Thursday 19th September 2013

Holden Commodore 'Track Day': Spotted

Brand new, Walkinshaw-fettled Holden for sale. There are still a couple of track days left y'know...

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We tend to feature road cars in this slot, and always stuff from the PH Classifieds. It therefore has to be a very special vehicle to contravene both those Spotted rules, but we think this is it.

"You call that a spoiler? This is a spoiler!"

What you're looking at here is a Holden Commodore VE Clubsport prepped for the track by the Walkinshaw Automotive Group. Actually, 'prepped' rather undersells it; it's effectively a junior V8 Supercar and would certainly cause quite a stir should you turn up at Bedford with it.

A 536hp LS3 is a good way to start. The 6.2-litre V8 includes upgraded internals such as forged conrods, aluminium pistons and a race cam. There's also been loads of work to keep the oil and transmission cool when on track. And just to enhance the V8 Supercar vibe, the side-exit exhausts will reputedly belch flames with amusing regularity.

What more do you need?

The rest of the Walkinshaw package is predictably thorough. There's a Quaife six-speed sequential 'box, a twin-plate ceramic clutch and an OS Giken LSD on the drivetrain side of things.

Behind the lightweight wheels and slicks sit 365mm (front) and 350mm (rear) brake discs with AP Racing calipers. DMS Racing has provided the springs and dampers for Walkinshaw's suspension upgrade.

You get the full racer experience inside too. The pedal box is adjustable, the dash is digital and the conventional wheel has been replaced by a gorgeous Alcantara Sparco rim. A couple of nasty vents remain though, just as a reminder of the car's origins.

Walkinshaw are taking offers also...

Garth Tander of V8 Supercars fame has assisted with developing the Commodores (there are two for sale), and found they were around nine seconds a lap slower than a V8 Supercar around a 3km track. Seems a bit slow to us, but apparently that was 'without pushing them to their limits'.

For once, this is also a competition car where 'never raced or rallied' is actually applicable (if you ignore the development work...). So it's a nearly box-fresh race car built to almost V8 Supercar spec. And it's yours for 159,000AUD 'or nearest offer' which, at today's exchange rate, is £93,733.

Should you find a suitable race series, Walkinshaw will even provide some engineering support for the car. The Commodore is rather out of our track day budget, but looks like an absolute hoot nonetheless.

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HOLDEN COMMODORE VE CLUBSPORT WALKINSHAW 'TRACK DAY'
Engine: 6,162cc V8
Transmission: Six-speed sequential, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 536@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 406@4,600rpm
MPG: 20 (road car)
CO2: 320g/km (road car)
Price new: 159,000 AUD (£93,733)
Yours for: 159,000 AUD (£93,733)

See the original advert here

[P4ROT]

Awesome- recognise the gear knob from the R500

[Smitters]

No doubt superb fun. Terrifying, but superb. I can imagine rolling up to somewhere like Prescott and rattling the windows for miles around!

[A Scotsman]

I might just buy two lottery tickets tomorrow.

[007 VXR]

Mmmm

Nice

[garypotter]

Saw the ozzie V8's racing before the 2001 oz F1 GP and they were so much better than the F1 cars, awesome noise and speed which for me is what racing ios about not electric cars that buzz like my wife's.........

[drakart]

I would buy this and book myself on to every "Noisy" day at Donington until eternity.

[2woody]

sort of like this.....?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cOKiLHoPew

(shameless and rather out-of-character self-publicity !)

[motorhole]

Sickness.

[jamespink]

Proper motor.

[jamespink]

Proper motor.

[John_S4x4]

So is this built to some spec ? EG FIA GT3/GT4
or not really built to for any race serries ?

[Noodle30]

Real thing for a bit less:

http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/2/k...

[GranCab]

Step 1/ Buy Euro Lottery ticket
Step 2/ Win Jackpot
Step 3/ Buy Holden in article
Step 4/ Buy Mallory Park
Step 5/ Annoy the st out of the villagers
Step 6/ Buy all the houses in the vicinity ...

[Enricogto]

Noodle30 said:

Real thing for a bit less:

http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/2/k...

Without the engine?

[Liquid Knight]

Is there enough of it for an SVA/IVA?

Less than £100,000 and the ability to decimate other "track day" specials on the market makes this a realistic prospect. It would be great thundering up Goodwood while all the GT3RS sit there looking pretty.

On the lotto stakes though I's buy an XJS V12 and sent it to Tom Walkinshaw with a blank cheque. Remembering what his guys did in the 80's and imagining how technology has moved on what they could do with one now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9I7GWllPFY

[Norbury90]

Take your pick from some real ones...

http://v8sleuth.com.au/classifieds/

I will have the HRT driven by Skaife at Bathurst thanks!

[I 8 a 4RE]

Epic! Yes please!
Although the real thing goes for about 200k

[carl_w]

Liquid Knight said:

On the lotto stakes though I's buy an XJS V12 and sent it to Tom Walkinshaw with a blank cheque.

Might be a while before you get it back. He died in 2010.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/9280301...

[robinoz]

This is going to be loud aren't there noise regs at UK tracks?

[jamieheasman]

I suggested to an HSV ute owner the other day that Holden should produce some 'track-day' specials - V8, 6 speed manual gearbox, LSD, big HSV brakes, race seats & belts, lightweight panels. Everything else should be binned to reduce the (frankly ludicrous) weight and you'd have an instant classic.

Holden wouldn't be able to make them quickly enough!