Video: Top Gear drives supercharged VXR8 and Maloo

By George Skentzos | August 03rd, 2009

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The latest instalment of Top Gear has had a uniquely Australian twist with Richard Hammond taking the wheel of not only the supercharged VXR8 Bathurst S but also the Maloo.

As an added bonus, both cars have also been handed over to the Stig to settle once and for all which is fastest – the sedan or ute – just don’t mind the supercharger.

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Flow

That’s Barthurst to you!
omgwot

Now that makes you feel proud to be an Aussie!
Devil666

Yes, i love the Bathhoust VXR8….

wait…

DB9 defeated by Maloo. The Proudest day in Australian history.

Without doubt Aston are the most overrated car company in history.

Up ya, Britain!
Flying High

Was raising dust on a rally track in an XR8 Ute on the weekend and yes it is as much as it looks on that clip. Bless the sound of a thumping V8….
Iz

I loved that bit of the episode, but God I found the supercharger whine on the Bathurst model highly irritating. To me, it sounded like the car was broken. Just reminded me of the transmission whine you get on the clunker Commodore and Falcons still on the road today :/

Woulda been even better if they included the wagon as well as the sedan and ute
G

Where’s Baa-thurst? What’s a Maa-loo? I thought all the sheep were in Kiwiland.
Wheelnut®™

I’d personally prefer the mmmmeeeeoooowwww of the supercharger than the ppppdddduuuummmmpppphhhh…. you get from a turbo
http://twitter.com/danielok Daniel

Someone needs to send some FPVs to Top Gear UK – Top Gear Aus seems to be ignoring all Aussie muscle…
http://twitter.com/danielok Daniel

_
Mark.

Brilliantly done by Hammond.
VW Freak

Thank gawd for Channel BT! Another great episode which was the last for this series. Ending was very unusual, not the normal “on that bombshell” finish.
AB

I’m a Ford man…. but that was awesome!
Elitist

Thanks Clarkson for showing these idiots in Australian TG that you don’t have to resort to burn-out tests and endlessly dragging Fords to review this car.

In OZ TG they try to sell these cars as the ultimate machines, in UK TG they put the car into perspective and show its crudeness and its place in the car world – a cheap, powerful play toy for middle class to aspire to own.
jon

Hey Elitist I`m only middle class, but I certainly don`t aspire to owning a Commodore or a Falcon. Quite frankly I`d rather have nothing, than to own crap.
Ross R

AB, wasnt it ever. Thankyou Top Gear for showing the uneducated that like the rest of the World our favourite car jernos are equally wooed .

As Hamond says,”if your not impressed with this car ,then that’s your problem” He clearly loved it and the Bathurst edition almost equalling the M5, got to love that!

Quote ” a cheap, powerful play toy for middle class to aspire to own.” Yeah, ripped off if you own an expensive slower boring pretentious German thats leased

Then again I guess like the guys at Top Gear you have to be a car enthusiast to appreciate cars like these.
davie

Very entertaining stuff.

nice drifting by the stig on the next-to-last corner
Sam-R

I’ll also throw my 2c worth into this praise of TGUK’s review. GREAT STUFF!

I’d also like to see an FPV reviewed but unfortunatly FORD dont export them (yet) to the UK.

TGUK is the worlds most watched car show. They ALL can see the stuff that comes out of this country and the “toys” we play with!
Bavarian Missile®™

I thought Nizpro were exporting an upgraded F6 to the UK ?
Tim

I’m a Ford man, but that was awesome. Do wonder why Ford UK don’t import a limited number of F6 and GT-P’s over to the UK, with the exchange rate they’d be a little cheaper than the Vauxhalls.
Marcoz

God i wish topgear uk was back on sbs, get rid of the cricket for god sake GIVE ME CARRSSSSSS….
Marcoz

God i love the sound of the supercharger….LOVE IT…
love the BARTH HURST…god that is cringeworthy hearing them say that..but dam funny…
NacaYoda

Is the ‘Barthurst’ model available in Oz?
One would imagine that Supercharger squeal would prove quite popular with Holden fans who have some dollars to splash around.
Bavarian Missile®™

Sadly no NacaYoda .
November

I have a new found respect for aussie muscle after seeing those power lap times
zahmad

Are you kidding me? The supercharger sound is awesome! ZBTTF Delorean sounding…

Anyway, Caradvice better pick their game up! I watched this same clip on another blog more than a day ago!
http://www.caradvice.com.au George

Zahmad, hard to believe when the episode aired less than 12 hours before this article was published.
http://Caradvice.com.au Baddass

Devil the DB9 wasn’t beaten by the Maloo, they got the same time.
http://shallowbay.org threeze

NacaYoda, I read elsewhere that Walkinshaw will add the supercharger to any VE Commodore, if you are willing to pay for it.
NacaYoda

@Thereeze: Yeah, I read that too. $10,000 and you keep your factory warranty. If you already own a VE, that would have to be the most fun you could get from $10k. I expect if the price really is that low, we’ll be hearing that Supercharger squeal around town here in Oz fairly regularly!
Richo

Gotta love it when something comes along to absolutely destroy the Holden haters! None of them are even game enough to show their faces in this thread! Makes for a pleasant change around here actually…
Aussie Cars

HSV/FPV make some of the most original fun saloons/utes in the world. This video and clarkson original review shows that we do make cars that appeal abroad no matter what the badge snobs have to say.

I also agree with Davie, 2nd last corner with the Bathurst on that lap looked really cool.
STIG

That supercharger’s giving me a crisis
The Realist

Richo Says:
August 4th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
“Gotta love it when something comes along to absolutely destroy the Holden haters! None of them are even game enough to show their faces in this thread! Makes for a pleasant change around here actually…”

Feel the pride! Let me open a can of VB in celebration!! Take the family to McDonalds!!

Five years without making a profit and still surviving. I’d love to know how the Holden Management do it!!

Ross R Says:
August 4th, 2009 at 10:00 am
“Quote ” a cheap, powerful play toy for middle class to aspire to own.” Yeah, ripped off if you own an expensive slower boring pretentious German thats leased ”

So you think the CUBs driving around in HSVs haven’t leased them? If they paid cash they truly are idiots.

If everyone wanted performance cars we wouldn’t need to call GMH government motors. Or tax payer motors.
Camski

NacaYoda, if you watch carefully at around 3:49, you’ll see a closeup of the ‘charger, it is indeed the one by Walkinshaw. You can get that here, and yes, it is hell fast around the track (talking straightline, not to say as fast, but holds it’s own against the likes of the C63 and R35 GT-R on the same track) and yes, it is HELL loud as well.
whatefa

The only person calling Holden government motors is you…
Now go and play with your 2 ltr Falcon matchbox car
Ross R

Realist you had to be the one that couldnt accept that these cars had presence and appeal to TG. No one said they preferred them more than an M5 so dont take offence mate.

As far as leasing them ,Im sure they do but dont lose as much in depreciation as one would on equal new performance from Germany.
The Realist

whatefa Says:
August 5th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
“The only person calling Holden government motors is you…
Now go and play with your 2 ltr Falcon matchbox car”

Oh, the hurt…

Ross R Says:
August 5th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
“Realist you had to be the one that couldnt accept that these cars had presence and appeal to TG.”

These cars are great bang for your buck – don’t disagree at all.

Note TG isn’t the be all and end all – their tastes and prejudices are clear for everyone to see.

“As far as leasing them ,Im sure they do but dont lose as much in depreciation as one would on equal new performance from Germany.”

The usual depreciation argument. It’s all relative. A typical M5 driver earns $40K+ per month and couldn’t care less about depreciation.
fegehe gdfdhd

I love Top Gear. Fantastic show.

And Jon can do us all of us a favour and remove himself from the gene pool. Stupid dolt.