HSV Won't Use LS7 7.0, For Now

[JoeT]

HSV Shelves Big-Block Buster

Barry Park
9 August 2006
www.drive.com.au

Don’t expect a 7.0-litre V8 for now, says HSV.

Does Australia have room for a 7.0-litre Commodore? Not just yet, according to Holden Special Vehicles marketing manager Andrew McKenzie.

Mr McKenzie told Drive this week that he was keen to spread the message that General Motors' Corvette Z06 engine, a 377 kW/637 Nm 7.0-litre generation-four LS7 V8, would not be part of HSV's VE Commodore line-up, which will be launched on August 21.

"There's been a bit of rumour about that on the internet and chatrooms and stuff, and we don't want to come out with this fantastic new car . . . and have people say, 'Oh, gee, it would have been good to have had the LS7 in it'," he said.

Instead, he said a modified version of the 6.0-litre, LS2 engine - which replaced Holden's 5.7-litre Gen III LS1 engine in late 2004, and similar to that used to power standard Chevrolet Corvettes - would also drive the new-generation HSV. (It's a different 6.0-litre V8 from the new VE Commodore range, which is designated L76.)

However, the Corvette produces 299 kW of power and 542 Nm of torque, compared with the Commodore V8's 270 kW and 530 Nm. In its current HSV guise, the LS2 produces 297 kW and 530 Nm.

Mr McKenzie said the LS2 engine had only recently broken ground, and there was "a little bit more mileage to be got out of tweaking and playing and developing" it.

He said power from HSV's version of the LS2 would increase.

"I think that if we have already come out with 297 (kW) and we didn't get more than 300, it would be a bit embarrassing to get 299 on there," he said.

Displacement on demand technology - where a V8 engine shuts down four cylinders at highway cruising speeds to save on fuel consumption - was a "great option" for HSV to consider, he said, although it would not be part of the August 21 model launch.

A future option for HSV beyond the LS2 engine, Mr McKenzie said, was a development of GM's LS4, a Gen IV 5.3-litre V8, producing in standard guise 226 kW and 438 Nm, with displacement on demand technology.

[eosandov]

Are Australians the only ones that use the Kw and Nm units? Why cant they just convert them to Hp and Trq?

[JoeT]

The US is just about the only nation still using the imperial system of measurement.
Time to catch up with the times USA!

[Generation IV]

Hmmmmm, if HSV put the standard LS4 into the Clubsport, their losing their touch, it might be far more advanced than the LS2 but it is no where near as fast! It would be good for possibly a new model, which could make its way into the E-Series range very easily, but McKenzie did sau "a development of the LS4" so i'm guessing it would vastly be improved. If HSV use this car it would limit many things but open new doors, i know that the LS4 is a higher revver than the LS2, but its top speed is slightly lower, due to capacity issues over the LS2 (5.3L v 6.0L). The LS4 is more flexible and can use superchargers and turbos a lot easier over the LS2 (eg the fuel economy for a supercharger on the LS4 would be better than a supercharger on the LS2).

But somehow i doubt that HSV would let Holden have larger engine capacities, it doesn't work that way! But I think a better option would be a supercharged V8 LS2. (approx: 340-370kW), but maybe instead of the LS7 the GTS could receive this supercharged V8. Or maybe and this is about 0.01% chance of happening but HSV could pull one of its Cylinder swaps like it did with the VXR (4 cylinder instead of only V8s)
Now like i said theres slim to no chance of this happening, but! HSV might be very generous and design a car capable of rivalling the Ford GT and fit the new GTS with a 6.2-litre or 5.3-litre V10????????? who knows???? HSV and Holden have proved very unpredictable of the last few months

[Aych Es Vee]

HSV Torana ........... LS4 ............... YES. (HSV SL/R 5300?)
LS4 in a Commodore though? ..........that doesnt seem very HSV like.

I think a GTS needs to be an all out modern muscle car. Having the same capacity as a base HSV these days doesnt seem right.
A supercharged LS2? maybe.
I dont think a GTS should come out until a Z06 engine can be shoved in one.
The last GTS had the power of the last Z06 and last BMW M5. But they both jumped to 500hp...... The GTS needs that power also, otherwise, in my eyes, it isnt what it used to be.

But anyways, HSV normally pleases me with what they bring, so I will have to wait untill they even SHOW the E series!

[Butz]

Originally Posted by JoeT

The US is just about the only nation still using the imperial system of measurement.
Time to catch up with the times USA!

That's not true! Europeans and Asians use the metric hp which is not much of difference than what is used in the States.
All european and japanese car shows I watch use metric hp (ps) for power while some use Nm for torque and others use lb.ft

[bryce miller]

i like those cars a lot

[Bhodie]

Originally Posted by eosandov

Are Australians the only ones that use the Kw and Nm units? Why cant they just convert them to Hp and Trq?

.....and why dont they speak American and drive on the right while they're at it, goshdarnitt!.....

[EllwynX]

Originally Posted by Bhodie

.....and why dont they speak American and drive on the right while they're at it, goshdarnitt!.....

I don't think anyone speaks 'American'. LOL English perhaps? In which case, I thought they did...? Only with an Australian accent.


Though I agree that Horsepower is much more fitting for the measurment of a vehicle's 'brute strength'. Kilowatts is much more electrical than brute strength.

And to the poster who feels the US should change their units of measurement, why? Just because a new unit of measuring something comes out, what makes it so much better than the old? It's just a measurment. I must use the old addage, "if somethings not broke why 'fix' it" just for the sake of using something new?

[mikmak]

Originally Posted by Generation IV

Now like i said theres slim to no chance of this happening, but! HSV might be very generous and design a car capable of rivalling the Ford GT and fit the new GTS with a 6.2-litre or 5.3-litre V10????????? who knows???? HSV and Holden have proved very unpredictable of the last few months

The VE SS already rivals..nay beats the Ford GT.

Unless you are talking about the Retro 2 door, in which case, the output would have to be closer to 400KW (Approx 535HP) for a vehicle of the VEs size. Not to mention made mostly of aluminium and carbon fibre to save weight.
You could safely punt $1,000,000AUD (Approx $756,00USD) that the HSV big surprise would be a twin turbo six. No really, a dealer told me it might be in the new Torana (oops, wrong thread).

[mikmak]

How many yards in a mile? How many metres in a kilometre? It just makes **************** easier.
If a clock had 59 minutes instead of 60, then we wouldn't require a leap year for about 100 years. But we dont do it because its stoopid

[mikmak]

I haven't seen anyone refer to a modern engine in cubic inches for a t least 7.8943 donkey years.

[uvaeeman]

Originally Posted by Butz

That's not true! Europeans and Asians use the metric hp which is not much of difference than what is used in the States.
All european and japanese car shows I watch use metric hp (ps) for power while some use Nm for torque and others use lb.ft

According to onlineconversion.com:
1kW = Just Over 1.34hp
1kW = Just Under 1.36 Metric hp
1 newton meter = About 0.738 pound foot

So when you see the Aussie numbers, just multiply horsepower by 1.34 and Nm by 0.738. Everyone's got a calculator on their computer :-D.

Or maybe the forum admins can figure out how to make a tooltip pop up with the converted numbers - that would be cool.

[mikmak]

Forget about it man, this argument pops once every furlong. Its like sheep. You can lead them to water but you can't make them go in the All Blacks (New Zealand National Rugby Union Team) changerooms.

[01cavalier]

The cars don't really need that much power anyways I'm sure. Doesn't make great sense with fuel prices anyways.