A bidder has paid $750,000 for "the last car ever produced at Holden Australia" — even though General Motors says "absolutely the last Holden" is on display at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood, South Australia.
The historically significant vehicle was expected to fetch about $500,000 at auction on Saturday, but exceeded expectations.
An advertisement for the 2017 Holden VF Series II sedan ahead of the auction had described it as "the last car ever produced at Holden Australia".
Auctioneer Lee Hames said it was "arguably the most collectable … Australian car in the world right now".
But General Motors reportedly said another Commodore was "absolutely the last Holden", and was currently on display at the National Motor Museum.
That vehicle, which ceremoniously rolled off the assembly line at the Elizabeth manufacturing plant as it shut in October 2017, is not for sale.
Hames, the chief operating officer of Lloyds Auctioneers and Valuers, said the Commodore sold on Saturday had been destined for sale at a dealership before an ex-Holden factory worker "intercepted" it.
The auctioneer said a 14-year veteran of the Elizabeth plant had purchased the historically significant car before putting it up for auction.
"Just by a chance conversation on that last day, he overheard that the car was destined for a dealership interstate," Hames said.
"So he made as many phone calls as he possibly could to connect with the dealership and make a private sale for that car.
"It never made it to the dealership. He managed to intercept the car before it did."
There's clearly a huge appetite from Holdens in the marketplace. Bids for a HSV GTSR W1 sedan – in dark grey, number 9 of 300 built, and with just 149km on the odometer – reached $407,000 before the car was pushed away for negotiations to continue behind closed doors.
An immaculate HSV VL SS Group A ‘Walkinshaw’ sedan in the traditional Panorama Silver – with about 40,000km on the clock – went under the hammer for $250,000 after bidding started at $230,000.
Next up, one of three 2009 HSV W427 sedans finished in Panorama Silver and with less than 1500km on the odometer sold fort $300,000 after bidding started at $270,000.
Away from the muscle car Holdens, a restored 1964 EH Holden ute went for $53,000 while an immaculate 1964 EH Holden Premier wagon 63A with a genuine 66,000 miles on the odometer sold for $71,000 after bids started at $55,000.
A rather average-looking HJ Holden Kingswood panel van – pitched as a “Sandman tribute”, that is, a non-genuine item but with Sandman stickers – sold for $46,000.