First look: HSV goes racing with hot HRT

DETERMINED not to be outdone by the return of Ford's famed GT nameplate at this year's Sydney motor show, Holden unveiled not one, but two radical new Monaro-based race car concepts.

While the wild Garry Rogers Motorsport-built Nations Cup Monaro graced the Holden stand for the first weekend of the show, over at HSV's exhibit another Commodore-based 7.0-litre two-door received its public debut.

Named the HRT 427 - to represent the Holden Racing Team and the number of cubic inches it displaces - the crazy racetrack concept is the result of collaboration between Holden, which styled the coupe, and HSV, which led project management, engineering and manufacture.

Powered by a 427ci (7.0-litre) big-block Chev V8 based on the Corvette C5R race engine and featuring HSV-unique pistons and CNC-machined cylinder-heads, HRT 427 is aimed at HSV fanatics who take their club racing seriously.

Not for road use, the locally-built HRT 427 is aimed at Porsche's $400,000 911 GT2 and will essentially be built to order.

Tom Walkinshaw Racing (Australia) manager of advanced engineering Brad Dunstan said HRT 427 employed double A-arm front suspension, which he hopes to incorporate into future HSV production.

Other technical highlights include eight individual throttle bodies with carbon-fibre flutes, a heavy-duty 900Nm clutch, special T56 Tremec six-speed transmission, AP six-piston brakes, half rollcage, Sparco seats, HRT-style tiller and Motec instruments.

HRT 427 is 100kg lighter than the GTS Coupe at 1575kg, thanks to a 14kg lighter carbon-fibre bonnet, magnesium wheels and the deletion of air-conditioning and rear seats.