| When it was time for a new HSV
performance leader, HSV invoked the spirit of the top dog Monaro and the GTS tag
re-emerged with the force of a nuclear blast. Drawing on lessons from previous IRS
Statesman-based models and the VN Group A, HSV hit the ground running with the first VP
GTS. At last, HSV had an independent rear suspension for its big grunt cars. The GTS was
HSV’s first elite performance model with suspension that lifted it into the grand
touring class exposing those with anything less as pretenders. In a move reminiscent of
the legendary battles of the late 1960’s, the GTS was a knockout package and
therefore humiliated the Falcon GT on its revival. For maximum impact and performance, the
VP GTS drew on most of the VN Group A’s aerodynamic body additions and combined them
with top shelf Senator wheels, grille and rear spoiler. It was a rare combination of brawn and class. And so it was
under the bonnet. HSV brewed a special engine starting with the Group A block and
internals capped off with the SV5000’s red motor ancillaries to keep the bonnet line
low. It provided the best of both worlds, mean, powerful, amazingly flexible for road use
and all the stamina of an endurance race engine. It was evil enough to warrant its black
rocker covers and it is not for nothing that it is called the black engine. HSV’s
premium brake package was there to harness it. The cabin was a match for all this action
with a development of the Group A sports seats trimmed in body hugging cloth trim and a
magnificent three spoke Momo steering wheel. The driver wore the GTS like a glove, big
enough to be a boxing glove, yet driven quickly, the GTS grew smaller as it took on the
precision of a rapier-like blade of steel.
The GTS represents pure distilled HSV magic
and its tiny production run means there will never be enough to go around. |
