HSV Maloo: the V8 ute that set a land-speed record

The HSV Maloo was a performance coupé utility built by Holden Special Vehicles from 1990 until 2017. Based first on the Holden Ute and later on the Commodore ute, it carried the Holden V8 and then the LS-series GM engines throughout its life, and in 2006 a Z Series Maloo R8 set a Guinness world record for the fastest production pickup.

HSV Maloo at a glance

History of the HSV Maloo

From the VG to the VS III

The Maloo was released in October 1990 in VG form, with the 5.0-litre Holden V8 at 180 kW (241 hp); 135 units were built. The VP Series followed in 1992 with the same output, and the VR Series of 1993 brought a reworked interior and 185 kW (248 hp). The VS Series arrived in April 1995 in VS, VS II and “VS II at VT” forms, still at 185 kW. The VS III Maloo of 1999 raised the Holden V8 to 195 kW (261 hp) and was the last HSV model to use that engine.

The LS1 years and the R8

The VU Series Maloo of March 2001 switched to the 5.7-litre LS1 at 255 kW (342 hp) and introduced the Maloo R8 specification, which brought a hard tonneau with a spoiler and 18-inch wheels while the regular Maloo kept a soft tonneau. The Y Series followed in October 2002 with the LS1 at 260 kW (349 hp), the ‘Performance’ brake system standard on the Maloo and the ‘Premium’ system on the R8. The Y Series 2 of October 2003 reached 285 kW (382 hp), and the Z Series of October 2004 adopted the 6.0-litre LS2 at 297 kW (398 hp).

The record at Woomera

In May 2006 a Z Series Maloo R8 driven by Mark Skaife set the Guinness world record for the fastest production utility or pickup at the Woomera Prohibited Area. The runs gave 265.72 km/h into the headwind and 277.16 km/h with the tailwind, an average of 271.44 km/h (168.66 mph) — more than 20 km/h ahead of the previous holder, the Dodge Ram SRT-10. The run also appears in the model’s own figures as an average of 271.44 km/h; the record still stood in 2025.

E Series, Gen-F and the end

The E Series Maloo of October 2007 was sold only as the R8, first with the LS2 at 307 kW (412 hp) and from 2008 with the 6.2-litre LS3 at 317 kW (425 hp). The E Series 2 of August 2009 added daytime running lights and two bonnet vents, and the E Series 3 of 2011 offered a bi-fuel LPG option using liquid propane injection. The Gen-F Maloo of August 2013 came with the LS3 at 317 kW and the Maloo R8 at 325 kW (436 hp), and the MY15 update gave 325 kW. Production ended in 2017.

Design and features

• Coupé utility body: two seats and a load bed, with the R8 distinguished by a hard tonneau and rear spoiler.
• Progressive brakes: from the Y Series the Performance system was standard on the Maloo and the Premium system on the R8.
• Record-breaking aerodynamics: the Z Series R8 was stable enough for a 271 km/h average over the measured mile at Woomera.
• Bi-fuel option: from the E Series 3 in 2011, liquid propane injection allowed running on LPG as well as petrol.
• A long run of special editions: from the VS ‘10th Anniversary’ cars in anniversary bronze to the GTSR of 2017.

HSV Maloo versions

• VG Maloo (1990): 5.0-litre Holden V8, 180 kW, 135 built.
• VU Maloo R8 (2001): first R8, LS1 at 255 kW, hard tonneau and 18-inch wheels.
• Z Series Maloo R8 (2004): LS2 at 297 kW; the car that took the 2006 record.
• E Series Maloo R8 (2007–2013): LS2 then LS3, R8 specification only.
• Gen-F Maloo and R8 (2013–2017): LS3 at 317 and 325 kW.
• GTSR W1 Maloo (2017): supercharged 6.2-litre LS9 at 474 kW (636 hp), only four built and not sold to the public.
• Vauxhall Maloo (2011–2017): the same ute sold in Britain through Vauxhall’s VXR division.

The Maloo shared its front end and engines with the HSV Clubsport R8, and both belong to the HSV collection.

Video: Chris Harris on Cars | HSV Maloo GTS

Video on YouTube.

Sources

• HSV Maloo, English Wikipedia: history by series, engines, the 2006 record, special editions, exports
• Holden Special Vehicles, English Wikipedia: nameplates and marque history