Like the LE coupe, the HZ GTS 4-door did not wear a
Monaro badge, but the brochure produced for it certainly
did, and it was officially designated a 'Monaro GTS sedan'.
Holden was unwilling to let the legend lapse.
The HZ series was launched in October 1977, as behind
the scenes Holden geared up for its most drastic model
shift ever, the 1978 launch of the Commodore.
The HZ brought remarkable advances in ride and handling
with the introduction of Radial Tuned Suspension, delivering
a Holden that tamed local road conditions better than
any before it and handled the twisty bits with European-style
competence.
Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS) had its biggest impact on
the GTS, which with a mesh grille, subtle body stripes
and detailing on optioned-up versions, revived aspects
of the HG Monaro GTS.
A four-headlight nose, body color front and rear spoilers
and bumpers and sports wheels also helped to make it more
of a stand-alone package in the Monaro tradition.
The GTS came standard as a 4.2 V8, but you could add the
5.0 liter, power steering, plaid cloth seats, limited
slip diff, electric windows and air-conditioning.
Rear
disc brakes were standard, seven inch polycast wheels
or spoked wire wheels were optional. In May 1978 the 5.0
liter V8 became standard.