√Rare 1996 HSV GTS-R expected to sell for more than $500,000 at auction

Considered a modern classic of Australian muscle cars, this HSV GTS-R was number 11 out of 75 to be built – and it’s expected to fetch half a million dollars at auction.

A rare 1996 HSV GTS-R is due to go under the hammer at auction today, with bidding for the iconic Australian V8 sedan tipped to reach more than half-a-million dollars.

Listed by auction house Lloyds, this GTS-R is build number 11 out of 75 examples produced by Holden Special Vehicles for Australia (10 were exported to New Zealand, bringing the total build to 85).

In 1996, HSV charged $76,000 plus on-road costs for the GTS-R – roughly $9000 more than the HSV GTS of the time.

In October 2021, HSV GTS-R build number one sold for a hammer price of $1 million.

Based on the VS-series Holden Commodore and painted in Melbourne taxi-style yellow, the HSV GTS-R was the Australian car maker’s flagship model, powered by a 230kW/475Nm 5.7-litre V8 engine – stroked out from the standard 5.0-litre ‘Iron Lion’ engine.

Power was delivered through a six-speed manual gearbox to a limited-slip differential on the rear axle, allowing the HSV GTS-R to achieve a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.2 seconds.

According to the listing, this HSV GTS-R shows 48,162km on the odometer.

All 85 HSV GTS-Rs were painted in a colour named ‘XU3 Yella’, with the sellers of this example claiming “mostly original paint”.

While XU3 Yella was noted for being similar to the colour of Melbourne’s taxis at the time, it is where the similarities begin and end.

An aggressive body kit was fitted by HSV to the GTS-R – which included a large rear wing and carbon-fibre inserts on the front bumper, side skirts and rear bumpers – while black 17-inch three-spoke wheels filled the guards.

The GTS-R’s interior was also overhauled by HSV compared to less-expensive variants, with bucket seats upholstered in yellow fabric with GTS-R logos.

Photos uploaded to the listing by Lloyds show the interior in excellent condition, with no visible cracks in the plastic and the original stereo fitted.