HSV W427 goes 270km/h
September 15, 2008 by David Twomey
“Crickey, that thing is so wicked, it ought to be illegal,” the first words uttered by an excited Kiwi V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy after stepping from his first few minutes in Holden Special Vehicles range topping W427 sports sedan.
Let’s be plain from the beginning, ‘Murph’ has spent more than a few minutes going very, very fast in all manner of cars, not just his regular V8 Supercar ride.
– David Twomey
Whatismore, it was palpably plain from the excitement on his face as he burst into The Chalet at GM Holden’s Proving Ground complex at Lang Lang outside Melbourne that he had had more fun than normally is the case, at least sitting down!
I, and my assembled motoring writer colleagues, stopped eating our very excellent GM provided lunch as Greg repeated his statement and then went on to wax lyrical for several more minutes on just how much fun HSV’s “supercar” W427 was – and all he’d done is a few laps of the so-called “ride and handling track” – a simulation of just about every bad piece of Australian road that GM has been able to put together.
Even better was to come later, certainly for yours truly, but let’s roll back a few hours to an early morning start in Clayton at the industrial complex-hidden headquarters of HSV.
While much of the local motoring media had spent a day at a wet and windy Calder Park Raceway near Melbourne with the HSV W427, CarAdvice was invited along to a road drive program from HSV HQ in Clayton that was to culminate at the super-secret Lang Lang Proving Ground with the opportunity to drive the W427 on some of the test tracks, in company with aforementioned Mr Murphy.
How could we refuse? Of course we didn’t!
In the beginning there were the usual presentations from a string of HSV executives who explained that the W427 will be built to a total of 427 individually constructed vehicles over the next two years and the first 90, governed by the availability of the LS7, 7.0-litre V8 monster that goes under the bonnet, will be built and delivered to owners who, apparently, have happily parted with $155,000 for the most expensive Holden Commodore, and the most expensive HSV, ever built.
The W427 was conceived to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of HSV and the 375kW/640Nm Chevrolet Corvette-engined W427 is the car “HSV has always wanted to build” according to engineering manager Joel Stoddart.
He added that it had been the focus for the organisation over the past two years.
Like most of HSV’s powerplants the LS7 engine is shipped direct from the GM Performance Build Centre in North America, but all the external bits, including the dry-sump system, the exhaust and the cold-air induction system were all developed right here in Australia.
The standard Corvette engine computer and the Electronic Stability Control system were also modified after a year of local development work.
HSV’s Managing Director Phil Harding was keen to tell us that the W427 demonstrated that engineering and design ingenuity was alive and well in the Australian car industry.
He’s also keen to have the W427 identified as a ‘supercar’ and while we doubt its credentials as such, preferring the tag to remain with somewhat more bespoke automotive creations, there is no doubting that this is one of the most competent cars ever built by HSV.
HSV’s design team, led by Julian Quincey, are also keen to ensure that the distinctive mark they have left on the W427 doesn’t go un-noticed.
Quincey told us;” the design brief for the W427 was to create a unique face for this HSV, one that would signal the car’s immense capability, authority and power.”
“The W427 is the flagship of the HSV range and we wanted to emphasise the hand-built qualities of this car, “ he said.
Thomass. Mate your blurb furball ramblings are imploding in your diatribe warbling ramblings. May I suggest an overdose of reality pills – if problems persist see your Doctor (like more then one). Thats what shytes me about your type…..people like you and TP and all these over so called wallies go on with shyte when questioned hard!
Go find a rock and crawl under it you disgusting gimp!
And……go find your tardis. It awaits keenly for you!
Blogging on work time…..hmmm. I see! Interesting.
WOW,
what a load of bitter rubbish going on here.
why would such people enter an article about something they have pre formed emotions about.
Tomas and co only come for the stirring.
not here to post anything relevant, nor give credit where credit is due.
they are just here to hunt down an article they can slag on and get response from doing so.
these are the same sort of people that pinch their kids so they can yell at them to stop crying.
its definately a mental condition
Naughtyius Maximus and Andrew M,
Pointless rubish, no wonder you guys keep on getting your comments deleted, and are threatened with a ban!!
You still dont get it Wheelnut. 70% of the commodre parts are made and assembled overseas and the rest here in OZ. You still say It doesn’t matter where the ingredients or components come from to put these cars together. I would be surprised if HSV , HOLDEN , Pontiac and Vauxhaul deal in this way cause if they did then they would be just junk. I would love to pull apart any holden and have a good look at where all there bits and pieces come from cause if u think a build plate under your bonnet is gonna tell you everything well your wrong there. Check out the Holden website and it will tell you where there parts are sourced from.
Tomas has spoken,
my point proven…….
Thomas “No1) I can guarantee you there there have been many more LX470 sold world wide, then the W427!! So your statement is just plain stupid!!”
Well thats a stupid comment if I ever read one. Why are you comparing a mass produced bling landcruiser with a limited production car.
So Thomas if bogans did drive commies and falcons and now most are driving Prados, does that make you a bogan?
Seriusly, why do all the mentally challenged fan boys keep visiting and commenting on this site?!
1)No Name, you idiot, visit VFacts and add up all the LX470 sold since 1998!!
2) No Name, you retards, i didn’t bring in the lX470 in tho this conversation, so get your facts straight first you idiot!!
Andrew M, Naughtyius Maximus, you wankers, if you have nothing to add to the conversation don’t bother!!
Bavarian Missile,
My work is flexible, so i comment on here, on my own time!!
Wheelnut, as i have said, if you buy sweedish or chinese made furniture from ikea, and while you are assembling it at home, you looose a screw, but replace it with an australian one…. You don’t call that australian made!!! Just because you assembled at home, and used some australian parts…
Mmmmmmm a bogan’s ranting aimlessly.
On Comment
Do hope the few that want to afford running large capacity engines do so. Would be a sad day when the dictators say what vehicles we can run in or not.
For my opinion regarding the australian content bit and this comming from a pohm not living in Australia is the Falcon and Commodor are Australian yank engine or not. Designed in Australia built in Australia and driven by Australians that are proud of it.
Thomas your command of the english language is frankly appalling. “retards” when referring to the singular.
I really don’t understand what you mean by your comment 1). above. I couldn’t see why you were comparing different cars
also
2). above I didn;t say you did not bring this into the discussion.
Seems as ever Thomas you read something miss interpret it and then attack personalities. You’re sooo gullible. Ha Ha
Yes I agree Andrew M…….tooooooooo right!
Prado bogan…………where do you go 4WD’ing? On the dirt road I bet?
Tomas79 Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 2:07 am
Seriusly, why do all the mentally challenged fan boys keep visiting and commenting on this site?!
NM response……..change ‘boys’ to you you braincelled wallie!
This has been fun reading, guys, but it is cutting into my redtube time. If someone decides to stop, it will die a natural death.
Quote [Tomas 79} Naughtyius Maximus and Andrew M,
Pointless rubish, no wonder you guys keep on getting your comments deleted, and are threatened with a ban!!
Poor Tomas it appears that he has been hit with a bout of Amnesia once again . Because he has had far more of his comments deleted than Amdrew M; Bavarian Missile; NM; Golfie or Myself….
In fact Tomas is going close to breaking the record for the number of deleted comments currently held by his old pal D—O whose comments were deleted because they were offensive and off topic – Just like Toams’s most recent comments on this particular thread have been
Not only that but D—O often resorted to personal attacks and insults when he was losing an arguement – in the same way Tomas is ATM
Tomas I suggest you read the Car Advice code of conduct or you could find yourself banned just like D—O
No Name,
1)It shows someones intelligence, or the lack of when they spot an obvious typo, and have to point it out!!
2)Wheelnut brought up and compared the LX470, into the discussion, so why bother me, you idiot!!
Wheelnut Says:
“Poor Tomas it appears that he has been hit with a bout of Amnesia once again . Because he has had far more of his comments deleted than Amdrew M; Bavarian Missile; NM; Golfie or Myself….”
Wheelnut, Obviously your not too bright, but your now a absolute liar too!!!
Anyway, thats it from me on this stupid subject! Time for caradvice to increase their ban list!!
The Holden website lists all the various parts that you would expect to go into building a modern car such as
camshafts, crankshafts, pistons, gearboxes, ponnets, bootlids, doors, 1/4 panels, bodykits, differentials, brake dics, brake calipers, shock absorbers, coil springs, airbags, seats, windows, moulded plastics. headlights, indicators, alternators, badges, batteries, bulbs, horns, switchgear, door handles, interior trim, air conditioning units, in car entertainment systems, gauges, catalytic convertors, exhaust manifolds, air filters, fuel tanks, fuel filters, engine management units, wiring, mufflers, wheels, tyres, seat belts, air intake systems, radiators, hoses, windscreen wipers, motors, controls, rack and pinion steering systems; steering wheels, bolts/screws and other fasteners etc
But it doesn’t specifically mention where or which country those parts come from.
Yet as I said before this article isn’t about Holden or HSV [The Company] its about the HSV W-427 [The Car]
The V8 engine in the HSV 427 [The main focus/topic of this article] may be imported from the USA so to might the gearbox or the differential – all of which helps provide power and drive for a car
However; you can’t build a car if you’ve got nothing on which to build it on. Therefore; the most basic and essentially the most important part of the car is actually the Platform – it’s the platform that gives the car its shape and its strength etc
I know for a fact that the skeleton/platform doors bonnet boot lid roof and 1/4 panels for the all the cars in the VE Commodore range and WM Statesman are supplied by a company called Hirotec that is located approximately 15 minutes away from the Holden Factory where the VE Commodore is Assembled/Made.
so wheel nut if holden didnt get all there engines, gearboxes and other differential parts from USA then how will holden have a car that will work. You say again the most basic and essentially and the most important part of the car is actually the Platform.
I say you are wrong there again cause if you want this car to work you have to have the complete built car not just a platform. And this Hirotec you talking about get all there sheet metal supplied from China. Holden like Ford and other auto companies in Oz get all there sheet metal supplied from CHINA. I say again 70% of the commodre parts are made and assembled overseas and the rest here in OZ. Maybe you can just sit in an empty shell of your holden and say this is all that is Aussie made. Maybe thats what you have out in the front yard of your house is a empty shell commodre cause all the other parts are foriegn made.
Ha Ha this is sooo funny poor Thomas the tank engine. Quick duck n cover. Apparently I’m a retards …retards…theres two of me. Wooo double the amount of flack I can give Thamas now.
BK: I take it from your comment that you obviously never built a billy cart or a go cart.. you poor deprived child
Because with out the platform what are you going to bolt the Engine Gearbox Diff Brakes Wheels Seats Panels and other components to in order to create the car?
The Chassis or Platform is what holds everything together and gives the car its shape and structural rigidity etc…. its the foundations or framework on to which the engine and all the other components are added onto
I mean if you didn’t have a skeleton there would be nothing to support you muscles and you would just be a blubbering mess of blood and tissue etc wouldn’t you?
If Holden didn’t get there engines from the USA there is the Holden Engine Company [The worlds largest Engine Company] located in Melbourne. Not only is it the place where they used to build the legendary 4.2 and 5.0 Litre V8s from the 60-90s but they also build other 4 and 6 cylinder engines for overseas car manufacturers. And Gearboxes could be sourced from Hollinger Engineering who are also in Melbourne and supply a number of overseas car companies
BK sure a number of parts that go into building the VE do come from overseas but its nowhere near 70%..
But what good is an engine or gearbox if there is no power or nothing for it to drive or drive it? its just a metal block and completely useless.
What good is an ECU if there is nothing for it to control? its just a box full of circuits and microchips and completely useless
It’s only when Holden put all these parts together in Adelaide do these individual components fulfill their purpose and actually become useful in the form of an Australian Made Holden Commodore.
I mean the simple screw [which was voted by engineers to be the best invention of the 20th century] was invented before the screw driver…. so before then the screw was useless
See there is virtually nothing in a car that is fully independent they all rely on other parts to help them work and its Holden that puts it all together so that they do work
The main thing that makes a Commodore and Falcon Australian is that they are the only 2 vehicles DESIGNED and ENGINEERED in Australia for Australia.
it doesnt matter if holden sources an engine from the states, or if ford sources a ZF Auto box.
as already pointed out there is no such thing as a “100% made here” vehicle whether its European, Italian or Australian.
those that feel the need to argue such a trivial little point need to get a life.
Im guessing Tomas and BK were hit by a commodore that took its own handbrake off when they were younger, because that is the only logical reason as to why someone could have so much devoted hatrid to an inatimate object
OH,
now Forza……um i mean Tomas needs a tissue, whats new.
when you can no longer hide behind your insults, perhaps a tissue???
NOT much faster or quicker than a near $100k LESS R8 HSV.
Just by a R8 HSV spend $30k on approved TomCat performance upgrades and it would kill this 427.
$168k for a Holden…lol
Cheers
F-0
Citroen C6 $118,500 Ha Ha is that a joke or what.
HSV is not asking anyone on this website to buy their cars, nor is it pitching it at you people. If you people have the image that this is a bogan car well thats just fine as none of you will ever buy one even if you had the money. So hows about you all stop giving your opinion on this car and just let HSV and its customers enjoy one of the great Australian cars. And just so you know most parts of most cars you buy are imported from other countries. ie ZF gear box. SO dont bag HSV for importing an engine. If the press, V8 supercar drivers and Jeremy Clarkson like this car then you can be assured its one helluva car.
One more thing. How come no one has a go at MB for charging 20 000 for a pointed star, but when HSV charges for top Aussie engineering you so-called australian’s go up in arms. The europeans may have 100’s of years of experience, but that doesnt mean they dont stuff up(Citroen, BMW X6, MB R-Class.) If im a bogn for supporting my country then im a bogan.
Hsv should have done a better job with this car, looked way to bland. Should have had a wild body kit, better paint patterns, It looks like a tarted up omega with a massive V8. N why such a huge V8? Why not supercharge the 7 ltr V8, nw that would have been awesome, should have been superchared for the price anyway
My purchase decision is purely on the basis that this car will be a collectable in the years to come. Sure I can buy an Evo or whatever but generally these cars always lose value.
I’m hoping for a decent percentage profit for this investment, if not at least I would still have a car to enjoy years down the track.
Also I could always just go buy a GTR if need be and give it a flogging around the track then probably give it away as a charity organised prize that would go on to help cure cancer or something with the money raised.