HSV Colorado SportsCat revealed… available from late January
The first of a new type of HSV tweaked vehicle (Maloo notwithstanding) the Colorado SportsCat was revealed today boasting ride and handling tweaks and cosmetic enhancements.
HSV AND HOLDEN have announced they’ll continue to partner, with the performance house committed to re-working a range of GM vehicles for Australia. The first of its tweaks, though, is to the Holden Colorado, re-birthing it as the Colorado SportsCat. Production is expected to begin in late January with pricing and final specification announced closer to the local launch.
The SportsCat continues with the Colorado’s 2.8L engine untouched, but cops a range of exterior and interior tweaks. There’s more to this thing than just looks, though, with the SportsCat and SportsCat+ getting a ride and handling upgrade.
In commenting on the engineering enhancements, HSV’s Engineering Director, Joel Stoddart, said “We set ourselves some pretty aggressive targets heading into the SportsCat program. We wanted to set the bench-mark for on-road performance without compromising the vehicle’s off-road capabilities. In fact, we’ve managed to improve the vehicle’s off-road performance, so I’m confident the team has delivered on both counts”.
HSV’s Managing Director, Tim Jackson, said: “Most 4×4’s Pick-Ups are inherently capable off-road – essentially, it’s a category expectation, and we’ll certainly be amongst the best-in-class in this regard, especially with our added ride height and Cooper tyre package. But what we also wanted to do with the SportsCat program was dial up the vehicle’s on-road characteristics, given that’s where most people tend to spend the bulk of their time driving their vehicle. With our unique suspension packages and AP Racing brakes combined with the interior and exterior comfort and styling enhancements we’ve made, we’re confident we’ve developed Australia’s most stylish and advanced sports 4×4”.
There’s a new bumper and grille, LED fog lights and “functional tow hooks”. The top-spec SportsCat+ gets a “bonnet bulge” while at the side of the vehicle, prominent wheel arch fender flares, smooth-form on SportsCat and casselated on SportsCat+, and 18-inch x 10-inch forged alloys wrapped in sports all-terrain Cooper tyres – Zeon LTZ Pro. There’s a hard tonneau, with load-rail provision and quick-release mechanism, combined with a sports-bar on SportsCat and sail plane on SportsCat+.
Inside, there are SV Sports seats, the front heated and wrapped in Jasmine leather and Windsor suede and red contrast stitching, with this trim combination also covering the instrument panel.
The SportsCat gets HSV suspension for a “more performance-based handling characteristic”. “In addition to the increased spring rate, front ride height has been lifted by 25mm. This modification further improves the approach angle of the vehicle, increases ground clearance to the body and reduces the vehicle’s overall rake, delivering a more natural on-road stance, HSV said”. The SportsCat+ will be offered with a Rear De-Coupling Anti-Roll Bar which helps to control rear roll and vehicle balance at speed. HSV said it had retuned the traction control to allow for less aggressive intervention… SupaShock suspension, as introduced on HSV’s GTSR W1, will also be available as a factory-fitted cost option on the SportsCat+.
