HSV Coupé: the Monaro-based GTO and GTS

The HSV Coupé was Holden Special Vehicles’ version of the Holden Monaro, built from 2001 to 2006. It was offered first as the GTO and GTS with 5.7-litre V8s, later added the all-wheel-drive Coupé4, and ended with a Signature edition of 70 cars as the Monaro line closed.

HSV Coupé at a glance

The GTO is a version of the Coupé and is covered here rather than in a separate article.

History of the HSV Coupé

The GTO and GTS

The HSV Coupé GTO was released in 2001 as the entry-level version, powered by the 5.7-litre LS1 V8 at 255 kW (342 hp) and available with a four-speed automatic as an option. The Coupé GTS followed in February 2002 with the same LS1 tuned by Callaway Cars as the C4B, producing 300 kW (402 hp) and 510 N·m (376 lb·ft); until 2003 the GTS came only with the six-speed Tremec T56 manual.

Series II and III, then the Z Series

In March 2003 the Coupé GTO Series II raised output to 260 kW (349 hp). The Series III of September 2003 took it to 285 kW (382 hp) and 510 N·m, with the first 100 units designated as a limited-edition GTO LE. From February 2004 the GTS was available only to special order, and it was discontinued in 2004 with the arrival of the Coupé4. The Z Series Coupé GTO of October 2004 switched to the 6.0-litre LS2 at 297 kW (398 hp) and 530 N·m (391 lb·ft). A special-edition Signature Coupé, limited to 70 units, was released in 2006 along with another GTO LE.

The Coupé4

The HSV Coupé4 was shown at the 2003 Sydney Motor Show and released in July 2004 as a grand tourer aimed at the sports-luxury segment. It used the 5.7-litre LS1 at 270 kW (362 hp) and 475 N·m (350 lb·ft) with a four-speed automatic and permanent all-wheel drive. The body was that of the left-hand-drive Pontiac GTO, chosen for its quad exhaust system, and the all-wheel-drive system came from the Holden Adventra, with a flexible coupling replacing the CV joint at the rear differential. Torque split was rear-biased at 38:62, weight distribution 55:45 front to rear, and a multi-million-dollar production line with a robot was installed at Clayton to add the flares, the mounting points and crossmembers and to convert the car to right-hand drive. A total of 132 Coupé4 units were produced.

The end of the line

Monaro production ended at the Holden Elizabeth plant in December 2005, but HSV Coupé production continued until 14 June 2006. A total of 423 GTS Coupé units were built. Two concepts pointed at what might have followed: the HRT 427 of 2002, with a 7.0-litre V8 from the Chevrolet Corvette C5R making 420 kW (563 hp) and 780 N·m (575 lb·ft), of which two were built although 50 had been planned at A$215,000 each; and the GTS-R of 2004, a track car with a 6.0-litre LS2 at 335 kW (449 hp), a chromoly roll cage and ceramic composite brakes.

Design and features

• Monaro basis: the two-door body came from Holden’s Monaro, itself the coupé version of the Commodore.
• Callaway tuning: the GTS used an LS1 reworked by Callaway Cars as the C4B, giving 300 kW.
• All-wheel drive: the Coupé4 took its permanent all-wheel-drive system from the Holden Adventra.
• Rear-biased traction: the Coupé4 split torque 38:62 front to rear and carried 55:45 of its weight at the front.
• Left-hand-drive body: the Coupé4 started as a Pontiac GTO shell, chosen for its quad exhaust.

HSV Coupé versions

• Coupé GTO (2001): LS1 at 255 kW, four-speed automatic optional.
• Coupé GTS (2002): Callaway C4B at 300 kW, six-speed manual only until 2003.
• GTO Series II (2003): 260 kW.
• GTO Series III and GTO LE (2003): 285 kW, first 100 as the LE.
• Z Series GTO (2004): 6.0-litre LS2 at 297 kW.
• Coupé4 (2004–2006): all-wheel drive, 270 kW, 132 built.
• Signature Coupé (2006): limited to 70 units.

The Coupé was the two-door relative of the Clubsport R8 and the Maloo, and all of them sit in the HSV collection.

Video: Harrop Enhanced Custom HSV VE Coupe

Video on YouTube.

Sources

• HSV Coupé, English Wikipedia: history, versions, Coupé4, concepts, production totals
• Holden Special Vehicles, English Wikipedia: the Coupé nameplate in the HSV range