Holden sets Ute record

Holden’s new VF SS V Redline Ute has set a record lap at the ‘toughest racetrack on the planet’ – the famous Nürburgring in Germany.

With Holden dynamics engineer, Rob Trubiani, at the wheel of the VF SS V Redline Ute, the vehicle posted a 8m 19.47sec lap – faster than many exotic sports cars.

“We came up with a plan to tackle the Nürburgring and break the world record for a commercial or utility vehicle, but when we did our research it seemed one didn’t exist, so we decided to set a record instead,” says Trubiani.

“Without a lap record to break, we sat down and calculated what we thought the Ute could do and targeted around 8min 30sec.

Initial practice sessions at the track confirmed that was a stretch target so that’s what we aimed for. To slash 11 seconds from that time with an 8m 19.47sec lap was incredible. There may not have been a utility-vehicle record before but I’m proud to say the VF SS V Redline Ute is now the Nürburgring benchmark!”

This lap time was set during a full run of the Nordschleife section of the Nürburgring, a total of 20.8km.

Redline models are equipped with unique, ultra-sports tuned FE3 suspension, along with the widest wheels and tyres ever fitted to a mainstream Holden – and the first ‘split’ front and rear tyre arrangement.

The SS V Redline chassis and suspension set-up includes new spring and damper tunes front and rear, larger stabiliser bars and stiffened suspension bushes. Brakes are track-tested, including front Brembo disc brakes, utilising four-piston callipers.

Trubiani was accompanied to the track in April by Holden technician Michael Cutajar to achieve the record. Cutajar is employed at Holden’s proving ground in Lang Lang, Victoria. The program was conducted during the ‘industry pool’ days, during which the track is shut to the public and manufacturers have exclusive access.

“For any car enthusiast the Nürburgring is like the Holy Grail. It’s the toughest, craziest, most demanding race track in the world and for the Ute to handle everything that was thrown at it and set the time we did shows what an exceptional vehicle it is,” says Trubiani.

“The Nordschleife section of the ‘Ring is the ultimate test. It’s 20.8km long and has more than 170 corners with huge elevation changes and multiple surfaces – there is no tougher test for a car and its dynamics. If a vehicle can handle this it can handle anything and proves yet again that Holden’s testing and development processes produce world-class cars with world-class handling.”

The SS V Redline Ute that set the lap time was a product-correct engineering test vehicle that was being used in Europe for validation purposes before taking on The Green Hell. Stock standard apart from a small amount of additional negative camber dialled into the front wheels (although still within production tolerances) and the removal of the speed limiter, the Ute ran flawlessly for seven days and 35 gruelling laps in total.

“We took a standard six-speed automatic VF SS V Redline Ute and subjected it to 35 laps and more than 720 kilometres of intense punishment at the Nürburgring and the car didn’t skip a beat; it soaked it all up and set a hugely impressive lap time,” says Andrew Holmes, program engineering manager for VF.