Bitter Vero: German Tuner 'Pimps' Holden StatesmanMotoring Channel Staff - 22/October/2007 | 
Bitter Vero
The Bitter Vero is based on the Holden
Statesman/Caprice, but has a new look
The four exhaust outlets look good
The interior of the Bitter Vero is very GM
Erich Bitter and his prestige cars
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Braunschweig, Germany — German
car tuning groups like to tune the world's best sports cars. We're
talking Ferrari, Audi RS, BMW M, Porsche. Anything that looks hot, and
goes like a rocket. But now you can add Holden to that prestigious list. The
Bitter Vero is based on a Holden Statesman/Caprice, a long wheel-base
V8 sedan, and has been comprehensively tweaked by a German company. The
price is €121,975, or about $200,000 in Australian currency. In Germany, it's priced at about the same level as a Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG. This is quite a hike from the Holden Caprice's $70,990, so it must be hot stuff yeah? We
haven't tested the car, and probably will never get the opportunity to
do so, but you have to wonder where the extra $130,000 goes. According to the tuning group, which is operated by a guy called Erich Bitter, you get new suspension upgrades, a new look vehicle, and an updated interior. Power
comes from GM's 6.0-litre V8, which outputs a very generous 270kW of
power (362hp) @ 5700rpm. Torque is similarly high, with 510Nm @ 4400rpm. It
doesn't appear as though the Bitter Vero has better engine
performance than the model its based on, which is odd for a tuner.
Perhaps we've translated the nomenclature poorly, but if we haven't
that's a poor showing. How about a supercharger, or some nitrous? As
the photos attest, the Bitter Vero has a very different look to its
donor car. The Holden Caprice is largely regarded as one of the best
looking vehicles to come out of Australia, but the Bitter Vero looks a
bit munted thanks to the removal of the grille. Instead there's a
modified hood and Bitter has added a new look air dam below where the
grille would normally be. The side
of the car doesn't appear to be wildly different to the Holden Caprice
apart from some shiny garnish, but the rear end design is new. It looks
a lot better than the front end, but isn't
overwhelmingly different from the Caprice. The major points of
reference are the new exhaust pipes, which show a touch of creativity. The black 20-inch wheels look good, but the interior gets a different leather tone and little else. There's
the twin DVD system with LCD screens incorporated in the front
headrests, just like the standard Caprice, and lots of rear seat leg
room, just like the Caprice. The
$200,000 modified German-Australian vehicle isn't expected to be built
in large quantities, ensuring it's rarity. It will available to
European customers for €121,975 but could leave a bitter taste in the mouth. Related Links:
Bitter Cars (Official Website)
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