Last blast Aussie ute a bit bonkers
It’s a vehicle that can demolish a track day. Can’t do that in a Colorado, writes David Linklater.
It’s minus-20 Journalism Points to start a story with a dictionary definition. But needs must, so here we go. ‘‘Magnum’’ is either a bottle of wine twice the normal size or (trademark) a gun that fires a larger bullet than its calibre suggests. Metaphorically then, magnum indicates surprisingly big stuff.
Magnum is also the name of an awesome 1980s TV detective, a really delicious ice cream and a very hot Holden produced by HDT in 1983.
Pretty sure that the name of this year’s limited-edition Magnum ute is inspired by that third one, but it’s all great stuff, right?
Magnum is arguably the most special of a trio of models intended to mark the final year of production of the all-australian Commodore. There are also two sedans, the Motorsport Edition and the Director.
But Magnum is surely the one to have: it marks the end for not only the Aussie Commodore, but also the Aussie ute.
As any Oz-car bore will tell you, the ‘‘ute’’ is an Australian invention (not a GM one, though) – by which we mean a model that combines a passenger-car platform and styling, with a tray.
A ute is therefore technically different from the ‘‘pickup truck’’ which is now the dominant style of light commercial.
Normally we wouldn’t bother getting into this, because it’s a tedious semantic argument and the two terms have become interchangeable. But Magnum really is the last of a very long line.
It will also be the rarest of these farewell editions: just 51 for New Zealand (with special Kiwi build codes) and 240 for Australia, compared with 151/1200 Motorsport Editions and 51/360 Directors.
Assuming you can actually get one, what’s being offered for the $8800 extra the Magnum costs over an SS-V Redline ute? The 304kw/ 570Nm 6.2-litre LS3 V8 remains in the same state of tune, but Holden has added uprated cooling to the engine and transmission to meet GM ‘‘level 3’’ track specification.
What you don’t get is the magnetic ride suspension and Hsv-like driver mode controls of the Motorsport and Director. Instead, the Magnum has Holden’s FE3 track suspension, now with the same rear setup as the SS-V Redline sedan: that 26 per cent reduction in spring rate means 80kg less carrying capacity (now 540kg) in the tray.
Hands up who cares. Nobody? Right then.
Brakes front and rear have new ‘‘floating disc’’ cross-drilled rotors (3.25kg lighter than standard) and the wheels are 20-inch split-rim units.
Yes, that’s right: the Magnum is essentially a circuit-ute. Which makes it not merely the rarest of this new trio of special editions, but also the silliest.
Indeed, best if you can approach the exterior decoration with something of a sense of humour as well.
Somebody at Holden obviously really likes Hot Wheels cars: there are flashes of red everywhere, Magnum decals to burn and actually a few nice touches – like the rear window shade that’s blank when you look through from the cabin, but has that utegraphic on it from the outside.
The Magnum has the same ‘‘performance’’ front seats as the Motorsport and Director, along with an embroidered instrument panel.
There’s a build-number plaque under the bonnet – the test car pictured here happens to be #1 of 51 – and a hard tonneau cover that makes it pretty useless as an actual ute. See above, for that thing about anybody caring.
You also get a car-cover if your plan is to store the Magnum for posterity/profit. Please don’t.
The Magnum is a hilarious and occasionally terrifying thing to drive.
Holden has done a mighty job of making the LS3 engine sound great in all its Commodore applications. There’s a bit of plastic called the ‘‘mechanical sound enhancer’’ that pumps more rumble into the cabin, a bimodal exhaust with flaps that open up under load and an extra hole drilled into the exhaust to ensure maximum mumbo makes it into the cabin.
A monster V8 and a ute with a light rear end are not necessarily a great blend. The Commodore is still a pretty well sorted thing, but the ute is still much more likely to be wayward under duress than the sedan.
In that respect the Magnum has a bit more built-in finesse than the Redline ute thanks to that slightly softer rear end. It flows through bumpy corners with remarkable composure, although pounding the throttle into the carpet – which you cannot help but do for the stupendous engine noise at high revs – will bring on enough of a wriggle to make you think twice about pressing the firewall too much more.
In truth, when somebody says ‘‘Magnum’’ I still think mainly of the ice cream. But that doesn’t stop this ute being an awesome machine, not to mention a fitting last-blast for what’s a gloriously weird vehicle type.
Holden’s light-commercial future now rides on the Thai-built Colorado pickup truck. It’s likely that HSV’S future will involve some kind of superheated version of same. But don’t expect it to be anywhere near as exciting as the Magnum, which is and probably always will be Holden’s most driver-focused ute. Isn’t it great that’s even a thing?