DRIVEN: HSV COLORADO SPORTSCAT

THE DRESSED-UP COLORADO SPORTSCAT IS THE ONLY HOLDEN MODEL IN A POSTLOCAL-MANUFACTURING HSV SHOWROOM.

IT’S THE HSV with bush genes. In reality, though, the HSV Sportscat is more Holden Colorado than any go-fast special cooked up in the Clayton skunkworks best known for its big-power V8s.

The diesel engine is unchanged, dishing out the same 147kw and 500Nm (or 440Nm for the manual). Grunty by dualcab standards, but very UN-HSV. There’s even the Colorado name plastered across its modified tailgate, an indication of the closer ties with Holden, which can no longer lean on local manufacturing.

The Sportscat is indicative of a new HSV, one that must survive without the lure of Commodores infused with V8 Supercar thinking. Territory where HSV has never been, then, or, more correctly, territory it has never conquered.

Back in 2003, the HSV Avalanche transplanted that big power, Commodorebased thinking to the light-duty off-roader that was the Holden Adventra. Earlier, in 1993, HSV stamped its logo and some styling tweaks on a Holden Jackaroo, ladder frame chassis and all. The Sportscat is closer in concept to that Jackaroo, albeit with more effort in tuning the chassis for improvements. And this time the Sportscat is the main game, not a sideshow; post-supercharged send-offs to the Aussie Commodore, it’s the only model in the once thriving HSV showroom. That’s significant, because HSV is investing heavily in tipping its engineering hat to the off-road market, keen to show it can inject measurable improvements. There’s even a subtly revised HSV logo.

Key to its appeal is the chunkier design and higher ride height, something that boosts clearance from 215 to 251mm. The approach and departure angles are also up two degrees each, to 32 and 24 degrees respectively. It comes courtesy of a 25mm lift of the front springs (the rear leafs are unchanged) and 285/60-18 Cooper Zeon

LTZ Pro tyres.

Specifically engineered for the new HSV, the Coopers are a light-truck, allterrain build aimed at beefing up look and ability. Combined with a 30mm wider track, they require fitment of wheel-arch extensions to prevent spray. Despite a chunky tread pattern, our brief smooth-road experience suggested noise isn’t a major issue. Dial on some lock, though, and there’s a gradual yelp like a labrador being dragged by its tail. Drive it more like a dual-cab and the Colorado Sportscat plays ball nicely and is surprisingly well-behaved.

There are two models in the line-up: the regular Sportscat and the Sportscat+, the latter adding a more aggressive front bumper, a stylised plastic sail plane to the blackened sports bar, a bonnet bulge, as well as fourpiston AP Racing front brakes, and a rear stabiliser bar that makes for

a more planted

ride. Combined with stiffer front springs and more aggressive damping, it more competently counters body roll. Sure, the outside will lean slightly, but even with decent pace in a bend it’s surprisingly well tamed and deals well with brisk changes of direction.

With a larger master cylinder and the AP fronts, the brake pedal is firmer and better modulated; yet with drums on the rear and almost 2.3 tonnes to arrest (the Sportscat is about 100kg heavier than the Colorado) it’s no sports car in the stopping department. However, for a car that’s seen a decent improvement to offroad ability, it’s a welcome change.

The Sportscat+ also gets external canisters for its shocks, something that promises to make corrugations less likely to cause failure. The extra breadth and deep tread of those Coopers claw into loose terrain well. Plus, the extra clearance means you’re less likely to scrape the underbelly. Impressively for the Sportscat+ the rear stabiliser bar disconnects in low range, so articulation is not adversely affected.

Inside, the leather- and suede-trimmed dash and red-stitched steering wheel add a sense of occasion to the otherwise plastic dash. The leather seats, too, add more lumbar, albeit without the bodyhugging cushions HSVS are known for. There are Colorado hangovers, though: no reach adjust to the steering and no smart key access or push buttons; so the key goes in the ignition. And despite two flashy red tow hooks up front, there’s not a single recovery point at the rear. Don’t get stuck nosing it in…

Plus, despite the imminent arrival of auto braking systems – it’ll be standard on the Mercedes-benz X-class and a likely addition to the updated Ford Ranger later in 2018 – there’s only a warning system in the Colorado. So, like the Colorado, the Sportscat is not perfect. It’s also no traditional HSV, lacking the performance upgrades and track-hungry chassis set-ups the brand is known for. But the Sportscat does up the Colorado game with some worthy improvements, both on- and off-road. It’s no game-changer, but the Sportscat brings flashes of aftermarket mods with the backup of a factory warranty and proper validation engineering.

That’s nothing to be sneered at in the bush.