Holden Time Attack Concept gets 1360hp - and no V8
All-electric future-looker out qualifies the current crop of Supercars contenders by, erm, 35 seconds. In theory
When Holden announced it was developing a V6 engine to enter into the much-loved Australian Supercars series, it was met with an unsurprisingly mixed response. Many traditionalists, who've loved the sport through its V8-only years, saw the move as sacrilegious and bloody down right un-Aussie. So imagine their emotional state when they saw this, the new Holden Time Attack Concept, an all-electric (yes, seriously) qualifying machine developed for Bathurst, aka the Mecca of motorsport Down Under. They must still be shaking in their thongs.
Holden's concept is quite possibly the most contrasting thing on four wheels you could get to a V8 Commodore. A digital simulation suggests it could be considerably faster around New South Wales' famous Mount Panorama Circuit than the current crop of Supercars - 35 seconds faster than this year's Bathurst pole lap, to be exact, with a 1min 29.3-second lap. Mmm.
The numbers attached to the car's moving parts appear as pie in the sky as that time. The Time Attack Concept produces 1,360hp and 2,390lb ft of torque using four inboard electric motors that each drives through a three-speed planetary gearbox. But, get this; when the motors are driving through the first gear ratio, Holden claims the car effectively has 7,095lb ft. This enables the concept to theoretically hit 62mph in 1.25 seconds and reach a top speed of 298mph.
One key feature of the car that does at least feel like a realistic and clear signal of intent comes with the concept's batteries, which are graphene solid state. This is precisely the sort of technology predicted to bring the breakthrough in charge times electric cars so obviously need to become more viable. Holden claims its racer will fully recharge in 90 seconds, which, to put that into perspective, is 30 times faster than a Jaguar I-Pace - one of today's most advanced EVs - can get to 80% charge.
Then there's a load of advanced aerodynamic technology, with ground effect fans and rubber skirts, active wheel fairings and a moving rear wing accounting for just a small sample of an armoury that allows the car to 'corner' with up to 6.5G of lateral force. Its agility is further enhanced by a low centre of gravity and 900kg kerbweight, which has been achieved thanks to the use of carbon fibre and kevlar composite body panels, with a polycarbonate graphene coating on top.
Throw in augmented reality on the driver's helmet visor that projects an image of the racing line and braking zone into the pilot's eye line, and - hey presto! - it's a PR man's dream. And quite possible a diehard Holden fan's waking nightmare.
It has 1500hp, 2750 lb ft of torque, goes to 62 mph in 0.9s, has a top speed of 302 mph and will lap Bathurst in 1m 15s.
It wins.
By the way, I've just shaved 1.5s off my lap time
By the way, I've just shaved 1.5s off my lap time
By the way, I've just shaved 1.5s off my lap time
By the way, I've just shaved 1.5s off my lap time
With the General now departed from the European market (except now in licensed platforms and engines fitted to Vauxhall / Opel products), I hope one day we will see the Holden brand introduced to the UK market to fly the GM flag.
With the General now departed from the European market (except now in licensed platforms and engines fitted to Vauxhall / Opel products), I hope one day we will see the Holden brand introduced to the UK market to fly the GM flag.
If you were running a business, wouldn't you want to reduce your costs and avoid duplication wherever possible? Surely, a lot of whats happening now is just branding through changing a few badges here or there?
The VXR8 is nothing more than an Aussie car with a few different stickers on it, and a sub-optimal parts supply chain backup. I suspect it would be costing them a bomb to support a monster V8 with agricultural guts that downs fuel faster than, well, an Australian downing a beer ...
Factor in the cost of fuel here in the UK, and its not exactly seeing the product fly off the shelf in their thousands. They struggled even back in Oz (the locally made product is now deader than disco), and that's with the benefit of much cheaper fuel. Over here, with more expensive fuel, and much cheaper cars from local suppliers, and it's just gone the way of the dodo.
With the General now departed from the European market (except now in licensed platforms and engines fitted to Vauxhall / Opel products), I hope one day we will see the Holden brand introduced to the UK market to fly the GM flag.
If you were running a business, wouldn't you want to reduce your costs and avoid duplication wherever possible? Surely, a lot of whats happening now is just branding through changing a few badges here or there?
The VXR8 is nothing more than an Aussie car with a few different stickers on it, and a sub-optimal parts supply chain backup. I suspect it would be costing them a bomb to support a monster V8 with agricultural guts that downs fuel faster than, well, an Australian downing a beer ...
Factor in the cost of fuel here in the UK, and its not exactly seeing the product fly off the shelf in their thousands. They struggled even back in Oz (the locally made product is now deader than disco), and that's with the benefit of much cheaper fuel. Over here, with more expensive fuel, and much cheaper cars from local suppliers, and it's just gone the way of the dodo.
Firstly, what duplication would you have in the European market as far as GM is concerned? With Vauxhall / Opel now part of PSA, there will soon be very little left of the GM product. There is also no Chevrolet any more, that brands name having been sullied by the botched attempt to introduce it to Europe a couple of years ago. Buick is also seen as a little to "staid" in Europe, often being associated with the barges of old.
What I was pondering is the introduction of the Holden name, not the V8 cars (which no longer exist), which still has positive overtones because of the VXR8, Monaro, Maloo and a model range (all be it a re-badge GM global product which is what Holden now sell in Oz). The car culture of Australia is closer to that of Europe than the US and the "fit" would be better. Not to mention the right hand drive engineering already completed for the UK market.
With the pesky German factories gone (allegedly one of the biggest sources of head ache for the American company) and GM free to import from where they please, they could re-introduce a product to the European market.
Ultimately, think what you like but the demise of GM in the European market is not a good thing. The concept that started the thread shows that.
It has 1500hp, 2750 lb ft of torque, goes to 62 mph in 0.9s, has a top speed of 302 mph and will lap Bathurst in 1m 15s.
It wins.
Surely if you're Holden, theoretically your new car shouldn't stop short of the 300 mph barrier?
Making some really hairy assumptions about average power use as a proportion of peak output, motor and charge efficiency, and some allowance for out lap and in lap, then rounding to a precision that reflects the accuracy of the guess, it's going to need to suck about 2MW, or around 3000A at 600V, to recover that energy in 90 seconds.
It'll take longer than 90 seconds to connect and disconnect a charge cable that thick!
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