Side-by-side cars collide and crash in Vic

A woman has been airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries after two cars travelling side-by-side on a Melbourne freeway collided then smashed into a concrete pole.

A Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon were travelling along the South Gippsland Highway late on Thursday night when the Ford driver lost control and hit the Commodore.

Both cars ran off the road, mounted the centre median strip and smashed into a concrete pole.

A woman in the Ford suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown to The Alfred hospital by air ambulance.

Both male drivers and a man travelling in the Holden were also taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Detectives from the major collision investigation unit are pleading for witnesses to come forward.