Monaro, 6.0iV8 (LS2), Specification/Press Release

[Sheriff]

Technical Specification & Options
http://www.vxronline.co.uk/photo/monaro/thumbnails/VX_05057.jpg
ENGINE
Layout V8
Construction Alloy block and cylinder heads, V-configuration, cross-bolted main bearings, OHV design with cross flow cylinder heads, 63mm dual stainless steel exhaust system with quad exit billrt aluminium tips
Fuel system Sequential fuel injection, distributorless ignition with coil-per-cylinder, twin knock control sensors
Engine capacity 5967cc
Bore 101.6mm
Stroke 92mm
Compression ratio 10.9 : 1
Power (bhp) 398 @ 6000rpm
Power (PS) 403 @ 6000rpm
Power (KW) 297 @ 6000rpm
Torque (Nm) 530 @ 4400rpm
Torque (lb ft) 391 @ 4400rpm
PERFORMANCE
0-60 mph 5.2 seconds
Top speed 180 mph
CHASSIS AND TRANSMISSION
Front suspension MacPherson strut with anti-roll bar
Rear suspension Control-link independent rear suspension with anti-roll bar
Transmission Six speed manual transmission
Other Limited slip differential, traction control
BRAKES
ABS
Front 330mm x 32mm, ventilated and grooved
Rear 315mm x 18mm, ventilated and grooved
Configuration Four wheel disc, ventilated front disc and finned caliper
WHEELS AND TYRES
Wheel size 8in x 19in
Tyre size 245/35R19
Tyre make Pirelli P Zero
Spare wheel alloy spacesaver
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Urban 11.6
Extra-Urban 24.9
Combined 17.6
CO2 384 g/km
Emission compliance Euro 2
Fuel tank capacity 70 litres
GEAR RATIOS
1st 2.66:1
2nd 1.78:1
3rd 1.30:1
4th 1.00:1
5th 0.74:1
6th 0.50:1
Final drive 3.46:1
EXTERNAL DIMENSIONS
Overall length 4798 mm, 188.9 in
Overall width 1841 mm, 72.5 in
Overall height 1397 mm, 55.0 in
Overall weight 1677 kg
Front track 1559 mm, 61.4 in
Rear track 1577 mm, 62.1 in
Wheelbase 2788 mm, 109.8 in
Turning circle 11 metres (kerb to kerb)
INTERNAL DIMENSIONS
Leg room (front) 1072 mm, 42.2 in
Leg room (rear) 942 mm, 37.1 in
Shoulder room (front) 1515 mm, 59.6 in
Shoulder room (rear) 1312mm, 51.7 in
Head room (front) 946 mm, 37.2 in
Head room (rear) 848 mm, 33.4 in
Hip room (front) 1472 mm, 60.0in
Hip room (rear) 1275 mm, 50.2 in
Loadspace 245 litres
SERVICING AND CUSTOMER CARE
Service interval 10,000 miles
Warranty One year unlimited mileage warranty with second and third year no-fee warranty to 60,000 miles
Vauxhall Assistance 12 months from first registration
OTR PRICE £36,995
COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE
Active front head restraints with height adjustment
Alloy pedal extensions
Automatic headlamps
Black leather sport seats (four seats)
Body colour electric door mirrors
Centre console compartment with 12V socket
Alloy billet quad exhaust tailpipes with stainless steel exhaust system
Concealed storage compartment in rear of transmission tunnel
Courtesy lamps on doors
Cruise control
Door storage bins
Driver and front passenger adjustable lumbar support
Driver and front passenger front and side airbags
Driver and passenger illuminated vanity mirrors
Eight-way electric front seat adjustment with driver’s seat memory
Electric front windows
Electrochromatic interior rear view mirror
Electronic Climate Control
Front foglamps
Front footwell lights
Front map reading lights
Height adjustable front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and force limiters
Leather front armrest
Leather gearknob and handbrake lever
Leather steering wheel trim
Lower door and transmission tunnel trimmed in black suede
Mobile phone concealing storage compartment
Rear parking distance sensors
Rear passenger compartment air vents
Satin chrome on gearknob, handbrake lever and door handles
Satin chrome rings around dashboard instruments
Seat and upper door trim in leather
Seatback map pockets
Stainless steel sillplates
Steering wheel height and reach adjustable
Tachometer, volt meter, oil pressure guage
Trip computer
Twin cupholders in instrument panel
Variable intermittent road speed sensitive windscreen wipers
AUDIO SYSTEM
Blaupunkt radio with in dash 6-disc CD multichanger
Steering wheel audio controls
10 speakers
SAFETY
Adjustable head restraints
Anti-submarining ramps
Centre mounted stop lamp
Child restraint anchor points
Driver and passenger airbags
Driver and passenger side impact airbags
Pyrotechnic seat belt pre-tensioners on the front seats
SECURITY
Alarm and immobiliser
Locking wheelbolts
Two stage central locking with deadlocks
COLOURS
Phantom Black (metallic)
Quicksilver (metallic)
Redhot (solid)
OPTIONS
Smoker packs (front and rear)

[Sheriff]

History
MONARO – A PSYCHEDELIC SIXTIES ICON
• Original Holden Monaro debuted in 1968
• The first all-Australian sports car
• A benchmark design
Set against a backdrop of 2001: A Space Odyssey and to a soundtrack of Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix, the original Holden Monaro roared on to the scene in 1968. Achingly cool, Monaro was the first ever sports car to be built entirely in Australia for the Australian market.
The product of a nascent Holden design studio, Monaro was influenced directly by the trends of America. Not surprisingly it was semi-modelled on an American design, the Oldsmobile Toronado coupe – itself a hugely influential car. Monaro took its roofline, rear pillars and rear wheel arch blisters from the spectacular Toronado, mixed them with Holden’s own design cues and worked it all into a spectacular coupe, designed for the maximum ‘wow’ factor.
Looking and feeling like the muscle cars on which it was based, the 1968 Monaro featured a wide, gaping grille, leading into broad, powerful flanks. At the back there was an almost constant slope from its rear window to its boot lid. Sleek and suave, Monaro was the epitome of cool.
Under the wide and imposing bonnet the all-Australian coupe offered no fewer than 19 engine and transmission combinations, destined to give the kind of raw performance such a monumental design deserved.
Entered into the Sandown 3-hour race and the Hardie Ferodo 500 at Bathurst, Monaro became a formidable force in Enduro racing, collecting a one-two-three finish at Bathurst and a one-two victory at Sandown in its debut year.
With such a pedigree, Monaro easily and quickly lured customers from every part of the spectrum, each one seduced by its striking looks and enormous presence.
Its success was set to continue for the following 11 years through changes in design, tweaks in its set-up, lurid paint finishes and continued racing glories. However, 1979 was the last year that the Monaro name was used. Stifled by strict anti-pollution legislation in 1976, V8-powered cars began to fall from favour, leading to the all-Australian sports car’s demise in the late ’70s.
However, although Monaros had disappeared from Australia’s roads, they hadn’t disappeared from the Australian psyche. Those too young even to dream of owning a Monaro first time round, still hankered after the ultimate Australian sports car, and with the unveiling of the Holden Concept Coupe in 1998 at the Sydney Motor Show it seemed their dreams would come to fruition.
Incredibly, the designer, Michael Simcoe, and his team had worked on the concept in complete secret for months beforehand – after hours and at weekends – to create the car, persuading the head of engineering to cover all costs. Even more incredibly, Holden boss Jim Wiemels only found out about the concept’s existence three weeks before the Sydney Show, but after seeing it was determined to have it on the stand.
Based on the lines of the Holden VT Commodore, the Concept Coupe received rapturous applause at the Sydney Show. It caught everyone’s imagination and went on to become the next generation Monaro just 22 months after its Motor Show debut. The legend had been reborn.
From its inception to its current incarnation Monaro represents the pinnacle of style and performance; never before or since has a car had such an enormous impact on the Australian people. Small wonder then, that it has icon status in its homeland, and is loved world wide.

[Sheriff]

Design
LOOKING GOOD, INSIDE AND OUT
• New bonnet vents increase aggressive visual appeal
• Seats four adults comfortably
• Dynamic and distinctive design
• Premium performance-oriented interior
Big and beautiful, Monaro VXR looks and feels every inch the luxury performance coupe. Making full use of top quality materials it offers the car enthusiast the very best of sports car power, opulence and looks, with the assurance of longevity and reliability.
Based heavily on the Holden VT Commodore, Monaro designer Mike Simcoe worked hard to get the proportions right and generate the perfect curves. The sleek, expressive styling is testament to his constant re-evaluation and effort.
No-one had any complaints about the look of the previous Monaro VXR, so changes have been kept to a minimum with only the addition of two ‘nostril’ bonnet vents, new wheels and the quad tailpipes marking out the new model visually.
Added together the look encompasses a potent on-road presence from any angle, but Monaro’s low lines and stylishly truncated rear end are especially effective in side profile, and ooze aerodynamic purpose.
Undeniably slick outside, the inside of the Monaro is just as exciting. With full double-stitched leather as standard, Monaro is specified to offer the very best in comfort, style and ergonomics.
Eight-way electrically adjustable seats in front are contoured to cosset the driver and front passenger completely. The two rear seats, which will easily accommodate two adults, are also fashioned for comfort and a close fit, ensuring high ride quality all round. An electric slide-forward mechanism allows ready access to the rear seats.
Instrument clusters, highlighted by satin silver binnacle rings, bring the attention back to front of the cabin. Two extra dials – showing oil pressure and voltage output – are housed in their own binnacle on top of the centre console. A smart four-spoke steering wheel matches the leather on the handbrake and gear lever, increasing the car’s coherent feel.
The smoothly integrated instrument panel features modern controls and graphics and sits beneath a large screen, multi-function display, which incorporates climate control, infotainment and trip computer information. A six-disc CD changer is standard, as is a 10-speaker sound system, further enhancing the interior.
Other, driver-oriented features include cruise control, to make long motorway journeys less dreary. Plus, as you won’t want to chance denting Monaro’s beautiful lines, rear park assist is also a standard feature.

[Sheriff]

Market
POUNDING THE OPPOSITION
• A superb driving dynamics with a practical twist
• Power for £ supremacy
• A car aficionado’s dream
Bored with the bewinged, over-turboed Japanese saloons and underpowered, overpriced German coupes? Then go and play by Aussie rules, with the Monaro VXR. Aimed squarely at the car enthusiast, the Monaro VXR is the perfect antidote to the computer game-like electronically controlled dynamics of modern performance cars. Everyone will be impressed by its stunning good looks, while petrolheads will be hypnotised by its sheer power and ability.
In its limited market place, nothing else can offer the Monaro VXR’s combination of sheer power and metal for the money. In terms of coupes, the Jaguar XKR also offers a 400bhp V8 (albeit a supercharged 4.2 versus the Monaro’s 6.0-litre) but costs a massive £23,000 more. The 362bhp Mercedes CLK 55 AMG is a fraction cheaper at £58,960, and the BMW M3 gets closer still on price (at £41,150) but can only offer 343bhp. Even Mitsubishi’s highly-tuned, 2-litre, 4-cylinder Lancer EVO FQ400 costs a massive £46,999, and TVR’s 390bhp Tuscan S is a surprisingly pricey £48,800.
This combination of value and performance meant that the outgoing Monaro VXR was a sell-out success, with all the production run of 50 cars being snapped up within three months of going on sale. This led to some disappointed buyers, so Vauxhall is increasing the number of new VXRs which will be brought in to 300 over the next 18 months.
Although this will mean that more drivers get to experience the brute force of the flagship VXR, it will still be a rare and exclusive beast, especially compared to some rivals. Expected to find particular favour with affluent, 30-something, car-aware men, Monaro VXR has enormous power, drivability and presence but will easily seat four adults in comfort. So, as well as being a terrifically good drive – thanks in no small way to its 6.0-litre V8 engine and RWD set-up – it’s also extremely practical.
The perfect choice for grown-ups who haven’t quite grown up, Monaro offers the very best of all worlds. It can be a well-set-up head turner with an unstressed V8 providing effortless performance, or a track day tool which will play to win with supercars, and provide plenty of sideways handling action on demand.

[Sheriff]

Driving and Dynamics
THE WHIZZER OF OZ – 404 PS MONARO VXR
• Musclecar for real enthusiasts
• 6.0 litre V8 with RWD for purest driving experience
• Exceptional performance from legendary ‘small block’ V8
There’s no doubt that modern front wheel drive cars with compact engines suit the majority of British motorists. But the real enthusiast will always crave a car which constantly rewards and challenges the driver, and nothing but a musclecar will do the job. With 404PS and a rumble from the exhaust which could only come from a big V8, the Monaro is the perfect antidote to mundane motoring.
Born out of the muscle car dream, Monaro VXR is offered with a huge, 6.0 litre V8 engine, powerful enough to catapult the car to 60mph in just over five seconds and onto a top speed of around 180mph. With the new high-output 6.0-litre LS2 powerplant, which recently made its debut in the Corvette C6, it produces 404PS (up from the last model’s 387PS) and a massive 530Nm of torque (compared to 510Nm). The power behind the Monaro VXR is the legendary small block V8 in its latest LS2 form. The engine is celebrating 50 years of production and an astonishing statistic - more than 90 million have been produced, representing 27 billion horsepower. The small-block has been repeatedly adapted to new situations, and has been used in everything from supercars to pick-up trucks.
In this application, the engine’s performance is directed through a close ratio, six-speed manual gearbox, designed to let the driver make the most of the engine’s flexibility and power. Electronic throttle control and the immense torque of the new powerplant means that gearchanges are hardly necessary, but the choice of well-spaced ratios ensures that the V8 can always be kept ‘on the boil’ for maximum performance. Alternatively, slot into sixth and the Monaro becomes a relaxed, barely-stressed cruiser which can return surprising economy.
And, just as importantly, the Monaro sounds great at any speed. The underneath of the car has been completely redesigned to allow the new exhaust to breathe more freely with the addition of an extra pair of tailpipes. Besides making the engine work more efficiently, it also creates a burble with is even more distinctive than the previous Monaro’s.
Designed in the muscle car tradition, Monaro is rear-wheel-drive. This equates to an exciting, inspiring drive with superb handling and – with standard switchable traction control – the option of serious fun. If anyone ever wanted to learn how to steer using the throttle, this is the car to show them.
But, while fun is available on tap, precautions have been taken against over indulgence without installing the sort of nannying electronics which can be the bane of an enthusiastic driver’s life. A limited slip differential improves traction, stability and handling, and allows more control of the back end, both improving safety and simultaneously ensuring Monaro is a fully fledged driver’s car. In alliance with the newly-revised suspension – offering sports springs at both ends and gas pressure dampers at the rear – Monaro simply feels awesome and inspirational on the open road.
Nineteen inch multispoke ‘Chrome Shadow’ wheels shod with wide, low profile, 235/35 19 tyres transmit all this engineering and technology to the road giving Monaro precise steering response and predictability combined with maximum cornering tractability. And of course they look great too!
When it comes to stopping the car, nothing but the best would do – as you’d expect since it will be required to haul the Monaro down from speeds above 180mph. Using the same braking system as the latest version of GM’s other supercar - the Corvette C6 – the Monaro uses new 330mm vented and grooved discs at the front and 315mm rotors at the rear. These ensure that the middle pedal always has a reassuring feel
and bite, even after constant hard use. As a finishing touch, the bright red callipers are embossed with the VXR logo.

[Sheriff]

Value for Money
SUPERCAR PERFORMANCE – SALOON PRICES
• 6.0-litre V8 and 404PS for £36,995
• High specification
The Monaro VXR’s raison de etre is a dynamic driving experience, but thanks to the global resources of General Motors, it also represents amazing value for money. For £36,995 the enthusiast will be getting an awful lot of car, with rivals costing twice as much for the same power output. In fact the only cars which can get close to having similar power outputs for the same amount of money have engines which have half the cylinders and a third of the capacity!
And don’t think the Monaro VXR has been stripped of equipment in order to get the price lower. Inside and out the designers worked hard to ensure Monaro has the ambience of a luxury car.
Externally, 19 inch alloy wheels fill meaty wheel arches, giving Monaro an almost menacing feel, while smooth, sleek lines flow from front to rear, creating feelings of fluidity and dynamism. Quad-pipe exhaust system punctuates Monaro’s blunt rear end.
Inside the list of standard equipment is all but endless – full leather interior; cruise control; power mirrors, sun roof and windows; ‘intelligent’ wipers; rear park assist; automatic head lamps; trip computer; 10-speaker, six CD sound system; eight-way, electrically adjustable front seats; electric front seat slide for rear access; dual zone climate control; alloy pedals; and metal finish dash, door handles and sill plates.
Changes for the new model include a new double-stitched leather interior, uprated sport suspension, drive-by-wire throttle control and larger brakes taken from the Corvette C6.
Equally, safety has not been sidelined to cut costs. Monaro VXR offers driver and passenger airbags; driver and passenger side impact airbags; seat belt pre-tensioners; anti-submarining ramps; child restraint anchor points; quick response LED centre brake light; low fuel, high engine temperature and rear light failure warnings; steering wheel-mounted sound system controls; and active front head restraints and seat backs.