Sydney 2007: Holden HSV Maloo R8 a "coupe with a damn big boot!"
by John Neff on Oct 10th 2007 at 7:43PM 
click either image above to view more live and official shots of the HSV Maloo R8
Those are the words of John Clark, Chief Engineer for the just unveiled Holden HSV Maloo R8 ute. Currently rotating on a stand in Sydney at the Australian International Motor Show, the HSV Maloo R8 looks like the combination of a Corvette and S-10, excepts it's so much cooler than you would imagine such a bastard love child would be. Take one garden variety VE Ute, add a body kit gets the point across, a motorized rear tonneau cover that can be controlled via the key fob and, oh yeah, a 405 HP LS2 V8 to make things interesting, and you'll begin to understand how Holden goes about making a Maloo. The trucklet, however, is worked by the HSV team, Holden's equivalent of SRT, AMG, SVT, etc. This means the rear-wheel-drive HSV Maloo R8 should be able to carve an Aussie corner as well as it can ripple pavement behind its rear wheels in a straight line.
The Holden HSV Maloo R8 will cost $59,900 AU, or about $53,778 USD. The only options are an automatic transmission for $2,000 AU and a performance pack that includes 20-inch wheels and GTS-inspired sport seats for an additional $3,750 AU.
Check out the official press release from Holden after the jump and our exclusive high-res live shots and official images in the gallery below.
[Source: Holden]
Gallery: HSV Maloo R8
Live photos ©2007 Siddharth Raja/ Weblogs, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE:
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.
"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.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sam 7:50PM (10/10/2007)
not too sure on the rear lights or the rear side intake things, love the rest though. they really pulled it off quite nicely, hell of a car.
can't wait to see this out and about, even if they'll never really be used for trade work.
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spencer 8:39PM (10/10/2007)
Why did GM build the SSR?
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94 taurus owner 8:44AM (10/11/2007)
GM said it was a temporary replacement for the camaro.
TriShield 10:01PM (10/10/2007)
spencer, because of the consumer demand when it was unveiled at an auto show.
The Ute and Maloo are vastly different vehicles than the SSR was. They are unibodied, independent suspension muscle cars that haul, not a retro cruiser made out of an SUV structure.
Pontiac should sell the Ute as a G8 variant in North America, and bring this Maloo over as a G8 GXP. I would purchase one over the G8 sedan, no question.
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SickmanSeth 4:11PM (10/14/2007)
Naw,Bring it back as the new El camino.
Level 9:24PM (10/10/2007)
This car would be nothing but a niche car here in the States but a nice one at that....but at that price the SSR was cheaper....
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mk 12:45PM (10/11/2007)
This has more cargo room, probably more towing capacity, more utility, and probably more performance than the SSR.
Also, that is an australian price, which doesn't directly translate to what it might cost in the US, even using the exchange rate.
darth 10:10PM (10/10/2007)
How can it be so expensive?
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jake 6:56AM (10/16/2007)
its so expensive because this ute is like how the hsv gts is to the commodore ss.. it is the top performance model with the ls2 307kw engine, unlike the ss with the L98 v8. also the maloo is legendary here it has much respect
Ben K. 10:10PM (10/10/2007)
If GM built these great Holden's in the U.S. the price would be cheaper. The currency exchange rate is a problem, profit margins are slim to none. GM could build several models in the idled 28 year old OKC plant. The heartland is a perfect location for car enthusiast to gather for car meets in OKC. Route 66, plus Interstate 35 north to south and I40 east to west, makes the plant strategically located 4 miles between both. Plant tours would be a no brainer for vehicles like the GTO, G8, El Camino, etc. GM spent $700 million on the top rated GM plant in 2002. Idled in Feb. 06, after slower sales of extended midsize SUV's. 2,000 of OKC's employees have left, leaving a profitable opportunity for GM. New hires could be hired at a lower cost and the state offered $200 million to retool the plant. OKC would become like another Bowling Green, KY. The Corvette enjoys about 150,000 visitors annually at that facility with tours and car meets.
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TriShield 12:27AM (10/11/2007)
GM has already tooled their Oshawa Ontario plant to build variants of the Holden Commodore here. The first one to roll off that line will be the new Chevrolet Camaro.
http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/conceptcar?modelid=20010
Holden engineered it and is quite proud of the work they assigned to help bring this iconic car back to life.
Other variants of the Commodore will follow, built in the US, they might even build the Commodore itself as the G8 in Oshawa. I wonder what it will lose in the process though.
I guess the fact they build the Opel Antara here in the US as the new Saturn Vue and that it's more-or-less the same gives us some hope.
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Sean Morris 1:42AM (10/11/2007)
They could never sell it in the US at $53k , well not enough to make any money on.
Wheres the GTO now ? That got a ton of love here.
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94 taurus owner 8:43AM (10/11/2007)
But still if GM wanted to bring back the GTO all they have to do is put a G*'s front on a camaro's
body.
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Justin 8:02AM (10/11/2007)
You people never learn...if it actually was sold in the US it wouldnt be sold at that price.
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John 2:44PM (10/11/2007)
IMHO it's a Subaru Baja Redux albiet far better looking.
Honestly if Subaru had made the Baja look something like this they would have sold millions.
To damn bad Holden's aren't available here in the states they are the by far the best looking GM divison cars made.
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Ben 6:20PM (10/11/2007)
does anyone else think that the rear lights look exactly like larger versions of the Audi A4's?
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James 12:29AM (10/15/2007)
holy crap, that is completely awesome. I DARE GM to sell this car here. I really have no idea how well it'd sell. But if i had the cash, I'd buy one. Black with a T56 six speed and an LS2? Modern El Camino with independent suspension, new style small block? I would drive it. That is so cool. Please sell utes here, GM!!
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Robert Ryan 7:59PM (10/14/2007)
A Subaru Baja that does 175mph, carries 1200lb in the tray and does 12 second quarters.
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