Final Holden Commodores go under the hammer

HOLDEN will auction off some of the final examples of its special edition Commodore Director and Motorsport sedan and Magnum ute for charity as the car-maker prepares to shut its Australian manufacturing operations on October 20.

The three vehicles in ‘The Commodore Collection’ will be auctioned by Manheim next month as a part of the Holden Dream Cruise event on October 15 that also features a street parade of Australian-built Holden vehicles led by the first and last cars built by Holden, a 1948 48/215 and a 2017 VF II Commodore.

Holden is auctioning the three Commodores in a bid to raise $360,000 for charity, with the majority of the money raised going to 55 Learning For Life educational scholarships for children, which is conducted by The Smith Family and based in Adelaide’s northern suburbs – the same area as the Elizabeth factory.

Ford also auctioned off some of the last vehicles to roll off its Broadmeadows, Victoria production line before it closed its doors in October last year, raising about $353,000 for the Geelong-based Give Where You Live charity, as well as funding the expansion and creation of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) programs at local high schools.

It is unclear if Holden’s target of $360,000 was chosen so the company could beat Ford’s tally.

Fifty per cent of the funds raised for the Director will go to the Lighthouse Foundation which supports youth homelessness, as a nod to former partner of Peter Brock and Holden supporter, Bev Brock.

Both the Director and the Motorsport will carry the unique build number of 05, another nod to Holden motorsport’s most famous and celebrated driver, Peter Brock.

Holden announced in January this year that it would build 1200 examples of the SS-V Redline-based Motorsport, 360 Calais-based Directors and 291 examples of the Magnum ute as a celebration of Holden’s manufacturing and motorsport history Down Under.

All three of the special editions are powered by the 6.2-litre LS3 V8 petrol engine pumping out 304kW/570Nm, while the sedans have a Holden-derived driver mode control system with Magnetic Ride Control adaptive suspension and the Magnum ute gains track-focused FE3 suspension.

The Motorsport pays homage to Holden’s 460 Touring Car and V8 Supercar victories and includes special red flourishes, such as red daytime running light surrounds, mirror housings and red-lined 20-inch alloys, as well as graphics with black accents.

The Director features performance seats, Brembo Brakes and 20-inch staggered wheels and tyres.

Holden says the Magnum ute is “the quickest and best equipped Holden ute ever created”, and includes a hard tonneau cover, heated performance front seats and unique decals.

GM Holden executive director of manufacturing Richard Phillips said the company was happy to support the local Elizabeth community through the auction.

“Holden has been a really significant part of life for the community in Adelaide’s northern suburbs for more than 55 years,” he said. “So we’re proud to be able to continue to support some local families and children in need through this fantastic fund-raising project.”

Mr Phillips added that he expected there to be significant interest in the auction given the special edition status of the three Commodores.

“We know how much Australians love their Holden vehicles and these three are very special!” Mr Phillips said.

“So we think they’ll be a huge drawcard for motoring enthusiasts right across the country and hopefully they’ll inspire some fierce bidding under the hammer.

“These will be the last of the Limited Editions to be built, with unique build numbers and with the Director and Motorsport vehicles carrying racing legend Peter Brock’s famous number 05, we know they’ll be sure fire winners.”

Registrations for the auction open on Friday September 29. Following the Holden Dream Cruise parade will be a family fun day with car displays, food entertainment and a Show ‘n’ Shine competition at My Money House oval in Elizabeth.

Holden stopped building the Cruze small car at Elizabeth in October last year and shut its Port Melbourne engine plant in late November, leaving the Commodore and Caprice as the last products Holden produces before ending its lengthy manufacturing presence next month.

While Holden has already replaced the Cruze with the Astra range, the Aussie-built Commodore will be replaced by a European-sourced model based on the Opel Insignia early in 2018.