If only GM would import these cars:
HSV ups the ante
For: A Commodore that really grips, handles and goes.
Against: Focused, chews fuel and those soft tyres.
Score: 4 stars (see below for ratings key)
It may come as a surprise but the cars you get to peruse on the showroom floor are often not exactly what the backroom boffins and engineers would present in a world free of budget constraints and those pesky marketing departments.
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This even applies to highly focused niche car manufacturers such as Holden Special Vehicles, the Melbourne-based company that takes V8 Commodores and hones them to a more acute state of sporting pitch.
Those modifications include the exclusive use (for the moment) of the 6.0-litre Gen IV V8 engine, sports suspension, low-profile 19-inch rubber and big brakes, all combining to provide a significant performance improvement over the standard VZ Commodore SS.
But then along comes the Dealer Team Spec - a name referring to HSV's sponsorship of a V8 Supercar team - to prove that no matter how far up the ladder you go there is always potential for more improvement.
The DTS actually began life as an after-hours project of HSV's engineering group. Eventually enough people drove it to realise it would make a good addition to the range as a true sports drive, be it on road or track.
The DTS is essentially a set of components that vary depending upon the donor vehicle they are being fitted to. The package, as fitted to the ClubSport R8 tested here, is $7335 on top of the $70,990 price of the car itself.
HSV is only planning on doing 30 DTS packs this year - so numbers are limited. Also, they are married only to models fitted with the six-speed manual gearbox.
So what do you get for your money? Most obvious are the lightweight 18-inch OZ wheels wrapped in low-profile semi-slick Pirelli P-Zero Corsa Asimmetrico 235/40ZR18 tyres. Hidden in behind them are AP Racing slotted and grooved discs that measure a massive 362 mm up-front and a still impressive 343 mm at the back. Six-piston callipers are mated to the front discs and four-piston units go on the rears.
Drill deeper and you'll find a modified version of the HSV Performance Suspension that comes standard on the R8. It recalibrates springs and dampers for more focus on handling, but in this case there has also been a degree of negative camber cranked on the front to ensure maximum use of the sticky tyres.
What HSV calls its Linear Steering Rack replaces the standard item. Basically, it provides a constant level of turning rate all the way to the lock, rather than varying it as power assisted systems often do. That is backed up by a power steering cooler, which is a good idea considering the high performance abilities of this car and the propensity of Commodores to boil their steering fluid when driven hard.
Completing the pack are a short gear shifter, a couple of badges and matt black fender vent strakes. Otherwise, inside and out, this is standard R8.
You'll have noticed no mention of engine mods because there are none. These days most of the HSV range is more than adequately served by the Gen IV, with its 297 kW and 530 Nm. Such is its wide ranging spread of power and torque, 0-100 km/h is easily attainable under six seconds and 0-400 metres under 14 seconds. The downers are the high fuel consumption (on ULP, mind you) and ordinary emissions rating by the GreenVehicleGuide (see Nuts 'n' bolts).
So, as engines go, it's certainly big but maybe a bit dumb with its lack of overhead cams and multiple valves (just two per cylinder), although its all-alloy construction redeems it somewhat.
And spending time and money on the chassis actually works in its favour, for this is undoubtedly the best handling and gripping HSV Commodore ever. Which means you can better exploit the V8's potential more easily and safely than the standard car. It sits flatter, so it transits from one direction to another through a series of S's much better than even the standard R8.
That's partly a function of the tyres, which have ultra-stiff sidewalls to resist flex, as well as the steering rack's superior accuracy.
The Pirellis, amazingly resistant to front and rear-end slides, offer tremendous grip. The tyres are helped by the unique suspension calibration and the OZ wheels, which reduce the car's unsprung weight by a significant 20 kg. That makes it easier to keep rubber on the road, which means more grip and momentum.
When it comes time to kill off the speed those big AP brakes do a sensational job. But their real strength is in being able to do it consistently.
Not that the DTS needs to be driven hard to be enjoyed.
As Commodores - even the up-market HSV versions - go, this is an experience worthy of being savoured every time you get behind the wheel.
