HSV Clubsport Review 2013
It's the automotive equivalent of the sibling rivalry between Mark and Steve Waugh. Both are cricket legends in their own right, but attention tends to fall on one player rather than the other.
So you can imagine how the new HSV Clubsport might feel right now if it wasn't for the high-performance V8 engine at its heart. Its bigger and more brash brother, the supercharged HSV GTS, has caught everyone's attention lately because it's the fastest and most powerful car ever made in Australia.
But with the Hyper-Holden hitting showrooms in at least two months, it's time for the rest of the lineup to shine.
Value
The discounted Clubsport is a hidden gem in the new HSV range. Starting at $60,990, that's $4000 less than the outgoing model and the same price as the Clubsport 10 years ago.
It bridges the price gap between the Holden Commodore SSV Redline, which costs about $51,000, and the flagship GTS, which costs about $100,000 by the time travel costs are added.
Technologies
The 6.2-liter LS3 V8 has the same power as before - 317kW - but the car is 68kg lighter, the biggest weight reduction in the entire VF Commodore lineup. For those who want a little more, the Clubsport R8 goes up to $71,000 and gets the previous GTS's 325 kW of power.
The Clubsport R8 also comes with a Bose stereo, head-up display, machined alloy wheels, a bimodal exhaust system and an EDI HSV system that lets you tune the car for the road or track at the touch of a button. Or, in this case, a touch screen.
Optional performance package
For those who want more, there is an optional SV performance package. This includes lighter wheels, black body accents and engine upgrades to 340kW and 570Nm thanks to a clever bimodal air intake (same intake as the GTS, it sucks in more oxygen at certain rpm) and a special-tuned exhaust.
It is listed as a package offer at $4995, but by the time GST and luxury car tax are calculated, this option adds at least $6000 to the price of the car at check-out.
It may sound a little cool, but it's money well spent. The Clubsport R8 with the SV Performance Pack was meant to be the HSV GTS just in case the supercharged engine didn't go overboard. This explains why HSV now has the embarrassment of wealth.
Driving
The power increase may not seem like much, but unlike the HSV before it, you can feel and hear the difference. It seems that HSV engineers listen to high-quality Mercedes-Benz AMG soundtracks in their spare time.
As before, the LS3 V8's power is smooth and linear, but it has more growl and then bark. This is completely at odds with the sophistication of the rest of the car.
Faux suede, genuine leather and striking chrome trim on plastic interiors give the Clubsport a premium look never seen before.
That's why, for all the sophistication of the Clubsport R8, I'm torn between it and its $10,000 cheaper sibling, the base Clubsport. Of course, some electronic gadgets are missing from the HSV lineup, such as a head-up display and electric seat adjustment. Also, it only comes with Holden Commodore SS seats (with HSV headrests).
But the Clubsport's culinary model - a single-burner barbecue in an 18-burner world - feels lighter and more responsive than the R8, and it has no shortage of agility, grip and grunt.
The Clubsport was the car I was looking forward to scrambling for keys to tastier models on a test drive at Phillip Island Speedway this week. But you know what? I think I like it more than others. Add a price cut to the deal and it's easy.
The only option worth considering on the base Clubsport model are the lightweight 20-inch wheels from last year's 25-year-old GTS. This is a standalone option for $1500. I'm struggling to think of $1500 that would be better spent somewhere else in the auto industry.
Clubsport is usually a price leader for HSVs than a 30 cent ice cream cone is for McDonald's. As the cheapest ticket for the HSV brand, it usually spends its life in malls as a lottery prize for local charities.
But he deserves to be freed from a world of sticky fingers and lottery tickets humiliatingly hidden under the windshield wipers. If Clubsport is the starting point, I can only imagine how good the GTS will be. In the meantime, I'm going to buy a lottery ticket.
