Holden Special Vehicles rings in new era with Holden Colorado SportsCat by HSV

Now that the locally-produced Commodore dances with Davy Jones somewhere in the Tasman Sea, Holden and HSV have reoriented their relationship. The Holden Colorado SportsCat by HSV embodies the first fruit of that partnership, as well as a new marketing angle via the "by HSV" in its name. The SportsCat, based on the Duramax-powered Colorado CrewCab Z71, defies HSV tradition in that it doesn't get one joule of extra power. Targeting improved balance overall, HSV revisions stick to the mechanical and cosmetic.

Australian buyers get two choices: SportsCat, and SportsCat+. Both get new upper and lower grilles, LED fog lamps, twin tow hooks, fender flares, tonneau covers with load rails and quick-release locks, fender graphics, and matte black 18-inch alloys on Cooper Tires. The SportsCat wears milder exterior modifications such as smooth wheel arches. The SportsCat+ goes all the way with a honeycomb grille, non-functional hood bulge, casselated wheel arches, and machined faces on its alloy wheels.

Inside both variants, unique SV sport seats wrapped in Jasmine leather and suede get lashed up with red,twin-needle stitching. The instrument panel adopts the same trim, floor mats get HSV branding, and red cross-stitching appears throughout.

So that drivers can get more out of what the Colorado already offers, HSV installed a sports suspension with increased spring rate up front, and retuned dampers. Combined with the 285/60 Cooper Zeon LTZ Pro Sports All-Terrain rubber, front ride height increases by 45 mm, and with it, approach angle. A wider offset extends the track on both models by 30 millimeters. The SportsCat+ gets an AP Racing brake system, and an automatically de-coupling rear anti-roll bar for better on-road behavior at speed, but full articulation when it disconnects in four-wheel low. The truly wild can order HSV's SupaShock suspension — first seen on the GTSR W1 — with larger dampers and external oil reservoirs. Electronics like ESC, TCS, and ABS have all been revised for less aggressive intervention in all three drive modes.

HSV worked on utes before, the Commodore-based Maloo being one hugely successful example. Aussie press figures the Colorado SportsCat by HSV will take the fight to the current Ford Ranger Wildtrak and coming Ranger Raptor.