difference between gts and clubsport?
Discussion
If you are talking about the cars sold in UK then the GTS in UK is a Clubsport R8 imported from Oz and rebadged - same car except, I believe, foglight added. The GTS-R sold in UK is a GTS from Oz, again rebadged and fog light.
Cars sold in UK were known as GTS (Club R8) and GTS-R (GTS).
In Oz, model range was different, in order, to top spec, they were Clubsport, Clubsport R8, Senator and GTS.
Now is different, but in '99, '00 and '01, (when these cars were imported to UK) GTS(UK) cars had 250 or 255kw 5.7litre LS1 engine and some early models may have had the older 225kw 5.0 litre iron block engine. The GTS-R had the 300kw 5.7litre Calloway C4B engine, bigger brakes, stiffer suspension and a few other things that the GTS(UK) did not.
Cars sold in UK were known as GTS (Club R8) and GTS-R (GTS).
In Oz, model range was different, in order, to top spec, they were Clubsport, Clubsport R8, Senator and GTS.
Now is different, but in '99, '00 and '01, (when these cars were imported to UK) GTS(UK) cars had 250 or 255kw 5.7litre LS1 engine and some early models may have had the older 225kw 5.0 litre iron block engine. The GTS-R had the 300kw 5.7litre Calloway C4B engine, bigger brakes, stiffer suspension and a few other things that the GTS(UK) did not.
In UK parlance the Clubsport model ran until roughly V reg, and the GTS/GTS-R from W reg. Main difference is 5.0l iron block in former and 5.7l alloy in latter. Very different cars, very different values.
Tim@LindenSV
Tim@LindenSV
I have a late '99 GTS 5.7 Iron block factory Harrop stroker. Full Aus GTS spec.
The R8 element was only introduced with the advent of Gen III. Quite why HSV badged the R8 as a UK GTS and an Aus GTS as a UK GTS-R is a bit of a mystery to me. Maybe it has to do with the R8 having many of the extras in UK GTS guise you only got with the full blown GTS in Aus? Both cars are great but not convinced the extra money and awful interior is worth it for the GTS-R though more power is always good!
There are 4 different engines available to you in VT form, the 5.0 Iron Block Clubsport (195 KW), the 5.7 Iron Block GTS (220 KW), the 5.7 Gen III in the GTS (250 KW) and the 5.7 Gen III in the GTS-R (300 KW).
Gen III is a lot more easily tuned in the UK and has more HP however don't be discouraged by the Iron Blocks.
The 5.7 Stroker is a completely different beast to drive compared to the 5.0 (having had both). The 5.7 is a real stump puller low down the rev range and I would argue that it actually feels stronger than a Gen III in that range. The 5.0 is a good engine but unsuited to the VT as the car is just too heavy for it which leaves it feeling a little overwhelmed in my opinion. Never driven the 300 KW beast but am told it's phenominal.
The problem with iron blocks is intake. The std intake only flows 580cfm so it starves and flattens out at high rpm. These cars respond very well to bigger, better headers, a larger free flowing exhaust and better intake and TB.
For ease and if it's not a long term thing, go for Gen III engined cars, particularly if you want to supercharge. If you can put up with extra hassle and expense and want to keep the car, the last of the HOLDEN engined GTS cars might be right for you. Find a good one (there are less than 6 in the UK and only 400 made) and look after it. There will come a time in the not too distant future when these will start to appreciate again as the last of the proper all Australian HSVs. I have seen them for sale in Aus already for more than later R8s.
The Gen III is an excellent engine and by no means am I slating the later cars (I've recently thought about selling mine and making V8 HSV an offer for his black beauty).
Whatever you choose, there are times when things go wrong and (support for the older engines is a nightmare here) you question why you bought one.
Then, more often than not, everything is working fine and you take her for a cruise along an open Scottish road and you drop all the windows and let the big heavy lump bellow as you give it what for (the iron motor sounds awesome) and you know exactly why you did buy one.
From a servicing perspective, I have dealt with a few of the companies on here but would recommend Mark at Rapid GB. Formerly of LSV he is a wealth of knowledge and all round decent chap.
Monkfish have always been helpful when contacted for advice, though they haven't actually done any work to the car.
Good luck with your purchase, Gen III or Iron, you'll smile the whole time you own it. You'll not go too far wrong with a Lion on the bonnet and a V8 under it!
The R8 element was only introduced with the advent of Gen III. Quite why HSV badged the R8 as a UK GTS and an Aus GTS as a UK GTS-R is a bit of a mystery to me. Maybe it has to do with the R8 having many of the extras in UK GTS guise you only got with the full blown GTS in Aus? Both cars are great but not convinced the extra money and awful interior is worth it for the GTS-R though more power is always good!
There are 4 different engines available to you in VT form, the 5.0 Iron Block Clubsport (195 KW), the 5.7 Iron Block GTS (220 KW), the 5.7 Gen III in the GTS (250 KW) and the 5.7 Gen III in the GTS-R (300 KW).
Gen III is a lot more easily tuned in the UK and has more HP however don't be discouraged by the Iron Blocks.
The 5.7 Stroker is a completely different beast to drive compared to the 5.0 (having had both). The 5.7 is a real stump puller low down the rev range and I would argue that it actually feels stronger than a Gen III in that range. The 5.0 is a good engine but unsuited to the VT as the car is just too heavy for it which leaves it feeling a little overwhelmed in my opinion. Never driven the 300 KW beast but am told it's phenominal.
The problem with iron blocks is intake. The std intake only flows 580cfm so it starves and flattens out at high rpm. These cars respond very well to bigger, better headers, a larger free flowing exhaust and better intake and TB.
For ease and if it's not a long term thing, go for Gen III engined cars, particularly if you want to supercharge. If you can put up with extra hassle and expense and want to keep the car, the last of the HOLDEN engined GTS cars might be right for you. Find a good one (there are less than 6 in the UK and only 400 made) and look after it. There will come a time in the not too distant future when these will start to appreciate again as the last of the proper all Australian HSVs. I have seen them for sale in Aus already for more than later R8s.
The Gen III is an excellent engine and by no means am I slating the later cars (I've recently thought about selling mine and making V8 HSV an offer for his black beauty).
Whatever you choose, there are times when things go wrong and (support for the older engines is a nightmare here) you question why you bought one.
Then, more often than not, everything is working fine and you take her for a cruise along an open Scottish road and you drop all the windows and let the big heavy lump bellow as you give it what for (the iron motor sounds awesome) and you know exactly why you did buy one.
From a servicing perspective, I have dealt with a few of the companies on here but would recommend Mark at Rapid GB. Formerly of LSV he is a wealth of knowledge and all round decent chap.
Monkfish have always been helpful when contacted for advice, though they haven't actually done any work to the car.
Good luck with your purchase, Gen III or Iron, you'll smile the whole time you own it. You'll not go too far wrong with a Lion on the bonnet and a V8 under it!
Edited by woody vt on Wednesday 30th January 13:18
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