8 nerdy HSV GTSR W1 facts

The new W1 might look almost identical to the regular HSV GTSR, but the level of engineering change under the skin is extensive.

Below are eight little details you might not have realised about HSV’s greatest locally-built model.

1. Why go to the trouble of using a different engine for an extra 39kW/75Nm? The LSA and its transmission were close to their maximum power capabilities and while the LS9 shares the LSA’s 6162cc capacity, it’s a very different beast inside, which you can read more about here.

2. The Corvette ZR1, which originally housed the LS9 engine, used hydraulically-assisted power steering, whereas all HSVs use electric power assistance. This forced HSV to come up with a bespoke front-end accessory drive for the engine, one of a number of bespoke parts required for the W1.

3. The W1 uses carbon fibre for the vents in the front guards, the over-the-radiator air intake and upper plane of the rear spoiler. The lightweight material is sourced from Italian outfit BMC.

4. The GTSR W1 is the only production car in the world to use Pirelli’s P Zero Trofeo R tyres as standard fitment. The only other cars to offer them are the Honda NSX and McLaren P1 as optional rubber. Careful with the burnouts though, as they’re said to be $1400 a pair.

5. Using the Corvette ZR1 gearset allows the GTSR W1 to hit 100km/h in first gear. Why is this important? The Corvette is designed to clear the all-important 0-60mph benchmark without a time-sapping gear change, and 60mph is 97km/h.

For reference the maximum in-gear speeds for the W1 are 1st: 100km/h 2nd: 142km/h 3rd: 189km/h 4th: 228km/h 5th: 279km/h 6th: 336km/h, though as with all HSVs top speed is limited to 250km/h.

6. The W1 uses fixed-rate dampers in place of the regular GTS’s adaptive MRC system. The dampers are supplied by SupaShock, which also supplies suspension to the Prodrive and Walkinshaw Supercar operations and the Virgin Racing Formula E team.

7. With 390mm rotors and six-piston callipers at the front joined by 372mm rotors and four-piston callipers at the rear, the standard HSV GTS has some of the world’s best brakes. However, not only are the W1’s new front stoppers bigger with fully-floating two-piece 410mm discs, they are also 10 per cent lighter and increase pad area by 25 per cent.

8. The front guards of the W1 are 12mm wider each side and made of polypropylene rather than aluminium. They’ve been on the wishlist of HSV designer Julian Quincey for more than a decade.