Holden Special Vehicles – one of the most evocative makers of go-fast Aussie cars. First established in 1987 as a joint venture between Holden and Tom Walkinshaw Racing, HSV is considered the de-facto skunkworks arm of Holden, building several legendary performance cars throughout the years.

For a listing of all HSV brake pads, click HERE.

If you want a walk down memory lane or just simply familiarize yourself with HSV’s history, read on.

VL (1988-1989)

HSV’s illustrious series of cars all began with the almighty VL Commodore. And their very first offering? The Commodore SS Group A SV. Born of the Group A era’s racing homologation regulations, the Commodore SS Group A SV looked like something pulled right off the Bathurst blacktop.

The first thing you notice about the “Walky” is its outrageous aero package. Whilst polarising in its day, the SS Group A SV’s aero has become part of the charm attached to the legendary piece of Aussie muscle. Not only that, but Plastic Fantastic’s aero also reduced drag by over 25%.

Under the bonnet, the SS Group A SV received an electronically fuel-injected 4.9L V8 that was built to race-spec. This netted about 180kW and 380Nm - certainly nothing to scoff at, especially in it’s time.

In the wake of the Group A SV’s success, HSV then released the VL SV88. Based on the Holden Calais, the VL SV88 was less hardcore than the Group A SV and geared more towards luxury. The VL SV88 came equipped with a reworked version of the familiar 4.9L V8. This motor saw a 10kW increase to 135kW and 355Nm thanks to the use of leftover HDT internals.

Outside, the VL SV88 was fitted with a minor bodykit and special colour-coded wheels. Inside, the VL SV88 was equipped with HSV leather and velour seats. Buyers could also choose to add a car phone or a mobile fax.

To round out the HSV VL offerings, there was the VL F20. By far the rarest of the HSV VLs, only 4 F20s were ever built. They featured parts from both the SV88 and the Group A SV and were fitted with the Nissan-sourced straight-6 motor.


Part Numbers:

- VL (1988-1989) All Models Front: DB1085 GCT, DB1085 HD, DB1085 ULT, DB1085 SRT
- VL (1988-1989) All Models Rear: BS1385


VN (1990-1991)

HSV began tinkering with the VN Series Commodores in 1990. The VN Series saw the introduction of mainstay HSV badges such as the Clubsport and the Maloo. The VN also saw the final HSV to be dubbed the SS Group A SV.

The final Commodore built to suit Group A racing’s homologation regulations, the VN SS Group A SV was built in fewer numbers than its VL older brother with only 302 ever produced. Holden’s 5.0L V8 was fettled with even more to produce a hefty 215kW. That power was sent to the rear treads via the ZF 6-speed manual transmission pulled straight from the Corvette ZR-1.

Whilst it’s aero package was far more understated than that of the VL, it still looked the part and looked right at home on the race track. All of them were given a coat of Durif Red, except for three black examples. Two of these were offered as part of a giveaway by Tooheys and one was painted black especially for a Malaysian prince.

HSV’s VN offerings also gave us two iconic nameplates that would stick around until the Commodore’s final chapter, the Clubsport and the Maloo.

The Clubsport was released as a more attainable means for enthusiasts to get into HSV ownership. Featuring muscle car performance without as many luxury features, the Clubsport could be had for less money, making it an instant success.

The Maloo was HSV’s first foray into the world of utes. Gifted with the same performance credentials as the Clubsport, the Maloo had a slight speed advantage over its sedan counterparts thanks to its lightweight body.


Part Numbers:

- VN (1990-1991) All Models Front: DB1085 GCT, DB1085 HD, DB1085 ULT, DB1085 SRT
- VN (1990-1991) All Models Rear: DB1086 GCT, DB1086 HD, DB1086 ULT
- VN w/ Twin Piston Front Caliper (1990-1991) All Models Front: DB1353 GCT, DB1353 HD, DB1353 ULT, DB1353 BR
- VN w/ Twin Piston Front Caliper (1990-1991) All Models Rear: DB1354 GCT, DB1354 ULT, DB1354 BR


VP (1991-1993)

The VP Commodore possesses the distinction of being the first Commodore to be offered with independent rear suspension, which made a world of difference when it came to modernising the Aussie family hauler’s handling. HSV took advantage of this and introduced two more iconic nameplates that would become common place until the final Gen-F2 range – The Senator and the GTS.

The Senator was released as a model that offered both luxury and performance. Built to the same performance spec as the Clubsport, the Senator came feature-packed to set it apart from the rest of the HSV stable. Automatic climate control, leather interior, remote central locking, power windows, power mirrors and a limited slip differential were all standard fare for the Senator.

The GTS was introduced as HSV’s range topper, featuring a revised version of the 5.0L V8 found in the VN Group A SS SV. Singing to the tune of 200kW, the GTS was HSV’s most powerful offering in the VP series. It’s body kit received styling cues taken from the VN Group A. Standard on the GTS were brake calipers lifted from the Corvette C4.

On top of the GTS’ impressive performance credentials, it also received the same features as the Senator, with a factory-fitted security system and trip computer to boot.


Part Numbers:

- VP (1991-1993) All Models Front: DB1085 GCT, DB1085 HD, DB1085 ULT, DB1085 SRT
- VP (1991-1993) All Models Rear: DB1086 GCT, DB1086 HD, DB1086 ULT
- VP w/ Twin Piston Front Caliper (1991-1993) All Models Front: DB1353 GCT, DB1353 HD, DB1353 ULT, DB1353 BR
- VP w/ Twin Piston Front Caliper (1991-1993) All Models Rear: DB1354 GCT, DB1354 ULT, DB1354 BR


VR/VS (1993-1997)

The introduction of the VR Series brought a styling overhaul to the Commodore range. Some might argue that HSV started implementing the more extreme styling cues that would become a signature of today’s HSVs with the VR Series. The VR and VS featured classic HSV mainstays such as the Clubsport, Senator and GTS with 1996 seeing the release of the Grange, a HSV-fettled version of the long wheelbase Statesman.

But the star of the show? The GTS-R. The mere mention of those four letters illicit thoughts of big wings, V8 grunt, hefty price tags and of course, the colour yellow. Or more accurately, “Yellah”.

Designed to be a close to a road-going V8 Supercar as possible, the GTS-R represented the pinnacle of Australian automotive engineering at the time. The GTS-R received a six-speed transmission, a Hydratrak LSD, carbon-fibre inserts all-round the body, bright yellow interior accents, and of course, that enormous rear wing designed to emulate those seen on the HRT race cars of the same era.

But the party piece? Aside from the polarising bright Yellah paint-job, it’s the 5.7L V8 stroked from the original 5.0L motor, fettled by Harrop to produce a healthy 215kW. You could also opt for the “blueprinted” option, which sent the motor over to HRT to be stripped down and rebuilt, netting about a 15-20kW increase in power.

Whilst it’s daring appearance certainly divided opinions, there’s no doubting that the GTS-R was made all the more special for it. With only 85 examples ever built, the GTS-R remains one of HSVs most exclusive offerings. So if you fancy one in your garage, be prepared to pay a pretty penny – even for one requiring some TLC.