History
Holden Special Vehicles, or HSV, just recently passed its 25th anniversary last year here in Australia. Starting in 1987 as a spinoff from the long-time Australian auto company Holden, the group Pemoso Pty Ltd. was formed between Holden and Tom Walkinshaw, a Scottish Formula One racing enthusiast. HSV made its debut release with the revised VL Commodore that was branded as the Holden VL Commodore SS Group A SV in 1988, which was later dubbed “the bat mobile” and other names because of its interesting design. The HSV racing team effectively replaced Holden’s previous racing team, the HDT or Holden Dealer Team, and the commitment to racing and circuit driving has continued straightforward ever since then.
The early models were much more boxier in design that today’s third generation of cars in the E class, which sport some of the sleekest and ergonomic designs mounted on top of GM V6 or V8 engines. There have also been plenty of variations in the product lines over the years including some special, limited editions designed for racing. The company has kept most of its production line within the realm of Australia, rather than engaging in much exporting.
Major Events
A lot has happened over the years and HSV has recently come out with some material to celebrate their 25th anniversary including a recap of its short history where plenty of amazing things have happened including a world speed record, racing wins, and much more. What started out as a small partnership has now grown to a larger manufacturing company with just over 70,000 cars and trucks produced over the years, making this brand quite small compared to the much larger, better-known automakers, but much more exclusive as well.
In 1990, the VN Clubsport was introduced and kicked off a legacy of affordable muscle cars under the SV, which also changed to HSV that same year, to a group of Australians that would fall in love with the VN Clubsport. It became widely popular, and has since been one of the most popular under the brand, making it the biggest selling car under the brand to date.
Getting a HSV is more than just getting a car, it is a testament to the spirit of racing and special performance vehicles. HSV made this commitment early on, and as a result has done plenty of extracurricular work to build their profile with customers by adopting a more selective approach to car ownership. Since their members are not as vast as other companies, they have created a First Owners Club, which honours and recognises first-time buyers into the sport of auto racing. The club provides a more intimate membership than other auto clubs and gives members the opportunity to share feedback on design and build, as well as options to participate in meetings and races.
Going Forward
Most recently, the 25th Anniversary GTS Edition was released to celebrate HSV and its commitment to racing, with only 140 of the vehicles made to ensure exclusivity. The car is a heavy muscled beast with a 4 Alloy V8, 6.2L engine sitting on 20” rims. Sleek and stylish, the car sets HSV as one of the best performance car makers in the country, and even the world.
As part of the racing culture, the HSV team has also established the HSV experience, that gives users the option to attend a racing event, or get racing training from HSV professionals. Many dates are listed throughout 2014 to train new high performance drivers on the tactics used to race including circuit driving, handling tight turns, and many other skills.
Getting into the spirit of racing is a complete experience with HSV since they provide the vehicle, support, and resources to become fully engaged in the spirit of auto racing. As long as the spirit of racing continues to live on, HSV will be sure to have a part to play in how it unfolds.
