Active Automotive’s mildly modified VF Commodore GTS runs 10.72 at 131mph on the stock Continental tyres.

We have to admit that we have grown accustomed to hearing tough Commodores fire into life and then immediately settle into a loping, cammy idle.  This is usually a fair indication that there is much fun to be had pressing the foot-mounted joystick that is still referred to as an accelerator pedal.  Well, to our surprise, this audible giveaway is no longer required with the new VF GTS.  Its factory supercharged 6.2-litre LSA engine is so strong that it develops around 490rwhp through the six-speed L90E auto with only a tune to re-map the boost curve.

In the realm of performance cars, the VF Commodore stands out for its impressive power and handling.

The Performance of the VF Commodore

The LSA engine is found in the Camaro Stateside and features a different block to the LS3 with oil squirters to keep the undersides of the pistons cool, 9.0:1 compression and an L98-style cylinder head.  A smooth idle and sedate manners are guaranteed with the small 197°/216° at 50-thou camshaft, which has .484-inch of lift.  

As part of their ongoing R&D with the new model, Active Automotive has initially left the stock cam in place, opting instead to change the top and bottom blower pulleys to achieve a couple of extra pounds of boost.  Changing a couple of pulleys does sound like an easy option but removing the factory supercharger pulley turned out to be a mission.  First up, the supercharger has to be removed, then its front drive and snout must come off.  Next, apply heat and over 20-tonnes of force to the pulley and it might just start to think about moving.  Once off, it is a simple matter to install the new Lingenfelter Performance Engineering 

(LPE) 2.35-inch or 2.50-inch top pulley (stock is 3.0-inch) and either a 5%, 11%, 18% or 22% overdriven bottom pulley.  Active has also sourced their own relocated idler pulleys that allow the bigger bottom pulleys to be fitted.

Oh, did we mention that the blower snout also has to be machined to clear the smaller diameter top pulley?  Didn’t think so.  A solid coupler is used in place of the spring loaded factory coupler, behind the supercharger pulley.  

In this state of tune the GTS produced around 550rwhp on Active Automotive’s dyno, through the stock transmission and torque converter.  As mentioned, a trip to the Motorplex in this form netted a very impressive 10.72 at 131mph on the standard Continental tyres.  Subsequent runs with even more power on tap have resulted in less traction and slower 60-foot times, so it is now time for some ET radials to make the most of the new developments.

For those of you who have driven a 10-second street car from 25 years ago, you will remember that the word ‘street’ was used very loosely.  Mostly they were untamed animals that needed to tow a fuel trailer and were not very practical when it came to visiting a few clients in city traffic.  Those days are well and truly gone with the advent of LSA-powered HSVs.

We had the pleasure of driving Active’s red GTS and it was a pleasure in every sense of the word.  

Thanks to the limited modifications and stock camshaft, this car purrs through traffic with aplomb.  The heads-up display (HUD) is excellent, with a number of display options including speed, revs and even the speed zone of the road you are currently driving along.  Those deep seats with their high lateral supports give a feeling of security while the heating function gives an uneasy burning feeling when accidentally switched on during a 40° day.

The suspension is firm and positive but not harsh and the huge brakes have to be experienced to be believed.  On the GTS, stopping power is every bit as impressive as launching power.  So, on the street, the car is superb in every way from its level of comfort to its high level of technical sophistication.  But all this pales into insignificance when the order is given and the electronically controlled throttle blade is flung open.  

When the fuel and air begin to stuff those cylinders remarkable things start to happen.  Firstly, the sticky Continentals give up their will to live and their ability to grip.  With the auto left in D for Destroy, the tyres are disintegrated through first, second, third and fourth.  Secondly, the Bi-modal exhaust system opens and releases a guttural growl that raises the hairs on your arms.  Thirdly, as a passenger your head is quite literally pinned to the headrest and that unique feeling of simultaneous dizziness and tunnel vision begins to take hold (interestingly you never feel this as a driver).  Finally, the speedo needle rotates so fast you could be forgiven for thinking that the rear wheels had been jacked off the ground. 

This is a 10-second car without doubt.  It is blisteringly fast and yet so utterly nice to drive.  

We doubt you could find a faster car for the price that has all the refinements and technology of the GTS.  Bet you just want one now!

On the dragstrip, the Stage 3 power level of 579rwhp resulted in a strong 11.04 pass at 123mph.  Stage 4, with its larger crank pulley, extracted more power and 606rwhp was enough to push the GTS into the 10s with a 10.99 at 125mph.  These passes were made with the standard Continental GTS road tyres fitted.  When the 630rwhp output of Stage 5 was tested, the street tyres finally reached their limit of adhesion.  Wheel spin off the line resulted in a slower 11.04-second ET but the terminal speed jumped significantly to 129.48mph – an indication of the much quicker times in store when a pair of drag radials is fitted to the rear.  As a footnote, the GTS still manages 14.7-litres/100km around town in its genuine 10-second street trim.  Technology is a wonderful thing.