A record $1.2 million has been paid for a 2017 HSV GTSR W1 Maloo at Lloyds Auctions, “obliterating expectations” to become the highest price achieved at auction for a Holden production car.
The ultra-rare 2017 HSV GTSR W1 finished in ‘XU3 Yellah’ paintwork was build #001, one of four test vehicles made ‘in secret’ by engineers ahead of the release of the iconic HSV W1 sedan.
The now record-setting vehicle was never road-registered and has a mere 26km on its odometer, with its 474kW/815Nm 6.2-litre supercharged petrol V8 ‘LS9’ engine and six-speed Tremec manual barely used.
The $1.2 million result eclipses the $1.05 million paid for another of the ‘fab four’ Maloos in 2021, while both surpass the price paid for a 1985 Holden VK Commodore SS Group A, which fetched just over $1 million the same year.
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“Whispers of doubt turned into roaring reality,” said Lee Hames, chief operating officer at Lloyds Auctions, in a statement, adding “this $1.2 million result … obliterates expectations”.
Lloyds said the final price was agreed two days after last Saturday’s auction, following private negotiations sparked by worldwide interest in the rare HSV.
The buyer of the vehicle remains confidential.
While it’s a record for a Holden road car, higher prices have been paid for production Fords, most notably the iconic 1971 Falcon XY GT-HO Phase III, a homologation model driven by Allan Moffat to victory at Bathurst.
Holden race cars have also attracted higher sums, including $2.1 million paid for the VH Commodore Peter Brock and Jim Richards drove to victory in the Bathurst 1000 in 1982, before the pair – alongside John Harvey – won again in 1983.
Formed in 1987, HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) was the performance arm of Holden, following on from Holden Dealer Team Special Vehicles, which was run by Brock.
The first Maloo was introduced in 1990 as a limited-edition version of the VG Commodore ute, featuring a 180kW 5.0-litre V8, body kits and an optional graphics pack.
While Holden ended local car manufacturing in 2017 – a year after Ford – HSV continued operations until its official closure in 2020.