HSV Grange SV 2016 Review

HSV Grange SV
Road Test

The long, slow wind down of the Australian car industry is underway. Soon the Ford Falcon and Territory will be gone and Holden Cruze production ends around the same time. Also departing soon is the HSV Grange, the long wheelbase flagship of the official Holden hot tuner’s range. Never a big seller, the Grange carved its niche as an affordable executive sports saloon, a role it fulfils right to the end thanks to this final limited edition, the SV.

Sadly, this is just one of many farewell stories Aussie motoring journos are going to write over the next year or so.

It’s for the last version of the Grange, which is Holden Special Vehicles’ pumped up version of the Holden Caprice long wheelbase luxury car.

Dubbed the SV, just 50 individually numbered examples are being built before HSV calls a halt to Grange production in October after 20 years, a victim of tightening Euro 5 emissions regulations that come into force in November.

That’s around the same time as Ford goes out of the assembly business in Australia and Holden kills off Cruze production.

Of course, in 2017 Holden and Toyota both also shut down their local assembly operations and, ironically enough, HSV will probably become the biggest local assembler of vehicles.

As a send-off HSV has ramped up the standard Grange with some extra styling gear designed to give it more attitude. Yet the price remains the same at $86,990 (plus on-road costs). These days that really puts it in a sparsely contested class, offering big space, big performance and big value that few others get anywhere near.

Forget the big and vastly more expensive Germans. The Chrysler 300 SRT is its closest rival, maybe the more mainstream Hyundai Genesis and – of course – the recently updated WN Caprice, now with a lower-powered version if the LS3 engine.

The SV’s new styling details centre around using black wherever possible; in the detailing, replacing chrome, in the upper and lower grille surrounds, as the colour of the brake callipers and the previously optional Rapier 20-inch alloy wheels. The oval exhaust tips are finished in shadow chrome and Grange SV sill plates replace the standard items; all that doesn’t do much to change a good looking silhouette that’s been around since late 2006.

The mechanical specification also remains fundamentally unchanged. The SV continues to be powered by the 340kW/570Nm 6.2-litre LS3 pushrod engine that drives the rear-wheel via a General Motors six-speed automatic transmission.

AP brakes continue, including four piston callipers, while suspension duties are handled by Magnetic Ride Control and staggered 20-inch Continental ContiSportContacts continue to be the tyre of choice.

One mechanical item added is the sound enhancer developed by Holden for its version of the LS3 used in the Commodore (but not Caprice), which now combines with HSV’s bi-modal exhaust in the Grange.

Existing Grange equipment which continues on in the SV includes sat-nav, dual-zone climate control, nine-speaker BOSE audio system with DVD player (including two rear screens), head-up display and luxury seats in Onyx leather trim with front-seat memory function and heaters.

Safety equipment includes six airbags, forward-collision alert, lane-departure warning, side blind-zone alert, reverse traffic alert, a reversing camera and front and rear park assist. The Grange theoretically has – if not actually listed as having – a five-star ANCAP rating courtesy of the Caprice, which in turn picks up that rating up from the short wheelbase Commodore.

Sitting in the Grange it’s obvious the mainstream models pass on more than crash characteristics.

There is some nice Alcantara-style trim that stretches across the dashboard and carbon-fibre and chrome looking detailing in and around the centre stack and instrument panel. But the bones are obviously VF-series Commodore.

From the twin-dial gauges across to the small 8.0-inch colour touchscreen that sits atop buttons peculiarly angled toward the roof and labelled in an under-sized font, this is obviously Holden styling.

It is now dated, there’s no two ways about it in the era of the digitised and driver-adjustable world of widescreen instrumentation and Apple CarPlay. But it still looks classy, works okay and is personalised by HSV with some extra features including Grange SV badging and – far more importantly – the Driver Preference Dial.

This changes the behaviour of the stability control, traction control, electric-assist power steering, MRC suspension and bi-modal exhaust.

There are three tiers of adjustment; Touring, Sport and Performance and the change in character of the car is subtle yet still noticeable.

Having said that let’s not forget the whole pyramid of performance is built on the brilliant locally-developed Zeta architecture that first appeared 10 years ago with the VE-series Commodore and in long wheelbase form in WM. Grange has solid foundations.

To be honest it’s easy just to leave the Grange SV in Touring and enjoy the most supple ride set-up. Look, it’s still got an edge of firmness to it, but there’s no doubt sitting behind that leather-trimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel or revelling in masses of back-seat space you’re going to be comfortable.

That back seat is probably the place to be in town. The Caprice is a big car with long overhangs and tight parking spaces is always a challenge. The claimed 11.4m turning circle is good for a big car but feels bigger in practice.

Dial it up and the driver’s seat is the place to be as the chassis balance becomes more focussed on speedy rather than supple progress. It’s never buckboard hard, but it is intrusive and there are more noticeable noise intrusions as the suspension works hard to keep the low-profile rubber in contact with the sometimes rough and ready bitumen we deal with in Australia.

Even dialled up and hunting along the Grange SV is not a car to be put at the top of a sports driving list. At 5203mm long and more than 1800kg it is never nimbly at home on tight and winding roads.

It’s happier when flowing along, allowing its long 3009mm wheelbase to settle into a bend and that big, booming engine to unwind and let rip. And with peak power coming at 6100rpm and peak torque at 4650rpm never be in doubt that this is one engine that likes to rev, does it quickly and sounds darn good in the upper ranges doing it.

Overhead cams might be great PR spin, but overhead valves still do a brilliant job. If there is one thing we should all thank GM and Chevrolet for, it’s the small block V8.

Throw in the ability to manipulate the six-speed auto via shift paddles and there’s not much more you could wish for from the drivetrain … maybe better fuel economy as the 12.9L/100km claim on 98 RON PULP is looking a bit dog-eared these days.

The ancillaries are well sorted, as they should be after all this time; the driver’s seat is supportive without being aggressively sporty – in accordance with the car itself really – and there is no problem making yourself comfortable thanks to a widely adjustable steering wheel, seat and big left footrest. Storage is generous, but the lack of split-fold for the rear seat does compromise ultimate load lugging.

In the end it’s a bit weird to drive a car this good that’s about to die.

It’s well equipped, well priced and drives with a confidence and ability despite its size and weight. But going it is, a product of another age that’s destined to be remembered fondly. Just like a bunch of other locals we are going to soon farewell.

2016 HSV Grange SV pricing and specifications:
Price: $86,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 6.2-litre eight-cylinder petrol
Output: 340kW/570Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 307g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP)

Also consider:
>> Chrysler 300 (from $55,000)
>> Holden Caprice (from $60,990)
>> Hyundai Genesis (from $60,000)