Road Test: HSV Senator vs. FPV Force6

By Feann Torr - 5/June/2007

Recently we put together a road test between the two most potent cars in the GM Holden and Ford garages - the Commodore SS V versus the Falcon XR6 Turbo, and the winner of that all-Aussie stoush was the Falcon. By a cat's whisker, it should be noted.

This was somewhat of a surprise considering the Holden is brand new and Ford is essentially five years old. But if you thought round one of this Holden versus Ford dust-up was eye opening, prepare for round two, which features two of Australia's most impressive tyre-frying muscle cars from Holden Special Vehicles and Ford Performance Vehicles.

This comparo raises the stakes considerably because these cars provide a magnification in all aspects of motoring - they're more powerful, they're more luxurious, and they're significantly more expensive than Commodore SS V and the Falcon XR6 Turbo.

What we have is the HSV Senator up against the FPV Force6, and when you pair up two of Australia's most powerful prestige sports sedans - which between them generate more than 1000Nm of twist - it's difficult to keep a low profile. Having to explain to a curious farmer while on a photo shoot near his farm the pros and cons of both vehicles was enlightening to say the least.

Sometimes you don't need to know why a farmer's wife is allegedly "sick and twisted", but it's good to know that a pair of Australia's fastest cars can at least raise the spirits of a troubled bloke. And also allow for a prompt change of subject.

"I like the Holden, but what's this Ford all about, mate?" Well, that's actually an HSV, and the other is an FPV (technically speaking). The 'Ford' is a turbocharged 6-cylinder sports car compared to the V8 status of the HSV, and they're both alarmingly powerful machines. 

"Big wheels, by the looks." Too right. Both cars sit on 19-inch alloy wheels and are fitted with super fat tyres with acres of rubber and silicon. This provides them with a predatory road stance but also ensures they are not lacking in the handling department. You should see these things through the corners!

"Not my scene mate. Thanks for the chat fellas, but I gotta head off. Livestock ain't gonna feed 'emselves." Seeya mate, and have a good arvo.

Clearly not everyone's as impressed with these hot-shoe models as we were, and with that ignominious farewell we packed up the camera, firmly secured the equipment in the cars and headed north towards the mountains in search of the corners that would be the battle ground for the ultimate Holden versus Ford showdown.

Drive: HSV4.25/5 FPV4/5

These two cars are packing heat, serious heat. The firepower they are capable of unleashing via your right foot is gratuitous to say the least, yet the HSV Senator and Force6 are not in the business of advertising this fact.

Neither car screams out "I'll destroy you!!" like some performance cars with their huge rear wings and other outrageously blatant eye candies. No, these two have a different war cry. It's more of a, "If you'd like to do battle good Sir, I would be happy to oblige." Indeed, both vehicles are more than happy to rip it up on the black top, but they primarily target the executive dollar, what with their fine-smelling leather interiors, high quality audio systems, proximity parking sensors and (relatively) conservative exteriors.

These large-engined, rear-wheel drive luxury sports sedans are aimed at people who want to drive a car that clearly communicates their status as a powerful individual, and without all the race-bred add-ons that sometimes attract a little too much attention. But unlike a traditional BMW or Mercedes buyer, these guys prefer to support the Australian car industry. 

Befitting their prestige characters, both cars have only one gearbox option - 6-speed automatics for luxury cruising, no less - and they both feature electrically adjustable leather sports seats, climate control, and various other fancy pants extras.

While these cars may look conservative and feel prestigious - at least compared to their stablemates - their real-world performance is far from restrained...

The first test we embarked upon was a simple one, and quite popular too: which car is quicker in straight line from 0-100km/h? You could almost smell the anticipation in the air (which was strangely akin to high octane petrol fumes).

Our first run indicated that the HSV Senator's extra herbs gave it the lead, but only by a few inches at an indicated 100km/h. 

The HSV has a 33% larger engine than the FPV - 6.0-litres compared to 4.0 - and as such develops considerably more power, a full 37 kilowatts more. But while the HSV's muscular 307kW looked to dwarf the FPV's paltry 270kW power output, on the road these two cars are very closely matched and there's a good reason for this.

It's called forced induction.

The FPV Force6 gets a turbocharger hooked up to a large front-mounted intercooler, and it's this interesting little addon which hikes torque output from the standard 4.0-litre Ford engine's 383Nm to a spleen-bursting 550Nm, which also happens to be exactly the same amount the HSV Senator churns out. Convenient, no?

Both cars hit 100km/h from rest in about 5.7 seconds according to our tests, and while their acceleration and torque levels are nigh on identical, the cars feel very different, particularly in the way they go about developing torque. 

The HSV achieves maximum torque of 550Nm @ 4400rpm, but the FPV with turbo-assistance hits 550Nm @ 2000rpm, and the effects of the Force6's incredibly strong bottom end was clearly evident in the straight line acceleration test.

Powered by one of the most powerful turbocharged engines in Australian motoring history, the FPV Force6 ran into a slight problem at about 50km/h: due to its sledgehammer-like torque delivery low in the rev range, the rear wheels would begin spinning uncontrollably (even as the traction control system tried in vain to keep the rear wheels from busting loose!). Suffice to say that the turbocharged 6-cylinder engine in the FPV is an absolute cracker.

With judicious use of the throttle (instead of flat-footing it) the FPV Force6 turned out to be slightly quicker than the HSV Senator in later tests, but again it was only by a few inches when the wheels weren't spinning madly at the half-way mark.

One of the primary reasons for the FPV's manic wheel spinning episodes is its military torque delivery that begins so low in the rev range, but compared to the HSV it also has a smaller rear contact patch. Both cars come standard with huge 19-inch alloy wheels, but HSV has a wider section of rubber than FPV at the rear, and hence is less likely to break traction.

The FPV Force6 gets 245/35 ZR19 tyres on all four wheels, while the HSV sensibly benefits from 245/40 R19s at the front and much wider 275/35 R19s at the rear. FPV, we beseech you -- put some fats on the rear of the Force6. It's crying out for them with tears of molten rubber...

Both cars feel tremendously powerful under full throttle, but as mentioned develop peak torque in very different ways, and they sound different too. At full stretch, the HSV's voice is loud and lumpy with a traditional V8 thrum that's all bass tones, deep rhythm, and smooth reverb. It's also got a pleasing, but fairly quiet 'wob-wob' at idle. 

The FPV turbo 6-cylinder engine is in a completely different class, with a refined whirr at engine idle that transmogrifies into a physically expanding scream, eventually intensifying to a high pitched electronic roar of sorts. I liken it to a small jet engine, and you can almost make out another sound - the induction roar - alongside the whistle of the turbo and smooth whine of the engine. 

For mine, the Force6 has a more stirring exhaust note, backed up up by the engine's well-measured wail, and though the HSV is suitably sonorous, it seems to be a bit more muffled which may in fact suit more discerning buyers.

The fettled Calais versus the tuned up Fairmont test continues, but so far the two cars are so closely matched it's kind of boring. What we want here is a clear winner. So next up we tested roll-on acceleration - where the cars are sitting on 80km/h and we wind them to 110km/h and see which car has the more tractable engine.

The winner? HSV's 8-cylinder engine edged it ahead, but again it was only by a whisker. It feels as though the V8 is a touch more responsive to throttle input (it doesn't have any turbo lag, either) but the FPV's German-made 6-speed automatic gearbox brings things back into line with faster gear changes.

Okay, so both cars are very closely matched in terms of straight-line performance. But this brings us no closer to a clear winner, which is what we want. What next? We headed north, to the mountains: it was time to see if these luxury sports sedans could perform the apex fandango.

On the journey up the Hume Highway towards our destination in the Alps both cars exhibited good levels of ride comfort (when you factor in the incredibly sporty tyres that provide a gum-ball cushion between wheel and road) though the massive 19-inch wheels did generate a smattering of road noise. On the freeway both cars were fairly quiet and communicated a fairly good level of luxury; the HSV was perhaps a touch quieter, but it was much of a muchness.

After a few hours on the highway with the cruise control switched on, we found the FPV Force6 to be far more fuel efficient, and then our designated exit ramp loomed, and it was time to turn the music off, quaff a jug-load of coffee, and adjust the seats for performance driving.

From the get-go it was clear that the FPV Force6's lighter front end and turbo power rush were giving it the edge when we started pushing the cars hard, but that was before we discovered the HSV Senator's secret weapon that, ultimately, gives it a slight edge in terms of both ride and handling over the FPV - and it's called MRC.

All hail the magnetic ride control!

Similar systems are used by some Ferrari models and the new Audi TT to reduce a cars body roll at the touch of a button. The system essentially changes the viscosity or thickness of the oil in the shock absorbers by running a current through it, which agitates tiny metallic flecks in the oil and, in turn, this makes the cars sit incredibly flat through even the tightest of corners. It also improves braking slightly as the car doesn't pitch forward as much under strong deceleration. 

Currently FPV doesn't have a variable ride system like the MRC, and as such - little by little - the HSV began to assert itself as we wound our way higher into the hills.

When driving without the MRC system the HSV Senator had a fairly pliant ride. It is comparable to wearing a pair of comfy loafers when the system is switched off, but when you hit the MRC button, it's like donning a pair of running shoes. Not very comfy, but they're laced up tight and there's heaps of grip.

The HSV Senator felt great round corners, which is due to both the MRC and Holden Special Vehicle's upgraded suspension system. The steering didn't quite have the positive feel nor the grounded feedback of the FPV Force6, but as soon as we switched magnetic ride control on, body roll was virtually eliminated and the difference between the two became more pronounced.

Now, while it may not have felt quite so connected with the road, the HSV Senator turned in very crisply, moreso than its rival, and had less body roll than the FPV as well. The FPV Force6 tended to lean on its outside wheels more than the HSV, but at the same token it had a slight edge to the way it punched out of corners once you'd passed the apex. I tell you, that inline 6-cylinder turbo mill is a freakin' marvel of engineering and at full steam it was hard to sit in the drivers seat and not grin like a complete fool as my body was slowly but inexorably forced deep into the seat cushions as the G-forces rose in tandem with the engine revs.

While the FPV Force6 was much fleeter when punching out of corners - and the gearbox helped here as well - the HSV Senator felt more planted due to its super-flat MRC-enhanced handling. The reduced body roll allowed the luxury sports sedan to track through the corners with more rubber on the road (and hence more grip) and this in turn inspired more confidence to keep upping the ante. Furthermore, the FPV tended to float over larger bumps mid-corner which could sometimes force you wide of your intended line, where the HSV seemed to track a bit more precisely even in the face of irregularities on the road surface.

Both cars are rear-wheel drive and both offer remarkably rewarding experiences when gunning it through corners. However, I'll be the first to admit they don't have the dexterity of a hot hatch and because of their bulk and width you have to have your wits about you when pushing beyond 8/10ths, because both cars are outrageously powerful.

Effectively transferring these outrageous amounts of power and torque to the rear wheels is taken care of two very heavy duty gearboxes, and I found that the V8 of the HSV Senator worked really well with the tiptronic gearshift mode, which has been something GM gearboxes haven't been able to do very well until now. The 6-speed auto worked well under full throttle, and when kept above 4000rpm the HSV delivered a what I would describe as a dangerously decadent onslaught of raw power. If you're brave enough to keep the engine on the boil and wind out each gear to the redline, the HSV is capable of hair-raising speeds. It felt ludicrously rapid for something so large.

However, the way the Force6 flew out of corners with its turbocharger operating at full boost was even more gobsmacking than the HSV. It may be short of displacement and power compared to its rival, but it certainly didn't feel as though there was a 37kW power deficit. By Jove it was powerful! Words like insane, crazy, mad, and fun best describe what it feels like to go hammer and tong with the Force6. It's engine started to build steam at just below 3000rpm when the increasing levels of horsepower began to mingle with the turbo-infused torque wave, and it's undeniably addictive.

Though the FPV still has the better of the two transmissions, the HSV Senators' new 6-speeder is a huge improvement for the car, and brings it much closer to the Ford-based models.

The GM shifter is the best auto an HSV or Holden has ever seen, but it wasn't quite as sharp or responsive as the German-sourced 6-speed cog swapper in the FPV. However, it does have a very positive tiptronic operation and it's intuitive too, where you pull back on the shifter to change into a higher gear and push forward on it to downchange.

Rapidly reducing speed on these heavy cars is something not to be taken lightly, as they generate a lot of momentum due to their heavy 1.8 tonne weights. The FPV gets 4-piston Brembo calipers as standard front and rear (and 6-pot calipers if you upgrade to the 'Premium' brakes) clamping 355mm x 32mm cross drilled and slotted front discs and 328mm x 26mm rear discs. The HSV benefits from larger 365mm x 32mm front discs and 350mm x 26mm rear discs with 4-piston HSV-badged calipers front and rear. 

So which has the better brakes package? Of our two test cars, the brakes were stronger in the FPV and it could pull up in less time than the HSV, and would often close the gap heading into tighter corners as a result of this. But pedal feel was better in the HSV. For instance, you didn't have to push the brake pedal three quarters of the way in when driving the HSV to get strong response, where you were forced to with the FPV's brake pedal.

At the end of a weeks testing one thing was crystal clear - both cars are an absolute hoot to steer through corners and gun down long straights, and their levels of performance are frequently astonishing, especially when you consider just how much metal, glass, and plastic they're dragging about. And we also have a clear winner. 

After the Falcon XR6 Turbo put the Commodore SS V in its place in a previous comparo, we guessed it'd happen all over again. It's now evident we guessed wrong.

HSV spent almost $5 million dollars fine-tuning the MRC for its new range, and the investment has paid off handsomely. The HSV Senator felt predictable and highly mobile through corners and minor adjustments mid-corner rarely flustered it. Though the FPV Force6 had more weight to the steering wheel and better feedback, stronger brakes and a wicked turbo punch to launch it out of corners, the HSV Senator took the cake at the end of our driving test. It was a pleasure to drive in a wider variety of conditions than the FPV thanks to its MRC-inspired 'Jekyll and Hyde' personality. Though the Force6 was awesomely quick, the Senator sat so incredibly flat when spearing through corners while providing a directness that few other Australian-made cars have thus far delivered. Very impressive.

Engine: HSV4/5 FPV4.5/5

Pop the bonnet on either of these two high performance luxury cars and you'll be greeted with huge engines and flourishes of colour - blue for the FPV, red for the HSV. Though the HSV may have taken the honours in the drive and handling departments, what with the versatility of its advanced dual-mode suspension system, the Ford wins this engine battle for two major reasons: it returns better fuel economy, and in the real world it delivers stronger performance. 

In hindsight, there isn't a huge gap between the on-road performance of these two cars, but the turbocharged FPV 6-cylinder engine is a better unit in most respects, and particularly when referring to refinement. It sounds refined and it operates very smoothly, like a highly-engineered German whiz-bang techno-motor should. The V8 isn't unrefined per se, and suits the Senator's demeanour very well, it's just not as smooth.

The FPV Force6's 4.0-litre engine is also more advanced than its rival, employing dual overhead camshafts, 4-valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, and dual ram-air intakes in the air box. The GM-sourced V8 gets overhead valves (or push rods), only 2-valves per cylinder and no variable valve timing. It's sort of like comparing quantum mechanics with the study of potatoes.

Additionally, the Ford 6-cylinder lump uses a Garrett GT3540 turbo to deliver its scintillating acceleration, developing a maximum of 0.64 bar (9.2 psi), which is fed cool oxygen via an air-to-air aluminium intercooler, while the Holden V8 applies the 'size counts' ideology: bigger is better. And ultimately this ideology works for the HSV, because there's not much difference between these two luxo-thugs when it comes to the all-important traffic light duel.

The performance of both models is indisputably impressive - both cars are more than capable of creating a thick wall of opaque tyre smoke smoke without breaking so much as a sweat. But what happens when the petrol gauge hits one-quarter and you're still 60 clicks from home? Well, neither car is particularly frugal, but again the Force6 is probably the car you'd want in this scenario.

Driven on the freeway at 100km/h the FPV Force6's turbocharged engine sits on 1500rpm at 100km/h in 6th gear and drinks about 8L/100km. The HSV in contrast is revving slightly higher, spinning @ 1750rpm at 100km/h in 6th gear and at this speed it was consuming about 9.3L/100km. Interestingly, the overall fuel consumption figures when we handed the keys back for both cars were quite different:

• HSV Senator: 14.1L/100km
  

• FPV Force6:   14.3L/100km

Why was this? The simple answer is that we did more city driving in the FPV Force6 and stop start traffic can be unkind to average fuel efficiency numbers. The not-so-simple answer is that when the turbocharger is spooling its little heart out there's a fair chance that it drinks more petrol than the V8 at full throttle (and another reason why it's arguably the best drifter this side of a bombed-out Toyota Sprinter Trueno).

One area where the HSV powertrain does outshine the FPV's is in throttle response. It's quicker to react to input and this improves drivability slightly, but in most other areas the Force6 shines a few brighter. When you look at the target demographics of these aspirational cars, the more refined nature of the Force6 would seem to be the clear winner here. That said, when it comes to bragging rights, 8-cylinders will almost always net you more street cred...

Exterior: HSV4/5 FPV4/5

Aimed at the executive crowd, these cars don't have the usual flourishes that characterise the modern Australian performance car, but I have to admit their reputations are discernible when you look at the monstrous wheels and race-car like slotted and cross-drilled brakes. Yet if you weren't looking closely or didn't catch the size of the 19-inch wheels, both cars could quite easily pass you in traffic without eliciting a sideways glance. 

Take a minute or two to have a closer look at these high performance money machines and it's clear they mean business.

Take the FPV Force6 for instance. You can see the intercooler in the lower air dam that signifies its turbocharged nature, while the reflective chrome mirrors denote its prestigiousness (they looked great on this blue road test car, but can look a bit average with some colours). The HSV Senator meanwhile gets a two-tone paint job, undeniably eye-catching LED brake lights and plenty of chrome highlights.

Both cars have fairly subtle body effects, with just enough flair to add importance, to suggest these cars are not stock standard yet without totally overdoing it. Personally, I reckon these two models are some of the best looking large Australian performance sedans on the market. The difference to their profiles that the removal of a rear wing - large or small - makes is significant, and it creates an entirely new visual dynamic that is refreshing in an age where rear spoilers are now obligatory on almost everything - sports car or not. 

These cars will appeal to people who want big ticket performance but without the cosmetic surgery that often typifies the modern high performance automobile.

From the front, the Force6 is a better looking car in my opinion. Apart from the front-mounted intercooler than provides street cred ad infinitum, it's got a pair of small chrome-edged fog lights and a larger-than-normal lower air dam, with mesh covering and FPV insignia. The Senator looks quite wide from the front, with its hugely flared wheel arches, but it doesn't have the same menacing aesthetic as the Force6. 

The two tone paint job looks a bit outdated and the Senator's lower air dam is too curvy. I felt that this rounded lower apron design takes some of the visual aggression out of the Senator. This may have been intentional, but I think HSV still could have added more intent to the front end without losing the cars prestige essence.

Both cars have low slung front aprons and side skirts to add to the performance image, but again the large 19-inch wheels are the only real giveaways that these Australian luxury cars are armed to teeth with high performance weaponry.

And while the FPV looks better from the front, the HSV is by far a more sophisticated looking beast from the rear. In addition to the flared wheel arches that give it a somewhat Germanic stance, the Senator is adorned with four pipes compared to the Force6's singular outlet, and the LED brake lights make the Force6's standard brake light bulbs look entirely quaint in comparison. 

Overall, I think the FPV does a very good job with its ageing body shell, and the HSV looks good from most angles except the most important one - the front.

Interior: HSV4/5 FPV3.5/5

Both the FPV Force6 and HSV Senator are deemed to be executive class luxury cars, but to cut a long story short, the Senator is the more luxurious of the two. 

The Senator's white leather and suede seats set it apart from the rather generic black leather seats of the Force6, and are suitably comfy. But I did find the HSV's seat side bolsters to be largely ineffective, mainly because the rate at which this car can hack through corners isn't appropriately reflected in the level of side support in the front seats.

Both cars get dual zone climate control, electric leather seats, 6-speed automatic transmissions, plenty of rear seat room, large boots, and modern looking LCD screens in the centre consoles. These LCD screens are used to display a plethora of info, from radio stations and audio settings to cabin temperature, fuel usage, trip details and even sat nav (if you option it). 

The HSV Senator is based on a brand new vehicle, the VE Commodore, while the FPV is based on the 5-year-old Falcon, and as such it's not surprising that the former has the higher quality LCD screen. The HSV Senator's information screen has a higher resolution that gives the interior a more advanced and high tech feel.

Another key feature that comes as standard in the HSV and is nowhere to be seen in the FPV is a rear seat DVD player, that conveniently folds out of its ceiling recess. This extra goes a long way to making the Senator considerably more appealing, and is a great feature on longer journeys whether you've got kids or not. 

Rear seat room on both cars is excellent: the HSV and FPV get good levels of luxury and lots of room to stretch out, but again the HSV takes the cake with its DVD player and beige coloured suede/leather upholstery. The FPV's black leather (red is also available and looks way better) is of a good quality, and comfort levels are again very closely matched, it's just that the HSV has a slightly more sophisticated ambiance.

As for the drivers area, the steering wheel is better on the FPV as it's a bit chunkier and feels more substantial. The FPV Force6 also features adjustable pedals which allow a larger range of body sizes to operate the car comfortably. The HSV doesn't offer this option.

Both models get the usual sports instrument cluster, with rev counter and speedo, but the HSV features a more modern LCD display between the main gauges and the steering-wheel activated trip computer is a nice touch as well. Both cars get steering wheel controls for audio and other features, and being the road warriors that they are, auxiliary gauges mounted above the centre console are also present. These extras comprise of turbo boost and oil pressure gauges on the FPV Force6, and battery voltage, oil temperature, and oil pressure gauges on the HSV Senator.

Drilled alloy pedals are fitted to the HSV and FPV models, and both Australian-built cars also get tub-thumping stereos with 6-stack CD systems. But where the FPV Force6 gets a 150 Watt system with 6-speakers and sub woofer, the HSV Senator takes it to the next level with a 230 Watt system featuring 11 speakers, including the now obligatory sub woofer.

Overall, the Senator has a better feel to its interior. There's plenty of suede trim on the doors that increase the tactility factor (hard leather for the FPV) and the two tone dashboard fits in nicely, with the black dash up top and a beige colour down below, all of which is punctuated by stylish silver accents. As per the VE Commodore the dash plastics on the HSV Senator are much improved as well, and compared to the FPV Force6 it just feels newer, and more sophisticated.

The seating position of the Falcon is slightly elevated too, and as such it feels as though there's less head room, even with the seat in its lowest position. Sure, you get a better view of the road in the Falcon but the sense of space in the cockpit isn't as pronounced as the HSV's, and it makes the car feel a touch smaller as a result.

At the end of the day, the FPV Force6 was a very nice place to be, with plenty of luxury and convenience features that made sitting in and driving it a real pleasure -- the only problem is that the HSV Senator is one step ahead in almost every department. What FPV has done with the Force6 is commendable - they are working with an ageing product, whereas HSV has got a brand new high-tech foundation to work with. Still, the fact of the matter remains that the HSV has the more opulent interior, and gets the extra points as a result.

Overall: HSV4.25/5 FPV4/5

At the end of this test there was a winner, and even though the HSV Senator commands a $6,000 premium over the FPV Force6, it's worth the extra bucks. That doesn't mean to say the FPV Force6 is a worthless bucket of bolts - it's not. In fact it's an incredibly versatile high performance luxury sedan. It's only real problem is that the HSV Senator exists, which has a more sumptuously equipped interior, uses slightly higher quality materials, and of course features the Magnetic Ride Control system.

If you're hunting for a high performance executive sports sedan with power levels that rarely disappoint, either of these cars will fit the bill quite nicely. Quality levels can't quite match those of their European counterparts - the very same vehicles that these two cars were designed to rival - but at the same time there is no German luxury car priced between $70-$80k on the market today that can compete on a performance level with the Senator and Force6. Nothing even comes close.

These cars represent good value for money and will appeal to buyers who want Australian-built product, and really, if you spent $80k on a similarly sized Audi A6, you'd get the 125kW 2.0-litre engine. Some people wouldn't need to to think twice about such a decision, citing badge value as the chief motivator, followed by fuel economy. But if you are in the market for a large luxury vehicle, and enjoy the odd late afternoon sprint through the hills, these cars simply can't be ignored.

Servicing and running costs may put some buyers off, because the high performance engines and expensive tyres will wear quickly if you drive them as they were designed to be driven - flat chat. But they aren't complete thugs and can be operated in a very civil manner if you can exercise a bit of restraint.

Looking back, I enjoyed the turbo punch of the FPV Force6 more than the Senator's V8 power delivery, but in general the HSV was more enjoyable to drive. The HSV Senator felt a little heavier in general, and didn't take as kindly to short and sharp changes in direction as the FPV Force6, but there's something that's hard to describe that makes driving it slightly more eventful. It's hard to describe why this is; perhaps all the car's nuts and bolts are secured slightly tighter and give it a more robust feel? Whatever it is, it works on an almost subliminal level, and it makes the HSV a very rewarding vehicle to drive.

Both cars deliver evil amounts of chassis-bending torque to their rear wheels, and if nothing appeals to you more than instant power and organ-squeezing straight line acceleration, the Force6 would fit the bill, and save you a thousands of dollars compared to a more expensive imported European sports sedan as well. But if you want something with a bit more feel and slightly better grip, higher levels of luxury, and dare I say a smidgen more class, be sure you take the Senator for a test drive, because it ticks all the relevant boxes.