Deposits taken

Awaiting list is forming quickly for the last of the big bangers. As this issue of AMC closed for press there was no confirmation from Holden Special Vehicles, but dealers are already taking deposits – as much as $20,000 is being demanded in one case – for the GTS-R.

Clayton refused to comment on the GTS-R speculation, but it’s clear from a trademark registration on December 15 – covering both vehicles and merchandise – that the project is underway.

Some insiders are hinting at a significant performance boost for the car, with its supercharged LSA V8 perhaps being hiked up to 475 kiloWatts and 800 Newton-metres. Despite some HSV dealers already taking deposits, they can provide few details. Several are hinting at a price between $120,000 and $160,000, with deliveries coming in the second half of 2017.

“For people asking, the best advice I can provide at the moment is build a good relationship with your dealer,” Tim Jackson, managing director of HSV, tells Australian Muscle Car magazine.

It’s a solid hint that the GTS-R will be the last blast for the Commodore in 2017, as well as reviving the badge previously used in 1996 on a VS-based hotrod with a giant, V8 Supercarstyle rear wing.

The GTS-R (see feature story) made a huge impact when it was unveiled at that year’s Sydney Motor Show, although one motoring writer described the look as like “walking around with your fly undone” in a comment that infuriated former HSV boss John Crennan. Just 85 copies of the car were built. While GTS-R speculation is swirling around the Commodore, HSV owner Ryan Walkinshaw is staying cagey about the runout of the longterm Holden hero.

“We at HSV don’t talk about numbers as we are about producing great cars. Gen F2 has been really well received and selling extremely well,” he says.