Long term test: HSV E2 Maloo R8 – Car Reviews, News & Advice

Long term test: HSV E2 Maloo R8
Update Two

The ice on the windscreen was the first clue that it was cold. The fact that I could barely feel my hands was the other. Welcome to the coldest Sydney winter in 63 years.

Pity it wasn't this cool when the E2 Maloo won the Global Green Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide last year.

While all the climate change wowsers are up in arms (oddly enough, snuggled up to their column heaters fed by coal-fired power stations) I seem to be the only one cheering about the coldest conditions in decades. You see, the colder the air, the more power an engine makes. And it's not just because it keeps everything running a little cooler. It's because there's more oxygen density per litre of air.

Athletes and Top Fuel drag racers know this only too well.

And I'm betting there are some other HSV owners out there who know exactly what I'm talking about -- or who've just had a lightbulb moment after realising why their car has been running so well lately. At this time of year I hate having to wear extra gloves on my mountain bike (which lives permanently under the Maloo's secure hardlid) but, quite frankly, if the Maloo runs this well in these conditions winter can stay around as long as it likes.

It's as if the 6.2-litre LS3 engine has been supercharged. Push the throttle and the silver bullet just wants to stand on its back legs.

In fact, it has so much grunt now that the rear tyres can struggle initially for grip when it's super-cold -- even though they're 9.5 inches wide. I've learned to let them warm up, too, as well as the engine.

Speaking of tyres, I got to sample a set of cheap tyres recently after putting the E2 Maloo on a skid pan. I didn't want to destroy the original Bridgestone RE050 rubber. At around $900 a corner I put them to one side for the day and had a set of Achilles tyres fitted, at closer to $250 each.

They were surprisingly quiet, and they rode okay -- until you hit a sharp bump or pothole. The sidewalls were too soft and gave the impression the rim was in line for damage each time. The Achilles grip also was nowhere near as good as the RE050s, but then again I wasn't after grip on a skid pan.

It was a worthwhile experiment as I know a lot of people are tempted to buy cheaper replacement rubber -- including me. But this exercise was a good reminder as to why HSV fitted the RE050 tyres in the first place.

What many people don't realise is that, these days, tyre companies are not just suppliers any more, they are technical partners. That is, tyre engineers work alongside suspension engineers in the three years leading up to the car's on-sale date to make sure the tyres and the suspension get along well.

This whole issue of original replacement rubber is going to become more important given that each car's stability control system is calibrated to work with a certain type of tyre – and this potentially life-saving feature won't work as well with inferior rubber.

I know the good tyres aren't cheap, but if you budget for them and shop around, you should be able to get a good deal. Here's a tip: given that most tyre retailers are on some sort of rebate arrangement from individual tyre companies, Bridgestone outlets are likely to offer the best deals on a set of RE050s.

Anyway, as the ads say, let your fingers do to the talking and be sure to make at least five phone calls before you resort to inferior rubber.

For now, though, a cool morning and a silver Maloo awaits. I haven't enjoyed going to work this much in ages.

HSV E2 Maloo R8
Update Two
Distance travelled: 1278km
Fuel consumption this leg: 14.2L/100km
Highlights: The winter air is giving the E2 Maloo more grunt -- or maybe that's because the engine has ticked over 10,000km and she's loosened up a little. Tested some cheap tyres on a skid pan. Was going to run them on the car for a little while. But after two days I put the original Bridgestone rubber back on.