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Quickest V6 - again

Pretender

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Same old theme revisited ie: VN vs VP - V6
After a little research (Father's friend has worked for a Holden Dealership for 30 years as Manager) I was provided with the following Holden official claimed specs for the VN & VP sixes.

Holden Commodore VN SI
Year of Introduction: 1988
Engine: 3.8 litre EFI V6 ; 5.0 V8 EFI
Power: 125kW (V6) & 165kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed manual ; 4 speed Turbohydramatic ; 6 speed ZF manual (Group A)
Performance: 0 - 100 km/h 8.1 seconds (V6 Auto) 7.2 seconds (V8 Auto); Standing 400 metres 15.7 seconds (V6 Auto) 15.1 seconds (V8 Auto)
Production: 215,180
Price: $20,014

Holden Commodore VP SI
Year of Introduction: 1991
Engine: 3.8 litre EFI V6 ; 5.0 V8 EFI
Power: 127kW (V6) & 165kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed manual & 4 speed Turbohydramatic 700
Performance: 0 - 100 km/h 8.0 seconds (V6 Auto) 7.2 seconds (V8 Auto); Standing 400 metres 15.5 seconds (V6 Auto) 15.1 seconds (V8 Auto)
Production: 92,860

This appears to clear up the the debate.
But I was told unofficially the performance claims were exaggerated for the VP. The modest 2kW power increase, the increased weight along with the Cam variation, gearbox recalibration (Autos) and computer enhancements to make the VP (and VN series IIs) more tractable in normal driving (read as reduced harshness in the takeoffs) robbed it of some of the lowdown performance of the series I VNs. As speeds rose the cars were close to identical in acceleration but the VN would have a sizeable lead in initial takeoff that the VP could not make up.
At the time the 4.0litre Falcon was ready for release with a lot more power than the Commodore (but less performance) and Holden did not want their updated Commodore, on paper at least, showing less performance than the earlier model.
This is what I was told so please don't shoot the messenger. There are probably quite a few "Official" Holden connected people who think or know this info to not be correct. As for myself having owned VNs SI & SII and 2 x VPs, from my experience this does sounds plausible as my SI is easily the quickest V6 I have owned.
If you look at Modern Motor and Wheels issues covering VNs & VPs the Auto VN SIs consistently ran 8.20 seconds 0-100Km/h and the VN S IIs & VPs 8.96 - 9.3 seconds.
Pretender
 
B

BOV

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VN/VP with 300 000 + on the clock will not do better than 9 seconds to 100km/h I predict.

Yes they were quick from the factory and that was 13-15 years ago but most are aging rust buckets now (no offence) unles their owners are spending money on servicing and restoring the car.
 

ElDubya

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I guarentee my VN is quicker from 0 - 100 than 9.0seconds. Someone buy me a GTech and I'll prove it :)
 
B

BOV

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ElDubya said:
I guarentee my VN is quicker from 0 - 100 than 9.0seconds. Someone buy me a GTech and I'll prove it :)
You have an ss dude, its a v8 and u prolly baby sit it and spend time and money on it.
 

greenfoam

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BOV said:
VN/VP with 300 000 + on the clock will not do better than 9 seconds to 100km/h I predict.

Yes they were quick from the factory and that was 13-15 years ago but most are aging rust buckets now (no offence) unles their owners are spending money on servicing and restoring the car.

Mine has 275,000 and still runs 8 flat or better most of the time, stock engine, exhaust, it has never never ever ran anywhere near as slow as 9 seconds not even with heaps of wheelspin on launch in the rain.

Oh yeah I forgot something :). The lesson is think twice if you reckon you can get to 100 quicker in your VS than a Series one VN, you might get a suprise :D
 

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Holden's claimed Specs for VS V6

Holden Commodore VS
Year of Introduction: 1995
Engine: 3.8 litre EFI V6 ; 5.0 V8 EFI
Power: 145kW (V6) & 165kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed manual & 4 speed Turbohydramatic
Performance: 0 - 100 km/h 8.9 seconds (V6) ; Standing 400 metres 16.3 seconds (V6)
Production: 250,000
Price: $26,780
 

Pretender

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Gas

I forgot to add I had my Lexcen timed running on gas (dual fuel setup)
0 - 100km/h = First try, floored it, big backfire and then 10.25 seconds.
Taped together the blown apart airbox and tried again with a gentler start.
9.45 seconds was the best I could get.
Switched it to petrol and laid one run 8.02 seconds. So by the Kilometre/performance formula with the huge 240 000+ KMs and the rust, it must have run 7.0 flat when new. I don't think so.
 

greenfoam

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Pretender said:
I forgot to add I had my Lexcen timed running on gas (dual fuel setup)
0 - 100km/h = First try, floored it, big backfire and then 10.25 seconds.
Taped together the blown apart airbox and tried again with a gentler start.
9.45 seconds was the best I could get.
Switched it to petrol and laid one run 8.02 seconds. So by the Kilometre/performance formula with the huge 240 000+ KMs and the rust, it must have run 7.0 flat when new. I don't think so.

I ran a 8.09 in my VN Lexcen on the way home after replying up there at my parents house :) bit slow for my car but pretty good for 270,000ks : ), Toa said his parents VN runs the same times now with hundreds of thousands of ks on it as it did when it was new, My friend has a fairly strong VP with extractors and exhaust, really swarve cai and filter and his runs low 9's on gas, but it's much faster on petrol. You have to remember the Lexcen is carrying at least 40kgs more weight than a Commodore Executive so the base model Commodore should be a bit quicker
 

Pretender

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My Lexcen is dead stock (I now Know about the headers on SIs thanks).
My Cat rattles very badly but does not effect performance unless it gets, as it does occasionally , a rumble in the exhaust like a mild backfire. It then is very slow off the mark until it clears itself. I am going to fit new plugs, leads and Cat when I get the money. It appears I am getting unburnt fuel in the exhaust so I may have an occasional misfire. I hope this fixes it as I get very strange looks from other drivers when my car growls at them.
 

Stewart1000

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VL twin turbo. VN5L. old jeep, **** mondeo.
hahaha, that would get you some 'different' looks from people waiting to cross the road when you drive past while its happening lol.
but yeah the VNs go pretty hard, and correct me if im wrong but are the lightest commodore? i heard that somewhere but im not sure about it because the VL it smaller.
 
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