If your typical image of an HSV is of a rather vulgar in-your-face muscle car, then think again.  Nothing could be further from the truth in the case of the HSV Gen-F Grange.  This car is sophisticated and stylish.  Drivers of this sedan won’t be made to cringe by ostentatious “look at me – I’m a fast car” styling (which tends to draw unwanted attention from the local traffic police). Instead, the looks of the HSV Gen-F Grange are understated and sophisticated.  It’s smooth, from the Xenon headlights and deep air intakes at the front to the rear lip spoiler and the Shockwave exhaust outlets.  It’s sleek, with the side skirts being trim and tailored – a miniskirt rather than a big clunky A-line maxi.  It’s a wee bit sporty – enough to make the looks attractive and fun, with things like the 20-inch alloy wheels giving only the merest hint of what this car can do.  Mostly, however, other drivers are more likely to notice the attractive LED daytime running lights and the proudly displayed HSV badge.

Make no mistake, though: beneath the sophisticated exterior, there’s a wild heart in the form of an LS3 engine.  This engine alone merits the HSV Gen-F Grange getting the title of muscle car.  What else could you call something fitted with a six-litre V8 engine with 340 kW of power and 570 Nm of torque at its peak?  This engine is fitted with the works for top performance, including the high-flow headers and the high flow bimodal exhaust system.  And if you really want to crank things up a notch, you can adjust the driver preference dial in the console to fine-tune the electronic systems that go to enhancing drive style and performance: the ESC, the traction control, the magnetic ride control (if you’ve gone for this), the electric power steering and the bimodal exhaust.  The ESC merits further mention: you can set this to Competition Mode, where you can really put the HSV Gen-F Grange through its paces and have plenty of hands-on fun when cornering at speed (keep this to the racetrack only, please!).  The transmission system inside the HSV Gen-F Grange is a six-speed automatic system with active selection and paddle shifters.

The HSV Gen-F Grange has been designed to delight drivers, so it’s not surprising that there are driver aids aplenty in the cockpit.  A few of the stand-out driver assistance features include the Head-up Display that projects the speedometer, the tachometer, the external temperature and the lateral G-forces onto the windscreen where you can see the important stuff safely and easily; the automatic parking assistance; the forward collision alert; the lane departure warning system; and the side blind zone alert, which also has a reverse traffic alert.  Some of the other driving aids that come into play at lower speeds when the HSV Gen-F Grange isn’t showing off what it can do include the passive entry and remote starting function and the hill start assistance.

A quick glance through that last paragraph will tell you that there’s quite a lot going on inside the HSV Gen-F Grange (and we haven’t even started on the infotainment or comfort features yet).  You can see what’s going on for a lot of these via the EDI (enhanced driver interface), which is an 8-inch high-resolution touch-sensitive colour display screen.  As well as providing information on the stability control system, the fuel range, the dynamics… and your logged data for race circuits.

In the comfort department, the HSV Gen-F Grange is just as cushy and sophisticated as the smooth exterior promises it will be.  The most notable of the comfort features are the HSV luxury seats with black leather trim (stamped with the HSV logo, of course).   These leather-trimmed beauties are electrically adjustable with driver’s seat memory for three drivers and they’re heated, too.  The climate control is a dual-zone job.  Your pleasure is also enhanced with the 9-speaker BOSE surround sound system, which can handle iPod, USB, MP3 and CD input with ease.  Bluetooth preparation comes as standard, too.

Of course, one of the most satisfying things about driving the HSV Gen-F Grange will be that moment when you’re at the lights beside some souped-up boy racer with a stupid big spoiler.  Plant your boot and race away.  It’s a pity that the reverse cameras won’t be able to capture the look on the other driver’s face.

Current model series include:

• HSV Gen-F Grange

For any more information on the HSV Gen-F Grange, 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!