635 hp HSV GTSR supersedan is the last you’ll see of the Chevrolet Lumina

GM’s Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) is a brand synonymous with absolute insanity in the car world. Based in Australia, this brand makes nothing but brawny versions of regular Holden cars. Our Middle Eastern market was given a taste of HSV with the rebranded CSV CR8 in 2008 which came in as a 425 hp 6.2-litre V8 rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet sedan (which made it onto our ultra-short Editor’s Choice list). Holden’s rear-wheel-drive sedans are on their death-bed right now due to slow sales, but HSV saw it fit to give the car a rousing send-off with the new GTSR models.

The Holden Commodore sedan stops production on October 20. Some of them will become the GTSR W1, the most powerful model in the lineup with nothing less than a supercharged LS9 6.2-litre V8 engine from a Corvette ZR1 under its hood. The W1 produces an unearthly 635 hp. A proper 6-speed manual gearbox channels this power through the rear axles to propel this car from 0 to 100 kph in 4.2 seconds.

The aesthetics of the car has been reworked in typical HSV fashion. Wide fenders and gaping air intakes are littered around the body. The carbon-fibre spoiler and the new diffuser top off the visual package. The lesser GTSRs are available with 583 hp in two flavors, sedan and Maloo Ute pickup. To deal with this extra oomph, the GTSRs are fitted with a 6-piston AP racing brake package with 410mm front rotors.

The Chevy Lumina-rebadged Commodore was last seen in the UAE several years ago, replaced by the Malibu-Impala combo. While the Caprice lasted a bit longer, finally discontinued sometime last year, the closest you can get to sporty sedans from General Motors now are the Cadillacs.