THE Holden SS Ute has been one of Holden’s hero cars since the launch of the VU in December 2000. Many buyers see a sports ute as more of a ‘muscle car’ than its sedan counterpart. This theme was taken further with the arrival of the VE range in 2006, at which point the SS was trumped by the SS-V, which edged Holden even closer to HSV territory. In standard form, the SS Ute combines its 260kW 6.0-litre V8 engine with a six-speed manual gearbox to deliver a formidable blend of performance and economy. The optional six-speed auto adds extra smoothness and refinement to the driving experience, serving as a reminder of the enormous advances made to Australian utes in the past decade. The biggest downside is poor all-round vision.