Vauxhall Old and New to appear at this years Goodwood Festival of Speed Hill climb.

• Vauxhall’s new Goodwood Festival star lugs first precious load

With 107 times the power of its forebear it’s no surprise that the new Vauxhall VXR8 Maloo LSA, which will be tearing Tarmac at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed next week, makes light work of carrying Vauxhall’s very first car.

With 536bhp (544PS), the Maloo LSA is Britain’s most powerful light commercial vehicle (LCV). And with a top speed limited to 155mph and a 0-60mph time of 4.3 seconds (both estimated), it’s also the fastest too.

But that doesn’t mean that the Maloo LSA is a one-trick pony. With a payload of 500kgs, it’s more than capable of accommodating its oldest Vauxhall namesake in its generous load-bay. Built in 1903, the ‘5HP’ weighs just 272kgs and can hit a maximum speed of 25mph – barely a sixth of what the Maloo can achieve – but quick by early twentieth century standards.

So how would their times compare on Goodwood’s famous hill climb track? While there’s no official timing in the First Glance class in which the Maloo can be seen this year, we estimate that it would reach the finish line of the 1.16-mile course in 55 seconds, at least three minutes ahead of the 113-year-old 5HP.

Take into account the Maloo LSA’s performance armoury, though, and it’s no great surprise. With an all-new 6.2-litre, supercharged V8 shared with its Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sibling (which will also appear in the same class) Vauxhall’s super-commercial deploys its power through a limited slip differential to the rear wheels. Its drivercould make the car disappear in a haze of tyre smoke off the start line at Goodwood, but for a clean getaway, the Maloo also benefits from a neat Launch Control system for maximum-attack starts.

Despite these bookends of Vauxhall’s immense heritage appearing to have nothing in common (see chart, below), there’s one feature which is shared by both vehicles. With surprising prescience, Vauxhall’s 1903 engineers joined the chassis and the lower part of the 5HP’s body into a composite steel and wood structure, effectively creating a very early monocoque design, which is now employed by almost all production cars around the world.

Vauxhall is returning for a second year as sponsor of the hugely popular Goodwood Festival of Speed (June 23-26). Its unique Family Experience area is set to captivate children and adults alike with a mix of fun-filled challenges and more than 30 exciting old and new cars to see. The area, which features a large, free crèche and hospitality area, is the only one of its kind at the event and is guaranteed to be an instant hit with families.

2016 VAUXHALL VXR8 MALOO LSA vs 1903 VAUXHALL 5HP – 113 YEARS OF PROGRESS

	5HP	Maloo
Engine capacity	978cc	6,162cc
Cylinders	1	8
Power	5bhp	536bhp (544PS)
Torque	N/A	671Nm @3850rpm
Engine construction	Integrally cast head/block	All-aluminium heads/block
Fuel delivery	Vauxhall spray carb	Electronic fuel injection
Crankshaft	2-bearing	Cross-bolted, 5-bearing
Transmission	Clutchless, 2-speed	6-speed manual
Drive	Via chain to rear axle	Via limited slip diff. to rear axle
Suspension – front	Spiral springs/no dampers	MacPherson Strut
Suspension – rear	Spiral springs/no dampers	Fully independent, multi-link
Steering	By tiller / plenty of faith	By wheel / rack & pinion
Brakes  - front	None	367mm diameter ventilated discs
Brakes – rear	Drums	372mm diameter ventilated discs
Wheels	26-inch / wire construction	20-inch / alloy
Tyres – front	26/3	255/35 x 20
Tyres – rear	26/3	275/35 x 20
Top speed	25mph	155mph (limited/est)
Acceleration (0-60mph)	Uh, never…	4.3 seconds (est)
Fuel consumption	38mpg (unofficial)	18.5mpg (official combined)
Price	130 guineas (£136)	£54,520

The best Vauxhall specific event takes part at the Santa Pod Raceway, dont miss it, this one's going to be good.

• Britain’s premier show for fans of performance Vauxhalls
• Takes place at Santa Pod, Beds, June 12, 2016
• Almost 2,000 club cars already booked in
• Early bird tickets still available with £5 entry discount

It’s the show that will leave you Griffin from ear-to-ear…

Britain’s premier event for fans of performance and modified Vauxhalls is gearing up to be one of the busiest yet, with club stand space already sold out and individual tickets selling like hot cakes.

The Performance Vauxhall Show (PVS) takes place at the famous Santa Pod drag strip on Sunday, June 12, and includes a number of features that are guaranteed to capture the attention of over 10,000 expected visitors.

With on-strip action, including the chance for owners to enter their own Vauxhalls in a VX-only ‘Run What Ya Brung’, Santa Pod will be spilling over with Griffin greats, be them retro Novas, Chevettes, Cavaliers and Astras, or more modern VX220s, Monaros and VXRs.

When classic and modern Vauxhalls aren’t going head-to-head on the iconic strip, the famous Santa Pod Jet Car will be in action. The record breaking Fireforce 3 develops more than 10,000bhp from its helicopter engine, and can reach a terminal velocity of over 300mph on the ¼-mile strip. But be warned – bring your ear plugs!

For those wanting to run something a bit tamer, drag strip tickets cost £20 per car on the day, or £10 on the Saturday for those who arrive early.

As well as the drag strip action, PVS promises a host of other features including a lively retail village for the latest parts, mods and memorabilia, a show and shine, and some of the best and busiest club displays going.Fast Car magazine will be there, along with Performance Vauxhall, with a special show subscription offer of £15 for six issues.

Further fun features include drift trikes, a firing range and a ‘Best Wheels’ award, sponsored by Wheel Whores.

Although the show itself takes place on the Sunday, part of PVS is the party atmosphere, and camping at the show on the Saturday evening is where the fun really begins. Weekend tickets, including camping, are available for £25 per person if booked in advance (saving £8). A late night bar, DJ and Santa Pod’s funfair will all be in action for the evening.

An early bird offer also applies to show day tickets - £18, as opposed to £23 on the gate. To buy tickets, visit

www.performancevauxhallshow.co.uk

PVS promises to be an action-packed weekend and a true highlight of the Vauxhall calendar, but hurry, because tickets are selling out fast…

vauxhall is determined to ensure that the UK builders end up in the ditch, which they will in the updated Maloo.

• New Maloo LSA gets power-boost with VXR8 GTS-based, supercharged engine
• Hilarious prospect of 0-62mph in 4.6 secs from a CV capable of hauling half a tonne
• Over 100PS and 100Nm power/torque increase versus outgoing model
• Design revisions and additional colours for VXR8 GTS saloon

Vauxhall only sells one pick up vehicle these days, and while our rivals will wow you with improvements in emissions and fuel economy in a CV’s new model year, our offering – the new Maloo LSA – is more likely to impress with the arrival of its all-new, supercharged 6.2-litre, 536PS V8 engine.

So while it’s possibly not a contender for next year’s MPG Marathon, the Vauxhall Maloo LSA will haul… well, up to 540kgs from standstill to sixty in an unfeasibly short space of time, and do so with the utmost composure, despite the fact that it’s classed as a commercial vehicle (business users can even claim the VAT back from its very reasonable £54,500 on-the-road price).

For 2016, the new LSA engine brings maximum power up from 431PS for the outgoing LS3 V8 to 536PS, and an increase in torque from 570Nm to 671Nm. First seen in the current VXR8 GTS launched last year, the LSA is essentially the same unit fitted to the Camaro ZL1, albeit in a slightly re-tuned form. An Eaton 4-lobe supercharger, stand-alone water-to-air charge-air cooling system and high-flow exhaust system with bi-modal exhaust function turn the Maloo into the fastest production ‘ute’ manufactured in Australia, and the fastest CV available in the UK.

To cater for the extra 105PS of power and 101Nm of torque compared with the outgoing Maloo, modifications have been made to the vehicle’s chassis. Spring and damper rates have been stiffened to reduce body-roll and further improve turn-in, while the unique rear suspension module delivers improved rear stiffness and rear braking efficiency.

Also now standard on the Maloo LSA are Launch Control (manual models only), a limited slip differential, sat-nav, Bluetooth, Onyx Leather trim, and EDI (Enhanced Driver Interface).

In addition to more power and standard equipment, the 2016 Maloo also benefits from a raft of exterior styling upgrades. The front end features a re-designed fascia incorporating a subtle splitter, while the addition of pitch-black bonnet air vents help deliver an even more aggressive look.

The pitch-black theme is carried through to the mirror-backs and wing-vents, with a new 20-inch, five-spoke alloy wheel design completing the styling package. Two new colours – Slipstream (vibrant blue) and Some Like it Hot (metallic red) - complement the Maloo’s fresh new look.

Vauxhall’s VXR8 GTS, the other model in Vauxhall’s V8, rear-wheel-drive range, also has some subtle changes for 2016. While power remains unchanged at 585PS, and torque at 740Nm, the five-seat, four door saloon receives new bonnet vents, bumper grilles and side sills, as well as a new centre-stack arrangement inside the cabin and two new exterior colours. On the road price for the 2016 VXR8 is £55,500 with six-speed manual transmission and £57,200 with the six-speed auto, with oil cooler.