There is so much to like about the HSV Senator. The styling is beautiful. It’s less garish than in other HSV models, but no less powerful. Daytime running lights, LED lighting and gruntier brakes enhance safety, while the new HSV Electronic Driver Interface (EDI) enables the driver to watch performance details on the Senator’s in-dash computer screen.
Luxurious levels of equipment throughout the leather interior make this a classy tourer for every occasion. An up rated output from 307 to 317 kW gives even more hot performance. And whether the six-speed manual or six-speed automatic is chosen, this is a car that is shatteringly quick over any road.
An interview with a very proud HSV owner:
Q: What attracted you to HSVs?
A: The V8 motor – it’s big. It’s got everything in it – sports suspension, body kit, the looks? And it’s a Holden!
Q: What are HSVs like to drive?
A: Awesome. They stick to the road like you wouldn’t believe.
Q: You’ve got a family – are HSVs family friendly as well as being cool?
A: Yep – they’ve got heaps of space. We’ve taken it camping – you can get everything in the boot.
While that particular HSV owner was driving an older model of GTS, all his ravings hold true for the others in the HSV stable. This particular owner, though he was happy enough with his GTS, would have been blown away by what’s on offer in the 2011 HSV Senator.
The HSV Senator has got that oh-my-word look about its styling, from the distinctive HSV sports rear lights and the quad exhaust outlet. The body kit my HSV-driving friend raved about is even better in the HSV Senator, with the luxury body kit and rear spoiler. Premium chrome trim on the distinctive E-series vents is another exquisite feature that sets the HSV Senator apart from the rest.
Get inside the HSV Senator and if your breath was taken away by the exterior looks, by now you’ll be finding it hard to breathe. The very, very comfortable seats are upholstered in premium Nappa leather with suede highlights in either beige or black, and they come with lumbar support and eight-way adjustment for both passenger and driver. And you can breathe comfortably again with the HSV Senator’s dual zone electronic climate control. Turn on the 6-disc Blaupunkt CD/MP3 player system and you will be bathed in sound from the delicate and powerful speakers scattered around the HSV Senator, including in the rear headrest. A premium 6.5″ colour LCD screen tells you all you need to know about the inside and outside of the HSV Senator, from park assist to the sound system. The screen is also compatible with the optional DVD and satellite navigation. In emergencies, the HSV Senator is well equipped with front, side and curtain airbags, whiplash-preventing active head restraints, and pyrotechnic pretensioned seatbelts with load limiters in the front seats.
It’s what’s under that stylish and aggressive bonnet where the HSV logo proudly perches that really counts. And the HSV Senator can deliver. Senator is a name the means power, and power is what it is got – a maximum of 317 kW (this is not a misprint) at 6000 rpm. Take a deep breath again, because the torque figures are absolutely mind-blowing: 550 Nm at 4600 rpm. This is one serious piece of power that the 6.2 litre Generation 4 V8 motor has on offer, which is enhanced by the tubular 4 into 2 into 1 extractors. The very responsive 6-speed sequential shift automatic transmission or 6-speed manual, both with the limited slip final drive ratio of 3.7 that is exclusive to HSV vehicles, change smoothly and swiftly, adding to pure driving pleasure.
The handling in all HSV vehicles just keeps on getting better and better, and in the luxury sport vehicle that is the HSV Senator, it is simply superb. Tuned like a Supercar to make the bumpiest road or the curviest corner smooth and flat, the HSV Senator features HSV’s electronic Magnetic Ride Control suspension system that is normally limited to the non-production versions seen at Bathurst. The HSV Senator has either a Performance switchable ride control that dramatically reduces body roll, or a Luxury ride control that is swift, silent, smooth and sure. The 19″ alloy wheels not only look brilliant, but the Bridgestone tyres give the HSV Senator a positively superglue-like amount of traction, which is only enhanced by the Electronic Stability Control system that combines ASB brakes, EBD and brake assist.
I have only one last thing to say about the HSV Senator: I want one!
Current model series include:
For anymore information on the HSV Senator, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of HSV dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!
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