by A Record for the Australian Auto Industry
The unique HSV GTSR W1 Maloo pickup has become the most expensive road-going Holden ever sold. It fetched a colossal 1.2 million Australian dollars at auction, equivalent to 805 thousand US dollars.
This vehicle is special for several reasons. It was built by the now-defunct Holden Special Vehicles division. Only four such models were ever built, making them extremely rare. Furthermore, this pickup is among the last Holdens assembled before General Motors finally shut down its Australian operations in early 2021.
What Makes This Pickup Unique
The heart of this car is the legendary 6.2-liter supercharged LS9 V8 engine from the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. This unit was installed in 295 GTSR W1 sedans, but only four examples of the pickup version, known as the Maloo, received it. They were offered exclusively to the brand’s most loyal customers and its executives.
Specifically, this yellow example is the only one painted in the ‘Yellah’ shade. Its mileage since leaving the factory is only 26 kilometers.
The Buyer and Auction History
The identity of the final buyer has not been officially confirmed; however, Australian billionaire Adrian Portelli stated on social media that he placed the winning bid of 1.1 million dollars before the auction closed. Interestingly, he already owns two of the four Maloo W1s ever built.
“The whisper of doubt has become a roaring reality. This $1.2 million result not only shatters expectations but proves Lloyds’ undeniable expertise in setting record sales for Australia’s rarest automotive treasures,” said Lee Hames, Chief Operating Officer of the auction house.
The American Chapter of the Story
An interesting fact is that the base model for this pickup, the Holden Ute, almost made it to American roads under the name Pontiac G8 Sport Truck. General Motors even presented a production-ready version at the New York Auto Show in 2008. However, due to the 2008 financial crisis and the closure of the Pontiac brand, these plans were never realized.
Australia’s Absolute Record Holders
Despite the impressive price, this Maloo is not the most expensive Australian road car in history. That title is still believed to belong to a 1972 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase IV, which was sold privately for 1.75 million dollars in 2021. As for the most expensive Holden ever, it is the VH Commodore race car, a Bathurst winner, which sold for 2.1 million dollars in 2018.
The sale of this pickup for such a sum vividly illustrates how highly collectors value the last and rarest examples of the Australian auto industry, which had its own distinct identity. These cars have already entered history, and their value will only grow over time, transforming from means of transportation into museum exhibits and investment objects. Such deals also demonstrate the lively interest in unique models that never reached the mass market, remaining symbols of the ambitions and capabilities of automakers from a bygone era.
