HOLDEN'S SV8 is the place to go if you want SS performance and dynamics but have an aversion to being constantly in the spotlight. It's also a lot cheaper, and that's because it's built up from Commodore Executive level - which means it also lacks much of the SS's interior glamour. But on the road there's little to separate them and the 5.7-litre engine is now a bit more powerful and sounding a lot more like it should. Customers who previously specified V8-powered Executives may be disappointed that big-engine performance can no longer be bought quite so subtly or as cheaply, but in the end the SV8 remains a more than enticing package.