General Motors might have discarded its Australian operations, but that action only seems to have driven up the values of all Holden’s, some of which are now seemingly worth their weight in gold.
Recent collectible car auctions have seen special edition Holdens attract keen interest from bidders, a trend that is likely to continue at the Turners Collectable Car Auction collectable cars event in Christchurch on November 20.
Naturally, it’s the enhanced performance cars made by Holden Special Vehicles that are attracting the highest prices for Holdens, and if we look just at the recent sales of HSV utes, it gives a clear picture of where values are heading.
Across the Tasman, a rare Maloo GTS-R W1 sold for $1.03 million, while on this side of ‘the ditch’, a Maloo GTS-R was recently listed for $320,000. Cross over to HSV GTS sedans and you’ll often see them listing for between $250,000 and $300,000, while anyone who owns a Monaro-based HSV GTS coupe is sitting on an automotive goldmine.
This recent rise in the values of the rarest - yet most heroic - HSV models puts the listing of a 1996 HSV VS GTS-R at the coming Christchurch auction into context. For the VS is the first car to ever bear the GTS-R nameplate for HSV, and it was made at a time when if you rang the then-small performance car specialist in Clayton, Victoria, managing director, John Crennan, often picked up the phone.
Crennan wanted to build something special for the 1996 Sydney Motor Show, something that would link the HSV brand to the efforts of the Holden Racing Team (HRT) in the Australian Touring Car Championship.
Enter the first GTS-R from HSV, dripping carbon-fibre body parts, a V8 stroked out to 5.7 litres by an Aussie-made Harrop crankshaft, the raciest rear wing HSV ever made, and a trick ‘Hydratrak’ limited-slip rear differential to help put the power down.
Coloured ‘Yellah XU3’ in homage to a famous sporty Torana, the GTS-R was such a hit at the motor show, Crennan knew that he had created enough interest for a limited production run of 85 identical GTS-R models. Ten of those 85 came to New Zealand, of which just four are said to still reside here.
The car that will go under the hammer in Christchurch is number 77 of the 85, as indicated by the special plaque on the dashboard. In 2004, the odometer clicked over the 85,000km mark. It has traveled just a further 3,894km since then.
The VS is just one of three HSV GTS-R models going up for auction in Christchurch, and if you’d like something a little less in-your-face and more contemporary, there’s the pick of a 2017 HSV Maloo GTS-R ute (traveled 24,351km) or a HSV GTS-R sedan (traveled 40,790km).
Both are painted ‘Spitfire Green’ so you can arguably spot them from space, and both have GM’s supercharged 6.2 litre LSA V8 under the bonnet, which develops 435kW of power. Unlike the VS, both are automatics. Reserve prices for these more modern and less rare HSV GTS-R models sit in the $220,000 to $280,000 bracket, while the reserve for the VS could be as high as $320,000.
If seeking something a little more affordable in the high-perf world of HSV, something that will still represent a solid-gold investment, the auction has five further listings of cars bearing the brand.
A white 2018 Maloo R8 ute, equipped with the same LSA V8 (this time making a still impressive 410kW), is likely to attract the highest bid of these, especially as it has only traveled 11,004km. The reserve for that one could be as high as $170,000, as it’s a 30th Anniversary edition complete with commemorative silverware and certificate.
However, there’s also some interesting cars with predicted five-figure reserves. A 2002 HSV Clubsport R8 has a reserve in the $35,000 to $40,000 bracket and could be a canny investment.
Kiwi motorsport fans could be attracted to the 2009 HSV Clubsport R8 MURPH edition, number 12 of 51 made in honour of legendary driver, Greg Murphy. It has a reserve placed between $62,000 and $68,000, and has traveled 130,394km.
Aside from the HSVs, some of the less-racy Holdens going under the auctioneer’s hammer later this month are among the rarest cars ever to bear the leonine brand, and the auction represents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire these slices of Australasian motoring history.
A beautifully restored 1960 FB Holden ute is one of the best on offer, coloured Carlsbad black with white interior trim, and still bearing the dealer plaque of Timaru’s Hervey Motors on the dashboard. Expect the reserve to be between $55,000 and $65,000 for this historic Holden in a rare body style. A 1963 EJ Holden ute in similar condition is expected to sell for a similar price.
With a reserve of between $60,000 and $70,000, the 1977 Holden HX Monaro is notable because it’s a four-door sedan bearing the name of Holden’s iconic coupé.
Evidently, Holden got overworked by the challenges of meeting new emission regulations when developing the HX range and didn’t have time to add a coupé body to the range. So, the Monaro GTS nameplate and all the sporty equipment that came with it, including the 5.0 litre V8, were applied to a sedan instead.
The opportunity to buy a more recent Monaro, with a coupé body this time, comes with the listing of a 2002 Holden Monaro CV8. This has a reserve of between $43,000 and $47,000 and has traveled 155,350km.
The Turners Collectable Car Auction on November 20 isn’t just about Holdens, and there are listings for Chrysler Regals, Ford Sierras, rotary engine Mazdas, and even the odd Ferrari as well. All have been selected for their investment potential. The auction begins at Turners Christchurch Cars at 1 Detroit Place at 12.00pm on November 20.
