New LS3 for HSV from April
March 26, 2008 by George Skentzos
As usual the rumours were true, with HSV today announcing the arrival of the GM LS3 engine which is to be fitted standard across the HSV range from April.
The upgrade will see the ClubSport R8, GTS, Senator Signature, Maloo R8 and WM Grange’s power output rise to 317kW, up from 307kW.
The 6.2-litre LS3 engine is currently manufactured by General Motors Powertrain in North America and is used in the current Chevrolet Corvette.
In its HSV guise, maximum output of 317kW is achieved at 6000rpm, with maximum torque of 550Nm at 4600rpm – this is compared to 321kW and 424Nm achieved in the Corvette at near identical rpm.
Surprisingly, despite the added displacement, the LS3 engine will deliver a slight improvement in fuel economy for both the Maloo R8 and WM Grange, whilst the short wheel base models deliver 14.5L/100km as opposed to 14.4L/100km with the current LS2.
HSV’s export range will also receive the new LS3 powerplant, which includes the Vauxhaull VXR8 in the United Kingdom and the CSV R8 sold in the Middle East.
The obvious issue presenting current E-Series HSV owners is the logical blow to their resale value, with the LS2 having been made redundant by the now standard LS3.
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317KW but when it enters an HSV and hit’s the market it would be more like 327KW.
That’s just my guess. Obviously this is why FPV aren’t releasing the power figures yet.
Another reason to hold off on that TRD Aurion purchase.
327, 302 Love it. What about 454 yeehah!!!
This sentence below scares me for Holden owners, Holden should have more respect for thier owners and potential buyers thinking twice about HSV direction in engine wars….
The obvious issue presenting current E-Series HSV owners is the logical blow to their resale value, with the LS2 having been made redundant by the now standard LS3.
Great call realcars… I dont think a person looking at a 6L V8 thinks about a boosted vehicle. A more appropriate comment is, another reason to hold off on that FPV purchase, seeings as though thats the DIRECT COMPETITOR which HSV is reacting to in this release of this engine.
What’s new, HSV are always power hunting and making engines redundant. They’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t! that’s the spirit of progress I guess.
Right again TP the TRD Aurion is a bit of a joke in this company. Good for getting rid of those flabby arms though ha aha ha.
I’m quite surprised it will be from April, I was predicting more, say October/November. Now that we know HSV’s new engine, the wait is on for FPV’s FG Boss V8 power figures.
don’t think depreciation will worry too many HSV owners.
TPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTPTTPTPTP
WHEN DOES IT STOP, FOR FARK SAKE, GIVE IT A REST, DO YOU HAVE ANY FRIEND’S, MAKES ME WONDER IF ANYONE COULD LOVE SOMEONE WITH SENSELESS THINKING…
the commodore is due for a facelft this year hopefully it looks aged .
OZ,
it isnt speculation anymore.
317kw is set in stone.
this is from a HSV press release
Andrew.M,
I know it’s not speculation, I thought HSV might up power as they get closer to when they use this engine.
according to todays wheels the new FPV’s are hottly rumored to be carrying 315kw.
Also the reason for the update to LS3 power is because GM is ending production of the LS2 later this year
Richo,
i thought the hot rumour for FPV’s was 320kw
320 was the old rumour from August last year, but I’m starting to wonder if that’s how it will be when it hit’s the market show room floors in June this year.
Please be 320kw, I’ve heard the same rumours to, but rumours can be true straight from the FPV’s mouth….
If the FPV V8 does turn out to be 320kW, it would def need more than 550nm of torque.
Andrew M, i dare say wheels has alot more inside information then the internet warriors do, and they say 315kw. But anyway, as if 5kw makes any difference, fact it when you buy one from the factory it’s anyones guess how much it ACTUALLY has, variations of up to 30kw isn’t entirely unheard of! And thats both above and below the quoted number.
Hang on are you arguing over 3Kw? Uh
Hey..NO..NAME.. only 3KW but a world of difference on torque between the two. All that matters to me is the one with more will just have it’s nose on front of the other in a drag race. :D
“The obvious issue presenting current E-Series HSV owners is the logical blow to their resale value, with the LS2 having been made redundant by the now standard LS3.”
What resale value?
Hell, all HSVs are just tarted up Commodores which go cheap at ex-fleet auctions. Falcons and Commodores don’t have resale values.
320kw sounds better than 317kw or 315kw no name, it would suit the overall FPV image….
We shouldn’t just talk Kilowatts. Kilowatts it self is nothing. It’s Torque that makes the difference. If the FG FPV GT will end up with 320KW & 500nm of torque and the HSV GTS is 317KW & 500nm, the GTS would be a little faster because it’s lighter than the GT.
Whoopidoo
While other brands are developing more efficiency and power from smaller engines, the only way GMH can increase there power output is by increasing the size of their engines….yawn.
hey this is just to match the GT ford… i thought this engine was to be 325Kw….lol!!!
Why only 317Kw and still 550nm….. because it has stated that existing drive line and Etc cant handle the extra torque…. and they are ready to upgrade this till VEII.
So Holden has shown there hand… no ford needs to Respond and instead of 315… which is the most likly power at this stage and do increase to 320Kw.
so this is how they will line up i would think…
GT 315Kw – 550Nm
GTS 317Kw – 550Nm
F6 300Kw – 575Nm
So FPV should lead again with the F6!!!
chopsta – dont forget the FG is a reasonable bit heavier then the VE, which makes a bit of a difference as far as straight line goes.
And your right, the engine in corvette form makes 325kw, however HSV always leaves a bit in reserve for later updates, which im here to tell you is not something that is unique to holden or HSV! all manufacturers do it
yes i know that richo… but the beautiful thing about the F6 is that the 575Nm is there at 2000-2500Rpm… when the V8s its not all there is mid to high 4000s. yes the Gt is Heavier and yes at this stage GMH / HSV have better V8… and i am not disputing this at all…. ford australia does need to pick up its act up here… but saying that… this Inline 6 turbo goes hard!!! if the Old Typhoon Runs with the Current GTS and there isnt much of a increase of power there to make enough of change for the speed of the car…
The ford V8 issue should be fixed in 2010 i would think… when either 5-litre Jag engine is to be installed – not shore about this anymore….. or the new 5.8 and 6.2litre V8s should be Ready…. this i when the F6 will be put to rest and the Twin Turbo V6 is here to play……
the GT is all about the heritage, the Big V8, Style, Comfort.
the F6 is the lighter one, and its all about Speed!! its been claimed by FPV in the latest Motor Mag the F6 is to do Flat 13’s – GTS at this stage does 13.5
at lest Ford/FPV can start to compete with holden on a level Playing field with the FG arrival – so instead of the BA/BF Vs VE it will be finally be FG Vs VE…. i cant wait.
Ford and Holden will never learn their going nowhere in innovation.
To keep up they need to source more foreign parts to stay afloat.
Their cars are as refined as their buyers intellect.
elitist, ofcourse they source foreign parts, every car company does, exactly the same as how BMW source automatic gearboxes from GM in the US! Didn’t know about that one did ya!
Anyway, your the one lacking intellect if you really think that the badge on a persons car makes a difference to their intellect… now go away
Elitist…
Interested to know what you drive??
It never ceases to amaze me how the Ford numnuts come out on every Holden post and say shit like “but mine will be bigger than yours if it ever arrives”
Ger over it Numnuts – Holden AU rules, innovates, just does it better than Ford AU. Oh wait ! – isn’t Ford AU the model name for the most disastrous POS ever built in Aus?? It was worse than the P76 and single handedly sent Ford out the door backwards. They still haven’t recovered – 10000 Falcons last year, 30000+ Commodores.
“blah blah blah the engine is now bigger so it has more power blah blah blah”
this could be taken out of every GM press release over the past decades. why is it that the only way they seem to be able to get more power is to just keep increasing the displacement?
it’s getting a bit tiring…
Richo, the LS2 engine actually stopped production mid way through 2007. The reason for the change over is that HSV had depleted all their stock piles due to the huge demand for HSV’s.
i have an FG GTE on order and orinigalkly the power was quoted to me at 350kw now i have been told 320, form a couple of guys i know at ford
the FG GT will have whatever power the engineers think is most drivable. Hence why the BA GT was released with 290 instead of 300 back in 2002. I heard from an FPV dealer thats GTs are going to be 312kw. But maybe they’ll fiddle a bit more and get some good drivable power out of it. Still not bad from a 5.4 litre V8 compared to an engine almost a full litre bigger.
HSV & Holden have been doing little power upgrades for years hence why HSV resale is nowhere near FPV resale. A guy who bought a GT back in 2003 has the same power as a GT bought in 2007. Its the gearboxes and little updates that are different.
Reckless1…
So you’re acting like a Holden numnut now?
Lets look at history…
Was it Holden which was sick all throughout the 80s when they needed GM cash to survive as the VB to VL commodore didn’t sell.
They all make mistakes, Toyota has just started to sell aurion in meaningfull numbers, avalon wasa failure.
mmmm
6.2 litres now, hopefully more metal to hit the tree at higher speeds – anyone else notice the continual presence of commodores on the evening news in relation to major accidents?
like someone mentioned above, no power upgrades to the motors – the only way power is increased is by replacing the engine. how much ‘engineering’ is involved in that??
I dont believe wher it says power was limited due to drivline strength limits.
The amount of people who have done mods to the 6L and they havent had to change any of the driveline components.
Sounds like when VF comes out power will increase more with a diff manifold and tune.
So whats next?
VeII with 6.5 litres?
VF with 7?
Its oh so easy when you dont actually try to increase techology to make power. Lets just steal the yanks bigger and bigger powerplants.
Pathetic.
Maybe there’s more commodore crashes because there are more commodores.
Or more wannabe Mark Skaifes buying them ;)
The fuel economy is pathetic compared to more powerful German units.
What german vehicle costs the same a s a base commodore with the same features!?
I’m tired of people comparing vehicles that shouldn’t be compared.
Wake up.
Another local company doing their best to reduce CO2 emissions and to improve overall fuel consumption of their product.
HSV=FPV=Holden=Ford = all doomed to be extinct just because they are american owned and their products are dynosaurs.
This engine should of had 580NM of torque just like the corvette, but due to driveline restrictions it’s still at 550NM also the torque curve is higher than the LS2. I’m sure the ve series 2 or most likly the VF will have 327KW at 580NM.
Guys don’t forget the LS9 the supercharged version of the LS3; 465kw and 810NM of torque, this engine is in the new corvette ZR1 supercar 0-100 in about 3.2 secs and a top speed over 200mph this car is quicker than the ferrari 599, ford gt and the new lambo: out in 2009
yeh i agree there hsv senator.
And skaife should drive the new VE 11 and put it up on youtube sideways haha.
how can people speculate the weight differences between FG FPV’s and VF HSV’s?
you dont know for sure that the FPV’s will see a greater weight load over the HSV’s.
for one, ford has reduced 22kgs in modifications made to the suspension on the FG alone. and then 4kgs or so that they reduced in re-modding the inlet.
and the HSV’s wont add weight as they upgrade?
i think the weight difference will remain as it is. if not maybe ford will peg back a few kgs.
oh and Richo,
wasnt it wheels that started the 320kw rumour for FPV’s
ChopstaR87 The facelift will have a 325kw LS# and the SV6 will have a 220kw direct injection V6. I have heard from a fella at holden
Holden is doing this because they know that FPV new range would beat their LS2 engine.
Will the sv6 really have a 220kw v6 in it? that should be good if they end up doing that
and sparky no, holden didnt change to the ls3 because of the new fpv range, they probably doing it so the customers can get the newest technology under there bonnet’s. and the ls3’s are meant to do up very nicely :)
Goog, they are changing simply because the LS2 went out of production mid way through last year and their stock pile is now empty.
It’s always great to see a new engine releases.
What puzzles me, why de-tune the LS3 from 325kw to only 317kw?
Even though torque is identical to the LS2, the LS2 delivers the 550nm at a lower rev- which tells me the 6L revs better & delivers power quicker.
I also noticed, the 0-100 time is the same spec as the LS2.
HSV have also taken the 1/4 mile figures of their website as well.
This tells me the LS2 uses less fuel, delivers power quicker than the LS3. So I wouldnt be worried about the engine change if I owned a HSV.
Will have to wait for real life testing to prove that theory.
Told ya Andrew M!
Given HSVs links to Performance companies including TWR WPS and of course HRT surely they would be able to increase the power by more than a mere 10Kw with the LS3 – compared to the LS2.. C’mon Clayton
Adam (aka mada). what u fail to realise is that comparing mercs with commodes are like comparing apples with apples. Mercs, BMWs etc are used as taxis in their home countries. One of the reason why there is such a price difference with the local dinosaurs are the taxes (including the luxury tax) the government places on imports.
^^^^^^^^Agreed with LOVE GTR. In europe all the taxis are usually Beemers or Merc’s which is normal over there. But compareing it to australia we have commodores, falcons etc.