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 HSV "PR Blog" of the event kept readers updated along with some great images (all of these came from that site ... thanks guys)
The 3000km economy run from Darwin to Adelaide was not what could be considered an everyday drive for most HSV or Holden utes tested the stamina of the three drivers ability to “... kept air-conditioning use to an absolute minimum, which meant coping with cabin temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius for hours on end”
The drive did include extensive city driving tests in both Darwin and Adelaide, 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.
The nearest competitor made a 39.81 per cent improvement, while the third-placed vehicle improved its consumption rating by 33.5 per cent.
Don't consider that your everyday driving will achieve this sort of result however.
“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.”
What this really shows is that what you do behind the wheel has a big impact on the economy of the vehicle, even with a ute such as the Maloo