Australia’s most expensive car, the HRT 427
April 4, 2008 by George Skentzos
A Holden HRT-427 has just become the most expensive Australian car ever sold, fetching a price tag of $920,000 – well beyond the previous $750,000 price payed for a Ford Falcon 1971 GTHO Phase III.
One of only two ever made by Holden for testing and touring motor shows, the near million dollar bid was placed by a bloke in shorts and thongs known only as ‘Chooka’.
Based on a Corvette C5R race engine, the HRT-427 is powered by a 417kW 7.0-litre V8 engine – hence the namesake.
No expense was spared for the HRT 427, combining a heavy-duty 900Nm clutch mated to a custom T56 six-speed manual gearbox handbuilt by Tremec for HSV, AP Racing six-piston brake package, half rollcage and Sparco Pro 2000 driving seats as used in the British Touring Car Championship.
Along with the deletion of the audio and air-conditioning systems, carbon fibre was used extensively for a 100kg weight reduction over the standard HSV GTS Coupe, tipping the scales at just 1575kg.
After it became apparent to Holden that the high-spec HRT 427 couldn’t be built in such limited quanities for the $215,000 asking price, the project was eventually cancelled with deposits returned to eager buyers.
For Chooka at least, the HRT 427 will join his collection of over 20 mint-condition Monaro’s dating from 1968 through to 2006.
Source: News.com.au, Supercars.net
Print it: 
why?
with a 500K, you could probably buy a used leMans Corvette CR5… the whole works… looks ten fold better too.
Or how about the Corvette ZR1…. or the Michellin ZR1… I saw them first hand, I have to say, Corvettes look tough as nails.
The HRT427 is wrong in many accounts…. its basically a Monaro body shell with reinforced underbody and Corvette parts… heck, you can probably buy the parts seperately and do the reinforcing in a race garage… do it better too… for under 500K.
People with money… and impulse purchase problems.
also, I worked carbon fiber body structures before for formula SAE back in uni days… and for about 50K you can probably reproduce the whole body shell in CF/Epoxy with aluminum honeycomb core… same as F1 bodys.
Okay, maybe 100K… Carbon Fiber is expensive, but its mainly the labour and tooling.. but you can just reproduce a mold if you have a bout 3 weeks free time and about 4 friends to help… not that hard.
My point… its very overpriced… 500K would of been tops… but 920K??? geez….
Heck, you can purchase a brand new Corvette ZR1 and spend 100K on it to produce a lot more than 417KW…. Nissan GTRs laugh at 417kWs…. spend $5K and you basically close onto 350kW from stock engine… spend another 50K and you will be in the 800hp region or even 1000hp… its not that common…
but thats just ridiculous…. you’d need jet fuel or atleast way higher octane than 9800 premiums sold today.
Basically… I just cannot fathom the logic and justification to spend that much on a Holden GTS with a corvette race car engine… thats basically it…
This car isn’t about facts and figures. There’s only two. Hows that for limited production! (Don’t kill me, I know its not actually production). At least you would never pull up to one at the lights haha. Its an icon. An ephiphany. Jamison, I ask you, wheres the passion?
Where’s the PASSSSHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUN? With Chooka! Enjoy it, Chooka, wherever you are.
fetching a price tag of $920,000
the near half-million dollar bid was placed
427 is powered by a 417kW 7.0-litre V8 engine – hence the namesake.
Did you write this stuff drunk???????
D-F,
The 427 “namesake” refers to the 7.0 litres being 427 cubic inches.
If Holden could have made it 427Kw as well that would have been nice, but 417Kw is still petty damn impressive.
It’s pity that Holden didn’t put this into production. Personally I think it’s muchbetter looking than the W427.
And how good goes that engine bay look!
give me the GTHO any day
And while I’m here dreaming of owning a nice new Holden coupe, I hope wish and pray that Holden gets the green-light to build the Coupe60. Of course it’d be a Monaro here and whatever you want to call it for the o/s markets.
What bugs is that if GM doesn’t want it for the US then no one gets it.
Surely there’d be enough interest here, NZ, Britain, Brazil, the Middle East, and where ever else Holden is already to, to justify going ahead and producing it.
This wouldnt be able to be road registered would it?
Im guessing no with all the parts and its power that it has.
And this HRT 427 is missing some of the parts the original show car had, such as the real roll cage and im sure the one “Chooka” bought doesnt have the aluminium fuel cap has pictured.
That ones special in holdens concept place.
WASTE OF MONEY BUT CHOOKA MUST HAVE CRAP LOADS OF IT, OR IS THIS JUST TO ADVERTISE HOLDEN OR PUT HOLDENS EGO BACK ON THE PEDESLSTAL BEFORE FORDS NEW FALCON LAUNCH, ANYWAYS THE GTHO FOR ME THANKS……
I have no doubt somebody will crack the million for HOey again.
Jealousy’s not a good like, guys.
my first thoughts were with AtomicSSV,
is it able to be registered?
since it is not a recognised production vehicle, i say prob not
“Jealousy’s not a good like, guys.” – me. Oopsy. How did that get out? Not a good look, I meant to say.
Its a collectors item, only go up in price if kept pristine, 1 million dollar bids wouldnt be suprising anyway.. Cars getting older and more rare + People out there having more disposable income (disposable as some may think) + the time value of money.
It can’t be road registered as its essentially a one off show car [prototype] which is yet to go through the series of tests inorder to meet the Australian Design Regulations and Safety Standards – Oh and I almost forgot the ANCrAP Crash Tests..
Both HRT 427 Coupes are exactly the same – the reason there are two is so that Holden could show it off on both the east coast and west coast at recognised motor-shows as well as the various hot-rod/street machine shows and the All Holden Days etc
Holden still can’t match a legendary Ford.
XA GTHO
Cobrajet XY Falcon
Superfalcon XY.
to name three that would well surpass a mill…
I wonder if chooka was one of the original deposit placers??? Looking at it now at $218000 that wouldve been a steal.
Wheelnut ADR’s aren’t a series of tests, they’re design standards that must be conformed to when producing a car in order to get approval (i.e. a tick) for road registration. The concept car was intended for track use only and hence wasn’t developed to comply with ADR’s.
As for the ANCAP tests. These aren’t compulsory for low production cars, just take a look at all the low vehicle imports on our roads that have never been subjected to ANCAP testing.
A man from NSW who owns a black FX 1948 holden (first ever holden), only 116 produced, only three left in existance, 2 owned by holden. A man offered $900,000, but the owner knocked it back, because the owner wanted $1.2 million. This is the only one left which has the deluxe options other two are standard. Ws’nt the xy sold for $683,000 not $750,000 it was a ugly green colour, prefer the orange.
I know but how do you ascertain whether or not something or someone is able to meet a certain standard… you assess them by carrying out a number of tests. Driving Tests for example
I mean you can’t really tell if something or someone is good enough to do something just by looking at them can you.
Youd want to know how they work what they can/can’t do; do they meet the criteria do they have the required features/specifications etc.
So whilst the ADR’s are a series of standards the only practical way those standards can be met is via a series of tests
I mean is the design of the car or a particular part of the car engineered properly; is the construction sound and is it able to perform its primary function without putting the driver or anyone else at risk.
The car companies are aware of the ADRs.
Which is why as part of the research and development of a new car they have equipment which put certain parts of a car under stress etc for extended perioda of time..
For instance when building the VE Holden created a number of machines which for example Open and Shut Bootlids and Car Doors over and over again to see if they are built to meet the engineering standard or if anything fails etc
I agree The Concept Car didn’t have to meet the ADRs as it was merely a concept but that would have changed had the car made it into production..
Becuse just as there are other High Performance Cars such as Ferraris which are primarily a Race car transformed into a road car the HRT 427 would have been pretty much the same
And not all owners would be able to; let alone want to limit the use of a car like the 427 to just track days
but also get out on the open road which would mean they would have to register it and inorder to do so would have to meet ADRs
I mean whats the point of having a car Like a Ferrari if you can’t enjoy it
I agree wheelnut.
I often see this F430 spyder, well hear then see it and when i see it i think at least his driving it for what it was meant to be used for.
Since most people who buy them keep them in storage which i dont blame them for but if you have sucha nice car, you should drive it for what it was meant for.
That rich dumbass could have bought atleast 1 Veyron for that kind of money. The name “Chooka” says it all.
Not quite; a Veyron costs approx $1.4 million
“Wheelnut Says:
April 6th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Not quite; a Veyron costs approx $1.4 million”
Ok, well he could have bought Porsche GT3 (AUD$570,431) or Nissan GT-R for that kind of money.
This is the car that killed off nations cup racing & the Bathurst 24hr race.Ford would have pat Holden on the back for that one
HSV Senator,
im pretty sure a phase 111 has reached 800,000.
there are a few that hit the auction from time to time and this one was in top nick. i cant remember exactlly but im sure it went for 800,000.
also dont forget the guy who was offered well over 1 mill for his Phase 1111 falcon, of which i believe there are only 3 left in existence and 2 of which are the only ones left in Australia.
was the guy who got the offer a dentist? i think he is from memory.
Phill,
it certainly did.
i still to this day cant understand how the fully race prepared 427 monaro was allowed to enter and ruin the series.
i clearly remember when john bowe ran a stock as a rock mustang, and they had to keep slowing it up because it was wiping the floor. bowe eventually pulled from the series as he thought it pointless to compete with the restrictions placed on him.
and then they brought in the 427’s????????
Actualy, a veyron cost more than $2 mill.
you would be nuts to actually use this car. you could build thsi car for cheaper….. but as an investment its not a bad idea.
i mean.. take the veyron.. its majestic as they come… its never gona go down in value.. a better investment than shares if u ask me.
so the rich bogan who bought this car will prob make cash on it in 20 years time
cookie
See the speedomoter. That idea was carried onto the Coupe60 concept.
anthony C,
yep as far as cars go they are a good investment, but as an investment i doubt it would be.
unless it increases $72,000 a year than he would be better sticking the money in the bank and not having to pay the massive insurance premium on it
in 20yrs time, the thing would have to be worth 2.5 mill otherwise i say its not an investment
why the hell would u pay that much for a holden
rather buy a GT ford :)
holdens are a waste of money and re sale value is up to crap with any car……… what a waste!
^To crap resale what the hell do u mean!!!!! Go have a look at ford falcons and saab’s. Thats what u call bad resale!
Look at you all. You’re as mad as all hell just because a Holden has usurped your beloved GTHO Phase III as the sure-fire most valuable Aussie car ever sold.
Like I said earlier, jealousy is not a good look. Go to Bunnings and let this bloke enjoy his purchase.
Good luck Chooka if you have it why not spend it on what ever you want, who really cares what anyone thinks. It would be a nice ride to take to a track day, if you are into your monaro\’s.
This is a bit of apples and oranges – though both the HO and the 427 are muscle cars this was a very limited run concept, and the HO was an actual production car. You’d be better comparing the 427 with Bill Bourke’s XW Cobrajet big block Falcon.
Good on chooka for his purchase – even as a Ford fan I was drooling over this thing when Holden brought it out. On a side note it’s a shame Holden didn’t take the Nations Cup Monaros to Europe for a fair 24-hour fight…
The less numbers made of a car the rarer it is , in this case its 2, the figures mean nothing you could build your own supercar for a lot less money but it has no history so even if you spent 200 grand you will probably get 50 grand for it, just the way it works, if you go by figures the power rating of the 700 grand phase 3 that is the next expensive car is no more impressive than a toyota aurion and it had no brakes and yet they are in hot demand
Values are based on personal tastes……….
Who pay big money for a GT-HO Phase III that was based on the same body as a taxi cab, and lost to the XU-1 at Bathurst ?
Answer: A ford fan with lots of money.
I say good on ya Chooka, it will go nicely with your Nations Cup 427 winning Monaro.
Australias most expensive car is now the Pagani Zonda worth at a hefty $1.5 million Australian.
what a peice of fugly poo…
Please help How do we make contact chooka, that is chooka who owns the $920.000 HRT 427 coupe, its very important I do so, and soon.
i’m an ooooooold friend of his and can get a message to him if you would like
just gotta love a 7 litre Monaro ! beautiful in all ways ! so many haters on here wanna try and justify their feeble existance with stOOpid comments ! p.s I owned a gt-r skyline and no wonder i sold it ! no match for a stroked 408 ls1 !
Good on you Chooka Will make a nice addition toh huge collection you have Looking foward to cecking it out at the Cairns holden day next month
This car is awesome & it’s the best fast street legal Holden.
It is sad it wasn’t put into production, but this rich Chooka guy is so lucky. Is he just a normal Australian citizen with the money? He can drive it on the roads if he wants. If I am rich I wouldn’t mind buying if it is on sale again. You can download the 427C for NFS6 Hot Pursuit 2 game from http://www.nfs-planet.de
YOU IDIOTS. Who gives two shits on how you think the near-million dollars should be spent.
OBVIOUSLY he has more than enough money and no financial limits, well to this extent anyway.
You all make stupid suggestions on how he should spent the money for which he could probably build another 10 of the same thing and still have money left over, but who gives a shit when a guy like that is probably wiping his ass with $100 bills.
So stop wasting comment space and just admire the car. She’s beautiful and if i had very deep pockets like him i wouldn’t care how overpriced the car is.