RE: Driven: Holden HSV W427

RE: Driven: Holden HSV W427

Monday 27th July 2009

Driven: Holden HSV W427

PHer Jim Cameron gets bitten by the top Aussie predator



There’s not much lane discipline in Australia.  Punitive speed limits, sneaky Ausplod and cameras mean that freeways tend to have three lanes of 59 mph dawdlers.

But I’m parting the waves quicker than Moses on a motorbike. 'Utes veer out of my path like lilos in front of a triangular fin.  I’m in HSV’s – indeed, Australia’s most powerful production car, and I’m trying hard to behave myself.  Under the bonnet is an L7 – a big capacity, race tuned, dry sump V8 that is making it’s presence known with intoxicating bursts of acceleration accompanied by a soundtrack of great vengeance and furious anger.  To complete its Pulp Fiction credentials, I’ve a sneaky feeling that somewhere on the bordello red leather interior is embossed the phrase BAD MOTHER F...


For all its credentials as wheeled Australian royalty, the name W427 combines a Scotsman’s initial with a very American number.  Tom Walkinshaw, owner of Holden Specialist Vehicles, is a household name down under.  His enduring popularity there is reinforced by his considerable interests in Aussie motorsport, including running Holden’s race team.  427 relates to the cubic capacity of the GM sourced V8 - that’s seven litres in new money.  Tom (referred to by his first name by everyone in the factory) found out that some of the race engines may be made available during a routine conversation with GM in the States, and immediately hatched a plan.


First seen at the Australian motorshow in 2008, the W427 is a limited edition capped at just 200 units, each hand built on a segregated line at the HSV factory in Melbourne.  The base Holden is completely stripped to its shell before being built up by HSV’s most experienced technicians.  It’s a labour of love, and their dedication to the task is evident in the pride with which they show off their work.  Providing focus for the workforce is a grey 1988 HSV – the first of its kind – which sits alongside a W427 at the end of the line.  This outrageously big-arsed Batmobile was a homologation special built to allow Walkinshaw’s new venture to shock the establishment, winning the Bathurst 1000.  It’s an Aussie automotive icon.

The result of this special treatment is pretty spectacular.  502 Bhp and 472 ft lbs of torque are awesome figures, but before the supercharger brigade start quoting silly numbers I’d ask you to bear in mind what an incredible engine the L7 is.  A dry sump, naturally aspirated race V8 is a wonderful thing in a race car, but in a big saloon on the road it is bonkers, mate.  Putting all that power down is a 6 speed Tremec ‘box and bespoke limited slip diff, which is a bit agricultural in feel, but the car feels like it makes and deploys every single one of those horses.  It feels quicker than a Corvette…


There’s an inevitability of me meeting the Victoria police at some point, so I get in early and give Sgt Trevor Bergman a ring.  I know he’s a petrolhead, I’ve had a ride in his immaculate 1947 MGTF so I also know he’s a masochist, but I wasn’t expecting him to say yes quite so fast.  His gaudily decorated Holden SS pursuit car is no slouch either – a six-litre V8 - but a quick drag off the line, as you do, stamps the W427’s authority on the encounter.   From five yards out, the HSV just streaks away.  Trevor jumps in for a go, and two minutes later he’s back, grinning from ear to ear.  “Christ mate, that’s really fast”.  He’s not wrong.

Although the compulsory red interior isn’t to everyone’s taste, mine included, it is a comfortable place to be.  Consequently the W427 makes a pretty good fist of being a Grand Tourer, loping along at licence-stripping speeds in sixth with negligible effort, but HSV were keen to emphasise the race heritage that this car celebrates.  Okay… heart in mouth, I take some brave pills, get off the freeway, utter the mantra ‘please, no kangaroos’, and put my foot down.  The rumble becomes a bellow and the adrenaline arrives in a rush.


The gaps in the trees overhead betray the road’s direction after the blind crest ahead.  I keep the foot in, using the length of third gear and the monstrous torque rather than box between second and third for the slower corners.  The alloy pedals aren’t really set for heel and toe, and finding third in a rush is often frustrating.  I’ve not seen another soul for miles, and so it’s with confidence that I cross the centreline as the blind right hander tightens.  Ever had one of those moments when you realise that you’ve really mucked up?  Mine came with an oncoming Toyota.  I’ve got less than 20 yards to sort this out -and it’s not like I’m in a Caterham either, I’m in the best part of two tonnes of hard working Australian muscle.  I’ve got to sharply back off, ditch some speed and get around the oncoming pensioner without simply spearing hard left and launching the HSV into the outback. 


No fuss, no bother, we jink round, speed unabated.  My front seat passenger needs new shorts, I’m laughing and you can probably hear the tutting from the Carina in Queensland.  What a save.  Due to Cameron talent?  Well, there’s a first time for everything but I doubt it.  The W427 is more than just a home for a borrowed big engine.  Walkinshaw’s men also run winning race cars, on proper circuits, and the geometry is bespoke for the car.  More than that, the W427 sports a magnetic damper set up that wouldn’t look out of place in Maranello.  It means that despite all that weight and monstrous power, it’s actually very hard to catch the big car out, cornering flat with all but the roughest of surfaces absorbed with aplomb.  Hitting the ‘track’ button noticeably tautens things up further, but the sporting intent of the W427 is clear.  I really didn’t expect that, I was expecting something altogether more old school.


The huge brakes are just as spectacularly effective.  The HSV stops hard and repeatedly like no big factory BMW ever could.  There’s a reason for this – all HSV brakes (including the VXR badged numbers gracing the UK VXR8) are made for the company by AP Racing.  The W427 has specially designed 20 inch wheels to accommodate six pot monsters with a 50% larger pad area, sweeping 380mm discs, and unbelievably big 350mm rotors on the back.  Stamp on them hard enough and you can fold your ears over and give yourself a nosebleed.  It’s enough to make the corks come off your hat.

The production run of 200 W427s are all destined for the Aussie market and at a stellar AUS $155K, most will probably see more polishing than back roads.  Many are destined for private collections, and for something so accomplished that’s a great shame.  One customer has negated this problem by buying one for his collection, and one for the track.  I’ll have a white one please.  And a black one.  Quite like the grey, too...

 

   
   

 

Author
Discussion

Staffy1984

Original Poster:

316 posts

179 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
Excellent I can be the first PH'er to say that this car is a wet dream, 7 litres may not please the eco warriors but who cares Holden have reinvented the vauxhall brand in the UK with the VXR8, so an even better NA VXR8 is always a good thing.

Also it has to be said,

I'd love to see a supercharger slapped on one of these!!!!!!!!!!

Negative Creep

24,942 posts

226 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
Y' call that a carbon footprint? This is a carbon footprint

Stig

11,817 posts

283 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
<MrBURNS>

Ahhh...exxxcelent

</MrBURNS>

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
Very, very nice toy but £78,000? Hmmmmm.

Mannginger

9,032 posts

256 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
An early contender for Pic of the week I'd say.


New_Breed

15 posts

203 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
Love all 3 cars you have there, but WHY IN THE HELL IS A FPV on the cover of the article, and then there is no mention of the Ford whatsoever?
If you are saving this for another separate roadtest you should have removed the pictures and placed the HSV pic as the head of the article.

Otherwise, great review.

P.S.:

That is the Ford (FPV F6 i would imagine,or a V8, and not the W427)

Edited by New_Breed on Monday 27th July 13:57


Edited by New_Breed on Monday 27th July 13:58

G4HKS

2,673 posts

218 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
If I had to drive a saloon everyday, this is the one I would choose. Look nice next to my "other" 7 Litre too....

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
L7?

Surely you mean the dry-sumped LS7 from the Z06?

Awesome car and it can only be a good sign that GM will have to face the inevitable and put this engine in the Camaro.

I'm also a little confused by the fact that the LS7 is quite expensive, being partly hand-built so why not use the 6.2 LS9 or blown version thereof, whether ZR1 or CTS-version, since the cost of the LS7 was always the reason for not using it to start with (I believe)>

G4HKS

2,673 posts

218 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
I understand that there are a whole bunch of new LS7 engines lying around that GM have been offering at a low price. obviously some have tricked down to Oz. Bet it is a stonking car to drive though!

Chris-R

756 posts

186 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
New_Breed said:
Love all 3 cars you have there, but WHY IN THE HELL IS A FPV on the cover of the article, and then there is no mention of the Ford whatsoever?
If you are saving this for another separate roadtest you should have removed the pictures and placed the HSV pic as the head of the article.

Otherwise, great review.

P.S.:

That is the Ford (FPV F6 i would imagine,or a V8, and not the W427)
Ahem... sorry about that folks. Confusing pix have been removed, now we just have to think of something else to use them for!

New_Breed

15 posts

203 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
I'm also a little confused by the fact that the LS7 is quite expensive, being partly hand-built so why not use the 6.2 LS9 or blown version thereof, whether ZR1 or CTS-version, since the cost of the LS7 was always the reason for not using it to start with (I believe)>
It's because it's HSV's 20th anniversary special, that's why they wanted this one to be special.
A supercharged 6.2 is what they sell to their UK customers in unlimited numbers under the guise of the VXR8 Bathrust S, so having the same engine in a limited edition doesn't somehow make it special enough( for me at least)

Also thanks team PH for the swift reaction in editing the article.

New_Breed

15 posts

203 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
Chris-R said:
Ahem... sorry about that folks. Confusing pix have been removed, now we just have to think of something else to use them for!
You mean you don't have anything on the Ford? PH, I am dissapoint!

Konrod

866 posts

227 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
New_Breed said:
LuS1fer said:
It's because it's HSV's 20th anniversary special, ..... sell to their UK customers in unlimited numbers under the guise of the VXR8 Bathrust S, ........
I thought Vauxhall were losing their old reputation, calling it a bath rust special isn't going to help. Don't know why they didn't call it the Bathurst special which would be more appropriate hehe

Edited by Konrod on Monday 27th July 14:46

Konrod

866 posts

227 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
New_Breed said:
LuS1fer said:
It's because it's HSV's 20th anniversary special, ..... sell to their UK customers in unlimited numbers under the guise of the VXR8 Bathrust S, ........
I thought Vauxhall were losing their old reputation, calling it a bath rust special isn't going to help. Don't know why they didn't call it the Bathurst special which would be more appropriate hehe

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
New_Breed said:
Chris-R said:
Ahem... sorry about that folks. Confusing pix have been removed, now we just have to think of something else to use them for!
You mean you don't have anything on the Ford? PH, I am dissapoint!
...ed

New_Breed

15 posts

203 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
Konrod said:
I thought Vauxhall were losing their old reputation, calling it a bath rust special isn't going to help. Don't know why they didn't call it the Bathurst special which would be more appropriate hehe
My bad there. Reminds me of a joke, about old Opels (very popular cars among boy racers on the Balkans): Why are Opels so fast? The rust is chasing them.

infradig

978 posts

206 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
Interesting,until this article I didn't even know Troy had an Australian cousin!

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
Konrod said:
New_Breed said:
Someone but definitely not LuS1fer said:
It's because it's HSV's 20th anniversary special, ..... sell to their UK customers in unlimited numbers under the guise of the VXR8 Bathrust S, ........
I thought Vauxhall were losing their old reputation, calling it a bath rust special isn't going to help. Don't know why they didn't call it the Bathurst special which would be more appropriate hehe
Oy. stop attributing stuff to me...

308mate

13,757 posts

221 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
Good article. More of the same for PH please. Regardless of the content (yes Im biased) it well written and sounds like a performance car thats actually been driven properly to reach the conclusions.

Just such a shame the thread has been sullied by Blue Oval.... redcard

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Monday 27th July 2009
quotequote all
308mate said:
Just such a shame the thread has been sullied by Blue Oval.... redcard
How very dare you.... rofl