The 10 most significant HSVs

Two months after Holden ended production of its beloved homegrown Commodore, Holden Special Vehicles has followed suit by producing its final Australian-made model, the GTSR W1.

It’s the end of an era, although HSV will continue on by converting Chevrolet’s Camaro coupe and Silverado pick-up, and making better Colorado utes.

The latter may well be an extension of the deal that saw Holden and Tom Walkinshaw join forces in 1987, but forget pick-ups and tarted-up Astras and Jackaroos – here’s our pick of the 10 most important Commodore-based HSVs ever produced.

The late, great Peter Brock parted ways with GM Holden and Tom Walkinshaw after the controversy that surrounded Brock’s Energy Polariser and the HDT Director  in the late 1980s and the pair went on to create HSV in 1987.

The company essentially replaced the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) and, in 1988, initially released the now-legendary VL-series Commodore SS Group A SV Walkinshaw for racing homologation.

Alan Grice and Win Percy won the 1990 Bathurst 1000 in the race version of the road car, which was powered by an injected 180kW 5.0-litre V8.

Affectionately known as the ‘Walky’, it was the first model to wear HSV badging and arguably the most recognisable HSV ever.

Having followed the VL SS Group A up with the Calais-based SV88 in 1988, then a series of SV models in the 88, 89, 1800, 3800, 5000 and the SV6, HSV produced its first ClubSport model in 1990.

The same year also saw it deliver the VN-series Commodore SS Group A, its first Statesman-based model, the SV90, and its first Maloo ute. HSV’s first ‘Sports’ Wagon – pre-empting another future Holden model name — followed in 1992, but it was the ClubSport nameplate that went on to become HSV’s staple sedan.

After upping the output of selected models from 186 to 215kW in selected models (Senator 215i, Statesman 215i, Caprice 215i and GTS) and with the VR Commodore series at an end, HSV now sold six ‘mainstream’ models over three bodystyles: ute, sedan and long-wheelbase sedan.

The full-luxe Grange joined the VS range in 1996, based on Holden’s Caprice, but it was the same year’s GTS-R that really put HSV on the map. With just 85 examples produced, it’s become one of the most sought-after HSVs ever made.

Wearing lurid ‘Yellah’ paint, the unmistakable GTS-R was offered with HSV’s 215kW 5.7-litre V8, or with a 226kW HRT-optimised ‘blueprinted’ version – both matched with a Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission and Hydratrak LSD as standard.

Fresh from launching its new range based on Holden’s ‘world-class’ VT Commodore, and then introducing Chevrolet’s 5.7-litre LS1 V8, HSV employed legendary US tuner Callaway to extract 300kW and 510Nm for the VTII-based GTS 300 sedan (VX pictured).

The C4B engine was matched with a heavy-duty six-speed manual and was the perfect choice for the HSV GTS Coupe that followed.

HSV launched its GTO and GTS coupes in 2001 to coincide with Holden’s new Monaro, although the two-door models never wore ‘Monaro’ badging.

The two coupes topped the VX and ‘V2’ series HSV range and the slippery, more powerful GTS Coupe became Australia’s fastest ever car by managing 275km/h at Holden’s Lang Lang proving ground.

Based on Holden’s VY-series Adventra, HSV’s high-riding Avalanche SUV (not to be confused with the badly-packaged, Crewman-based Avalanche four-door ute), was built between 2003 and 2005.

Powered by 270kW/475Nm 5.7-litre LS1 V8, the mould-breaking five-door crossover wagon was HSV’s first all-wheel drive model (not counting the Jackaroo).

It wasn’t the fastest HSV but the WL Caprice-based Grange was one of the finest long-wheelbase sedans HSV ever made, thanks to a 297kW version of the all-aluminium Gen IV LS2 6.0-litre V8.

Its four-speed auto wasn’t a highlight, but the WL Grange was perhaps the best looking example of Holden’s long-wheelbase Statesman/Caprice limousine.

Based on the billion-dollar VE Commodore, the E-Series W427 produced 375kW/640Nm from its Corvette Z06-sourced 7.0-litre (427 cubic-inch) V8 and was priced at $155,500, making it HSV’s priciest ever model a decade ago.

Unsurprisingly, just 137 cars from the planned 427-vehicle production run – to celebrate HSV’s 20th anniversary — were built, but every one of them remains a collector’s item.

Not to be confused with the HRT 427, the W427 came with a beefed-up six-speed manual, recalibrated Magnetic Ride Control dampers, stiffer suspension, larger six-piston (front) brakes and a strengthened limited-slip differential.

HSV brought supercharged power to the people in 2015 with a V8 range powered exclusively by Chevy’s 6.2-litre LSA V8 in normally-aspirated and supercharged form priced from just $62,000.

But the finest mainstream version of HSV’s swansong VFII Commodore-based line-up is the MY17 GTSR sedan, which is a relative snip at $96,990 plus ORCs.

It might not wear the Walkinshaw-honouring W1 nameplate, but HSV’s MY17 GTSR sedan and GTSR Maloo ute are powered by a still-handy 430kW/740Nm version of the blown LSA V8 from the previous GTS.

The best part is around 500 of them – about half the number built – are still available in dealerships well after homegrown Commodore production stopped.

HSV’s finest and final all-Australian model is the GTSR W1 super-sedan, the last example of which rolled off the company’s old production line in Clayton on December 30.

Powered by a epic 474kW/815kW Corvette-sourced 6.2-litre supercharged LS9 V8, it’s not only the most powerful and quickest (0-100km.h in 4.2sec) HSV ever, but also the most expensive — at $169,900 plus on-road costs.

That didn’t stop HSV receiving more than double the number of W1s produced between April and December (300) before it was even officially revealed, making it an instant classic.