Overview
The advances made by Holden with its billion-dollar VE Commodore have been improved even further by Holden Special Vehicles.
HSV has revised its clan of Commodore-based hot rods with unique styling, improved performance, world-class new technology and an updated model line-up that now starts with the ClubSport R8, sees the return of the iconic GTS and an evolution of the luxurious Senator Signature.
The trio are all powered by a 307kW LS2 6.0-litre V8 that HSV claims can propel them into the elite "four-second club" in the sprint to the speed limit – making them the fastest Australian mass-production cars ever built.
Model release dates: September 2006 - April 2008
Previous model
Holden Special Vehicles pushed the limits of the outdated VT platform when it slotted the 6.0-litre Gen IV V8, directly from the iconic Chevrolet Corvette, into the VZ models.
With 297kW of power and 530Nm of torque the big-bore V8 was powerful enough to propel the VZ with stratospheric straightline speed, but it was often said it was too much for the chassis, which offered super-stiff suspension and vague steering.
It was, quite literally, a brute of a car.
But, to some extent, that added to its character and it may just be the last of the HSV beasts that needs taming.
The VZ range provided HSV with its biggest family of nameplates, including the core models - ClubSport, ClubSport R8 and Senator Signature – and a whole heap of limited-editions.