HSV Clubsport

Infobox Automobile


name = HSV Clubsport
aka = CSV CR8
Vauxhall VXR8
manufacturer = Holden Special Vehicles
parent_company = General Motors
production = 1990–present
assembly = Clayton, Victoria, Australia
predecessor = Vauxhall Monaro VXR (UK)
class = Full-size car
body_style = 4-door sedan
platform = GM Zeta platform
layout=FR layout
engine = 6.0 L "Generation 4 Alloy" V8
(2008) 6.2 litre LS3 V8
transmission = 6-speed "Tremec T-56" manual
wheelbase = Auto mm|2915|1
related = Holden VE Commodore
Holden WM Statesman
Pontiac G8

The HSV Clubsport is a full-size car produced by Holden Special Vehicles in Australia since 1990. The car has also been sold in the United Kingdom as the Vauxhall VXR8 since July 2007, and in 2008 began being sold in the Middle East as the CSV CR8 by Chevrolet Special Vehicles.

Derivation

The Clubsport R8 takes its fundamental body structure from the mainstream Holden VE Commodore. It is also the standard model in the HSV Line up.From April 2008, all HSV models will be use 6.2 litre LS3 V8s, instead of the previous LS2. The LS3 will power the HSVs at 317kW & 550Nm. HSV has done this so in future HSV models, the LS3 can be tuned.

Performance

The R8 can accelerate from 0-100 km/h (62 mp/h) in only 4.8 seconds in the manual, 5.0 in the auto, and has a top speed of convert|175|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on.

Imports to the UK and the US

350 VXR8's per year are scheduled for official importation into the UK, at a price of £35,105. Of the 110 ordered before first deliveries were made, 100 had been ordered with the Vauxhall warranted "loud exhaust" package, developed by Wortec. This uses a switchable exhaust system, allowing an electronic alteration of the exhaust gas path through the "standard" muffler, or via the new uprated Wortec muffler. The LS2 V8 is particularly popular among tuners in the USA, so performance parts are widely available. The most dramatic warranted upgrade is the £7,000 supercharger kit, which ups power to Convert|530|hp|kW|0|abbr=on. Imports to the US are sold as Pontiac G8, with V6, L98 V8, or an LS3 V8 engine in the GXP trim.

See Also

*HSV GTS
*HSV Senator

External links

* [http://www.hsv.com.au Holden Special Vehicles]
* [http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vx/vxr/flash/index.html Official VXR website]
* [http://www.wortec.co.uk/uk/vxr8.html Creator of the VXR8 Carbon and VXR500]
* [http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=119758#2 Meet Pontiac G8's Cousin: Vauxhall VXR8]