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Holden Special Vehicles today unveiled the all new E Series 2 (E2) range featuring several Australian production car firsts, a significant new design theme and a number of new driver features for Australia’s favourite luxury and performance car company.

Managing Director Phil Harding said today was a proud day for HSV. “We decided to make a major investment in new product, features and performance, in a time of unprecedented economic turmoil,” Phil Harding said.

“The new E2 range is yet another opportunity to demonstrate the engineering and design excellence of HSV,” he said.

E Series 2 highlights include;

-The return of the GTS to the top of HSV’s performance pedigree with 325kW of power, hi-flow intermediate exhaust system with bi-modal mufflers, re-calibrated Magnetic Ride Control with stiffer springs and 8.5 inch front wheels as standard,

-The addition of stunning Daytime Running Lamps throughout the range, giving HSV owners greater differentiation than ever before,

-Fuel economy savings of up to 4.5%,

-A dramatic new frontal shockwave graphic, with different interpretations across the model line-up,

-A number of new driver enhancements including ‘Competition Mode’ Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Launch Control (manual only) and Extended Cruise Control,

-A range of new options under the banner of ‘SV Enhanced’ including six piston front brake calipers for GTS, a new ‘Performance Suspension’ for Clubsport R8, bi-modal exhaust on ClubSport R8 sedan ‘ Clubsport R8 Tourer, Maloo R8, Senator Signature and Grange,

-No price increase on ClubSport R8, Clubsport R8 Tourer and Maloo R8, while GTS and Senator Signature rise by just $700 .

Phil Harding said HSV’s new 325kW GTS continued the forty year tradition of the nameplate being at the pinnacle of Australian performance motoring.

“To be able to deliver a sophisticated, striking modern day interpretation of the GTS performance saloon – at an accessible price – is a tribute to our entire team,” he said.

HSV E2 facelift price and specifications

ClubSport R8

-All new front and rear design encompassing performance bonnet scoops and ‘shockwave’ inspired theme.
-317kW LS3 V8 engine.
-Competition Mode ESC
-Extended Cruise Control
-Launch Control (manual vehicles only).
-Four piston front and rear brakes.
-All new E2 Sports 19 inch wheels
-Sports cloth seating as standard.
-SV Enhanced options include Performance suspension, bi-modal exhaust, Sports leather seats and 20 inch wheels.
Retails from $65,990*

Maloo R8

-All new front appearance encompassing performance bonnet scoops and ‘shockwave’ inspired theme.
-317kW LS3 V8 engine.
-Competition Mode ESC.
-Extended Cruise Control.
-Launch Control (manual vehicles only).
-All new E2 Sports 19 inch wheels.
-Sports cloth seats as standard.
-Driver ‘ passenger front airbags now include front, seat side ‘ curtain side airbags.
-Addition of dual 8” subwoofers located in the rear cabin quarter trims. Audio output 170W.
-SV Enhanced options include bi-modal exhaust, Sports leather seats and 20 inch wheels.
Retails from $62,990*

ClubSport R8 Tourer

-All new front appearance encompassing performance bonnet scoops and ‘shockwave’ inspired theme
-317kW LS3 V8 engine
-Competition Mode ESC.
-Extended Cruise Control.
-Launch Control (manual vehicles only).
-Four piston front and rear brakes.
-All new E2 Sports 19 inch wheels.
-Sports cloth seats as standard.
-SV Enhanced options include bi-modal exhaust, Sports leather seats and 20 inch wheels.
Retails from $66,990*

GTS

-All new front and rear appearance encompassing performance bonnet scoops and ‘shockwave’ inspired theme.
-Upgraded 325kW LS3 V8 engine.
-Hi-flow intermediate exhaust with bi-modal mufflers.
-Competition Mode ESC.
-Extended Cruise Control.
-Launch Control (manual vehicles only).
-Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) Performance suspension, stiffer and recalibrated.
-Four piston front and rear brakes. All new E2 Performance 20 inch wheels.
-Performance leather seats.
-SV Enhanced options include six-piston front brake callipers, finished in SV Enhance yellow with black HSV insignia and four-piston rears with unique wheel accenting.
Retails from $80,990*’#8195;

Senator Signature

-All new sophisticated front and rear appearance incorporating subtle elements of the shockwave graphic theme.
-317kW LS3 V8 engine.
-Competition Mode ESC.
-Extended Cruise Control.
-Launch Control (manual vehicles only).
-Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) Premium suspension.
-Luxury Nappa leather seats.
-Four piston front and rear brakes
-All new E2 Luxury 19 inch wheels.
-SV Enhanced options include bi-modal exhaust and 20 inch wheels.
Retails from $82,990*

WM Grange

-317kW LS3 V8 engine.
-Competition Mode ESC.
-Extended Cruise Control.
-Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) Premium suspension.
-Luxury Nappa leather seats.
-Four piston front and rear brakes
-All new E2 Luxury 19 inch wheels.
-SV Enhanced options include bi-modal exhaust and 20 inch wheels
Retails from $87,990*

The HSV Engineering story behind E2 began not long after the release of E Series in August 2006.

The VE architecture gave the HSV Engineering team a wonderful platform to work from and in the three years since, a number of refinements, revisions, updates and upgrades via the release of Grange, Maloo, Tourer and model year changes have bought HSV to the release of E Series 2.

E2 introduces a number of driver enhancements, as well as an increase in the power output for the HSV GTS to 325kW, but not at the expense of fuel economy.

Chief Engineer Joel Stoddart said one of the goals of the E2 development program was to improve fuel economy.

“We have achieved up to 4.5% improvement in fuel economy, with an auto ClubSport R8 now returning 13.9 litres per 100km,” he said.

Specific driver enhancements include;

-Competition Mode ESC allows enthusiastic driving, while still providing a high level of support from ABS, Traction Control and Stability control systems. ESC will be compulsory in all passenger vehicles sold in Australia from 2011.

-Intelligent Launch Control comes standard in all manual transmission HSV E2s and removes the guess work from ‘off the line’ starts. Launch Control provides the ability to accelerate from a standstill to the cars maximum potential.

-Extended Cruise Control provides additional confidence for the HSV E2 driver where their vehicle will not exceed the speed they have set the cruise control to. This is particularly important on downhill sections of road, greatly improving safety and minimising the risk of exceeding the speed limit.

In addition to Extended Cruise Control, HSV’s Chief Engineer Joel Stoddart said HSV’s E2 safety story extended to the introduction of stunning new Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).

“The introduction of DRLs not only make the car stand out more than ever on the road, but are also a safety feature,” Joel Stoddart said.

“According to the latest research out of Europe; DRLs have led to a greater than 25% reduction in road accidents.”

Joel Stoddart said his team were particularly proud of the new HSV E Series 2 GTS.

“The King is Back,” he said. “To return the GTS to the top of HSV’s performance pedigree is something the team is really pleased about.”

HSV Chief of Design and Styling, Julian Quincey, said work on sketching E2 began in early 2007, not long after the original E Series began delivering record sales for HSV.

“Our customers were telling HSV they loved the differentiation the new model delivered, giving us the starting point for designing the next generation,” Julian Quincey said.

“We needed a new identity that would both excite the passionate HSV buyer and equally one that could be picked out by the non car enthusiast.”

“This meant that our overall front and rear graphics had to be substantially changed from the original E series and ideally also look lower, wider and more sporty,” he said.

“This made the performance hood a desirable addition to the ClubSport and GTS models.”

“The twin bonnet intakes also work well with our signature twin nostril grill and the feature lines are very dynamic with a strongly angled taper to the front of the car.”

HSV E2 also introduces a ‘shockwave’ graphic theme across the model line-up.

“The new theme runs across the front and rear graphics, design of the mesh, wheels and exhaust tips,” Julian Quincey said.

The GTS wheel repeats the Shockwave graphic which is heavily emphasised with the use of a polished front face.

Similarly the ClubSport R8 picks up the dynamic angled spoke shape inspired by the graphic.

The exhaust tips complete HSV’s striking new look with stainless steel surrounds.

Quincey said the addition of ‘Daytime Running Lamps’ to the line-up made E2 stand out from the crowd.

“We felt that such a strong visual cue was crucial to the new cars identity and visibility,” he said.

“I am proud of the entire new package, but particularly just how striking the front of the car appears.”

Julian Quincey’s team includes former Wheels Young Designer of the Year, Adam Dean Smith. HSV has also hosted Johannes Collopy during 2009, as part of his prize for winning the 2008 Wheels Young Designer of the Year award.