Melbourne show: HSV's wild W427 ride

THE wraps came off one of Australia's most hotly anticipated muscle-car projects today at the Melbourne International Motor Show, where HSV revealed what it said could be the fastest road-registerable vehicle ever built in Australia: the "W427 Supercar".

So-called because of its employment of the Corvette's 7.0-litre (427 cubic-inch) LS7 V8 instead of HSV's lauded 6.0-litre LS2 V8, the 427 name has been seen before from HSV. Five years ago at the Melbourne motor show, HSV announced the production of 50 GTS Coupe-based examples of the HRT 427, priced at a cool $215,000 and powered by a 350kW 7.0-litre V8 based on the Corvette C5R's Chev V8.

The unveilling of the new E-Series based 7.0-litre car in Melbourne was the culmination of HSV's 20th birthday celebrations, and the W427 at the MEC was painted in the same Panorama Silver colour as the original Group A SS VL Commodore released at the 1988 Melbourne motor show.

The W427 is still lin its final stages of development and final performance figures are yet to be revealed, but HSV says its new VE Commodore-based flagship will develop in excess of 370kW at 6500rpm and 640Nm of torque at 5000rpm.

While that's more than HSV's last 7.0 car, it falls short of the estimated 400kW and 660Nm outputs of Corsa Special Vehicles' HSV GTS-based LS7, which costs $111,990.

Unlike the CSV, which employs the LS7's standard dry sump, the W427's dry sump system features a two-stage pump and front-mounted 13-row oil-cooler. While the CSV features a custom 8.0-litre oil tank mounted behind the passenger-side headlight, the HSV has a hand-fabricated aluminium oil tank with internal baffling.

There's also a "bimodal active" 3.0-into-2.75-inch exhaust system with high-flow catalytic converters and ceramic-coated four-into-one extractors to improve noise quality and back-pressure management.

The W427 drives through a new high-strength six-speed manual transmission (TR6060) and a GMPT LS7 clutch with new actuator and pedal assembly.

HSV managing director Scott Grant said the wild W427 will not only be powerful, but safe thanks to new six-piston front brake callipers providing 50 per cent more pad area, two-piece floating front discs (380x35mm, compared to 365x32mm one-piece units on the GTS), revised ESP stability control calibration, six airbags and new Magnetic Ride Control settings.

The W427 will ride 20mm lower and feature 20 per cent firmer springs than the GTS, as well as stiffer rear suspension bushings.

Featuring an oversized Audi-style single-frame grille including a blacked-out upper section, the W427 also gains a three-piece carbon-fibre rear spoiler, 20-inch machined-face alloy wheels, a red leather interior and unique exhaust outlets.

Limited production of the W427 will commence by mid-2008, with engines fitted at HSV's Clayton facility, and the first examples are due in HSV showrooms in the third quarter.

Mr Grant said the W427 will be accompanied by a unique customer relations program.

"The W427 will only be produced in limited numbers and we want to reflect that exclusivity in how we connect with our Supercar customers," he said. "We are looking at opportunities to allow owners to visit HSV and view the unique manufacturing process that goes into building this car.

"Make no mistake, while the specifications of the car unveiled on the stand today at the motor show may change slightly between now and when production begins, this car is destined to make as big an impact as the original Walkinshaw 20 years ago," he said.