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HSV GTS Maloo : world’s fastest ute in waiting revealed

The new HSV GTS Maloo will send an iconic Australian vehicle out in style by becoming the world’s fastest ute.


Holden Special Vehicles is building a limited run of 250 GTS Maloos, with a price tag somewhere between $85,000 and $90,000 that will also make it Australia’s most expensive ute until local manufacturing ceases in 2017.

The GTS Maloo misses out on the GTS sedan’s clever magnetized damper system for cost reasons but otherwise takes its key features, starting with the 430kW 6.2-litre supercharged ‘LSA’ V8 that made the four-door the most powerful production car built in Australia.

Torque vectoring, a system that can reduce understeer by braking an inside rear wheel to help push a vehicle around a corner, also makes it across for what HSV believes is a world first for a ute.

There’s also the Driver Preference Dial that allows the driver to alter the likes of stability control threshold, steering response and exhaust sound via Touring, Sport and Performance settings.

HSV’s ‘premium’ braking package brings the same-size stoppers as the sedan – 390mm discs up front, 372mm rotors at the rear.

Transmission choices are six-speed manual (which comes with launch control) or six-speed auto.

Other standard features shared with the GTS sedan include 20-inch ‘Blade’ forged alloy wheels (with darker finish), daytime running lights, head-up display, rain-sensing wipers, forward collision and lane departure warning systems, and performance date-computing Enhanced Driver Interface.

The HSV GTS Maloo pictured features the company’s new hero colour, Jungle Green. A second new colour available is a bronze/red called Some Like It Hot (no Marilyn Monroe decal on the bonnet, we’re promised).

HSV boss Tim Jackson said the company had been working on the GTS Maloo project for a couple of years. 

“There are a number of unique elements required to integrate the LSA [engine] into the Maloo platform, and significant time in getting all the safety and performance technologies to operate effectively,” he said.

HSV hasn’t quoted performance times for the GTS ute, which should be comfortably quicker than the HSV Maloo that officially became the world’s fastest ute in 2006.

The HSV GTS sedan is claimed to reach 100km/h from standstill in 4.4 seconds.

The HSV GTS Maloo is set for showrooms in November, with 10 units from the 250 being shipped to New Zealand.

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