Record-setting Ford Falcon GTHO sells for $2 million
BY TUNG NGUYEN | 22nd Oct 2018
A FORD Falcon GTHO Phase IV – one of only four ever built and three to survive – has sold at auction over the weekend for a record-setting $2 million, making it the most expensive Australian-built Blue Oval model to go under the hammer.
Sold at Lloyds Auctions Australia on the Gold Coast, the ultra-rare 1972 model was tipped to sell for $3 million last week, but only managed the $2 million figure – slightly less than the $2.1 million haul recorded earlier this month for a 1982 Holden Dealer Team VH Commodore racecar piloted by Peter Brock to two wins at Bathurst.
The Ford Falcon, meanwhile, also carries a bit of Australian history as one of only a handful of the XA GTHO Phase IVs built before the “supercar scare” of the early 1970s that saw production end.
Of the four Phase IVs made, one was a road-going version finished in Calypso Green, while the three remaining race-prepped cars were painted Brambles Red and were driven by the likes of Allan Moffat and Fred Gibson.
Lloyds Auctions chief marketing officers Brett Mudie said Australia’s classic car scene is quickly becoming an investment hotbed, yielding stronger growth than even houses.
“This was a fantastic result for the classic car market which is growing from strength to strength,” he said. “The anonymous Australian buyer is extremely excited about owning a piece of iconic Australian history.
“With the Phase IV and more strong bidding on Phase IIIs over the weekend, it really shows that the market is continuing to strengthen with an opportunity to own an enjoyable investment that seems to be rising in value at a faster rate than property.
“There is a clear trend if you look at the number of records broken over the last six months in particular. The people buying these cars are hard-working Australians looking for a reward but also looking for something to invest in.”
Earlier this year, the Phase IV’s predecessor – the Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III – sold at auction for $1.03 million, while other notable results include an A9X Torana SLR 5000 that sold in March for $365,000.
