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V8 power wins 2009 Global Green Challenge

Pictured: 2009 GGC Winner, HSV Maloo R8.

Holden Special Vehicles Maloo takes out prestigious award.

A Holden Special Vehicles Maloo utility has won the 2009 Global Green Challenge economy run, an event which encountered an earthquake, a dust storm and sweltering conditions over seven days of endurance driving.

The 3000km economy run from Darwin to Adelaide, which included extensive city driving tests in both capital cities, saw the HSV Maloo achieve an impressive 48.76 per cent reduction in fuel consumption when compared to its fuel rating label figure.

Overall the Maloo had a combined average fuel consumption of 7.74 litres per 100 kilometres, according to provisional results released this afternoon.

The nearest competitor made a 39.81 per cent improvement, while the third-placed vehicle improved its consumption rating by 33.5 per cent.

The new generation HSV E2 Maloo – an Aboriginal word for Thunder – was driven by Senior HSV Engineers Gerry Bechet and Leigh Russell and motoring journalist Joshua Dowling.

The winning team put their success down to ‘doing their homework’, super consistent driving and a willingness to put up with difficult cabin conditions.

“For instance we kept air-conditioning use to an absolute minimum, which meant coping with cabin temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius for hours on end,” Gerry Bechet said.

“We also studied each stage of the drive intensely, down to the climbs and descents and even the contours of the roads.”

Co-driver Joshua Dowling said participating in the event was gruelling.

“I’ve done a lot of economy drives before, but that was by far the toughest,” said Dowling.

“The level of concentration required to maintain a good average speed and drive efficiently is extremely exhausting, especially in such hot conditions over so many long days.”

Managing Director of HSV Phil Harding congratulated the team on the stunning result.

“This shows the versatility of the Holden Special Vehicles brand,” he said.

“This result confirms what I have been saying for a long time and many of our customers confirm – the real world fuel efficiency of the Holden Special Vehicles range is extremely competitive.”

The HSV Maloo is powered by a 6.2-litre V8 which has 317kW of power and 550Nm of torque and can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds. The vehicle used in the event had a six-speed manual transmission.

The new HSV E2 Maloo, released last month, include a new bonnet with twin vents, a new front bumper, Euro-style daytime running lights and a new colour, Poison Ivy, a deep metallic green (the colour of the Eco Challenge car).

Technical upgrades on E2 Maloo include improved economy, revised suspension, launch control and a ‘competition mode’ stability control setting.

Prices start at A$62,990 before dealer and registration charges are added.

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