The HSV W427 was a limited-edition flagship released in 2008 to celebrate Holden Special Vehicles’ 20th anniversary. Based on the E Series Commodore, it was also HSV’s answer to the disappointment caused by the cancellation of its HRT 427 project, and it used a 7,011 cc LS7 V8 rated at 375 kW.
HSV W427 at a glance
| Maker | Holden Special Vehicles, Clayton, Victoria |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 2008, for HSV’s 20th anniversary |
| Basis | E Series Holden Commodore |
| Engine | 7,011 cc LS7 V8 |
| Power | 375 kW (510 PS, 503 bhp) at 6,500 rpm |
| Torque | 640 N·m (472 lb·ft) at 5,000 rpm |
| Model type | limited-edition flagship |
| Precursor | HRT 427 concept of 2002, cancelled before production |
English Wikipedia has no separate W427 article: the title redirects to the VE Commodore page, and the model is described in the HSV nameplates section. The article uses those two pages.
History of the HSV W427
A flagship for the 20th anniversary
HSV was founded in 1987 and marked its 20th anniversary in 2008 with a limited-edition flagship. The W427 was based on the E Series Commodore, the HSV version of the VE Commodore that Holden had launched in July 2006. That car was the first Commodore entirely designed and developed in Australia rather than derived from an Opel platform, and it sat on the new GM Zeta architecture; HSV versions followed soon after the sedan’s debut.
Why it existed
The W427 was also built to address public disappointment after HSV cancelled its ambitious HRT 427 project, which had been previewed in 2002. That concept, named after the Holden Racing Team and its 7-litre, 427-cubic-inch engine, had been intended for a run of 50 cars; the W427 revived the idea five years later in series production, if still in very small numbers.
The LS7
The engine was the 7,011 cc LS7 V8, rated at 375 kW (510 PS, 503 bhp) at 6,500 rpm and 640 N·m (472 lb·ft) at 5,000 rpm. It made the W427 the most powerful car in the HSV range at the time and the largest-displacement engine the company had fitted to a road car. Production was limited, and the model has remained one of the best-known HSV specials since.
Design and features
- Seven litres: the largest engine in the HSV range at the time, a 7,011 cc LS7 V8.
- Anniversary flagship: released for HSV’s 20th anniversary in 2008.
- E Series basis: built on HSV’s version of the VE Commodore, the first Commodore designed entirely in Australia.
- Continuation of the HRT 427: the production answer to a 2002 concept that never reached the road.
HSV W427 versions
- W427 (2008): the limited-edition flagship with the LS7 V8.
- HRT 427 concept (2002): the cancelled 7.0-litre project that inspired it.
The W427 was the most powerful of the E Series cars, alongside the Clubsport R8, and it belongs to the HSV collection.
Video: Top Gear Australia – Holden Special Vehicles HSV W427
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Holden Special Vehicles, English Wikipedia: W427 nameplate, anniversary, engine and output
- Holden Commodore (VE), English Wikipedia: E Series basis, VE development, Zeta platform
- HSV Coupé, English Wikipedia: the HRT 427 concept of 2002
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