2007 E-series HSV GTS Road Test
July 27, 2007 by Paul Maric
The HSV Senator I drove a little while back didn’t do it for me, the six-speed gearbox felt a bit woollen and agricultural and just didn’t feel up to the task. With that, I gave HSV a call in a last ditch attempt to regain my faith in the marque.
I went in of a Monday afternoon and there it was, a blue GTS waiting for me. I’ve gotta say, this thing looked pretty damn good. Sitting on 20” wheels all round and finished in a dark blue colour, I was looking forward to taking the manual driven GTS for a fang.
The interior is familiar HSV territory – in fact – spotting the differences between this and the R8 is anyone’s guess (aside from the leather clad seats). Surprisingly, the GTS is a friendly unit to drive. Although the gearbox is rough as nuts, the clutch is easy and light, while the brake pedal has a firm feel to it and the accelerator is spaced nicely alongside the brake for a bit of heel-toe action.
After driving a few other HSV vehicles – R8, Grange and Senator – I was also a bit disappointed with the audio track on offer. The manual GTS I drove on the other hand though was angry – bloody angry! North of 2500RPM, a dirty V8 racket creeps through the firewall to arouse the driver and passenger alike. Not bad methinks.
It’s quite clear HSV had their larger passengers in mind when designing the seats. The side supports are meaty, but with a figure like mine – you know…not fat – my body moves around the seat base spasmodically during cornering and doesn’t allow me to stay firmly planted while giving the GTS some stick. On top of that, our car had the black, plain Jane interior which looked a bit drab in comparison to the colourful red interior offered in red HSV GTS vehicles ($690 option).
Rear leg room is just astonishing. Whenever I hop into a VE – be it an Omega or a GTS – the rear leg room never ceases to amaze me. There is just a plethora of room available, with enough space to accommodate a trio of HSV’s seemingly target build demographic.
Driving a manual HSV is a totally different experience to the auto cog box. The whole process is so fluent and natural. Line up a straight stretch of road, dial up around 2300RPM and let the clutch out gradually with a bit of swift motion and hold on. Nail the throttle to the board and let the revs speed around to redline. Grab the small, stubby gear-shifter and give the clutch a stab, then slam the gear lever into second gear and let the clutch out. Soon after grabbing second, 100km/h hits in a gob smacking 5.55-seconds (although HSV claims 4.96-seconds).
Unfortunately, trying this more than twice didn’t bode well with the GTS I was driving. Along with just over 10,000kms on the clock, one of the magazines had probably just finished ‘driving’ my copy. After a couple of fully fledged 0-100 runs, the clutch became sticky and wouldn’t return to its upright position. Tread was also wearing thin on the rear tyres – for once, it wasn’t my doing! – making traction off the line a somewhat trivial task.
One of the main reasons I wanted to punt a manual GTS through some bends was for the MRC (Magnetic Ride Control). According to HSV boffins, the magnetic ride system employs a bunch of electro-magnets that can quickly alter the dampening of the suspension, variable upon driving conditions. Hit the ‘Track’ button and the system automatically firms up the ride, waiting for hard cornering before reacting with full force.
Line up a bend in second gear and turn-in feels extremely crisp and spot on. The steering is a little lighter than I would have liked, but it’s relatively precise and provides enough feel to understand what’s happening through the wheels. Nail it on the outset of the corner and the 275-wide Bridgestone Potenza ZR20s grip like the proverbial to the road and work in unison with the MRC’s gadgetry to provide mouth watering performance without the need for a deep set of pockets.
The best part about the GTS was its driveability. Although the gear shift will always be a nigh on two hand job, once you’re cruising in 6th gear, there is oodles of torque available and it’s dead silent – to a degree, you forget you’re cruising in a 307kW V8.
Step outside and the GTS and onlookers turn into drooling statues. The quad circular LED brake lights, along with the quad tail pipes finish off the HSV’s bloody aggressive stance. Coupled with a mean set of 20” wheels all round and cross-drilled rotors with red callipers, the GTS even impresses tree huggers who are against fuel guzzling V8s.
A few other factors that make the E-series GTS so impressive lie beneath the skin. Take the ESP (Electronic Stability Program) for example. Over the years I’ve been writing road tests, I’ve sampled many ESP systems both on and off-road. The setup used in the VE range, and more so the HSV range has to be one of the best in the world – I shit you not.
Lexus are criminal when it comes to their VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) system. It literally pulls 97% of power out of the engine and brakes wheels when even the slightest loss of traction is detected. It scares the living crap out of an unsuspecting driver and jolts the car in all directions. HSV’s ESP on the other hand lets you have a bit of free-play with the back end before it steps in. Even when it does step in, it doesn’t take its glove off and slap you in the face, it subtly brings the ass-end back into line and reduces power to the driveline if necessary.
The best part is that when you hit the symbol with the squiggly tyre marks, the system turns off all electronic nannies, leaving you with 6.0-litres of menacing V8 to play with!
Don’t expect any wonders in the wet though. Trying to manoeuvre this puppy in the wet is like trying to break dance in a jewellery store…things are bound to go wrong. Come into a corner too hot and you are met with chronic understeer; give it too much of a stab on the way out and the rear end wants to dance. Striking the perfect balance between traction and speed results in a slow and boring drive when the road is glazed with water. The GTS’s stomping ground is a dry race track, that’s when and where it performs at its full potential.
Under the bonnet, an LS2 V8 lives. Producing 307kW, this 6.0-litre behemoth makes 550Nm of torque and is claimed to jolt from naught to one-hundred in just 4.96-seconds. The claimed 0-100 time must have been achieved on a downhill stretch of road, with a back wind and Mark Skaife shifting the gears as nobody else has managed to achieve that time.
The HSV GTS is available in two guises – automatic and manual. The manual GTS is available for $75,990, while the automatic weighs in at $77,990. Standard features in the GTS include: 20” alloy wheels; fog lamps; rear parking sensors; cruise control; electric windows; automatic headlights; trip computer; dual-zone climate control; Bluetooth connectivity; 6-disc in-dash CD player with MP3 compatibility; 8-way electric seats and MRC (Magnetic Ride Control).
Safety features include: Electronic Stability Program (ESP); dual-stage driver and passenger airbags; front side impact airbags; side curtain airbags; active front head restraints and ABS brakes with EBD.
Suffice to say, the manual version of HSV’s hero car has yours truly impressed. Where else do you get ball-tearing performance for a fraction of the cost of big Euros who demand things like 20” wheels and a mean set of brakes as options…?
Out of all the cars I’ve driven, the GTS also has to be one of the easiest to hold at – and beyond – the limit. Drop the rear end out and small and precise movements of the throttle and wheel hold it out for all and sundry to see. On top of that, the MRC provides bugger-all body roll through the bends…is there anything else a car nut could want? Nup, I sure as hell don’t think so.
CarAdvice rating (out of 5): 
- by Paul Maric
Print it: 
So, I’m curious Duck, what do you drive?
VN
What has that got to do that i agreed with you?
No offence, I’ve seen a lot of your posts, your obviously a Holden fan, but seem to appreciate other brands as well.
Mikka, TP, Hilko seem to think we (Holden and Ford fans) all hate Toyota for some reason.
Do you have much trouble with the VN?
It’s commonly known the VN was prone to problems as was the EA Falcon. My bro-in-law had an EA and had little trouble. How about you?
It’s just I think some cars get a certain reputation, but you get some great, reliable cars out of that group. ie. VN and EA
No i own a porsche carrera…………………..just jocking! How old you and the other people u know (not being rude just wondering?
Dam!!!!!!!!!!! You found out that i am a holden fan! No but you are right i am a holden fan but i also like other car companies too!
Haha, yeah, we wear our hearts on our sleeve, huh. I have a Bugatti Veyron (I wish lol). I’m 33, yeah I know, old fart.
Are you considering/hoping for a GTS/R8 soon? A top car by all accounts. I mean, do you think I’d knock one back if someone threw me the keys?
So, any trouble with VN. I’m curious because I knew two people who had one. One had his fall to bits (literally) while the other barely had a problem. Same I’ve heard for EA. Just asking anyone with EA/VN so I can get a better idea of how true the reputation is.
Not to be rude Duck…..but the VN was crap!
VL I would have forgiven you! hahaha
That wasn’t him that was me!
He should learn to answer on his own computer!
I had that same problem with my nephew using my computer BM. In fact I got in trouble with Alborz over it because my nephew was being abusive.
Anyway, no matter how much a person knows, someone always knows more. I’m learning heaps from CA. Sometimes common knowledge/myth aren’t always right which is why I’m asking Duck about his experiences with the VN.
For eg. The common thought that a 6 cyl Falcon is thirsty. I’m aiming to see what economy mine gets (have never measured it before), as I said on the ZR6 Sportivo blog. So far I’ve done 510km on just over half a tank with 40/60 city/country driving. That “should” work out to 7.2L/100kms. I’ll know when I refill. That’s driving it easy, using the I6’s huge torque to accelerate instead of being heavy footed.
My normal driving style (heavy-footed) I’m guessing is 10L/100kms. I’ll know for sure when I do the next tank in normal driving style.
The point is, I’m finding I shouldn’t believe “everything” I hear, but try it for myself, or hear it from a trusted source, or I ask people myself.
Wholly crap……Watto,thats a pretty good result!
The M3 around town gives 12.5 open road 10.5……and thats on it!As you would expect!
VN as you would know was a real bad Commy! VL…….real good!
Hey my son does the same the 14 year old can be embarrassing!
Wont happen as you know for much longer!
Believe more than 1…..and ensure they have experience first! A good moto!
Well, I don’t have an official result yet, but based on what I have so far it looks good. Might go for a nice long cruise tomorrow so I have to fill.
Yeah, I wouldn’t expect you to take it easy in the M3 ;-)
As I do……..most of the time!!!
But I know I don’t have too! Cause I care for her!!!
Brett he takes her to her max to prove a point one of which he is yet to prove…………she don’t break!
The VN doesnt have long till it will……………..well be dead! 1990 model wagon very wheezy and the rubbers are coming off..or they are off!
Yeah, my EB is very sad, it has had a very hard life (rough dirt roads, heavy towing) with 440,000kms.
The engine/gearbox is still fine but A/C is stuffed, power-steer squawks a bit on full lock, runs like crap on fuel (dirty injectors) but fine on gas, lots of little things, that aren’t worth spending money on to fix.
I’m guessing if it were an EA it wouldn’t have lasted this long with the treatment it gets.
Hi Duck, does your VN have any power steering leaks? That was a common problem on the commodores with the Buick V6.
correction…..
Quote “VN was crap”.
should have read entire range from VN to VS was crap and just fell apart.
i know a stack of VS owners especially and every one had a mountain of problems
Well duck gong by those dates you mentioned
The HSV GTS manual was tested on 06/07 and the auto was tested on the 10/06
leads to another possible reason ..Depending in whether or not the car was a sereis 1 model which would have been released 1 month after the Holden range; or if it was an HSV updated model.
If it was a Series 1 – by the time of the test everything should have been loosened up. Yet because as you illuded to the Manual was slower makes me think it was an updated model and so would have been rather tight
Whereas the Auto most likely a prototype – as at the time of the test Holden were just starting to get in the full swing of production. Therefore it probably had a few 1000ks on it and was a lot looser than the manual.
Remember in a recent issue of Motor they tested a VL Walkie a VE Clubbie a BF Cobra and an XC Cobra
Whilst the BF Cobra did well it couldn’t really match the Clubbie or VL mainly because the car was only a couple of weeks old and hadn’t loosened up yet.. and Manufacturers tell you no to go flat out until it loosens up after about 5000ks.
If they had done the test about now I’m sure the BF Cobra would have been alot closer.
Thats the problem with tests in Car Magazines because they’re new cars readers want the tests to take place ASAP following a release.. not giving the car enough time to loosen up..
So on its first outing the performance figures are usually quite poor.. But on it’s 2nd or 3rd Appearance against a newer rival they usually improve.
I agree with that Wheelnut. That’s something Bavarian Missile has often pointed out, how many kms is on a test car before they run it.
I Guess Great minds think alike! You; BM; Andrew M; and I.
“correction…..
Quote “VN was crap”.
should have read entire range from VN to VS was crap and just fell apart.
i know a stack of VS owners especially and every one had a mountain of problems”
^^^^^^^^Really Andrew M, I know a fare few people that have had very reliable VS Commodores.
P.S. There must be dodgy commodores in Western Austrlia then! (joke). I live on the opposite side of Australia.
Duck,
Im not in WA, Im in QLD
I could probably count up about 10 people who i know have had or still have VS’s.
after seeing that many, i would really love to see the examples you call to be good quality…..
maybe its both of our opinions of good quality that vary
Sorry Andrew M, I thought you lived in WA, like Wheelnut does.
What all ten (VS Commodore’s) have bad quality or/and relaibility issues? If so could you name the issues they have or had.
Im not doughting that there is nobody that has reliability problems/issues with VS’s, I’m just saying I know a few people who have reliable VS Commodore. One bloke I know drives his VS Commodore, over 100km one way to work and another 100km back again everyday and no problems. The only problem his had so far reliability wise is that the headlights went. But there fixed now.
I believe that the Holden Commodore definitely has better reliability and quality under the bonnet (mechanically) than it does with interior quality which I think everybody agrees. But saying that the Holden Commodore’s interior is definitley not the best quality but it’s nowhere near the worst.
P.S. Just wondering Andrew M, what car do you drive daily?
Reliability of a particular model of car is similar to the results of the ANCrAP tests.
As I have said previously ANCRAP don’t test the safety of a particular mode of car they test the safety oftest 5 randomly selected cars of a particular model
Which when you consider the total number of cars of that particular model are sold over the life of that car its such a low percentage that it its really insigfnificant..
Even more so when you consider that ANCrAP don’t take into account various other factors such as weather conditions road surface and driver reactions etc….
no two crashes are exactly the same.
I mean the car they used in the ANCrAP test may have failed however your car of the exact same model may have passed, However ANCrAP and the Media manipulte and exptrapolate the results to make it sound as though every car of that Model would be the same
In the same way that just because you have heard about a number of V? Commodores that have had some sort of problem doesn’t necessarily mean that all V? will have the same problem..its more likely that a batch of a few 100 cars have the same problem – so the overall percentage can’t be that great otherwise people would have stopped buying commodores all together wouldn’t they?
[same thing applies to the Falcon]
Commodores and Falcons have both been around for over 30 years giving the Average Australian a practical safe well built RWD family sedan [on a budget] that is designed engineered and built in Australia to deal with the Australian environment etc..
They are also reliable proven by the fact there are so many of them that are over 10-15 years old still on our roads some have been turned into “street machines” however there are a considerable number of them in “factory” form.
Duck not everyone lives this great state…………sucks to be them!hehehe
Andrew resides in QLD,poor boy,Im still waiting to pick him up at the airport.
Wheelnut has seen the light and moved to where all the money and action now is!
mmmm……..I like WA a far bit too! It’s my 2nd favourite state in Australia.
for those who asked y the auto in the hsv is faster because the auto shifts faster. Havent u seen the drag cars most of the faster ones are autos and in a manual the clutch slows it down. And in the commodores the auto is slower because they havent put that much thought into straight line speed, just fuel econemy and drivability. But saying that manuals are much quicker on the track because with all the corners and stuff the auto shits itself
hi all,
just bought a E series GTS. was wondering on some hints of getting more power for less cash
any takers???
Not sure ………….but I guess like the FPV stuff look at the exhaust and chipping it ?
Try chatting to the guys at
http://www.ls1.com/forums/
Good luck and enjoy your new drive.
Andrew M said:
“…but anyway when someone test drives a VE do you hear them say “wow i can feel how rigid the chassis is”? NO
they say it handles well and if the only way holden could make it handle was to make a rigid chassis it doesnt mean thats the way a car has to be to handle well ”
Interesting comment Andrew, one which pretty much every automotive engineer would disagree with. You cannot make a silk purse from a sow’s ear. The chassis is the foundation of the handling of a car!
Lotus, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche…do you think any of their doors creak (like the VN-VS did) when they drive one wheel up a kerbed driveway?
Oz said:
“Robert, 415KW? – THAT’S NOTHING FOR A TUNED CAR!
Have you herd the F6 Typhoon can exeed 1000HP? So I can have the 1000HP FPV and you have your 415KW HSV.”
Isn’t that completely academic since the gearbox and diff would explode after a week?
Hi has any one had problems with the rear end with tyers scrubbing out and at max ajustment. April 2008 GTS
Hi Zoli just change your exhast and air intake 70Kw more