Supercharged Vauxhall Maloo launched

You can throw half a tonne in the back, hit 62mph in 4.6 seconds and claim the VAT back - yes!

The Vauxhall Maloo is a car we're very big fans of at PH. How could you not love a pick up powered by a V8? And with no weight over that rear axle, the Maloo has established itself as one of the most oversteery vehicles in the known universe. Superb.

Well obviously it needed more power

Now the old Maloo never needed much help in the sideways department, but that hasn't stopped Vauxhall now offering the updated Holden Ute with the LSA V8. So where it used to have 431hp, the Maloo now has 536hp. Torque? It's up from 420lb ft to 495lb ft. Which is quite a lot. It's the same engine as used in the VXR8 GTS and the Camaro ZL1 also. In a pick up!

To deal with this gargantuan power, the Maloo has new spring and damper rates 'to reduce body roll and further improve turn in' plus tweaks to the rear suspension to make it stiffer. Other upgrades are taken from the VXR8, including launch control on the manual and an 'Enhanced Driver Interface'. The styling has been lightly refreshed too, though there's little danger of mistaking the Maloo for anything else on the road.

The new Maloo LSA is available now, priced at £54,500. And if you're a commercial user, the VAT can be claimed back. The four-door VXR8 GTS has been lightly updated too, with new grilles and a subtly different interior. It's priced from £55,500. Tyre fitters everywhere are praying for good sales.