HSV export success

HOLDEN Special Vehicles (HSV) has commenced an export program to the Middle East with a sports sedan based on its E-Series ClubSport R8.

Launched last week and set to appear at the Dubai motor show on November 14, the left-hand drive car carries a CR8 badge and will be sold throughout the region under the Chevrolet Special Vehicles brand.

The initial allocation of 150 cars has left Australia. Depending on sales, a further 300 are expected to be shipped next year and another 300 in 2009.

“This announcement adds another important export market to the HSV portfolio, on top of our successful program with Vauxhall in the UK and longstanding presence in New Zealand,” said HSV managing director Scott Grant.

“HSV is already a well-known brand among car enthusiasts in the Middle East, many of whom are fans of the Aussie high-performance cars and our racing activities.



“We have also been involved in the region through supply and preparation of 20 ClubSport R VZ models for the Lumina CSV Championship, which is run by the Bahrain International Race Circuit and sponsored by Chevrolet.”

The export deal is a breakthrough for HSV, which has struggled to crack the Middle East market, despite Holden’s long-running export program to the region.

An HSV spokesman said this week that the company was continuing to work on an export deal to the Middle East for the long-wheelbase Grange luxury sedan.

It is also striving to gain a foothold in the US market on the back of the Pontiac G8 program.

GM Holden has shipped more than 200,000 short- and long-wheelbase vehicles to the region since 1998, making it the biggest and most enduring volume export market for the Australian car-maker.

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New Grange has HSV's sights on Middle East