Hsv Mines Opels
The Age
Saturday January 10, 2009
HSV, Holden's performance arm, has made no secrets about its desire to wean itself off V8s and on to something leaner.
A sharper version of the Corsa - crudely put, it's what Europe gets in place of our Korean-made Barina - has already been tossed around.Another potential candidate, we're told, is a hot version of Opel's Insignia compact sedan. Fit it with, say, a 225-kW-plus twin-turbo V6 punching through all four wheels, and you could have a real little firebrand to contend with.HSV already fits its badge on a hot version of the Opel-built Astra, rebranding it the VXR, so there's a precedent for the Australian car maker to go and kick tyres at the Opel Performance Centre, the hi-po tuning arm of the European division of GM.Our illustration shows what an HSV-badged version of the Insignia notchback could look like once it takes to our roads. And we think it looks good.Expect some seriously over-sized wheels rimmed in a thin band of rubber, and a go-fast body kit that's expected to have trapezoidal fog-lamps, a lip spoiler on the BMW-inspired boot, as well as better distribution of air to places where it's needed.Other modifications are likely to include a Brembo brake system and twin exhaust pipes hanging out of a race-inspired rear diffuser.It's still up in the air if we are ever going to see more pedestrian versions of the Insignia sold here, given Holden's preference for the Korean-sourced Epica.However, if it gets the jump over Holden, HSV could show us all what we're missing out on.-- BARRY PARK
© 2009 The Age