HSV GTS 25th anniversary limited edition unleashed

By Tim Beissmann
October 02nd, 2012

FIND DEALS

The HSV GTS 25^th Anniversary limited edition has been revealed ahead of the brawny local sports car’s launch at the 2012 Sydney motor show later this month.

While there are no upgrades to the special edition’s 325kW/550Nm 6.2-litre V8 engine, HSV says the 25^th Anniversary GTS – priced from $84,990 – scores more than $7500 in extra features for just a $2000 premium over the standard GTS.

Headlining the package is a set of brand-new lightweight 20-inch forged alloy wheels finished in Satin Graphite, which saves 22kg over the standard GTS wheel set and reduces the car’s unsprung weight by eight per cent.

The ‘vector’ bonnet scoops and side vents are finished in matching Satin Graphite.

Six-piston brakes that offer a 50 per cent larger pad area promise to improve stopping performance, while a blind spot warning monitor has also been added to enhance the safety credentials of the 25^th Anniversary GTS.

Each of the 125 limited edition GTS vehicles will feature a unique build plate and internal ID plate, as well as 25^th Anniversary designation across the exterior badges, sill plates, seat embroidery and the central start-up screen.

The 2012 HSV GTS 25^th Anniversary edition will debut at the Australian international motor show on October 18 and will be available in national dealerships from that day.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of the 2012.5 model year updates for the rest of the HSV line-up, which also saw the reintroduction of the Maloo ute and ClubSport sedan variants.

HSV GTS 25^th Anniversary manufacturer’s list prices:

Six-speed manual – $84,990
Six-speed automatic – $86,990

Options:

Liquid Propane Injection – $5990
Sunroof – $1990
DVD player – $1290

Sponsored Ads

Mick Dunn

Well, the wheels look much better than the awful standard items. Not much to say on the rest of the styling…
- Bigjim
  
  If they built it, bogans will come
  - Gaza
    
    cant afford one hey?
- Dave W
  
  I agree. It’s fugly.
  
  Can the front styling get any busier? I guess the HSV designers missed the KISS class. This car looks more like those gaudy American cars. The double “nostril” design is big in the US after all. Then you also got that Hitler’s mustache thing going on.
  
  The rear design looks more like a Transformer prop car reject.
  
  I much prefer the styling of the FPV GT.
  
  Now, here’s my 2 cents on our car industry. Sorry but I don’t think it’s sustainable in a long term if pretty much all we make is large sedan / muscle car. The main market for this type of car is only Australia and America, and the yanks won’t buy it if it’s not “Made in America”. Holden’s doing a bit better because they have the Cruze. Why Ford wouldn’t build the Fiesta or Focus for home market is beyond me.
  
  Our other weakness is our location. We’re in the middle of nowhere. Both Europeans and Asians have the advantage of easy access to a huge home market to at least sustain their business. Even the Americans have easy access to both Canada and Central/South America. What do we have? The Kiwis? Indonesia? lol
  
  Ford and Holden may be part of our history and culture, but history and culture aren’t good enough reasons to open a business, profit is. If Ford and Holden can’t evolve beyond the Falcadore, they’ll eventually die out… simple as that.
  - Dave S
    
    Looks great (sinister )in black. The looks of the GTS look no less fussy than an X5 or an Audi.
    
    I want my HSV to be a lot different from the SS
Ahmed Fahour

revolting.. i look forward to Holden going under so we can get on with the removal of domestic market protectionism
- Dookie
  
  agree revolting it is…but the rest of your spiel is just plain nasty. Australia would be far worse of without a auto industry
  - Ahmed Fahour
    
    Australia worse off yes, me personally no..
    
    Its a matter of time, Holden as a company will not last and should be allowed to die.Aus should be pursuing industries in which we have a comparative advantage
    - Aussie Guy
      
      what would you know, just get the hell out of here if you don’t like it
      - JamesB
        
        Holden are only in it for the money. It’s not like we’re getting proper engineering or good quality vehicles from the so-called local carmaker.
    - HSVBatmobile
      
      Get back in your Camry Ahmed!!
      Ford & Holden is part of Australian history & culture. It would be like Italy losing Ferrari, USA losing GM, Ford & Dodge & Germany losing VW etc etc.
      It’s big industry here & alot of people depend on those companies for their livelihoods as well as supply companies for them. Dosen’t matter wether you don’t like the cars they build but they’re an important part of our industry here.
      It’s unfortunate that the driving sheep in this country believe big cars are expensive yet for some bizzare reason they go buy SUV’s & 4WDs instead that chew more fuel.
      As for your selfish comment . . . . . When the day comes that your livelihood is upended cause the company you work for shuts down, then you may have a different outlook on the matter.
      
      As for the GTS, I own a HSV myself & love the brand but still not enough done to this car to justify the so-called ‘Special Edition’
      
      They should’ve done another ‘GTS-R’ as the 25th Anniversary Special.
      - Legnab
        
        NO its american history , neither are australian , and they miss read the market , the big sedan’s glory days are over .
      - Hectic1
        
        Legnab bro, just because you cant afford to own and/or run a big sedan doesnt mean everyone else has to do the same. Its ok to enjoy smaller cars and their features, for instance, the 8 cup holders in a Kia rio :p.
      - Legnab
        
        Heretic1 i can afford the big bogan car , but choose a smaller footprint on the enviorement , i still get to where iam going just as quick with less juice and less metal to build it with and haul around with usually one/two on board .
        
        The world has changed and these dinosuars are dying .
      - JamesB
        
        Only the big redneck/bogan sedan will die. The M5 will live on.
      - Fairlane
        
        No its Australian history,Ford and GM do have a history in Australia,just like your beloved VW has a history in Australia.
        Fair dinkum,you are thick.(do you know what fair dinkum means????????????
        Who are you to tell Australians about their own history and culture.
        Stick to your pots and pans Legnab.
      - GTS.376
        
        Hey Legnab.
        Your surely know nothing about the Car industry here in Australia. I use to work for GM in Port
        Melbourne for 20 years. Originally GM Holden was the GM umbrella when it first
        opened up shop, But it’s been a long time now, and Holden is unrepentantly
        owned here in Australia.
        
        Sure we use
        Chevy V8 engines in our commodores and HSV’s. But the same is said about GM in
        the USA, are now going to be using the VF
        SS as there own, calling it a Chevy SS.
        
        Also did
        you know for the last 8 years GM Holden was the only GM motor company leading
        with profit gains. I bet you didn’t know that.
        
        As many of
        the people on this site are saying Holden and Ford are a part of our history
        and culture.
        
        I too like HSVbatmobile,
        I own a E3 GTS and I’m a Holden fan all the way.
        
        Just
        because I’m a Holden Fan, it doesn’t mean that I don’t care about Ford.
        
        I want
        these two manufacturing car companies to be here for a very long time, because
        it keeps people in the workforce.
        
        If Holden
        and Ford closed down in Australia, that will impact on the nation
        like you wouldn’t believe.
        
        I think you
        should think twice before stating such things.
    - gt86.com.au
      
      There are very few such industries, the global market protects their own, why should we be the fools and not do the same.
  - Daniel
    
    I agree, but at the same time, a motoring industry in this country was viable sixty years ago before fifty other brands that make better cars were imported here, but It’s only a country of 21 million people, it actually isn’t a viable industry for a car that the rest of the world doesn’t want because as much as anything, they can’t keep up with the quality of everything else. I wouldn’t want to see swathes of people unemployed though, I can’t help but think that instead of the government pouring money into Holden it would be better spent funding some new industries for people to work in.
    - Zaccy16
      
      Very good point, i don’t want to see the car industry die but at this rate it will very soon, ford should say let as manufacture the new fusion/mondeo here or try the idea of the focus again (cruze is going alright but the focus is a much better car than the cruze
- JooberJCW
  
  Terrible comment, if Holden goes under how many jobs will be lost directly and indirectly, its more of a National burden if it does with all the handouts that needs to be dished out,
  Holden just need to better adapt to what peoples wants are and stop believing that the market is just those ‘Holden believers’.
  - Zaccy16
    
    Very good point, in my opnion the commodore will get axed but they will continue to build the cruze here
    - Hectic1
      
      Its interesting that you believe holden build cars people don’t want, because if you just scroll up this page and look to the right you will see that in the best selling cars area, Holden has 2 cars it builds locally in the top 5. Thats not bad considering that there are nearly 50 brands in Aus, so obviously someone wants them.
      - birdie
        
        according to the down days and redundancies at holden , not many do
      - Zaccy16
        
        People are stupid and have not looked around and have always owned commodores so they buy a new one, the falcon is a better car than the commodore in every way and should be in the top 20
  - Gust
    
    The great joys of capitalism. Once your company gets big enough you cant die. goverments will keep you alive.
- Captain Nemo®™
  
  What protectionism are you talking about bud? Our measly 5% import tariffs ½ of what Europe enjoys and far less than what many asian countries have.
  - Ahmed Fahour
    
    Import tariffs are not the only form of protectionism.
    - Aussie Guy
      
      we don’t want to hear your lone opinion…best you leave
      - Ahmed Fahour
        
        The 9 likes on my comment suggest otherwise, this is a public forum for discussion is it not?
        
        If you’re having difficulty grasping the concept then I suggest you leave
      - Aussie Guy
        
        Idiot I’m not the one with the problem, I’m saying have an apinion but no need to be nasty or stupid…….
      - Fairlane
        
        You are a perfect example of what is wrong with this country.
        Maybe you should go to whatever country it is you feel most loyal to.
- V8car
  
  I work in the steel industry.. Holden is a customer.
  Effects me thousands 1000′s Km from Adelaide
  - Ahmed Fahour
    
    Affects me in the price I pay for a for a decent Automobile.
    - Captain Nemo®™
      
      You mentioned price so it is about our low tariffs.
    - Andrew M
      
      please explain how keeping Holden here makes your purchase more expensive.
      
      Also, Are you in favour of our farmers ploughing their bananas into the ground to warrant cheaper imported ones?
  - Gust
    
    You send more steel over seas than what Holden buy off you.
- HRT
  
  use your brain before commenting mate.
  - Ahmed Fahour
    
    Congratulations on your well thought out reply.
  - Ahmed Fahour
    
    Congratulations on your well thought out reply.
    - Garrywhopper
      
      Ahmed dont forgetb you drove a burnt out russian car pulled along by an ox in your old country
- Zaccy16
  
  Yeah agree with you on this car, its very vulgar and ugly, cashed up bogan express, but don’t bag out all aussie cars, falcon and territory are well engineered for this country and its conditions
  - Captain Nemo®™
    
    You’re an odd one Zuppy you love VeeDuds but also love Fords. I thought VeeDud fan-boys were only capable of loving one brand i guess you have to have something to drive whilst the Polio is in the shop huh.
- Aussie Guy
  
  idiot, I look forward to you losing your job
  - Ahmed Fahour
    
    What makes you think the demise of Holden will have any impact on my job?
    
    Spell it out for me, and then I’ll teach you a couple of this about economics.
    
    No doubt you voted labour and Swanny.
    - Dookie
      
      maybe we could invest more in foreign aid and keeping immigrants on the dole if we stopped investing in our auto industry…lol
    - Darkestknight
      
      Your a muslim ahmed!
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass
  
  Ahmed you need to crawl out of your free trade fantasy world, Australia is one of the least protected, most open markets in the world. A significant proportion of the imported vehicles come in under FTA’s anyway.
Minecrafter77

OVERSTYLED, as usual.
Gtr-xu1

What a classy looking high performance car.Goog

Thre

The usual high standard that we have come to see from Hsv .Great week with Bathurst coming up..GoHolden….

,

week to bring the release with Bathurst coming up.
- Zaccy16
  
  Its the opposite of classy, vulgar is the word
  - Legnab
    
    YEP, actaully it lacks vents, needs more holes , just gets worse , only a fool would buy one when the VF round the corner , maybe more vents in the new one .
JJ

Classy looking?

High performance?

Sigh.
- Pro346
  
  Yes its high performance if you don’t think its high performance …..must be something wrong with you.
Andrew Gesus

i think the world has seen enough of the VE. i would buy this beast if she looked less hoon and more upper market. doesn’t need to have a “badge” to look and feel more upper market.
- JooberJCW
  
  Too bad your going to get another dose of the VE in an updated VF
- HRT
  
  Just get the HSV E1 and squeeze the interior of the E3 in OR just get the SSV and put a Walkinshaw S/C in it…job done.
- Shak
  
  The Senator seems like your kind of car then.
Force-15

Pah. It’s just another ‘sticker special’ with new wheels. I like HRT’s idea of re-instating the E-series bumpers though; THAT would be a good idea for an E-series run-out.
twincharger

This HSV by world standards is great bang for the buck.The Euro boys will stick there nose in the air like zaccy and legnad,ahmed,minecrafter77.
No one would compare a HSV to a German competitor.But when you work out the price differnce these HSV’s go ok.
- JooberJCW
  
  Not as good as an Coyote FPV though , but yes both these cars are somewhat the only affordable muscle cars, the only alternatives to these are expensive euros which eat easily $100K+ Its gap HSV and FPV only fill…. Had many good times in the FPV before going downsize to the cooper.
  Though I agree they don’t have to be tacky with the bumpers and lights, but hey they are just going with the flow for their prime market, cashed up bogans . Funnily enough the New Aurion sportivo range is following suite… god knows why.
  - Ash298
    
    And without the KW’s HAHA
  - twincharger
    
    Joober my choice of Australian muscle cars has to be the Falcon 6 turbo.Its also rumoured the VF will also have a V6 turbo.
    My brother has a FPV Coyote,totally impressive..I think Aurion should go back under the Camry umbrella as V6 Camry.
    - JooberJCW
      
      Yeah the inline 6 T is great for tunability at an affordable price, If I weren’t considering the soundtrack and wanting a v8 in general, the F6 would have been my pick, simple exhaust and intake mods plus a ECU tune would have easily made it a weapon.
      
      Yeah I don’t get why they had to rebadge essentially the same car as an Aurion, perhaps they want to break away from the conceptions of the ‘camry’ badge, in asia from what I seen the aurion is the camry (using the aurion shell), but in 4cyl.
    - Zaccy16
      
      Yeah the l6 turbo is a great engine and aussies should be proud of it! it works really well in the g6e turbo in my opinion
  - Andrew Gesus
    
    off topic but why the down size JooberJCW? how does the JCW compare to the FPV for fun factor?
    - JooberJCW
      
      I’ve always been a person preferring smaller cars, being single and living on my own, i’d come to grips why do I need a large car. It was a good experience to have a v8 at one time in my life and I knew it was going to be short lived.
      
      Add the fact through my work I got onto the discount program BMW were offering as well as they were really cutting down on the price of the car too, I decided to make the switch.
      
      As for Fun Factor, the JCW is now* (done a bit of work on it) heaps more fun, it may not be the straight line rocket as the GT and accompanying an angry v8 note, but zippyness, engine/throttle responsiveness and unflinching cornering around the twisties, and add a unique burble-popping engine note, its fun to drive any day of the week.
      
      Only gripe, is the comfort in comparison to the GT, its a sacrifice, if your into your long touring especially with our uneven roads, i’d rather be in the GT.
    - JooberJCW
      
      I’ve always been a person preferring smaller cars, being single and living on my own, i’d come to grips why do I need a large car. It was a good experience to have a v8 at one time in my life and I knew it was going to be short lived.
      
      Add the fact through my work I got onto the discount program BMW were offering as well as they were really cutting down on the price of the car too, I decided to make the switch.
      
      As for Fun Factor, the JCW is now* (done a bit of work on it) heaps more fun, it may not be the straight line rocket as the GT and accompanying an angry v8 note, but zippyness, engine/throttle responsiveness and unflinching cornering around the twisties, and add a unique burble-popping engine note, its fun to drive any day of the week.
      
      Only gripe, is the comfort in comparison to the GT, its a sacrifice, if your into your long touring especially with our uneven roads, i’d rather be in the GT.
- Legnab
  
  Yes if you want to show the world your a cashed up bogan then your right , if your wealthy and educated you by pass the showroom , for this much money plenty of alternatives , with go .
  - Monk
    
    Do you ever proof read your comments before posting?
    - Captain Nemo®™
      
      Legnab aka Bungle is always good for a laugh when it comes spelling.
      
      Calls everyone Bogans & uneducated yet doesn’t know the simple difference between your & you’re. I know many of us myself included make minor typos but not knowing the difference between your & you’re shows a lack of education. Bungle must have spent too much time drawing VeeDuds on his school books rather than listening to his teachers.
      - Legnab
        
        In a hurry was counting the cash, hahhaha SAPPER NEMO , i bet your texts are all perfectly written like your perfect VK crummerdore .
  - Dom
    
    Sorry Legnab…after reading your reply you would fail the “educated” criteria
  - Dookie
    
    so bogans cant be educated…i’m sure there are a few bogans working in the engineering departments of both ford and holden.
    - Legnab
      
      YEP and they love their boagan cars , they get em cheap
  - twincharger
    
    It would be stupid of me to compare Aussie muscle cars to ze Germans.By world standards the Aussie cars are only entry level muscle cars.Damn good ones at that.
    - Dave S
      
      so is the 5 series and the e class over there
trololololol

Needs bigger wheels and L.E.D windscreen wipers then it will be prefect!!!
- Monk
  
  HAHAHAHA
  Brilliant!
Blah blah

Can purcahse a new 300 SRT with more standard equipment for less than 80. with more power.
Having driven both. the SRT is suprisingly good. Nothing like the old model.
- Andrew M
  
  The Chrysler drives like a boat compared to either of the Aussie engineered vehicles
  - Zaccy16
    
    read the latest wheels, has a review of the new srt compared to the, gt r spec and clubby r8
- Zaccy16
  
  Only problem with this is that it doesn’t have the new 8 speed auto yet, its coming soon though supposdly
JDM

Another HSV article another load rubbish from one eyed europhiles. For $90K there is nothing new from Europe selling in OZ that have the size and performance of current HSV/FPV cars.

Dissappointed HSV didnt put Walkinshaw goodies on the car to make this a proper special edition car.
Golfschwein

It’s crying out for yellow leather, just like the VX SS.
- Vt363rwkw
  
  Your crying out for men in yellow leather, ha ha ha, help me gay superhero help me
Vt363rwkw

Mate this is sensational, losing 22kg, the engine will how more power, and the dealer has told me the hsv developed magnetic ride control has been tweaked, it is now lapping mallala over 3 seconds faster than the old model. This limited editions has 95% of the VF running gear. This is the best value bang for buck car in the world mate, by by stupid fordys hahahah
- Legnab
  
  There we have your typical HSV owner , all full of joyous love of his heavy weight bucket of bolts lapping 3 secs faster .
  - Vt363rwkw
    
    Typical gaybo comment, hahaha, man up gaybo
  - Gaza
    
    Leg Nab ,after reading yoru comments you really have an issue and a chip on your shoulder much deeper that if someone drives an australian built car.
    You have issues and venting here will not solve what you have going on deep inside your jealous persona.
    This is a car forum ,have your say but just leave your pointless comments out ,as you do not at all add to the conversation.Now that goes for all you other self proclaimed experts who really have no idea on many subjects only in your own minds
    Now we all know you will now need to have a go at me and im sure you can behind your keyboard with great skill but take a breath and leave!
- Dave W
  
  The average Falcadore drivers can also afford to lose that much weight themselves…. If not more… I kid I kid…
- JooberJCW
  
  losing weight does not give you more power at the engine, it will mean a better power/weight ratio, it may also mean better KW at the wheels depending on the part transferring the power to the ground that is losing its mass.
  
  In my opinion FG Coyote is still better value for buck, in gear acceleration will still wipe the HSV let alont the 0-400 dash. This HSV at $85k more like $95k inclusive on road, take a $50k GS not even a GT and do one simple ecu tune and the HSV will be out of contention altogether in the sprint, the HSV may marginally out corner a FPV but we are talking muscle cars here (raw output). Dynos by various workshops on GT’s have been proving the rwkw is close to the 335kw badge, not the engine kw!
- Joker
  
  VT Troll- you’re missing something in your HSV. A Supercharged 5.0L Coyote/Miami V8 that blows HSV’s crate motor to the weeds.
- Andrew M
  
  Best bang for Buck?, Then what do you call a 40K XR6T that hits 100kmh in the same time as this?
  Best bang for buck is easily the XR6T ( provided you arent looking for Autobarn bolt ons)
ihateyouall

How is this revolting? Do you all drive Prius’s?
- Joker
  
  Excessive faux vents that serve no function: Check
  
  Black Inserts put in copious but random places: Check
  Bizarre bumper inserts surrounding the exhaust meant to look cohesive but in reality look awkward : Check
  Trapezoidal theme scattered all over the body work that juxtaposes the original styling of the car: check.
  
  HSV are competing with the Euro market so they say. They may have done so with the performance factor (and the interior… to a minor extent) but over overall- the thing is over done in styling every single possible way,
Ash298

Hmm wonder if they will put a turbo 6.2 litre or a blown 6.2……
Venu

Always like the HSV’s (no I am not a bogun, heck I am not even an Aussie) but my god does that front end look busy. Prefer the Senator to this.
Fembot

MRC ride control and cylinder deactivation showed it’s worth today at the mountain, without it JW would not have won, kept him glued to the road and saved enough fuel to get the job done, it just shows that racing is the best forum for R&D. HSV developed both MRC ride control and cylinder deactivation.