HSV Maloo GTSR W1 listed at $1.5m

As far as Holden performance cars go, HSV and Brock badged Commodores represent the pinnacle of a homegrown muscle car era that ended five years ago but continues to increase in popularity and demand.

And of all the HSVs, the most expensive models came at the end of the brand’s existence as a Holden hot-shop in 2017, many of which are now commanding prices upwards of $200,000.

But one of them stands out from the rest – this 2017 HSV Maloo GTSR W1 that has just been listed on carsales at a staggering $1.5 million. 

Why the record-breaking price? Well, for starters, just 275 examples of the HSV GTSR W1 sedan were built, each fitted with the most powerful engine ever seen in an Australian production car and priced at $169,000 plus on-road costs.

Used HSV W1 prices easily went on to exceed the $500,000 mark, but an extremely limited run of Maloo versions makes the ute derivative of the W1 sedan even more exclusive and expensive.

The HSV Maloo GTSR W1 was an invite-only special-order model available only to an inner circle of HSV executives and VIP customers.

Built in the final year of homegrown Holden Commodore production in 2017, this unique example is number one of only four original Maloo W1s ever produced and is also the only example wearing Yellah paint.

Like the sedan, the W1-spec ute, which was complied as a GTSR since it wasn’t intended for sale to the public, is powered by a 6.2-litre supercharged LS9 V8 lifted from the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 supercar, matched to a six-speed manual gearbox.

If you like crunching numbers – and if you can afford the $1.5m asking price we assume you do – then aside from the limited production run you’ll appreciate the 474kW power figure.

The one-off yellow paint scheme, meantime, is a hue that debuted exclusively on another iconic Holden, the famous VS Commodore-based HSV GTS-R, just 85 examples of which were produced in 1996 – all of them in Yellah XU3 paint. But its blueprinted 5.7-litre V8 offered only 215kW.

The VFII GTSR W1 also came with a ‘one off’ body kit, carbon-fibre airbox, fender vents, upgraded suspension and six-piston racing brakes.

The retail price of the four W1 utes produced was never made public, but it’s understood it was significantly more expensive than the HSV GTSR W1 sedan.

Returning to market privately after a previous purchaser failed to ‘come through’ this particular #001 Maloo has never been registered, has been kept in a climate-controlled showroom, comes with all documents and accessories and is claimed to be in concours condition.

In January 2021, an online bidder paid $1.05 million plus fees at a Lloyds auction for a ‘Light My Fire’ orange HSV W1 Maloo Ute.

And in November 2021, we wrote about an unrestored 1971 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III – which cost $5250 new, when it was the world’s fastest sedan – that is still listed in West Australia for a cool $1 million.

But the auction record for an Australian-made production car remains $1.15m, which was paid for an immaculate 1971 Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III in February 2021.

However, the most expensive Australian-built car ever sold remains Peter Brock's 1982 Bathurst 1000 winning HDT VH Commodore race car, which fetched $2.1 million in 2018.

Some cars leave a lasting legacy as they age and increase in rarity and – in this case – cultural significance, with demand and prices driven upwards by thousands of wealthy enthusiasts keen to secure a slice of nostalgia and/or investment opportunity.

While Ralph Lauren and Jerry Seinfeld are high-profile examples of car lovers that have costly collections, cashed-up Aussies are ensuring that our own iconic homegrown muscle-cars continue to retain and exceed their resale values, at least for now.

So there’s no surprise the seller of this landmark Aussie ute is asking a small fortune, even if the current asking price of $1.5 million is well out of reach for most Holden enthusiasts.