Holden fans will delight in the news that Walkinshaw Performance Parts will host an open day at their state-of-the-art Victorian facility this Thursday, May 1.
The official opening of the Autotechnique facility will also allow for a meet and greet with V8 Supercars champion Garth Tander, Development Series 2007 champ Tony D’Alberto and Carrera Cup winner David Reynolds (who you may remember from our Elfin drive at Sandown).
For those of you disappointed with the Vauxhall VXR8’s performance against the Euro super-saloons in the video posted yesterday, AutoExpress reports that the 7.0-litre W427 which made its debut at the Melbourne Motor Show is heading over to the UK to settle the score.
Reports suggest it will be based on the W427, which means it is very possible it could sport an all-new look when it arrives in the UK in September.
Engineered by Tom Walkinshaw Racing, it is expected to retain the W427 namesake and will carry a price tag of around AUD$117,000 or £55,000 in the local money.
A bespoke suspension setup is also anticipated to suit UK roads, which may include the Magnetic Ride Control system featured on the HSV Clubsport GTS which is currently unavailable in the UK with the VXR8.
With the LS7 V8 engine churning out 370kW and 640Nm, 0-100km/h performance is expected to drop to just 4.5 seconds.
With these figures, the W427 is well and truly a competitor for the Audi RS6, BMW M5 and Mercedes C63 AMG - although this time the price tag does match.
Oh dear. See how the HSV Clubsport R8 - better known as the Vauxhall VXR8 in Britain - performs in a simple drag race against the world’s super saloons: the Mercedes Benz C 63 AMG, the BMW M3 and the Lexus IS-F.
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.
HSV GTS with Magnetic Ride Control suspension (MRC)
“An outstanding innovation, which dramatically improves ride, handling and safety”
HSV’s GTS accelerates from O-100km/h in less than five seconds. For that reason alone, it belongs to an elite club.
Even more exclusive, is its membership in the MRC club, whose members include the latest Chevy Corvette (an option on the Vette) and Ferrari’s super expensive 599 Fiorano.
Science was never a strong subject of mine but what made it bearable was that all too infrequent single file march to the formaldehyde scented Science lab.
Apart from anything requiring a gased up Bunsen burner, those experiments with the giant sized magnets and iron filings provided the most entertainment.
So what’s a magnet and a science lab got to do with HSV’s latest luxo hotrod? An awful lot, actually. Apart from larger wheels (they do look the business) and a few cosmetic changes inside and out, positively charged metal spheres, more than anything else, is what transforms an R8 Clubsport into a GTS.
British Magazine Autocar recently decided to drive some of the best cars in the world for a one mile speed test down London City Airport. The £317,500 Mercedes SLR McLaren supercar hit the top speed in a one mile speed challenge at London City Airport. The Merc reached an incredible 282.7 km/hour at the end of the mile.
“It was absolutely breathtaking and a fantastic feeling to set the record in a British-built car,” said Autocar’s magazine’s editor at large, which organized the attempt.
The Mercedes SLR McLaren was part of the cavalcade of performance cars that shot down the runway at the airport in London’s Docklands. Also on the tarmac was a Ford GT which achieved 280.4 km/h and a Corvette Z06 which reached a top speed of 268 km/h
“The McLaren has the power, the technology and the stability to hit those high speeds with incredible control,” added Sutcliffe. “This is the fastest any production car has ever been driven legally in London“.
Away from any speed cameras, Autocar put another British supercar through its paces, the Bentley Flying Spur. Flying the flag for Germany were a Porsche 911 Turbo, BMW M6 and an Alpina B5, while America was represented by the Ford GT, Corvette Z06 and the Shelby Daytona Cobra. Australia was represented by the HSV Maloo (Vauxhall Maloo) which managed a respectable 258.7 km/h.
The winning Mercedes SLR McLaren is priced at £317,500, making it the most expensive car in the £1.2million line-up Autocar assembled for the speed record.