Walkinshaw's Raptor Killer

TWIN-TURBO PETROL V6 SET TO PUT A WICK TO THE COLORADO.

- Toby Hagon

WALKINSHAW Performance is readying a 300kW-plus twin-turbo petrol V6 version of the Holden Colorado. The top secret project – known as Wildfire, a name recently registered by the Walkinshaw Group – involves shoehorning the LF3 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 used in the Cadillac CTS V-Sport under the bonnet of the Colorado dual-cab 4x4. 

It arrives as brands as diverse as Ford, Toyota and Mercedes- Benz look to expand the reach – and performance – of their top-end utes. 

For the Walkinshaw Group – which also produces HSVs for Holden – the Wildfire is the first step towards a new breed of high performance road cars. However, the company is tight-lipped for now.

“We make a point of not discussing future models or business strategy,” Walkinshaw Performance general manager, Gary Beer, said. “There are many projects we are exploring, but until we have a specific vehicle solution in place we won’t be adding to the speculation.” 

The high-tech, blown V6 in the Wildfire belts out up 313kW and 583Nm in the Cadillac CTS V-Sport, which should be enough to propel the workhorse ute to 100km/h in about 5.5 seconds – assuming it can get the grunt to the gravel.