HSV Gen-F GTS Reviews
Australia's top performance car manufacturer, HSV, has announced the launch of the quickest, strongest performance production car ever assembled in Australia.
The business has finally affirmed complete details of its own groundbreaking new GTS which will probably be powered by a 6.2 litre LSA supercharged V8 that produces 430 kilowatts of energy and 740 Newtonmetres of torque.
The LSA engine includes a raft of exceptional componentry:
Standalone water to air chargeair cooling system
Bi-Modal air-intake system
Hiflow exhaust system with crosspipe intermediate and Bi-Modal mufflers
TR6060 (MG9 spec) 6 - speed manual-transmission with twin-plate clutch and oil-cooler
Complementing the brand new engine are a few upgrades and critical technologies which make GTS the whole package.
GTS' braking capability is significantly improved with AP extreme forged 6- piston brake calipers with twopiece rotors front and back now fitted as standard equipment. Coupled with additional brake rotor diameters, the calipers, forged from 6061-t6 aluminium, provide a greatly improved strength-to-weight ratio and produce noticeable developments in brake modulation and sense. Rear brake pad size has been raised by 12%.
"Australia's most effective production engine needs a superior braking package, which was an essential application priority from the beginning. With this new cast calipers, bigger rotors and raised pad size, we are assured the GTS brake package may be the equivalent of anything in the world", said HSV Chief Engineer, Joel Stoddart.
In a first for an Australian-made car, the new GTS will even be fitted with brake Torque-vectoring. Currently just fitted to several exclusive international marques, HSV's brake Torque-vectoring helps reduce understeer by creating a "rotational moment" in the rear-axle once the car is under power.
The car also receives third-generation Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) featuring three independent configurations - Monitor, Activity and Touring. Hardware and software improvements combine to produce sharper handling, greater body management and critical improvements in ride quality on the design.
A Driver Preference Dial have been introduced by HSV, to help the driver in manipulating the different electronic vehicle operation methods at his disposal.
Located conveniently behind the gear-shifter, the Motorist Choice Dial adjusts the vehicle's ESC, Traction Control, Launch-control (manual transmission), Torsion Vectoring, Electric Power-steering (another recent addition to the GEN-F variety), MRC and Bi-Modal Exhaust, based on four different preset modes - Touring, Sport, Functionality and Track. In so doing, the vehicle's handling features immediately change.
"With a lot of digital methods at the driver's disposal, we wished to reduce complexity and help the driver by taking the guesswork out-of manipulating the different configurations at his disposal", said Stoddart.
Along with a engine and vehicle dynamics developments, the vehicle also receives an entire exterior and inside makeover plus a raft of new technologies.
The brand new frontend design features bold images and shallow ramp angles that emphasise posture and width. Central to the new look is actually a "double-nostril" grille and an allnew fascia, unique to the GTS, which helps produce both an intense look and also the air-intake area necessary to cool the power-train.
HSV GEN-F GTS video review
"The LSA plan posed numerous layout and packaging problems none minimal concerning motor, transmission and differential cooling", said Stoddart. "For starters, we needed nearly 130,000 square millimetres of open frontal area to produce the amount of cooling the bundle needs which is about 75% greater than that provided with the E3 GTS. I believe our designers did an excellent job in satisfying the requirements the engineering group but also in providing a front-end which is touch HSV", said Stoddart.
Adding to the daring frontend design are when the headlamps are functioning new Daytime Running Lamps that may now operate.
While the larger tyre walls lead to a noticeable improvement in ride comfort Improved grip is delivered by the wider front tyres.
"After an extensive development and testing plan, we've picked Continental tyres as standard fitment on GTS and, actually, across our whole GEN-F variety", said Stoddart. "The new tyres, custom-tuned for HSV, produce extraordinary performance in wet and dry conditions.
The back of the new GTS receives equally as critical a makeover because the front-end.
Notable are the brand new, distinguishing LED tail lamps as the "diffuser" back fascia houses quad exhaust outlets finished in shadow-chrome. GTS also includes a distinctive bodycoloured "super flow" functionality back spoiler with black accents.
A inside indicates a brand new age for HSV.
An upgraded instrument panel with suedestyle inserts, a fresh instrument cluster, gauges, center console, appliques' and door trims combine to produce an even more superior feel and look.
The new GTS also features one of the most critical variety of technologies ever extended within an HSV.
GTS includes a Head-up Display - technology initially released on jet fighters - that exhibits a raft of motorist info to the windscreen for example Gforces, car velocity and motor temperature.
Ahead Collision Alarm is another engineering fitted standard on GTS. A cam, found over the rear-view mirror, scans the road ahead as much as 14 times per second. The driver is alerted with a visible alarm plus an audible tone in the Head-up Display, when an accident is predicted. Predicting hard braking, sufficient brake pressure is applied by the system to shut the space between the brake pads and rotors, hence providing a faster brake response-time.
Utilizing exactly the same camera technologies, Lane Departure Warning is also featured by GTS.
"We are exceptionally happy with the new GTS - our hero version and the one we see as the top of the HSV GEN-F variety", said Harding. "We firmly think the conventional technology and operation of GTS make it the best efficiency production car ever assembled in Australia and a real testament to the ability and commitment of our staff at Clayton", said Harding
The organization confirmed that creation of the new GTS will commence in late August 2013 with vehicles expected to arrive in HSV showrooms September 2013 early.
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