THIRSTY WORK - Holdens new V8

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Thirsty work
The Sydney Morning Herald
Friday January 27 2006

Holden's new V8 likes an expensive drink, writes TOBY HAGON.

With petrol prices hovering at record highs, Holden has introduced an engine which could cost Commodore owners even more money to run.

The all-new, 6.0-litre V8 - which has been introduced because the previous 5.7-litre V8 does not meet the latest emissions standards - could cost owners almost 10 per cent more at the bowser because the engine's full potential is only reached when using the top-grade 98-octane premium unleaded fuel - and it is slightly thirstier than the previous V8.

According to Government-supplied figures, V8-powered Commodores with automatic transmission now use 14.0 litres of fuel for every 100km travelled, a modest increase on the 13.9 litres/100km consumed by the 5.7-litre V8.

However, once you fill it with the 98-octane petrol (which costs about 10 cents a litre more than regular unleaded) recommended in the Holden brochure to achieve the claimed 260kW of power and 510Nm of torque, the newest engine in Commodore V8 automatics could cost about $300 more a year to fuel (based on an average annual distance of 20,000km travelled).

Holden says the new V8 will run on normal unleaded petrol but maximum performance is only achieved with the more expensive premium unleaded. Holden would also not disclose how much power the engine loses when using normal unleaded petrol.

Holden engineering group manager for engines and transmissions, Simon Cassin, concedes the new V8 engine is thirstier in some situations, although he says that running on higher octane fuel will also bring some fuel economy benefits, which would make the running costs fractionally more attractive.

How much exactly? "We don't know," Cassin says. "To work that out you would have to run back-to-back tests with the same fuel and (in the same conditions)."

He says that the new 6.0-litre engine will be more efficient in some situations, saying it is "swings and roundabouts".

"[The Government test is done on] a very light load drive cycle. The heavier use [more aggressive driving] the customer exposes the car to, the greater the benefit from the 98 RON fuel, for both performance and fuel economy."

The new 6.0-litre V8 was developed with fuel-saving technology that shuts down up to four cylinders under light cruising load or when driving downhill. But Holden has not opted for this fuel-saving "displacement on demand" technology, instead perhaps leaving that card up its sleeve for the all-new VE Commodore due in August.

According to Holden's marketing manager for large cars, Philip Brook, most buyers will be prepared to spend the few extra dollars a week to get a car with better performance.

"For the majority of buyers, performance is the key point," Brook says. "Sometimes there's a slightly higher cost associated with that higher performance."

He says that the extra running costs are "pretty marginal and it depends on what model it is", while also stressing that in "real world" driving different results can be obtained.

Holden is expecting the extra performance of the new V8 - power is up 4 per cent and torque up 8.5 per cent - to boost sales of its hero models.

"We don't expect [the extra running costs] to be a big issue because we think it delivers a pretty significant boost in performance," Brook says.

The added running costs are not as significant for new V8-powered Commodores fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, which get a taller final drive ratio to ensure the engine doesn't work as hard.

Fuel economy has actually improved by 1.4 per cent, although it could still cost more to run - as much as $240 a year based on average annual distance travelled of 20,000km - if 98-octane premium unleaded is used.

Production of automatic versions of the 6.0-litre V8 begin next month, with dealer deliveries following in March. Production of manual versions of the 6.0-litre V8 begin in March, with dealer deliveries beginning in April.

The new 6.0-litre V8 is available on Berlina, Calais, SV8, SS, Statesman, Caprice, SS ute and Crewman SS models at a slight price increase over the previous V8.

Although they are the same capacity, Holden's new engine is not the same 6.0-litre engine fitted to Holden Special Vehicles models. That so-called LS2 engine is sourced from the Corvette; Holden's 6.0-litre (codenamed L76) was primarily designed for use in four-wheel-drives and pick-ups in the US.

Holden is the first brand in the General Motors family to use the new engine.