HSV Maloo breaks UK record

The HSV Maloo, sold in the UK as the Vauxhall VXR pick-up, now holds the record for the fastest light commercial vehicle on a Worcestershire hill climb track called Shelsley Walsh (try saying that after a few beers).

Somewhat appropriately, it was ex-pat Australian Steve Cropley, who is Autocar magazine’s editor-in-chief, who drove the brutish ute. “The plan was not just to set an LCV record time at Shelsley, but make it respectable enough to stick for a while,” Cropley says.

“Despite the track being dampish, and littered with wildlife that thought the hillclimb season had ended, we managed a 38.65 second run. The Maloo’s huge torque, decent launch control and easy handling made the whole experience less of a chore than it should have been, too.”