October 11, 2007
Holden Special Vehicles launch new Maloo Ute
Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) has unveiled the hottest HSV Maloo R8 Ute ever as part of its 20th birthday celebrations at the 2007 Australian International Motor Show in Sydney today.
Part of the HSV line-up for more than ten years, the Maloo (an aboriginal word for thunder or storm) takes the concept of the sports utility to the next level, with a range of ‘unique-to-HSV’ features including;
• Distinct sheet moulded compound (SMC) rear tailgate,
• 307kW LS2 V8 engine,
• AP Racing four piston brake package,
• Group A Walkinshaw inspired side skirt,
• New gore and suede HSV ‘performance’ seats,
• Remote release hard tonneau with release button on main key,
• Reverse parking sensors and
• A ‘performance pack’ option consisting of full leather ‘performance’ seats and 20 inch wheels.
Managing Director of HSV, Mr Scott Grant, said the Maloo R8 Ute had redefined the Australian Ute market.
“Our team have done an outstanding job on producing a Maloo Ute like no other,” Scott Grant said.
“Maloos striking visual appearance, performance characteristics and range of luxury appointments will make this Ute just as comfortable and distinctive on a dirt track out the ‘back of Bourke’ or cruising around the inner city streets of Sydney, Melbourne or any number of provincial cities across Australia where the Maloo nameplate has taken the iconic Ute to the next level.”
Chief Engineer John Clark said the HSV Maloo R8 truly was a ‘coupe with a damn big boot!’
“We began working on the all new Maloo Ute at about the same stage as the E series sedan, with the aim of building on the dynamics of the sedan,” John Clark said.
“This Ute is HSV’s most responsive ever and the comprehensive testing program we undertook around Australia and in New Zealand and Sweden, has resulted in the complete driving package.”
The HSV Maloo R8 will make a dramatic visual impact on the road with its sleek sail plane and tough curves. Design Manager Julian Quincey and his team spent over two years working toward the end result.
“The HSV product group continually pushed the design of our E Series Maloo Ute to the limits and I am extremely pleased with the end result. It really does look like a showcar for the road and it must rate as the sportiest production Ute the world has ever seen,” Julian Quincey said.
“As an English born and bred designer it is an honour to work on such an ‘Aussie icon’ as the HSV Maloo and I believe the end result reflects my team’s passion for the product.”
The Maloo R8 will retail from $59,990 (m). Options include automatic transmission for an extra $2,000 and a ‘performance pack’ which consists of 20 inch wheels and GTS inspired performance seats. This pack will retail for an additional $3,750.
The HSV Maloo R8 goes on sale from October at HSV Dealerships across Australia.
New LS3 Engine release
New LS3 engine to power HSV from April
Holden Special Vehicles today announced a running change to its award winning E-Series and WM Grange vehicles, with the new GM LS3 engine to be fitted across the range for cars on-sale from April.
The upgrade will see the ClubSport R8, GTS, Senator Signature, Maloo R8 and WM Grange s power output rise to 317kW.
Managing Director Scott Grant said the new engine was a welcome upgrade to the range of vehicles from Australia s luxury and performance car maker.
We know our customers want the latest and greatest technology in their cars, Scott Grant said.
The General Motors LS3 engine continues the HSV tradition of scouring the world for technological advancements to enhance the driving experience.
It is built by General Motors Powertrain in North America and is available in the current Chevrolet Corvette. It will also be the engine used in the new Pontiac GXP, to be built by Holden in Elizabeth from the end of 2008 and exported to the United States.
The HSV LS3 engine has a capacity of 6.2 litres, producing 317kW of power at 6000rpm and 550NM of torque at 4600 rpm, as fitted to the HSV range.
Despite the power output increase, the new engine will deliver a slight improvement in fuel economy for Maloo R8 and WM Grange, while the short wheel base models return figures of 14.5 litres per 100km, as opposed to 14.4ltr/100km for E-Series LS2, in automatic mode.
Production of the new LS3 range begins this month and is available in dealerships from April. Vauxhall s VXR8 and the CSV R8, sold in the United Kingdom and Middle East respectively, will also receive the LS3 engine in 2008. New Zealand launches the LS3 engine with a limited edition Murph pack themed ClubSport R8 and Maloo R8.
HSV have released a new colour palette to coincide with the engine upgrade and for the first time WM Grange and Senator Signature will be available in Red Hot . Automatic transmission coolers are standard across the upgraded range. HSV will also introduce a new 20 inch wheel option across its fleet, including Grange, Senator Signature and ClubSport R8. The wheel is a $2500 option for those customers and a no-cost option for GTS and Maloo R8 performance pack purchasers.
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Originally Posted by clutch-monkey
