Walkinshaw Performance Series II Supercar 2011 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $99,990
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Premium audio system, sports pedals, sports gear knob, WP six-piston brake package, multi-function steering wheel $17,770
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: 98 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): N/A
CO2 emissions (g/km): N/A
Also consider:  Life insurance

About our ratings

The original 'Walkinshaw', the VL Commodore SS Group A SV, was born from a polarising split between the Holden Dealer Team and touring car legend, Peter Brock. As the quintessential Aussie poster car of the late 1980s, its success paved the way for the ascension of the now eminent Holden Special Vehicles.

Twenty three years on, and in tribute to that very special time in Australian muscle car history, and indeed Tom Walkinshaw himself, Clayton-based Walkinshaw Performance stunned crowds with the unveiling of its Series II Supercar at the (2010) Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. To drum home the point the car was even finished in the same dramatic Panorama Silver duco as its namesake.

With its basis the Holden VE Series II Commodore SS, a strictly limited production run of just 23 Series II Supercars were produced, each specified with a 6.0-litre V8 force fed by an Edelbrock E Force supercharger, mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

The bolt-on result is a chest-pounding total output of 460kW/780Nm – a 190kW/250Nm augmentation of the donor engine's output, or a 280kW/400Nm gain on the original 1987 5.0-litre 'Walky'.

Fittingly vocal for its neck-stretching attitude, the blown bent eight sports a high flow dual exhaust, three inches in diameter from the cat back and capped with quad billet alloy tips. The bi-modal system is relatively subdued around town (in order to pass Australian Design Rules), but sounds touring car tough north of mid-tach.

Fuel consumption doesn't exactly rank up there with the Toyota Prius, and of the two tankfuls we consumed over seven days the average tally was a wallet-lightening 19.2L/100km, though we do admit to being a bit heavy-footed on the loud pedal.

Apart from Bilstein monotube shocks, which are adjustable through 10 settings at the front and 11 at the rear, the suspension remains unchanged from the donor car's MacPherson strut/multi-link arrangement.

Larger brake rotors (378mm front x 365mm rear) feature 'S' shaped grooves for better heat dissipation, and are grabbed by six-piston billet callipers. These are tucked beneath ominous looking black five-spoke alloy wheels measuring 20 x 10.0 inches at the rear and 20 x 8.5 inches at the pointy end.

Beyond the unmistakable (non-functional) bonnet bulge and carbon-fibre treatment outside, the Series II Supercar's innards are Commodore SS through and through. Holden's iQ touch screen infotainment system dominates the centre stack and is underscored by a numbered badge (1-23) denoting the car's build number.

Small enhancements to trim are noted throughout, including Walkinshaw Performance branded sill panels, headrests and console cover. Optionally, a high-output Rockford Fosgate audio package, sports pedals and gear knob are also available, all of which were fitted to our test car.

Together the package is a bit of a contrast. The interior pales into insignificance against the striking looks of the outside, but once you turn the key, it all makes sense.

This isn't some leather-bound luxo-cruiser with some added grunt. It's a no nonsense ground pounder with enough attitude to grab the attention from at least one E63 AMG and one 911 Turbo owner on our Sunday morning drive loop.

"Those things [Commodores] don't usually do it for me," said the owner of the Merc. "But I've been following you for a while now and, man, has that thing got some attitude!"

It's not the kind of comment an SS usually draws from those with the means to buy something else. But it goes to show just how much the Series II Supercar can stand out, assuming you want it to.

Stay under 3500rpm and the car is as sedate and driveable as any V8 Commodore. The steering and clutch feel the same, although the brake pedal shows noticeably more bite. The gearshift is mechanical of feel, but direct enough for the task at hand. The only real letdowns come from the VE's legacy visibility issues (thick 'A' pillars, high tail, small mirrors, et al).

While we didn't get to do any track performance testing, we can tell you the car is indisputably quick. Zero to 100km/h comes up in no time, overtaking is a non-event and, except for a little understeer when pushed, the suspension setup is reasonably sorted.

But beware the wet. A slick surface is open invitation to oversteer, with even moderate pokes at the throttle enough to provoke lurid power slides, most of which appear to have a good head start on the car's stock standard stability control system.

If you can live with a car that's a bit of a handful, and want to stand out from the crowd, the Series II Supercar is just that - a super car that packs an awful lot of wallop for its six-figure price tag.

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