29/09/2025
Apologies for the z-grade photography, but it's not often you see a HSV Coupe4, so I'm excited. Big Kev-levels of excited.
The all-wheel-drive HSV Coupe4 is rare for several reasons. For starters, they were more expensive than a regular RWD Monaro-based HSV product, yet retained the 270kw 5.7 litre V8 when the GTO ran a 297kw 6.0.
They also really loved to plough understeer through corners, and when doing so, you couldn't just pop the clutch for a lurid drift because, like all AWD Holden/HSV products they shifted through the clunky old 4-speed auto.
They also weighed more than a long-wheelbase HSV Grange... so it's no surprise only 140-ish found buyers across VYII and VZ models.
But it's because of this scarcity that the Coupe4 is now highly desirable. It helps there were some good points, too; for instance, the body kit was restrained compared to the crazy GTO and GTS kits in which Simcoe's smooth lines were lost in a wash of wacky plastic. And the bespoke wheels were cool.
Like any HSV worth its salt, they moved ok in this case despite the weight, power and trans, with the AWD system putting power down efficiently in most conditions. HSV claimed 0-100 in 6.1 seconds on asphalt and 6.7 seconds on dirt. Because yeah...Coupe4 owners are all about the dirt. That's not going to break any records today, but it was OK for 2004, I guess.
Lastly was the manufacturing process, which is a talking point in itself for Coupe4 owner, I'm sure. Uniquely, the Coupe4 shells were offlined mid-build while still in the Elizabeth factory, then had the guards plasma cut and rolled for extra clearance, before being returned to the line for the dipping and painting procedure. Fairly fiddly, but a credit to Holden and to HSV, when the latter was essentially a customer of the former, and constrained by Holden's generally mass market construction techniques.
Also, most importantly, this one has a towbar collar. WTF is with that?
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