Are the (MSE/Director) & Magnum the best factory standard performance sedans/utes ever made?

[arthurk]

I'm wondering whether we need a separate thread for us Euro virgins to know when not to embarrass ourselves in our standard LS3s

The little buzz boxes in a straight line will be on par with the LS3 and it depends on who really gets the jump first/better. Its on the twisties etc that they will make a meal of the Commodore. I have been on track multiple times and I can tell you that I was constantly being hunted and the Holden / Ford boys took great delight in blowing my doors off on the front straight at Sundown, get to the corners or braking late and it was a different thing.

I have even swapped into a C63 of my mates and the biggest issue I found with it was traction. Simply wants to break out at any opportunity. Small, light, agile cars are fun but the sledgehammer V8s are very fulfilling. The Commodore is BIG and it drives accordingly in its stock trim. Once again its cheap to get it close but it will never behave like a hot hatch that is 35% lighter.

Yesterday morning I had 640i pull up next to me and all he wanted to do was thump it off the line when he heard the lumpy cam. I let him go No other reason than it was school times and I was turning left in 30m. He blasted up the road and pulled back when he realised I didn't want to play. Any other time he would have been taught a lesson.....

If you want to take them on just be ready to stomp on the go pedal and not let up. Even the stock LS3 will let out an all mighty raw and serve you well. The opposite number will need to execute a perfect launch to achieve their 3/4s performance times regardless. Where you will be disadvantaged will be gearbox, I really miss the crispness of the PDK with its lightning fast gear changes.

 

[LastV8?]

The little buzz boxes in a straight line will be on par with the LS3 and it depends on who really gets the jump first/better. Its on the twisties etc that they will make a meal of the Commodore. I have been on track multiple times and I can tell you that I was constantly being hunted and the Holden / Ford boys took great delight in blowing my doors off on the front straight at Sundown, get to the corners or braking late and it was a different thing.

I have even swapped into a C63 of my mates and the biggest issue I found with it was traction. Simply wants to break out at any opportunity. Small, light, agile cars are fun but the sledgehammer V8s are very fulfilling. The Commodore is BIG and it drives accordingly in its stock trim. Once again its cheap to get it close but it will never behave like a hot hatch that is 35% lighter.

Yesterday morning I had 640i pull up next to me and all he wanted to do was thump it off the line when he heard the lumpy cam. I let him go No other reason than it was school times and I was turning left in 30m. He blasted up the road and pulled back when he realised I didn't want to play. Any other time he would have been taught a lesson.....

If you want to take them on just be ready to stomp on the go pedal and not let up. Even the stock LS3 will let out an all mighty raw and serve you well. The opposite number will need to execute a perfect launch to achieve their 3/4s performance times regardless. Where you will be disadvantaged will be gearbox, I really miss the crispness of the PDK with its lightning fast gear changes.

Haha. Sometimes its a lot more fun baiting them and not giving the satisfaction of winning (or perhaps not!)

 

[BigPilot]

Having put 500kms on the car in two weeks , I can say that I much prefer the MSE over the VW arteon, Passat Audi A4 and S5 and a few other cars I have test driven. the urgency and ride compliance is fantastic on Sydney roads. the space between the driver and passenger (space is a luxury) and comfort exceed both on longer journeys. The level of light into the cabin and general ambiance is excellent. What also suprised me was the fuel economy is similar between the V8 and the Arteon (demo arteon was drinking ~22l / 100ks). I haven’t compared to BMW / Mercedes but on a value for money, I don’t think there is anything comparable.

 

[426Cuda]

Having put 500kms on the car in two weeks , I can say that I much prefer the MSE over the VW arteon, Passat Audi A4 and S5 and a few other cars I have test driven. the urgency and ride compliance is fantastic on Sydney roads. the space between the driver and passenger (space is a luxury) and comfort exceed both on longer journeys. The level of light into the cabin and general ambiance is excellent. What also suprised me was the fuel economy is similar between the V8 and the Arteon (demo arteon was drinking ~22l / 100ks). I haven’t compared to BMW / Mercedes but on a value for money, I don’t think there is anything comparable.

Good comparison. Welcome to JC, and the MSE club
What colour did you get?

 

[BigPilot]

Red, manual, low line spoiler. Wife and I walked into the dealership and she saw it next to a black redline and said “I want that one”. Who am I to say no right

 

[426Cuda]

Red, manual, low line spoiler. Wife and I walked into the dealership and she saw it next to a black redline and said “I want that one”. Who am I to say no right

Yep, never argue with SWMBO.

 

[PeteSS]

Getting back to Cuda's original question about "factory standard" the answer to his question would be no.

If you were to ask the same question about the LSA HSV's, then the answer might be different. The VF2's in my mind are still under powered in factory trim, though an improvement on the embarrassing 260kw that the VF1 had in factory trim. It's a decent amount of power, though not from a 6lt V8

My wife's 328i feels more of a performance sedan than the VF1 would ever be. If anything, the VF1 when i first had it reminded my of a latter day version of a Holden HQ with a 253 V8. All bark and no bite. At least the 253 sounded good ....

Even though the VF1 opened up with exhaust, CAI, and tune, we are talking factory standard

 

[monty_vfssv]

Getting back to Cuda's original question about "factory standard" the answer to his question would be no.

If you were to ask the same question about the LSA HSV's, then the answer might be different. The VF2's in my mind are still under powered in factory trim, though an improvement on the embarrassing 260kw that the VF1 had in factory trim. It's a decent amount of power, though not from a 6lt V8

My wife's 328i feels more of a performance sedan than the VF1 would ever be. If anything, the VF1 when i first had it reminded my of a latter day version of a Holden HQ with a 253 V8. All bark and no bite. At least the 253 sounded good ....

Even though the VF1 opened up with exhaust, CAI, and tune, we are talking factory standard

The 300 odd kw of the vf2 is a fair "stock" PEAK power figure (if hsv never exsisted they would've given us alot more).. but the thing that got me was how boring the power delivery is. And to think the vf2 is more peppy with the 3.7 diff ratio makes me wonder how boring a stock vf1 would be. Alot of disappointed vf1 buyers i would imagine.

 

[Forg]

A lot of disappointed vf1 buyers i would imagine.

No, we were only comparing to (a) a 20yo auto Ecomoo (b) the alternative (similar price-point & wagonoid) new vehicles, so there was no disappointment in any way.

 

[PeteSS]

I went from a VE SV6's to a VF1 SS. To say i was pretty underwhelmed is an understatement.

Also drove a mate's VF2 Redline recently. Bog standard, no mods. Didn't exactly excite me