The best of the V8 options
We Australians love our V8s. History books talk about it, Bathurst fans talk about it, and now there are over 500 cash paid deposits for a GTS from Holden Special Vehicles that prove it.
Overwhelming support for the supercharged 6.2-liter Big Dog engine and the rest of the HSV package over 8 V3000 vehicles were sold in 2013, showing that there is still room for old school muscle in today's world.
But not in Nissan, where everything is new, V8 petrol Patrol is a disaster. Things are so bad that the outdated geriatric model continues to work alongside the newcomer and still finds many friends.
Nissan dealers have a stock of unsold 5.6-liter V8 heavyweights, and a growing backlash from longtime Patrol fans who don't see the point in the company's new off-road flagship. It's pleasantly comfortable, but it costs $82,690 to $114,490 - a sharp jump from $53,890 to $57,390 for the old one - and it doesn't have a diesel engine.
Not only that, as the new Patrol also arrived in Australia more than 18 months late and, because the development was aimed at wealthy buyers from the Middle East without petrol paranoia, had the appearance of a specification that only works for a very limited number of people. who are probably more interested in Porsche Cayenne or Benz GL.
This year, Nissan has sold just 1600 of the new Y62-series Patrols, and by comparison, more than 6000 people drove away smiling. new Toyota Land Cruiser 200 series in the same period.
Nissan even resorted to a $1500 gas voucher for a while to try and get things off the ground, but that's only 1000 liters - give or take, mostly minus - in today's world, and a clumsy Patrol can easily consume 25 liters of unleaded gasoline for every 100 km. kilometers under the tracks if you are towing something big or sliding off the pavement.
So it seems that V8 engines have become a source of horsepower for courses. They're still good for HSV fans who want something fun and fast, and Mercedes-AMG buyers who want flashy and fast, but not for suburban family work or towing and off-roading.
Even the latest Range Rover, Carguide's current champion of top-end SUVs, is most popular with a V8 turbodiesel, even though prices can skyrocket to $250,000. So what's the difference in the world of V8 engines? “I think there is still a high-performance car market in Australia and people want great cars,” HSV head Phil Harding told Carsguide. “I think there is still a passion in Australia for V8 performance and sports sedans that are fun. We meet need and demand.”
