Weapon Of​​​​​​​ Choice

We Take to the Hills in Harrop's Supercharged V8-powered Superado. What a Blast!

- Matt Raudonikis

KILLA Kustom Kables & Conversions set the 4x4 ute market on fire last year when it introduced its LS3-powered Killarado. Since that first conversion, which we featured back in May 2017, the Queensland workshop has been flat out building V8 Colorados for customers, with a few supercharged LSA-powered rigs in there for good measure.

Melbourne’s long-standing church of all things high performance, Harrop Engineering, teamed up with Killa Kustoms to become the southern states dealer and has put its own spin on the conversion. It has taken the V8 Colorado to the next level and developed the car with two different identities – one for off-road use and one with a more urban slant. The urban version rides on 20-inch wheels, all-terrain tyres and its Shockworksdeveloped suspension rides stiffer for better handling. But it’s the off-road one we’re most interested in, with its 18-inch Method wheels, Toyo R/T rubber and more compliant suspension.

Harrop has dubbed the supercharged beast the Superado and they threw us the keys to have a play with it.

Arriving at Harrop to pick up the Superado in our bone-stock Colorado LTZ, one could be forgiven for thinking the Superado is just another kitted-up double-cab ute. Sure, those bright-red Methods stand out from the flared guards, and the ride height is up there, but without even a nudge bar on the front end, this could be any other sign-written shop truck. Open the door and the leather-trimmed sports seats are a nice addition and the extra switches in the console indicate there’s an ELocker in there somewhere, but otherwise it’s just like our LTZ.

All similarities end when you turn the ignition key. There’s no clatter from an Italian-made Duramax diesel in this Holden ute; it’s all American V8 rumble from the dual pipes exiting under the back!