HSV GTSR in Great British send-off at Goodwood

THE men and women at HSV must be a proud bunch, with their latest creation being enjoyed for its tyre-frying qualities the world over.

A total of 20 HSV GTSR utes and sedans, branded as Vauxhall VXR8s, are to be sold in the UK, and to celebrate, a Slipstream Blue sedan was air freighted early to wow crowds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Those knowledgeable Brits saw through the Vauxhall badging and made sure to appreciate the GTSR in a distinctly Aussie fashion.

Behind the wheel for one of the runs was Autocar journo, Neil Winn. UK media outlets, bless their scone-eating hearts, have been kind to Vauxhall-badged HSV GTS models over the years, and seem to have grown equally as fond of our supercharged beasties despite a much shorter exposure to the breed.

And yes, even a stoic Brit can get misty eyed about seeing HSV’s V8 creations cease production.

“Burbling back down the hill, following a McLaren P1 GTR of all things, brings home just how much we will miss Vauxhall’s V8-engined brute” Winn writes.

“Even when surrounded by the world’s rarest supercars, the marshals along with 150,000 strong crowds can’t help but target the GTS-R, shouting for burnouts every time I come to a stop. I duly oblige; after all, this will be the last time this particular car will be driven in anger.”

The HSV GTS has been sold in the UK dressed up as a Vauxhall VXR8 since 2007, and the Brits have fallen in love with it during that time. It’s no surprise then that they are as sad to see it go as we are.