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Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 HSV ClubSport R8 Manual
It’s safe to say that the Gen-F2 HSV range will go out with a bang and a half when their supplier, Holden, ceases local manufacturing of the Commodore in 2017. With the entry level sedan, the R8 ClubSport, packing 400 kilowatts and a massive 671 Newton metres of torque, there’s subtlety and brutality in equal measure to be found by the discerning driver.
Hiding, or perhaps more correctly, lurking, under the lightweight aluminuim bonnet, is 6.2 litres of the General’s latest alloy blocked Gen 4 V8, complete with a supercharger. In this car, it sits ahead of a Tremec six speed manual transmission, with enough clutch pedal required to test but not wear out the left leg. The gear selector movement is a delight, clicking through each ratio simply but with weight and under low throttle application, it’s easy to snick the lever along, with no feeling that you need to press against it to move.
The sledgehammer up front though, is a surprise and delight feature. It’s possible to have it as docile as a slumbering puppy but as cranky as a freshly wakened crocodile that’s missed out on his coffee. That peak torque is at a high 4200¬ but there’s plenty, oh there’s plenty of twist well below that. In suburban driving, it’s possible to pootle around, at 60 to 80 kmh, in fourth to fifth, with absolutely no indication of the engine stuttering because it’s straining against the ratios.
At even lower speeds, in fourth, it’s loping along yet a mere flex of the ankle has the R8 upping the speed level ante in an eyeblink. At freeway velocities, it’s possible to see under 2000 on the tacho and license losing, here’s your cell, sir, speeds just a few seconds later. At the blunt end is a quad tipped exhaust, linked to a switch just to the driver’s left in the centre console. 
Select Touring, and the sound is muffled, subtle in its V8ness. Twist it clockwise to select Sport or Performance and the note immediately deepens. Under acceleration and gearchange at 4000rpm, there’s a noise like Thor clearing his throat as he whirls Mjölnir, readying for battle. Thank you, bi-modal exhaust, for your thunderous appeal.
The downside is the fuel consumption; the government regulated fuel figures quotes around 21L/100 km for the urban cycle, a figure certainly achievable due, simply, to the truly sensational surge of acceleration that engine offers and overwhelms common sense. HSV says a combined cycle is 15.3L/100 km for the manual, slightly less at 15.0 for the auto. A Wheel Thing’s varied driving style and locations had a final figure of 13.1L/100 km.
Although as potent as a fleet of battleships, the R8 really is a doddle to drive. In Touring, the steering has enough weight to connect the driver to the front end, but the next two modes increase the heft, the effort needed to twirl the somewhat too thin wheel. The clutch travel feels two stage, as in the initial part of the press has an easy progression before feeling as if it tightens up and squeezes before releasing. A little practice is all it took, before getting the procedure dialed in and becoming very quickly accustomed to the mechanism.
Braking is looked after by HSV’s own setup, with red painted AP Racing four piston calipers at the front and four pots at the rear. The brake pedal has minimal travel before there’s positive feedback, with the driver confident of real power to stop the R8.
For a big car, at 4991 mm long and in the order of over 1800 kilos, it’s a wonderfully nimble beast. There’s a fairly tight turning circle of 11.4 metres, considering the front and rear track of 1616 mm and 1590 mm rides on HSV specific dampers which impart a firm, solid, yet surprisingly non harsh ride quality. The steering system has been calibrated to give a heavier feel, having the driver use more effort and supply a muscle car heft. The R8 will also change direction with alacrity but there’s always the sense of mass lurking in the background.
The exterior is possibly the most restrained we’ve seen from HSV. Taking the donor vehicle from Holden, there’s vents inserted into the bonnet, the new front bumper with LED driving lights sitting above a blacked out and globeless insert and the larger nostrils now familiar to HSV. Along each side are sill add-ons and the rear gains a simple spoiler, sitting just proud of the bootlip itself. Rubber is from Germany, with Continental supplying the grippy and large 255/35 and 275/35 x 20 inch alloys, in a moderate twin spoke design.
The interior is also surprising in its subtlety, yet also the point where some more visual appeal would have been welcomed. The plastics need more punch, the electric seats (neither heated nor warmed, as far as A Wheel Thing could ascertain) have drab plastic (with not evening markings, like some, to indicate what the buttons actually do) on the side and look as exciting as something found on a ten year old Korean car.
Although HSV eschews the ventral stripe in the squab the donor car has, with a red squab and plain black leather, there’s no real visual cut through. The dash has black velour only, some piping here would have helped.
Entertainment wise, there’s Holden’s MyLink satnav system, with Pandora and Stitcher apps, a tab for the Electronic Driver Interface (EDI) which isn’t enabled in the R8 ClubSport (but is available as an option, standard on the GTS) and an AM/FM only tuner, lacking DAB and a feature we probably won’t see before local manufacturing ceases in 2017. That’s a pity, as HSV has specified Bose as the speaker suppliers and they deserve a sound source capable of showing off their ability.
Being a large sedan, there’s cubic acres of leg space front and rear, a boot the Mafia would love (good for 496L), good vision all around and the usual assortment of hidden driver and safety supplements such as Forward Collision Alert, Blind Spot Alert, Park Assist and Hill Start Assist. The driver also gets the HUD, Head Up Display, which in A Wheel Thing’s opinion is one of the best around, with a clean look and great range of information available.
At The End Of the Drive.
The R8’s street appeal is the monster under the bonnet, and it’s not even the most powerful or most torquey engine available from HSV. The spread of that torque, the sheer usability of it and the not so troublesome once you get used to it clutch, genuinely make it an easier car than expected to drive. There’s plenty of urge to satisfy almost anyone’s need for speed, but at the cost of visiting the bowser more frequently, as the 71 litre tank gets drained quicker than Niagara Falls.
The interior lacks real presence, which, given it’s the place an owner will spend time, handballs the excitement factor back to the engine. It’s a responsive handler and stopper, as expected, looks good in the flesh and, sans R8 badge, would be a real sleeper in red light grands prix.
It’s a fantastic handler, with real communication back to the driver and is a better than anticipated ride, but again, the sell factor is that mammoth torque that makes this car one with and for the driver. At around the $80K price, it’s space shuttle ability for a box of fireworks price and does what it does well enough to make the price, if performance is your goal, outstanding value against the Europeans. Head to www.hsv.com.au
to build your HSV.
Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 Range Rover Sport HST
A Wheel Thing welcomes Range Rover into the garage, with the limited edition Range Rover Sport HST. Powered by Jaguar’s high output supercharged 3.0L V6 and with a bespoke body kit, the HST sits at around mid range (between the 250 kW V6 and the V8 engines) in the cars available.
The power plant offers 280 kilowatts and 450 torques (with peak twist at a too low 4500 rpm). Although responsive thanks to the electronic throttle, there’s the small matter of moving a minimum of two point five tonnes, hence the reason there’s a one hundred and five litre fuel tank on board. Yes. One hundred and five litres. One can almost hear Doctor Evil in the background… Urban consumption is quoted as being a sniff under fifteen litres per one hundred kilometres driven, with highway and combined as 8.4 and 10.8 respectively.
It’s easy to understand why it likes a sip or three because it’s an immensely tractable and user friendly engine, with not just the power but the spread of torque being shared to all four paws via the eight speed auto and computer controlled drive system. It simply begs to be driven in anger, if only to hear the snarl both powerplant and exhaust give you.
Yes, there’s a lot of metal to move, which is a major contributor to the consumption, but if driven gently you’ll miss out on the essence of the thing. You also miss out on a connection to the drive, with everything electronic such as the “fly by wire” throttle requiring nothing more than a flexible ankle, lacking any feedback or pressure to do more than simply move your foot. The steering is light, lacking weight and a sense of presence or feedback.
The eight speed transmission is smoother than polished ice, with only the rise and fall of the needle on the dash’s LCD screen giving you a sign it’s changed ratios. Knock the selector into Sports mode, use the paddles or leave it to think for itself, and you’ll find it’s crisper, quicker, a touch sharper and harsher to the senses though. Only occasionally did it feel uncertain, unready, and that was mainly just after switch on for the engine or coming out of an accelerative push and backing off suddenly with a quiet thump from underneath as it dithered between gears.
The on-board drive system offers a range of terrain modes, under the name of Terrain Response, like Mud, Snow, Gravel, and works with the torque splitting system, traction control, and transmission to adapt instantly to the surface being driven on. What you don’t get, however, is a dual mode or high/low range style transmission, instead relying on the Torsen centre diff and electronics to do the work. When Dynamic mode is chosen, the LCD screen changes the dial surrounds to an angry red, a hint at the on tarmac orientation the HST has.
Taken onto a well graded dirt road, not gravel but more akin to limestone, the big HST was fairly surefooted, with only the occasional skittish behaviour exhibited. The ABS system didn’t seem overly keen on this terrain though, with some testing showing indecisive behaviour. On the positive side was the superb dust sealing the company imbues the Range Rover with. Yes, black jeans very easily showed the dust but that was from rubbing against the car outside, as the sealing kept it there.
The suspension is airbag fitted, allowing the driver to raise or lower the body, depending on speed and terrain. If raised to maximum height and then pedalled to around 30 kmh, the HST automatically lowers itself. For those unaccustomed to such a thing, it’s an eerie, uncanny thing to witness from inside, with rear following nose in raising to maximum height. It’s speed sensitive too, so once you’ve raised it to maximum height and hit 30 kmh or so, it’ll automatically lower the car again. There’s also a feature called Auto Access Height, which brings the car lower down to allow humans to get in just that little easier.
Naturally it’s adept, sure footed, with a light steering feel and has an uncanny ability to tuck the nose in tightly coming into low speed ninety degree bends. On tarmac, it’ll change direction quickly enough but there’s no mistaking it for a convertible, not with that mass. The HST needs a powerful brake system to haul it in at speed and gets one. There’s an instant connection between pressing the pedal and feeling the pads grip the discs, something quite a few manufacturers should aim for. It doesn’t mean it’s grabby, it’s far from it. There’s a proper sense of progression as the pedal descends through its travel.
The brakes are visible through the huge 21 inch diameter alloys, complete with 275/35 Continental tyres doing double duty as road and light off road capable rubber.
Being a Range Rover, the driver and passenger are swaddled in luxury; from the proper (Connolly) leather bound electric seats, with heating AND (bless) cooling, glass roof with retractable sunshade, digital radio and a digital TV system for the front passenger (with headphones). Although the touchscreen is cluttered, reducing the radio info to a few square centimetres of screen space, it’s still relatively intuitive to use once some practice has been done.
It’s a nifty piece of tech, the TV system, blocking the driver from seeing the screen when under way, showing them just the radio or satnav instead. There’s a premium Meridian audio system to listen to as well, with USB, Auxiliary, and Bluetooth streaming. It’s clear, punchy, with well defined bass but sensitivity was lacking, with dropouts and range not as far reaching as other cars with DAB fitted that have been parked in the drive. The HST also came with a Head Up Display and, to be honest, it didn’t seem as easy on the eye as that found in a certain Australian built lion branded vehicle.
It’s not all roses, with some odd ergonomics, such as placing the window switches into the very top of the door trim, right next to the window yet the actual door handle is not where the body naturally reaches for. A Wheel Thing consistently reached for the door handle thinking it was a few inches above where it was actually sited. Although a seemingly logical spot for the window switches, again it seemed odd when the hand and arm reached and didn’t find them where expected. Some of the plastics seemed a bit hard to the touch and the cabin somewhat dated in overall look.
There’s a couple of nice luxury touches; at night the lamps embedded into the base of the wing mirrors shine a Range Rover profile downwards and there’s a lit logo in the sill panel. Nowadays, LEDs are being used inside for lighting, replacing the small bulbs once used, and they emit a purer white light. There’s a proper cool box fitted in the console, with a real chill when switched on and it’s big enough for a couple of cans or a 600 mL bottle or two.
In profile, the Range Rover HST shows a distinct wedge profile, with a sharp rake to the front screen and not quite so for the rear, but also the more recent design changes of the last few years, with the smoothing off of the squared off, bluff and blunt, look the range has had since inception. It strengthens the family relationship with Land Rover and brings the car into line with the streamlined, aero look that other makers have on their bigger SUVs. Being clad in a colour called Marrakesh highlights the subtle straking embossed into the sheetmetal.
There’s the vents slotted into the front fenders, the bespoke HST badging, blacked out head and tail lights that angle back into their respective corners, a black painted roof and pillars match the satin black wheels and the blacked out front end vents.
Of course one gets a power tailgate leading into the LED lit cargo area. Under the skin lies Park Assist, visual aids for the system, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control plus Wade Sensing should you take the beastie swimming. Perhaps the most interesting addendum, though, is the automaker’s ‘InControl Remote’ app. Using a smartphone, drivers will be able to interface with their Range Rover by checking fuel level, monitoring window and door lock status, and pre-setting cabin temperature.
At The End Of The Drive
This was A Wheel Thing’s first Range Rover drive and, frankly, one of the hardest reviews to write. A Wheel Thing wanted to fall in love. But didn’t. The Range Rover Sport HST, although a luxury off road capable SUV, failed to engage on an emotional level. I felt removed and isolated from the expected experience, for the most part. It was a frustrating sensation, and not one I welcomed.
Although a comfortable office, the luxury feel needed more; more softness on the plastics to impart a real sense of luxury, with perhaps something like walnut burr trim as well. The touchscreen was somewhat cluttered to look at with the radio screen selected and the TV feature is of questionable value, as was the sensitivity of the DAB radio.
A discussion with a person well accustomed to dealing with the brand elicited the response of “Perhaps it did everything too well”. Perhaps it did. But that’s the point of the Range Rover range. It’s intended to be the best and, again, bare in mind the HST sits mid level.
On the upside is the presence the car has, the brawny ability of the engine and the undoubted ability the Range Rover has. The muted roar of the exhaust and the mid range punch on road are, for a driver oriented person, both enticing and sensual.
Head here to check out the Range Rover Sport and book a drive for yourself: Range Rover Sport
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Not quite the John Candy/Steve Martin film, but more a query in regards to transport options. As it appears Australia will have a Federal election sometime this year, the age old question about fast trains (especially in Australia’s eastern states) gets hauled out of the too hard basket and recycled for another look-see. 
To fly between the three main cities, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, on the eastern seaboard, takes an hour to seventy minutes, with the usual conditions about weather applying. In context, the Sydney-Melbourne route is considered to be the world’s fifth busiest air route. To fly from Sydney to Perth or the reverse varies, from four to five hours, however the fast train option doesn’t quite apply here. 
Also, theres plenty of intra-urban trains (some will, in certain areas say, not enough), rural trains such as the Prospector that runs between Perth and Kalgoorlie, the XPT service between Sydney and Melbourne and Brisbane (11 to 14 hours) and some other destinations, and the world famous Indian-Pacific…which takes 65 hours to travel Perth to Sydney.
If one was to drive, non stop, it’s somewhere in the order of ten to eleven hours. from Sydney to either other city. So why don’t we have a fast train option yet? Firstly though, in order to be considered a fast train in this context, the rolling stock must reach 200 kmh. There’s the well known bullet train in Japan, the 320 kmh TGV in Europe and a trial, of sorts, here in Australia, with a Tilt train reaching 210 kmh.
There’s been numerous studies, as it happens, since the early 1980s. In 1979, the “Premiers Meeting” suggested the electrification of the rail network between Sydney and Melbourne. “Oddly enough”, it was rejected on economic grounds, which appears to be the reason why all such subsequent proposals have been shelved. One proposal in the early ’80s, from the CSIRO, was costed at $2.5 billion dollars, with then estimated revenue at $150 million per year whilst operating costs were estimated at around $50 million. However, the construction costs were allegedly found to be $1.5 billion under what the purported true cost would be and the project was binned.
In 1986, a VFT (Very Fast Train) project was investigated. The route would have been from Sydney to Melbourne via Canberra, with stops at locations such as Goulburn and Albury-Wodonga. The estimated train speed would have been 350 kmh. Construction costs then were estimated at $6.6 billion but would take just five years to be built, being based on existing trackwork. However, the Australian Democrats and Australian Conservation Foundation raised objections, focusing on the coastal corridor plan that was put forward as part of the route. Again, cost, amongst other reasons was cited.
As journalist Dominic Knight noted recently: “Just try travelling from Sydney to Newcastle, a route that inexplicably begins the trip to Newcastle, which is north-east of Sydney, by travelling due west to Strathfield, and you’ll get a sense of just how absurdly archaic our train network is.” And: “Australia’s the only first world country I’ve ever visited where intercity trains, with their dedicated traffic-free corridors, are reliably slower than driving.”
It’s also why certain road journeys are quicker than taking the train. A driver can comfortably cover the distance from Kalgoorlie to Perth in six hours or so; the Prospector is over eight hours in duration. There’s also the time of travel to the airport, then checking in….and checking out via the baggage pickup at the destination. Assuming the airline got your baggage there…
Driving also needs breaks; for a reast, food, a toilet break. All of these can be done on the train. And it’s clearly not an issue of building a trainline from scratch between the cities.
So when will a government bite the bullet and start now before the real cost becomes so much it’ll be cheaper to build a carbon fibre space elevator? And safer than driving a car long distance? Sadly, don’t hold your breath…
Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 Holden Astra VXR
With Holden due to source more cars from Opel than ever before, they’re telling us via a solid marketing campaign. One of the nameplates we’ve had and that has returned in force is Astra. A Wheel Thing sampled the latest Astra VXR six speed manual, a model due to be completly revamped for late 2016 or early 2017.
It’s a stylish looking beast, with the test vehicle clad in a flat, not metallic, red and riding on 20 inch alloys. The two doors, framed at the top in chrome, open wide and allow access to a surprisingly capacious rear seat and cargo section. In profile it’s amost a continuous curve, with the roof coppinga discrete spolier and the front a sharpish, almost rakish look.
Under the long bonnet lies Opel’s 2.0L turbo four, one with punch and verve, mated to a six speed manual, the car’s Achille’s heel. There’s a hefty 206 kilowatts on tap at 5300 revs but more impressive is the mesa flast torque delivery between 2450 to 5000. Besting most two litres by fifty torques, Sir will enjoy 400 of them across that range. It makes for immense mid range go and flexibility aplenty on the freeway.
Need to overtake? Depending on where you are, it’s either a measure of flexing the right foot just a bit more or dropping back a cog or two and launching the rocket. There’s a buzz from the front, not unpleasantly so, and a soul bending surge as the speedo does silly things. The seats (which have air powered bolsters, by the way), sigh gently as they support the driver’s mass being pushed into them.
Left leg goes in,, left leg goes out and in between the lever is moved, the revs drop and the turbo spins idly for a moment (turbo lag is noticeable only at low speeds and off boost) before huffing and puffing again. It’s flexible, usable, enjoyable to drive, but…
Downside? Always one, minimum. The tank is small, almost too small at 56 litres (with a preferred taste of 98 RON, ta very much) to provide a sense of true comfort. Although the VXR isn’t excessively thirsty, at around 9.0L/100 km average, in city use the figures rise well above 10.0L/100 km. Holden quotes a combined cyle of 8.0L/100 km, which in the most ideal of ideal worlds would provide 700 kilometres of travel….
Although the shift is light it also lacks precision. The gate movement is sloppy, loose (and yet only around 9000 kays on the odometer), at odds with the well weighted clutch pedal, the lightning fast response of the engine to throttle and the wondrous brakes. Fast changes are nigh impossible without repeat practice and the possibility of finding the slot you don’t want is high.
These are the brakes that should be standard in the Ford Everest and Ranger; sensitive enough to tell you when the pad is just nipping the disc, the progressive bite as they compress and the feel of the pedal as it latches on as soon as you touch it and tightens up in the travel. Superb. Or, in a word, Brembo.
What isn’t superb is the woefully out of date centre stack design. The updated version can’t come quick enough to dispatch those buttons and dials to the bin of history. See the picture to gauge for yourself. At least the surround looks nice.
Apart from the console, there’s not much else to worry about; hugely confortable and supportive seats (three settings for heat, great for a cold day but no cooling on hot ones) with the front section of the squab adjustable for extra under thigh support, wide opening doors (remember, only two of ’em) to access the back seat and yes, there is leg room, rather than feeling as if one must be a contortionist by nature. Boot size is a decent 380L. There’s the General’s MyLink satnav infotainment system to play with, suitably aluminised trim on the centre console and subtle lighting at the base of the console stack.
The audio system was beyond superb in such a small car. Complete with a sensitive DAB tuner, the clarity of the sound, the range and depth was simply brilliant and a real punch to the low end notes. It’s backed out by the hands free Bluetooth system, audio streaming and Apple’s Siri EyesFree. You’ll also get rain sensing wipers, Hill Start Assist, curtain airbags and tyre pressure monitoring at each corner.
It’s nice to have a luxury feel inside but what if the ride is bad enough that it dulls the presentation? Thankfully the VXR’s ride is surprisingly compliant, even with the 20 inch alloys and licorice thin rubber (245/35 Michelin Pilot Super Sport) with a massive, for the size of the VXR, wheelbase of 2695 mm, helping to soak up the smaller ripples. Size is just 4466 mm overall, making both ride and internal space (rear legroom is 870 mm) so much more impressive.
It’s a cozy ride on the flat and dispatches any minor irregularities to the bin. Go slow over shopping centre speedbumps and that’s where the sports suspension settings make themselves known, with spine and teeth receiving a belting. Point it at some corners and tightening radius turns, there’s barely a hint of roll and you can feel the chassis readying itself to be punted hard….the response? More please. It’s the auto equivalent of trim, taut, terrific as the initial give (and there’s enough to be surprisingly comfortable) turns up the harden up factor, keeping the VXR level all the way through. It also means dive and squat (acceleration and braking) is almost negligible. You can thank something Opel calls HiPerStrut technology.
The Wrap.
It’s roomier than expected, handles as if it’s superglued to velcro and has a wonderful engine. But it’s undertanked and had a substandard gear change mechanism, possibly a couple of things people consider to be pretty damned important. It’s a delight to sit in, bar the dog’s breakfast console, looks pretty enough still (the new model looks sensational) and from $39990 driveaway (at the time of writing) is incredible value for the performance.
Check with your Holden dealer (or your Opel/Vauxhall etc dealer overseas) for warranty and service conditions. Online brochure available here: Astra brochure
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