Filed under: Motorsports, Trucks/Pickups, Marketing/Advertising, GM
HSV Maloo R8 Ute breaks production pickup truck speed record
If your slow-ass pickup truck is making you late for work, perhaps Holden's HSV tuner division can offer a solution in the form of the Maloo R8 Ute. With 400 HP courtesy of a General Motors GenIV LS2 small-block V8, the almost-a-truck ran a two-way average of 168.66 MPH on a 0.6-mile course, in compliance with guidelines established by the Guinness Book of World Records. This beats the 154.58 MPH record previously established by the Dodge Ram SRT10. Yes, it is fair to call into question the utility of either vehicle, but we wouldn't suggest challenging either vehicle to a race.
The record was set as part of Mobil's "Drive Around Australia" promotion, where a Maloo R8 Ute was driven for 25,000 miles without an oil change to demonstrate the company's Mobil1 synthetic product.
[Source: Car.co.nz]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jason 9:14AM (6/29/2006)
Dust off your AC/DC shirts and start growing those mullets, guys.
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JC Whitless 9:16AM (6/29/2006)
Bring me to the US and call me the Chevrolet EC...please
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DJA 9:18AM (6/29/2006)
What is it about Holden designs that makes them immediately identifiable even to an American? They have no real trademark styling feature, but even with a big chunk of the body gone, this thing still looks like a Holden. They look slightly "puffy".
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HeyYou 9:30AM (6/29/2006)
Bet it would be FAR more popular (which isn't all that difficult) than the Suburu Baja.
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D-Dog 9:32AM (6/29/2006)
Is that "puffy" or "phoofey?"
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GH 9:37AM (6/29/2006)
Behold the distasteful return of the El Camino!
http://www.automobilesdeluxe.blogspot.com
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Frank 10:47AM (6/29/2006)
This would make an interesting El Camino. And people would buy it. There are still fans of the car, er.. truck, er.. car/truck, whatever. Not my thing but if they could *profitably* sell a limited volume of them (like they *hopefully* did with the SSR) then it would be good for them. Nthing wrong with a niche or specialty vehicle if you can make money on it. And lord knows GM could use some right now.
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Chris 11:15AM (6/29/2006)
Technically, according to some people anyway, this is not a truck! It's an SUV. For example, a Chevy Avalanche is classified as an SUV because the bed is not seperate from the cab. Same goes for the Honda Ridgeline, altough for whatever reason it seems to be called a "truck" more so than the Avalanche even though it has the same body configuration and UNI-BODY platform!!!
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Eric Daly 11:48AM (6/29/2006)
GM , Ford , Daimler Chrysler Build it!!!!!
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skaz 12:40PM (6/29/2006)
This thing screams El Camino (preferably with a different front-end look). I've got my El Camino and I love it to death. It'd do well if they sold it here.
And I don't remember ANYONE telling me that my Elkie was an SUV. (?)
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Chris 12:55PM (6/29/2006)
Well, when SUV's first came out they were classified as a station wagon. I really don't think this (El Camino or Ranchero) would sell well over here because look at full-size and mid-size truck sales, I beleive they sell more extended cab trucks than regular cab and alot of crew cabs as well. GM already tried a two seat pickup called the HHR and it flopped and not just just because of perfromance or that stupid bed but it only sat two people and couldn't tow anything but a couple of jet skis. To answer the HHR question of whether it made money or not the answer is no. That comes from my neighbor who is a GM engineer who said that it did the first couple of months but after the rebates started on it they barely broke even and then later they lost money on everyone sold.
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skaz 1:14PM (6/29/2006)
That's not a fair comparison (the Ute to the SS). The SS starts at nearly $40k, seats two, has a miniscule bed, and really, too impractical to be used as a car OR a truck.
The Ute starts MUCH cheaper (not going to convert AUS to USA), seats two, has a large bed and is entirely practical as a truck or one/two person vehicle.
I see lots of people driving performance trucks, usually by themselves. And all politics aside, they'd rather drive the sportier, faster, smaller, more comfortable Ute than that "performance" truck.
I would, at least.
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FireSermon 2:47PM (6/29/2006)
Forget calling it the El Camino. Just put a GMC badge on the front, paint it white, and call it the Syclone. (GM should really bring that and the Typhoon back)
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Chris 6:02PM (6/29/2006)
Oops, I did mean SSR not HHR. I have a hard time keeping all these stupid letters straight!
Yeah, I see alot of people driving sporty trucks by themselves but most people drive alone while commuting. All I am saying is the market is small for such a vehicle which would have to cost more than it would in the home country to justify exporting it to the U.S. Thats with out figuring the cost to reconfigure the thing for left side drive. This is what hurt the GTO (besides crappy styling), cost. It was just a bit too expensive. I'm not saying it wouldn't be neat to see this type of vehicle but I really do not see a market here for it.
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Darran 6:29PM (6/29/2006)
It's not a "Pick Up". Its a bloody Ute.
Get it right already.
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jan 8:58PM (6/29/2006)
I LOVE IT! :)
this is one thing Id trade my 00 gmc half ton truck for in a minute.especialy if it had all wheel drive.
GM are you listening??
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skaz 10:38PM (6/29/2006)
I know there's no market, I'm just trying to find SOME justification to get myself a 2006 El Camino.
I want a bloody Ute already.
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TriShield 1:09AM (6/30/2006)
I've been to Australia and got some seat time in a VY SS Ute. It's simply breathtaking.
If this was brought to the US as the El Camino instead of the Monaro as the GTO it would have been a hit. It's cheaper, it's lighter, and it has the head turning style and versatility the American public craves.
I certainly would have bought one.
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Darran 2:50AM (6/30/2006)
What about the Pontiac GTO? I know it isn't a ute, but is that not popular over there?
Yeah it has a different engine (Ls1) different interior and exterior, but it is fairly similar to this ute... Only it has a boot, and not a tray.
Does not look as mean as the ute though, and the ute has the new (New to Oz) LS2
Cheers
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Jacob 2:21AM (7/01/2006)
Its about time HSV made an attempt with the Maloo, its too bad FPV have a 230km/h speed limiter on the Pursuit, Super Pursuit and F6 Tornado as they'd be able to set a fairly decent speed as well.
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