Torana reaches record price at auction
11 Mar, 2008
46 Comments 
Proving the lust for Australian classics is far from over, a 1977 Holden Torana A9X has fetched a record $192,000 at Shannons Melbourne Motor Show Auction.
Spending the lesser half of its life behind a block of flats near inner Melbourne, the Jasmine Yellow four-door sedan emerged in show condition after an exhaustive nine-year restoration.
The Torana A9X was not the only classic to sell well above expectations, with a white 1977 LX Torana SS 5.0 Hatchback reaching $53,500 against a guiding range of $25-$40,000.
Other notable results include a meticulously-restored black 1966 Mustang notchback coupe that got $51,000 and a beautifully presented, low kilometre red 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT coupe that brought $180,000.
However the standout result was a nicely restored right hand drive 1935 Ford V8 Coupe that was pursued by over 10 telephone and floor bidders before eventually selling for $47,000 – well above Shannons’ $25-$35,000 guiding range.
In all, more than 65 per cent of all lots sold on the fall of the hammer for total sales of more than $2 million.
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March 11th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
The Dino is just fantastic. Timeless styling that represents one of the iconic marquees in the industry. Worth every penny IMO.
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March 11th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
yes the dino for 180k is a bargain timeless classic styling who would pump out an extra 500k for a ford
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March 11th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
sigh where oh where has my old black A9X gone to in NSW? Hate to think what that would now go for now! Is it just me or is it too low for factory height?
Wheelnut maybe a A9X instead of a RT Charger……I still miss the beast. Great fun to drive too,better than the equivalent Ford of the time dare I say. Same floor pan as what the VB Commodore would get,there’s some useless info if you didn’t already know it.
Like the Dino too but prefer old OZ Muscle cars.. Anyone think the TRD Aurion will ever go down as Oz Muscle Car in 20 years? I think not!
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March 11th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Anti-Spam word falcon……..hehehehe!
The ferrari was sold cheaper than the torana!
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March 11th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
BM, i thought you dislike (hate) Holden.
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March 11th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
No…..Duck.Surprised! Owned a few but my heart is with Ford in Muscle cars,but as Wheelnuts a Holden man we thought we would compromise with the RT…..however I do like the A9X still.
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March 11th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
BM i thought the A9X more or less came from the factory ready to race, if so i wouldn’t be surprised at all for the ride height to be set at that level… however you’ve owned one so you would know more then me!
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March 11th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Aahh yes but how would an SLR/5000 or an A9-X go up against an Aurion….? or the 380Kw Wide Body Camry….? Hey TP?
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March 11th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Get off the computer you and cum talk to me.
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March 11th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Duck,
quote “The ferrari was sold cheaper than the torana!”
In Australia icon terms,torana won Bathurst the ferrari didn’t = torana is worth more,icon wise that is.
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March 11th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Wheelnut,
I’d put the A9-X up against the poxy Aurion at Bathurst any day.
With 20 years to improve, the Aurion is still inferior, and the engine probably wouldn’t last long enough for the front tyres to scrub out from the horrendous understeer.
Aussie muscle car it is definately NOT.
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March 11th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
1979 A9X sports model 240hp factory
2008 Aurion family hack/ taxi 260hp factory
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March 11th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
One of my mates had a fake SLR5000 about 20 years ago, what a chick magnet it was…. unfortunately they were all wearing a police uniform
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March 12th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Fer Chrissake, don’t invite Certain People into this blog! You’ll regret it! Oh, and a marquee is something you have a wedding under.
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March 12th, 2008 at 7:30 am
No offence, but it’s a car that you see today being driven by toothless rednecks with Confederate flags on the bumper. At least a classic Monaro/Falcon GT has some class to it.
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March 12th, 2008 at 10:27 am
With prices like that members of Torana clubs around the country must be wetting their pants in excitement now. I cant help but think that a few more may surface at auction once their owners realize wha they are sitting on.
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March 12th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Old Holdens are good.
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March 12th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
New Holdens are bad
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March 12th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Both old and new are better then Fords
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March 12th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Old and new Toyotas are for the blind and innocent who are pounded by billion dollar advertising, doesn’t make Toyota any better than Ford ya fruit cake..
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March 12th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
LOL the new Hoff! Get in ya Prius with ya fairy comment!
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March 12th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
a9x
tough car, fast and fun. Very collectable as well.
BUT i think torana is aboriginal for TRACTOR
god they are horrible to drive!
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March 12th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Any classic Toyotas for sale? ha, ha ,ha
No,I didn’t think so.
Straight to the tip my guess.
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March 12th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
“”
I’d put the A9-X up against the poxy Aurion at Bathurst any day.
With 20 years to improve, the Aurion is still inferior, and the engine probably wouldn’t last long enough for the front tyres to scrub out from the horrendous understeer.”"
torana wins on collectabilty and tuffness, oh and coolness.
BUT the aurions engine will take twice as much time to burn oil as a 308 holden lump. Also the aurions front wheels wont seek out and find EVERY rut, ridge and pothole in the road and proceed to rip the wheel from your hands. oh and it will be quiet, wont leak air at high speed or water in the rain like the torana.
saying this….. id own the torrie before an aurion ANYDAY just on the lack of coolness to the aurrie
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March 12th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
hey real cars
lets se a holden fetch the price that a toyota 2000gt will get??
nope…. didnt think so
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March 12th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
…what am I bid for this TuRD Aurion. Very unique and if u drive it backwards(and who would notice)it’s a rear wheel drive!
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March 12th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Yeah Troy if u can find one that isn’t already backfill for a playing field! Ha Ha Ha.
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March 12th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
wouldnt be many mate
ALL in museums would be my guess.
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March 12th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Toyota E type. Yes an historical exhibit of Japanese copying prowess.
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March 12th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Go get em Torana
Any one remember that slogan?
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March 12th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Hey Charger! …No wait that was Chrysler.
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March 12th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
R.T.S That was magic at the time.
Remember wheels doing a comparo between 3.3 HZ Kingswood SL (RTS equipped)and 5 series BMW of the era and the Kingswood came out on top?
My lx 3.3 Torrie stuck to the road like shit to a blanket.
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March 12th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Just go to show once again some people have more money than sense, but I guess as an investment maybe but I`d rather be enjoying driving a car not looking at it
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March 12th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Realcars
My lx 3.3 Torrie stuck to the road like shit to a blanket
Thats because it was shit and I`m guessing it still is
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March 12th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Man this site’s been overrun by Holden lovin’ bogans.
This article was about Holden Torana yet somehow the Aurion has been dragged into it - what’s up with that? They’re not in the same class or era. But that’s bogans for you. Probably shagging their cousins right now
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March 13th, 2008 at 6:22 am
Bogan Hater - this thread has been taken over by nob heads in general, its not just on the holden side of the fence!
“ALL HOLDENS ARE CRAP TOYOTA’S RULE COS THE AURION HAS MORE POWER = BETTER AND NEW HOLDENS SUCK MORE THEN OLD HOLDENS HAHAHA HOW FUNNY THAT FORDS ARE BETTER TOO COS MY DADDY TOLD ME THEY ARE!!!!!!!!!111 TORANAS ARE SHIT COS THEY JUST IS I HAD ONE 20 YEARS AGO AND EVEN THO IT WAS THE BASE MODEL I STILL KNOW THAT THE A9X WAS SHIT TOO COS IT JUST IS HEY AREN’T WE JUST A GIANT BUNCH OF TOSS POTS?”
yes you are…
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March 13th, 2008 at 6:26 am
Realcars - your right, R.T.S was a revolution at the time, pity they where still sticking R.T.S badges on commodores right up to the VS days when R.T.S was well past its day… But yeah that article between the kingswood and the commodore! BMW flew the then editor over to Germany for a please explain! They just couldn’t accept that some aussie cheapo car could handle better then their car! That’s untill they flew a kingswood over to germany and drove then thing and where all like “how can zis be?”
To be fair though those germans only make a mistake once! The next 5 series was brilliant
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March 13th, 2008 at 6:26 am
obviously i meant the article between the kingswood and the 5 series…
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March 13th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I seem to recall a press release about the 1989 Batman movie with Michael Keaton that mentioned that even the Batmobile was fitted with RTS and TST.
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March 13th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
“Toyota E type. Yes an historical exhibit of Japanese copying prowess.”
Wasn’t the Torana just a rebadged Opel? I’m not saying this is bad though, just saying Holden isn’t as ‘original’ as you think.
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March 13th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
if im rich, i’ll buy a brand new car that i can drive like crazy, i’m not spending my cash for some oldie display..
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March 13th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Yeah, the Torana was originally a derivative of the Vauxhall Viva?
During the sixties and seventies the Jap makers copied many Euro designs and concepts.
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March 15th, 2008 at 7:19 am
AND improved them
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April 4th, 2008 at 11:57 am
The highly unpopular HB torana was a rebadged Vaxhaull Viva.. I think the LC/LJs kept the Viva’s floorpan, but apart from that they were all aussie.
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May 3rd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
FORD Is NO.1 say……….”New Holdens are bad”
Well thats odd because i hear that new fords are crap and old fords were good, which i believe!
Holdens are as good as they used to, there actualy getting better!
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August 17th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Good folk, don’t bag each other for car loyalties that you don’t agree with but respect all who are toiling to preserve the old Aussie “Muscle Cars”. You all know that the “Green Police” will prevail and it’s good to know there are some people preserving motoring history for subsequent generations. Not so selfish really. Yes, the oldies do use a bit of fuel but their low km useage probably doesn’t equate to as much as “mums taxi” ferrying progeny around that should be introduced to their legs.
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