Review: HSV Gen-F Grange (2013-15)

Released in May 2013, the HSV Gen-F Grange was a rear-wheel drive, long wheelbase sedan. Manufactured in Elizabeth, South Australia, and finished in Clayton, Victoria, the Gen-F Grange was powered by 6.2-litre LS3 V8 petrol engines that were mated to six-speed 6L80 automatic transmissions.

LS3 V8 engine

Shared with the WM Grange , the all-aluminium ‘Generation IV’ 6.2-litre LS3 pushrod V8 engine had a 103.25 mm bore and 92.0 mm stroke, flat-topped pistons, cast-steel roller rocker arms, roller cam followers, coil pack ignition, two valves per cylinder, hollow-stem intake valves, twin knock control sensors, distributorless ignition and a compression ratio of 10.7:1.

While the standard LS3 Gen-F engine initially produced 317 kW, the Gen-F Grange had a bi-modal air intake, high flow inlet tube and high flow headers for a peak power output of 340 kW.

Dimensions

Sharing both its platform and body panels with the WM Grange , the Gen-F Grange was 5153 mm long, 1899 mm wide, 1475 mm tall and had a 3009 mm long wheelbase.

Suspension and steering

The Gen-F Grange had double-pivot MacPherson strut front suspension and independent, four-link rear suspension; the suspension also included HSV’s ‘Magnetic Ride Control’ system which used magneto-rheological fluid in the monotube dampers to provide variable damping through the application of an electric current that varied the viscosity of the damping fluid. For the Gen-F range, however, Magnetic Ride Control included an extra set of coils that could instantly reverse the polarity of the iron filings to vary suspension damping.

The Gen-F Grange also introduced electric power-assisted steering.

HSV Gen-F Grange specifications
	Engine	Trans.	Peak power	Peak torque
Grange	6.2-litre LS3 petrol V8	6sp auto	340 kW at 6100 rpm	570 Nm at 4650 rpm

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Gen-F Grange included dual front airbags, front side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, Side Blind Zone Alert, Reverse Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters.

Brakes

The Gen-F Grange had 367 mm by 32 mm front brake discs and 367 mm by 28 mm rear discs with forged four-piston calipers fitted front and rear.

Features

Standard features for the Gen-F Grange included 20-inch Dark Stainless forged alloy wheels with 255/35 R20 front and 275/35 R20 Continental 5P tyres, a nine speaker Bose sound system with a CD/DVD player, MP3-compatibility, auxiliary inputs (3.5 mm/USB/iPod) and Bluetooth connectivity, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, satellite navigation with an eight-inch colour touch screen display, HSV Luxury seats with leather trim, eight-way power adjustable and heated front seats, head-up display, an Enhanced Driver Interface, cruise control, xenon headlights, daytime running lights, front fog lights, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual LCD screens for rear passengers, remote central locking with proximity key and remote engine start, push-button start, power windows and heated mirrors, automatically dipping door mirrors on reverse, driver’s seat and mirror memory settings, a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, an electric park brake, 12 volt power outlet, an alarm and immobiliser.

As standard, the Grange was also fitted with a limited slip rear differential.

The Grange featured ‘Auto Park Assist’ function which enabled the vehicle to steer into parallel and 90-degree angle parks while the driver operated the accelerator and brake pedals. Models fitted with automatic transmissions also had a remote engine start function which could be operated via the key fob.

November 2014 (MY15): Grange update

As part of the November 2014 (MY15) update, the Gen-F Grange was fitted with steering wheel gearshift paddles.

HSV Gen-F2 Grange (2015-17)

Overview

Commencing production in October 2015, the HSV Gen-F2 Grange could be identified by its new five-twin spoke alloy wheels. Inside, the auxiliary gauges at the base of the centre stack were discontinued to improve storage space, while HSV’s ‘Enhanced Driver Interface’ (EDI) was available as extra-cost option.

HSV Gen-F2 Grange specifications
	Engine	Trans.	Peak power	Peak torque
Grange	6.2-litre LS3 petrol V8	6sp auto	340 kW at 6100 rpm	570 Nm at 4650 rpm

Features

For the HSV Gen-F2 Grange, standard features were largely unchanged.

2016 HSV Grange SV

In June 2016, HSV commenced production of its final run of LS3-powered vehicles. The HSV Grange SV was released as part of this run and its production was limited to 50 vehicles. The HSV Grange SV could be identified by its 20-inch ‘SV Rapier’ gloss-black forged alloy wheels, black AP Racing four-piston brake calipers, shadow-chrome exhaust tips, black accenting for the grille surround, driving light bezels, fender vents, mirror scalps, lower air intake surround, bootlid appliqu�, door mouldings and badges.

Inside, the Grange SV had unique ID and sill plates which signified its position in the limited production run of fifty (50) vehicles.

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Review: HSV Gen-F Grange (2013-17)