature] up against those cars you traditionally wouldn't think about:  BMW or an Audi. We've done our own appraisal of import brands -- including a massive drive appraisal. We've pitched our car up against these brands and we're pretty confident," Harding said.

"On one of my recent test drives of a camouflaged car I was passenger and I closed my eyes and I thought what car was I really riding in. The car felt solid like a Merc, nimble like an M3; it was so more much fun to drive than the VZ.

"I said to the team if you took the badges off this could be a product offering from any of the best automakers around the world. We're pretty pleased to say it’s a HSV," Harding enthused.

The new Senator Signature replaces the VZ Calais-based Senator ($72,390) and Senator Skaife Signature ($75,590) models.

Featuring much more restrained bodywork than the outgoing VZ-based Senator, or indeed its R8 and GTS E-Series siblings, the Senator reprises the chrome and mesh look front-end of the HSV Coupe 4.

Gone are the sporties' blacked-out light panels and twin-nostril grille replaced by subtle single projector fogs and a bright chrome grille frame and black mesh inserts.

The E-Series trademark front wing outlets are toned down using unique inserts and at the back there's a much more restrained lower diffuser and boot lid lip in place of the GTS and R8's high wings and Ferrari-style racecar undertray.

HSV calls the Senator Signature "deliberately understated". Unique 10-spoke 19-inch alloys give the car a premium look and the car is visually lightened via the use of a matt black accenting strip running the length of the lower body.

Inside colour combinations have been chosen to accent the premium look. Holden's new Light Urban interior is the 'hero' colour for the car, however unlike the Holden Calais V and long-wheelbase cars, HSV retains dark coloured carpets and lower door and trim panels. It works in the flesh -- take our word for it.

Traditional dark Onyx is the default leather and trim option.

Features like six airbags (including full-length curtain bags) are standard on all the E-Series models but feature higher on the typical Senator buyer's wishlist. The Senator also boasts rear DVD entertainment system and top-of-the-range audio and climate control equipment. Like it's R8 and GTS counterparts the Senator Signature features a full-size (19 x 8-inch spare). Navigation and other goodies will be offered later this year as the products come on stream via Holden.

Like the GTS, the Senator Signature features HSV's Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) suspension. MRC gets a special calibration in the case of the Senator Signature. The base mode is 'Luxury' and a 'Performance' level is offered via a dash-mounted switch.

HSV says the Senator Signature matches its auto-equipped GTS and R8 in performance. That translates to a 0-100km/h sprint in just over 5.0sec.

Said Phil Harding: "There's not another car under $200,000 with the same power and performance as we are offering today and I can't find another car under $120,000 with the same features we're launching.

"We are very confident -- we've done plenty of miles in the car, we've done back-to-back tests with other luxury cars up to twice the price and we've accessed our car against those cars and we believe it stands the test.

"For us this [the E-Series] is the platform to go to a strategy of increasing export sales and successfully competing [locally] against those German and Japanese imported brands," he said.