Holden's super vintage

They call them Classics - secondhand HSV cars in mint condition - and they're about to come to a town near you, reports Alastair Sloane.

HOLDEN Special Vehicles is about to launch a used-car programme through its six New Zealand dealers. It will be called the HSV Classic and is expected to be in place before the end of the month.

To qualify for Classic status, a secondhand HSV car first has to pass a stringent engineering and background check.

It must have no more than 150,000km on the clock, no history of serious damage and an original owner's certificate and proper build plate.

"We have notified all the dealers but we have yet to make a few refinements to the New Zealand package," said HSV spokesman John Parlane.

"Things like finalising vehicle check lists, putting together presentation material and 'Classic' stickers for the vehicles ... once that's done we'll be under way."

HSV has set some strict guidelines, said Parlane. "It had to, because New Zealanders and Australians love to fiddle with their cars.

"The main thing is the car must be authentic - genuine vehicles that haven't been modified much, if at all.

"Any modifications which 'hot-rod' the car away from the factory standard will rule it out of the Classic programme.

"A change in tyre brands is fine, provided the original factory size has been retained.

"But non-original wheels, exhaust and engine modifications, suspension changes, throttle, body and camshaft changes ... those sort of things aren't accepted."

Mileage on the big V8s will be closely inspected, too.

"If the car has done more than 150,000km it cannot be marketed as a Classic used car," said Parlane.

"But use of many of the early Group A and VN models has deliberately been kept down to maintain their pristine condition and market value as collectibles.

"We know this because we see them at HSV club outings.

Pride of ownership is helping to keep the early cars especially very smart and well preserved."

Sales indicate the 1500th HSV model will probably be sold this month, 10 years after the first high-performance V8 arrived from the Melbourne-based specialist.

"In late 1996 we sold the 1000th car," said Parlane. "At the sales level we have been enjoying, we are coming up to the 1500th sale."

The most popular model has been the Clubsport - "by a long margin," said Parlane. Of the model generations, the VR and VS were big sellers. "Of course the brand has grown up over the years but our peak year was in 1996 when we sold 263 VR models."

There are six HSV outlets in New Zealand - two in Auckland, one each in Hamilton, Hastings, Wellington and Christchurch.

Auckland's Moyes dealership is the biggest new HSV dealer. Ebbets in Hamilton is second and Schofield's in Auckland third.

Moyes in fact is one of the top five HSV dealers on both sides of the Tasman. Last year it sold 62 models; in 1997 it sold 69; and in 1996 it sold 90, just missing out on HSV's Australia-New Zealand top dealer award.

South Auckland Holden dealership Davie Motors is the top used HSV outlet in New Zealand. But it is not an authorised HSV dealer and "there is nothing in the Classic programme that it will be entitled to," said Parlane.

"The intention of the Classic programme is to keep repatriating used HSV vehicles through HSV dealers.

Davie Motors has seen the opportunity to trade using the HSV connection. Their guys are generating lots of
image for HSV just through their own enthusiasm.

"Perhaps the Classic programme will draw used-car buyers away from them to other outlets. That could happen.

"But the retailers who have got the Classic programme will have to get on the bandwagon and promote it.

"The HSV dealer setup as it stands now covers New Zealand nicely. HSV is a niche product. It doesn't need any more new-car dealers."

HSV is part-owned by Scotsman Tom Walkinshaw, who runs high-performance specialist company TWR from its base in England. He also owns a share of the Formula One Arrows team.

HSV is expected to switch to Chevrolet Corvette-based V8s this year. The new-generation powerplants, to be imported from the United States, will replace the present 5- and 5.7-litre units built in Australia.

The 5.7-litre engine will probably be tuned to develop about 240kW in HSV models like the Clubsport and Senator. HSV will continue with the optional supercharged V6.