With the demise of local Holden manufacturing, the death of the ute came with it. The iconic body style flooded Australian roads for decades but ultimately ended last year with the VF Commodore.
HSV celebrated the end of the VF Commodore with the bonkers GTSR W1 model, featuring the C6 Corvette ZR1’s 6.2-liter LS9 supercharged V8 engine, but the company has kept a few cars a closely hidden secret: there are, in fact, a handful of GTSR Maloo W1 models.
The Maloo served as HSV’s high-performance ute model, but the company never once mentioned a GTSR Maloo W1. WhichCar reported on Tuesday that HSV actually did commission a small number of high-power ute models for select customers. When the builds commenced, HSV required owners to sign a contract promising silence over the cars’ existence before, during and after delivery.
HSV told the publication that it never intended to hide the cars, but decided to not “publicize their existence.”
The Maloo W1 models still feature identical equipment to the GTSR W1 sedan. As such, specially developed SupaShock dampers, a close-ratio six-speed manual and Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R are all accounted for.
It’s unclear just how many GTSR Maloo W1s the company built, but it can’t be many. Nonetheless, locals should keep their eyes open for the very special cars.
Comments
WISH THEY’D BRING THOSE CARS HERE ON THE ALPHA-2 PLATFORM. ITS NOT THAT AMERICANS DONT WANT SEDANS ITS JUST THAT WE WANT SEDANS LIKE THESE.
Honestly, I really wish that the Holden HSV models (styling and all) were available here in the US along with the Camaro and corvette. Cars like those would bring back the El Camino, a real Malibu/Chevelle and a better Colorado(Sports Cat, etc.). Also The Holden Trailblazer would be a nice addition to the US Chevrolet lineup. The reason people fall for SUVs so much right now is because of the room and the fact that they handle well and do a lot of stuff that a small FWD car can’t do or even a midsize front wheel drive car. Most of us don’t really want a front wheel drive car, hence why a lot of people go for the Dodge Charger. People miss those big RWD Sedans and cars like what Holden was offering up until last year are what people really want. Chevrolet didn’t do a good job of marketing the SS-sedan and to be honest it was pretty boring looking because it looked like the Malibu, not that the Malibu is a bad looking car but the FWD segment isn’t where its at anymore.
Now the Alpha chassis platform can handle an AWD setup already as we have seen in the Cadillac variants. What would keep GM from bringing the full HSV/Gen-F2 lineup to the US with AWD variants along with the performance variants with RWD, 10-speed autos/6spd manuals, magnetic ride, Brembo brakes, etc. all with the HSV styling and performance. Those alongside the new Camaro with Camaro variants such as the RS, SS, the SS 1LE, Z/28 & ZL1 would really make GM come alive.
The Colorado Sports cat is a truck that should really be up here. Matter of fact, most of the Holden Colorado lineup and Australian Colorado factory GM accessories should be up here along with our own ZR2. Along with a hotter version of the new GM 2.7L I-4 engine. It’s not like GM would really have to do too much in creating a bunch of new stuff because they already have so much good stuff to work with, it just needs to be brought here.
JUST BRING THEM TO THE US
PLEASE AND THANK YOU
W1 Maloo sighted in toowoomba today