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It’s the super-ute money couldn’t buy – well, at least not in the traditional sense. The HSV GTSR W1 Maloo is back in the headlines, and this time it’s because one of its four examples is getting closer to grabbing seven figures at an auction. And no, that’s not a misprint.
At the timing of writing, the GTSR W1 Maloo in question has a current bid of $735,000 with exactly 19 days to go before it’s officially sold to a buyer via Lloyds Auctions. For reference, it has just 681km showing on its odometer.
Needless to say, this particular GTSR W1 Maloo finished in Light My Fire paintwork currently costs more to buy than a new Ferrari 812 GTS ($675,888 plus on-road costs), and not to mention a Rolls-Royce Wraith Black Badge ($734,900). Big money, then.
So, what’s all the fuss about? Well, like the other three two-door GTSR W1 Maloos, this one was produced in secret by HSV, which built 300 GTSR W1 sedans for public sales back in 2017, the year Australian car manufacturing ended with the closure of Holden’s last factory.
Yep, unlike their four-door siblings, the GTSR W1 Maloo utes were ‘sold’ privately, with even HSV making very little of their existence, hence their appeal being higher than that of the ‘regular’ GTSR W1, which was priced from $169,990 plus on-road costs.
Either way, aside from body-style, the two versions of the GTSR W1 were more or less identical, with both powered by a tyre-shredding 474kW/815Nm 6.2-litre supercharged LS9 V8 petrol engine from the sixth-generation Chevrolet Corvette’s ZR1 flagship.
A close-ratio six-speed manual (TR6060) was the only transmission option, while drive was sent to the rear wheels. And, of course, there was a bi-modal exhaust system alongside a host of other unique upgrades, so get bidding.
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