Reviews
Gallery 1
Australians are good at naming things.
Oh, sure, we like to take the mickey now and then, which is why your friend’s chihuahua is called Killer and old mate John with the flaming red hair is known as Bluey, but in general, Aussies take names very seriously.
For example, the vast area of sandy desert in the country’s north-west is called the Great Sandy Desert; likewise, the huge band of coral reef that forms a barrier off Australia’s east coast is the Great Barrier Reef. The bridge across Sydney harbour? The Sydney Harbour Bridge. Not everyone gets this common-sense naming convention, which is why Paul Edmund Strzelecki named our highest peak Mount Kosciuszko instead of Really Massive Hill.
Limited to 150 units plus another six for the Kiwis, at $68,900 for the manual – another $2500 for the automatic – the Track Edition is $3000 more than the R8 SV but $4300 less than the MY15 Clubsport R8.
It’s easy to be cynical about any end-of-the-line special edition, but while there is the obligatory ID plate and blacked-out styling tweaks, a glance at the spec sheet suggests that Engineering may have had just as much a hand in the Track Edition as Marketing.
Other visual tweaks include the ‘Hyperflow Performance’ rear spoiler as standard, various bits of blacked-out trim, cool shadow chrome exhaust tips and a suede steering wheel for track day respect points. Of more interest, however, is what can’t be seen.
HSV has re-engineered the suspension “to reduce body roll and improve corner-entry response”; more specifically, spring rates have been stiffened by more than 200 per cent to around 6kg/mm front and 9.5kg/mm rear for the tech heads out there. The dampers are re-valved to match and new rebound springs are fitted.
It doesn’t take too long for the changes to make themselves felt. HSV says there has been “minimal degradation to ride comfort” but it must have a different definition of “minimal” as the Track Edition is very firm, a step beyond even the LSA cars which are already right on the verge of what’s tolerable day-to-day.
The rest of the drive experience is, unsurprisingly, more or less identical to a regular Clubsport R8. The naturally-aspirated LS3 V8 doesn’t have the massive mid-range punch of the newer forced-induction V8s but is arguably better for it. Power builds progressively as the revs rise which gives you a good excuse, as if any was needed, to use more of the engine more of the time.
Your ears will thank you for doing so, as the combination of HSV’s bi-modal exhaust and ‘Mechanical Sound Enhancer’ produces a particularly sweet V8 song and with 340kW/570Nm this is still a very rapid four-door sedan. It feels a little odd to have an automatic gearbox in a car aimed at circuit work, but the 6L80E six-speed at least makes for undemanding low-speed progress and is relatively obedient to manual shift requests.
In contrast, the Track Edition feels more locked down, not just over bumps but in terms of its grip levels, too. With 340kW on a wet road, oversteer is never far away, but the rear feels more reluctant to relinquish grip and when it does so the transition seems more sudden. This is clearly a result of the suspension modifications, as the Track Edition wears the same Continental ContiSportContact 5P rubber, measuring 255/35 front and 275/35 rear, as every other HSV.
To get a true reading on the Track Edition’s abilities, however, we need to venture to its intended habitat. Bryant Park hillclimb, better known as Haunted Hills, isn’t a traditional racetrack in the sense of Phillip Island or Sydney Motorsport Park, but its combination of constant, varying-radius corners and gnarly elevation changes can quickly expose any chassis shortcomings.
Driven somewhat more sensibly, the Clubsport Track Edition proves its moniker is more than just marketing waffle – this is a car that loves the track. It does feel a little less playful than a standard Clubsport, but is still highl adjustable in a high-horsepower, rear-drive way; simply wait for the nose to bite, give it a bootful and feel the tail wag on corner exit. Not necessarily the fastest way, but lots of fun.
HSV claims the suspension tweaks are worth two seconds a lap around Winton, and while we weren’t necessarily driving for a lap time at Haunted Hills, examining the video footage later gave a best lap of 1:04.5sec, similar to the M4 Competition and C63 AMG Coupe that were also present on the day. Not scientific or conclusive, but interesting that a $70K HSV can be in roughly the same ballpark.
And this brings us to our reservations about the Track Edition. The level of engineering changes means it’s far more than a marketing run-out special, and it absolutely does what it says on the tin – it’s a Clubsport that is more than capable of sustained track work. But it could have been so much more.
HSV says a crucial goal for the last-of-the-line LS3 Clubsports was affordability, something it’s undoubtedly achieved with the sharp $68,990 sticker, but given the car’s limited-run status, we’d be prepared to bet enthusiasts would’ve been prepared to pay more for something truly special. HSV has form here. Remember the VZ Clubsport Dealer Team Spec from 2005?
We’re just not sold that the improvement in racetrack performance offsets the compromise in ride quality. Don’t get us wrong, the Track Edition is still a very enjoyable car, and good value, too, but with sticky tyres, lighter wheels and a shorter diff ratio it would be something spectacular, even at $75K or more.
If you’re a track day addict and like the idea of a Track Edition, buy a manual, fit a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s or similar and you’ll have a blast. But get in quick, because HSV estimates around 50 per cent have already been sold. For the majority of users, though, the Clubsport R8 SV is a better bet.
LIKE: Benchmark brakes; chassis balance; value DISLIKE: Ride quality; unfulfilled potential
SPECS body 4-door, 5-seat sedan drive rear-wheel engine 6162cc V8, OHV, 16v bore/stroke 103.1 x 91.9mm compression 10.7:1 power 340kW @ 6100rpm torque 570Nm @ 4650rpm power/weight 196kW/tonne transmission 6-speed automatic weight 1739kg FRONT suspension struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar REAR suspension multi-links, coil springs, anti-roll bar L/W/h 4991/1899/1453mm wheelbase 2915mm tracks 1616/1590mm (f/r) steering electrically-assisted rack-and-pinion FRONT brakes 390mm ventilated/drilled discs, 6-piston calipers REAR brakes 367mm ventilated/drilled discs, 4-piston calipers wheels 20.0 x 8.5-inch (f); 20.0 x 9.5-inch (r) tyres 255/35 ZR20 (f); 275/35 ZR20 (r) Continental ContiSportContact 5P price as tested $71,490
