Walkinshaw WP Cruze: review

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Walkinshaw WP Cruze: review
By Craig DuffHerald Sun07 August 2012EmailPrint+-
The WP Cruze is a performance sedan that can double as a daily driver. Photo Gallery
Craig Duff road tests and reviews the prototype Walkinshaw Cruze.
This is the Cruze missile Holden won't admit it is working on. The Red Lion doesn't — yet — have a performance version of the small sedan, so Walkinshaw Performance has stepped up to give Holden's best-selling car a serious shot of testosterone.

It is still refined enough to do duty as a family sedan for school pickups and shopping runs — and then go hunting hot hatches on the weekend. WP attributes Holden's engineering input on the Cruze as one of the reasons why its aftermarket tune-up was rel atively quick and easy.
"We've turned a good car into a great one without sacrificing driveability. That's down to the basic package being so good and the expertise of our own team in taking it to the next level," Walkinshaw Performance general manager Tony Harris says.
VALUE
The prototype Carsguide drove is expected to cost $15,000 more than the $29,490 Sri-V donor car. That's adding 50 per cent to the price — and putting it into all-wheel drive Subaru WRX Premium territory — but shifts the Cruze into another dimension in terms of acceleration, braking and handling.
Harris says a big part of the WP Cruze's attraction is the fact it still looks like a regular sedan, rather than a pocket rocket. Harris plans to sell a graduated series of performance upgrades for the Cruze, with prices starting from around $2000. "It's like a restaurant menu," he says, "some people only want an entree, others will go for the banquet."
TECHNOLOGY
Long-time Walkinshaw partners the Horsepower Factory were given the task of upgrading the Cruze. Rob Vickery started by replacing the "hairdryer" turbo on the 1.4-litre engine and fitting a pair of exhausts to improve its breathing. He says the basics of the Cruze engine are fairly robust but he shortened the throw on the six-speed manual and made the gear changes more direct.
"The standard gearbox feel was a bit rubbery for a performance car, so we tried to give it a more precise feel," he notes. It is under the chassis where the real upgrades ar e, from Irmscher/Bilstein suspension parts to AP Racing brakes. There aren't many cars this side of $100,000 that sit as flat or stop as well as the WP Cruze.
STYLING
At rest, the Walkinshaw's design tweaks are intentionally discreet. "It's about performance, not pose," Harris says. The WP badges are the only items on the exterior that are purely cosmetic. The car has been lowered 15mm and wheel size is up from 17 to 18 inches, the chrome Holden badge and grille surrounds have been repainted in the car's colour — white in this case — and there's a small lip spoiler and a pair of exhausts at the rear rather than the single unit on the standard Holden.
It's the same inside, where quilted inserts in the door panels and seats, along with a Walkinshaw Performance logo high on the seat back are all that distinguishes it from a conventional car.
SAFETY
The Cruze was already one of the safest small cars on the road, with a five-star ANCAP rating and an overall score of 35.09/37. The Walkinshaw Performance upgrades have improved that again, at least in real-world terms of how it can handle to avoid an accident — and stop before it is potentially involved in one. Early testing indicates the WP Cruze will put up from 100km/h in around 32 metres.
DRIVING
To paraphrase another marque, the WP Cruze is sheer driving pleasure. Torque steer — where the engine's grunt overwhelms the wheels — is the bane of high-powered front-wheel drive cars. It can barely be felt here. Ditto for understeer. Eight-inch wide rubber and the race-spec suspension have dialled all the bad traits out. There is some trade-off in low-speed ride quality compared to a "normal" Cruze, but it is nowhere near as much as Carsguide was expecting.
And that's more than compensated for by the WP's whippet-like ability to change direction at any speed, on any road camber and with absolutely nil pitching fore or aft when braking or on the gas. 2011 Australian Rally Championship runner-up Ryan Smart was on hand to help shake down the Cruze and, aside from the performance upgrades, was a big fan of the (untouched) electric steering and chassis stiffness.
VERDICT
Hard-edged without being too hard-core, the WP Cruze is a performance sedan that can double as a daily driver. It also highlights a gap in Holden's line-up that needs to be fixed before Opel builds a business case for its Astra OPC.
WP Cruze
Price: $45,000 (estimate)
Warranty: provided by Walkinshaw
Resale: N/A
Engine: 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder, 180kW/310Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body: 4.63m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.46m (H)
Weight: 1.4 tonnes
Thirst: Not available
Picture won't upload "file too big" http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and...ew?origin=hpc2

[SSD-85]

If this is the way "performance-orientated" cars are going, then I wish I was in 1971...

Stupid-being-born-too-late.

[Nic85]

Christ that thing is ugly. 180kW is a lot of power from a 1.4L and at $45k it's certainly venomously expensive.

[stevz]

Originally Posted by Nic85

Christ that thing is ugly.

Have you looked at the front of the Focus ST lately?

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by stevz

Have you looked at the front of the Focus ST lately?

Yep I own one, well an older one.
New ST is much better looking then the cruze, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Yep I own one, well an older one.
New ST is much better looking then the cruze, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

What?! New ST looks like crap from the front! In my opinion anyway.....

[barra240t]

Originally Posted by SteveJH

What?! New ST looks like crap from the front! In my opinion anyway.....

You won't be seeing the front much on the road anyway, usually the rear most likely..

[stevz]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Yep I own one, well an older one.
New ST is much better looking then the cruze, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Yep I own one, well an older one.
New ST is much better looking then the cruze, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder beer holder.

fixed haha

[mick457]

now only if we still had the xr5 turbo
give that fpv and see what happens it would smash the cruze mind you probley be about the same price

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by mick457

now only if we still had the xr5 turbo
give that fpv and see what happens it would smash the cruze mind you probley be about the same price

Focus ST is almost here. It will be more than enough to see this Cruze off. FiestaST arrives next year to complete the one-two punch.

[nstg8a]

It will sell like hotcakes.

I like it

[Bucknaked]

I like it. Will the ST beat the cruze. I doubt it. Bottom line is it is a holden. Doesn't matter whether its an SS commodore or a Beep Beep barina, it will still sell in numbers and cars like the ST will come in as the bridesmaid.

Maybe to compete with Walkinshaw, Herrod could get their mits on one and do a package. Would be nice to see a small hot hatch come with a Herrod Enhanced Badge.

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

I like it. Will the ST beat the cruze. I doubt it. Bottom line is it is a holden. Doesn't matter whether its an SS commodore or a Beep Beep barina, it will still sell in numbers and cars like the ST will come in as the bridesmaid.

Maybe to compete with Walkinshaw, Herrod could get their mits on one and do a package. Would be nice to see a small hot hatch come with a Herrod Enhanced Badge.

In sales the Cruze will (most probably) do better [because of the Lion badge and far better access to stock] but I think the Focus ST will be/is the better package and cheaper as well (although the RRP of this performance Cruze is TBA)

A Herrod enhanced ST would be boss!!

[Franco Cozzo]

Wow, I really like the look of that, right up my alley.

Its in white too, I dunno about you guys but I've got a thing for small cars in white

However, Focus ST is going to be the better value proposition here.

[BLKPHN]

[Whitey-AMG]

Looks good - and Kudos to them for trying something new.
This will sell.....and who cares if it doesn't park itself......

[Wretched]

I think it looks quite nice, especially in the white.
Keen to see how it will go against the ST though.
I'd say the ST will be the better overall car, a much better chassis and better sorted suspension, engine and transmission. Team RS do a fantastic job with the Focus/Fiestas or pretty much anything they tune.

[RedHotGT]

I actually don't think it looks to bad...


Made me think of the Subaru Impreza Hatch.

(Minus the Dinosaur head???)

But thats just me.

[GK]

Originally Posted by loftie

I actually don't think it looks to bad...
image

Made me think of the Subaru Impreza Hatch.
image
(Minus the Dinosaur head???)

But thats just me.

Agreed!

GK

[Executer]

Originally Posted by loftie

I actually don't think it looks to bad...
image

Made me think of the Subaru Impreza Hatch.
image
(Minus the Dinosaur head???)

But thats just me.

I quite like it. It looks pretty meaty

[Cheese3]

Price: $45,000 (estimate)
haha the ST is cheaper and will easily be better, oh its from factory also.

Walkinshaw = Herrod
they are just modding places

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Cheese3

Price: $45,000 (estimate)
haha the ST is cheaper and will easily be better, oh its from factory also.

Walkinshaw = Herrod
they are just modding places

Pretty much sums it up...its pretty restrained from them. I dont see the value in the styling.

It most certainly is not as good as the ST in terms of the package.

[jpd80]

Ecoboost power upgrade...

[DJM83]

Don't reckon it will be a patch on the new ST or the XR5 for that matter.
I've never been a fan of the cruze anyway. And it's more then the ST and not even a factory car. The sheep's will buy the cruze solely for the badge.

[BlueOvalPrint]

Lipstick on a pig.

[SteveJH]

Does the Cruze have an IRS or a live rear?

Looks good though....(better then the ST anyway!!)

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by SteveJH

Does the Cruze have an IRS or a live rear?

Looks good though....(better then the ST anyway!!)

Its a beam axle, some versions have a watts link, so 1970's. Very cheap and low tech.

Even the XE Falcon had a watts link back in 82

Doesn't even have a front LSD or some type of electronic diff lock either.


Why do people think it will sell, its over 10k for the engine upgrade, can't see too many people buying a Cruze and then taking it down to WP to lay 10k on the counter for the power upgrade. I reckon they would be lucky to do one or 2 a month.

Focus ST will be cheaper and will outsell it 200 to 1 at least.

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Why do people think it will sell, its over 10k for the engine upgrade, can't see too many people buying a Cruze and then taking it down to WP to lay 10k on the counter for the power upgrade. I reckon they would be lucky to do one or 2 a month.

Focus ST will be cheaper and will outsell it 200 to 1 at least.

Depending on cost the Suspension and Brake upgrades could be the way to go though!!

[FGX-351]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Its a beam axle, some versions have a WATTS LINK, so 1970's. Very cheap and low tech.

Even the XE Falcon had a WATTS LINK back in 82

Thanks Crompo.