If you're wondering what happened to the HSV Jackaroo, you 're looking at it.
Toned down a little and without its distinctive grille and spoiler Holden's new SE is the HSV Jackaroo by any other name.
When Holden restructured
its Jackaroo line-up late last year it introduced what is, at first
glance, a new spec level - the SE. The SE (for Specially Enhanced) is in
fact an XS with wheel-arch flares, alloy wheels, two-tone paint and new
badges.
While the SE - like the
HSV Jackaroo - is mechanically identical to the XS, Holden has made a
number of running changes to the entire 1994 Jackaroo range. Most
significant of these are modifications to the engine management computer
of the V6 engine and to the computer controls for the automatic
transmission.
According to Holden, the
two computers now "talk" more freely due to a simplification of the
wiring which links them, smoothing out their previously rocky
relationship.
The Jackaroo's 3.2 litre
24-valve V6 is a high-revving engine which makes most of its power high
in the rev range. Peak power of 130 kW is reached at 5200 rpm and peak
torque of 271 Nm at 3000 rpm.
Prior to this revamp the
automatic had a tendency to "hunt" for gears, especially under hard
acceleration, in hilly count1y or when towing a trailer. The shifts were
also abrupt and jerky.
The work Holden has done with the engine management and transmission computers has made the drivetrain smoother.
On our brief drive of the
SE - a week of urban driving and a day trip for photography with no
four-wheel driving we found that the upshifts of the automatic
transmission are now smoother and the tendency to "hunt" for a gear has
been reduced.
The engine is still
peaky. While the Jackaroo was always quick and sure-footed, the changes
make the auto more pleasant to drive. Under gentle throttle the gears
will change at around 3350 rpm, while under hard acceleration the
up-shifts happen much later, at around 5750 rpm. The changes do not
appear to have made any difference to fuel consumption. We used an
average of 19.1 litres/100 kilometres, about the same as that achieved
on our last automatic comparison.
The specification is
similar to that of the GLS Pajero, which is now around $1700 less
expensive. The Pajero has selectable full-time 4WD and seven seats, but
is less powerful than the Jackaroo, offers less interiors pace and has a
poorer quality sound system.
But the improvements to
the Jackaroo are not enough to make it a serious threat to its
archrival, the Mitsubishi Pajero. In 1992/ 93 Holden sold just 3577
Jackaroos, compared with 17,141 Pajeros in the same period. Holden's
major hurdle is the Jackaroo's price tag, which has been climbing
steadily since its launch two years ago. Even the least expensive wagon,
the V6 manual "S", is now $43,595, while the XS is $47,616 with manual
transmission or $50,161 for the automatic.
The SE package bridges
the gap between the mid-spec XS wagons and the top-spec $66,045
Monterey. The manual SE is priced at 51,011 and the automatic at
$53,556. The SE comes well equipped with cruise control, electric
windows, heated electrically adjustable mirrors which fold inwards at
the press of a button, a good stereo with height adjustable electric
aerial, and central locking. A third row of seats is a $1400 option and
air-conditioning adds another $1600.
With 4WD prices at their
highest ever, it will be the dollars which count against the Jackaroo.
By the time you add air-conditioning and a third row of seats, the SE is
looking seriously expensive, especially when compared with a Land Rover
Discovery.
A five-door Discovery V8i
automatic, which is just as quick as either Jackaroo or Pajero, better
off-road, has electric windows, electric mirrors, central locking and
standard air-conditioning, costs $48,650.
This brochure features the lineup of Jackaroos available from 1994-1995. The SE is featured on the front, identifiable by the body kit and wheels.
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