I HAVE IT

Picked it up last night, wow, first time I have ever bought a new car so its a new experience, first impressions are that it will cost me a fortune in tyres as it leaves rubber everywhere (despite running it in) and I keep banging my head on the door pillar as it's raked back more than the scoob.

Too early to draw Vs Scoob comparisons but the radio is mental and the V8 soundtrack is just as smile inducing as the flat4 burble. MPG is ok too and the wall of torque is never ending, no lag makes it quick off the mark and I can't wait for the decat next week, hopefully I'll be able to scare a few M3's

Linden special vehicles are to Holden what Prodrive is to Subaru so they really know their stuff, they even offer a supercharger kit which adds 210BHP or will rebuild the engine to give over 650BHP - how cool is that ?

 

Step dad is interested in these to replace his current wrx, was impressed by them at the motoshow (well impressed by the engine i think).

Still, he does quite a bit of coutnry lane/moorland driving so would love to know how it handles the more tricky bits of road. No need to comment on its motorway performance though, must be a stormer.

 

Many many . Saw one of these at Inchcape (?) Exeter. Two in fact one obviously demo - and scratched . Very nice looking car. Defo on my alternatives list. How loud is the exhaust? Fed up with driving muted family cars - next car must sound like it goes up hills as well as down!

 

I saw one at the Vaux dealer in Exeter the other day, red beasty

 

That'd be the one - nice scratch on passenger door mirror . Forget which colour the one in the showroom was.

 

Didn't get close enough to it to see the scratch, but was a few weeks ago (was off to maccy d's for my friday lunchtime treat lol)

 

Mcdonalds - a treat!?? Are you mad!? How can u bear to stuff that sh1te into your mouth?

Love the Monaro though, can't beat a nice V8.

 

Heh I only go for the mcflurries

 

Tomorrow is the big day, it's booked in for four days at http://www.lindenspecialvehicles.com to have the stage-2 60BHP upgrade so it will have an even better V8 burble when it's finished

Might get some pics soon too

 

Bloody hell

I have collected it from Linden after the tune and it's had

Cold air intake system
Mass airflow meter
HSV airbox & K&N filter
4-1 headers
2 ½" 'cat back' mild steel CAPA exhausts
decat pipes

It's now a different beast, it sounds like a TVR on steroids and goes like the clappers, it was spinning the wheels in 1st, 2nd & 3rd (in a straight line) on Sunday so thats why it has t/c fitted as standard. I'm well chuffed with it, I was really missing my TypeR but now I'm totally in love again - also everyone still asks "what is it" which is nice.
I love the power and the sound, I even get over 30mpg cruising at 80, however I'm still getting used to the HUGE size of it, it barely fits on the drive and the steering is not as sharp as the TypeR.
If you are considering a Holden, but think they sound gay, don't worry as the Linden upgrade totally transforms it into a proper V8 and it should now at least equal the VXR Monaro in terms of outright power, watch this space for a dyno printout

They had a supercharged HSV pushing out 560bhp for sale, it's a good example of where the mod trail may end (unless the other 1/2 hides the credit card)

 

omg i cant belive how much that pic looks like a volvo c70 coupe.

which is not a bad thing at all as they are very good looking cars.

dan the man, i have to give you credit, for choosing a different car to the NORM, i see so many m3's tt's, etc etc etc etc, nothing fresh, im sure ppl will have there different views on the car, and that bmw is better than vauxhall and the rest of the ****e you will here, at the end of the day, one drives what floats his boat, and who gives a **** who makes it.


you have an exclusive beast, and im a jealous man .

 

blimey, just had a look at your ebay stuff, glad i did not slate you, would have got a machine gun shot in the butt lol.

 

oh respect, showing a can of stella on the ebay about me page .

true class

 

It does have a fat ****, that reminds me to take some pics from the front !! It's nice having a different car, I have had two scoobs and with the STi I always felt that I was at the reliable limit of tuning, wheras this V8 is begging for things like new camshafts/valves which would see about 440bhp and maybe even a supercharger or nitrous. It's really fun to drive as the tail lights up nicely wheras with the 4wd beasts you predictably stick to the road like glue.

I could paintshop the stella can out of the ebay photo but I can't be arsed, its me !!! and watch what you are saying or I'll get my .357 winchester out

 

I think it'll be a good used-buy in 12-18 months when prices will be around the £20K mark.

The tuning potential is immense, and parts plentiful.

I reckon it'd be a good value track car when 24-36 months old.

 

Having seen Dan's Holden in the flesh on Sunday I have to say I'm well impressed!!

Looks very menacing in real life and the colour is superb - the wheels look good and the whole package is understated, yet devilish.

Good to meet you Dan, planes are home in one piece

Simon

 

Yep I got a viewing of the blue beast at the weekend.

Glorious sound & very striking in the metal it is too.....a worthy successor to the Type R.
Love the bucket rear seats too !

Ro.

 

Cheers Simon - or should I say Biggles

Ro, the V8 thunder is just as addictive as the flat4 burble, however the 135 profile tyres wont offer quite as much grip as your monster porker rear tyres

(ps I'm still positive that the cappuchino will fit in the boot of the Holden)

 

LOL I think it would !

 

OK, so it's got a 5.7 V8 which is nearly three times bigger than a Scoob engine....

...so how comes the Holden averages 28.5mpg at 80 on the m-way and just averaged 26.9 mpg over my 800 mile weekend trip up and around the scottish borders ? my old scoob would never have done that !!!

 

If u want to know more about the MONARO VXR the take a look at Total Vauxhall mag or as us vauxhall'ers call it TV for obovious reasons. There is a full report on the VX220 Turbo VXR and the Monaro VXR. Its a goot read.

Heres the specs for the Monaro VXR:
Engine
5667cc all alloy V8
99x92 mm bore/stroke
382bhp @ 5800rpm
376 lbf.ft @ 4800rpm
1658kg, 230bhp/tone
Transmission
Tremec T56 Six speed,
3.73:1Final drive
Hydratrak LSD
Suspension
HSV springs and dampers,
MacPherson Strut front
Multilink independent rear
Front and rear HSV anti-roll bars
Wheels and Tyres
19x8 inch five spoke alloys,
245/35ZR19 Pirelli P Zero Russo Tyres
Brakes
330x32 mm Vented and groved front discs
Rear 315x18 mm discs
PBR twin-pot calipers

sounds like a real beast fron down under!!

 

Just returned from my 1st dyno run at Abbey Motorsport (Skyline tuners) and we were quite impressed, we had three Monaro's there:

333rwhp & 339 lb/ft (mine with stage2 mods)
350rwhp & 349 lb/ft (fully run in Monaro with stage2 mods)
358rwhp & 363 lb/ft (Monaro VXR with exhaust mods)

So we are looking at way over 400 flywheel horsepower without even opening the engine up, plus the non VXR Monaros were substantially overfuelling and should have another 20bhp if they are remapped

 

I guy I work with, lived in Australia in 2002 for a year, he returned to our office in April / May last year and brought with him a yellow 2002 Holden monaro ck8r (or something). he bought it from the lease company and shipped it back, cost him 19k plus VAT + Shipping. for a year old car it is cheap (at the time). Looks exactly the same as the VXR just different wheels. He reckons he could sell it now for a profit !!!.

If lots of people cotton onto this could seriously damage the resale value of the Vauxhal.

 

Dunno about resale values but it just got a great review on Topgear tonight, a couple of quotes spring to mind:

head turning coupe with a top speed of 170mph - impossible to go faster for less

reminiscent of a £100k 1990's Aston Martin Vantage - sense of infinite power, sense of hugeness

does what a muscle car should do - puts a huge smile on your face

 

Just goes to show my arguement about the UK needing lazy torque monsters isn't totally in vain.

 

I hope you swapped your flamer over Dan

 

All that needs to be done is to buy some Holden badges to replace the Vauxhall ones and hey presto! No more badge snobbery

I really like these cars. In about 5 years time, I'll get one once they're cheaper.

 

Mine came debadged and the dealer offered to fit the Holden badges FOC however they took too long to arrive from down under so I fitted them myself, see #40 pic !!

just found the topgear monaro review if anyones interested

PS Andy by the time Ive finished with it I don't think it will need a flamer kit

 

Andy - no need to install a flame kit on this beast - I was coming back from a track day at Bedford aerodrome with my mate following (in my old scooby) and he reported HUGE flames licking from my exhaust on high speed gear changes !!

I guess that explains the 2.8 mpg when "making progress" and probably does not do much for global warming either

Check out this latest DYNO of one of the supercharged HSV's that was done at Abbey Motorsport last week
599 BHP and 550ft/lb Torque at the wheels

Note the two graph lines are from different stages of tune.

 

Funny that...Last year, I had to deliver a Bentley Continental T (6.75litre Turbo 420bhp, 600lb/ft) from the Midlands to Southampton It had to be delivered with a full tank, so I filled up at the end of the journey, I worked out the MPG for a laugh - I was shocked to find it averaged 26.5 mpg My scoob averages 28mpg on that kind of journey.