One of four Holden Special Vehicles GTSR W1 Maloo utes – built in secret for HSV collectors and VIPs – has broken the auction record for a road-going Holden.
The $1.2 million sale of one of four HSV GTSR W1 Maloo supercharged V8 utes is claimed to have set a record for the highest confirmed price paid for a road-going Holden.
The Holden Special Vehicles Maloo sold overnight is one of four GTSR W1 Maloo utes created in secret for VIPs, off the main production line that built the 300 W1 sedans for public sale.
It is build number #001, never registered – with only 26 kilometres on the odometer – and finished in an iconic 'XU3 Yellah' pale yellow colour akin to that used on the 1996 HSV GTSR sedan.
Lloyds Auctions, which sold the vehicle, said "fierce global bidding erupted online and via phone", and that the $1.2 million price was reached in "private negotiations two days post-auction".
It says "the million-dollar milestone" was passed "with ease".
The $1.2 million sale price is not, however, the record for an Australian-made road car – irrespective of brand – which is believed to remain with a 1972 Ford XA Falcon GTHO Phase IV, reportedly sold privately for $1.75 million in 2021.
Meanwhile, a Holden Commodore VH race car that won Bathurst in 1982 and 1983 is believed to hold the outright Holden record – irrespective of road legality – at $2.1 million, sold in 2018.
The yellow ute – a pale colour, despite these photos, and the only one of the four painted in this hue – went to auction in September 2021 with 19km on the odometer, and saw bidding reach $1.15 million before passing in.
Other HSV GTSR W1 utes have also sold for high sums: the red example at auction for $1.05 million, and the gold car reportedly changing hands privately for $1.15 million, after a $1.05 million auction.
The grey ute has also reportedly sold privately, albeit for an undisclosed sum.
The GTSR W1 Maloo ute is powered by the same 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine as the sedan, and shares its high-performance hardware, including 20-inch wheels, Pirelli semi-slick tyres, Supashock racing-inspired suspension, and AP Racing brakes.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
