Last chance to order an HSV W427
April 8, 2009 by George Skentzos
Prospective owners of HSV’s flagship $155,000 W427 have just three weeks left to decide whether they want one in their garage, with the order books set to close at 5pm on April 28.
This is a far cry from the initial 200 vehicle build cap HSV had set for the model, although not out of character for a special edition HSV.
In HSV’s latest statement it has been keen to emphasise the potential worth of this ‘modern day classic’ as a future collector’s item, labelling it a piece of Australian motoring history.
“Who knows what the market for exotic muscle cars will look like in the future? The purchase of a W427 might represent a savvy investment opportunity – as well as delivering a driving experience that is pure exhilaration and excitement,” Phil Harding said.
Although perhaps this has been its downfall, with many current owners guilted into keeping the car under wraps to preserve their ‘investment’ – a $155,000 gamble few can afford.
Print it: 
Thanks Bavarian. I have read other articles on here, in particular the one on the XR6T that are positive. I went and had a quick look at them (no test drive admittedly), and it still felt like a taxi inside though. At $50K I’d expect more of a difference.
Thanks again.
dont wanna argue with anyone, but this isnt a supercar, is it? It isnt all that fast accelerating or at top end. An XFR would be around the same. An M3 is about the same, isnt it? The AMG C class (bleah!) would be about the same. It is a pretty quick commodore, without the (can I say “timeless”) beauty of the monaro. When the new shape commodore comes out this thing is just going to be another superseded boxy sedan with a big engine. It will probably have a fair amount of residual appeal for Holden diehards, but I thought that the appreciation in value of the original monaros and GTHOs was more through then getting runs on the board at Bathurst etc and having some heritage as a result, rather than just because of low numbers and a big engine.
Hey salesman i wonder if youll be inveting in Holden in a years time??? Mees thinks not! Aurion haaaaaaaaaa good one BM… I didnt say a boat i said a car ;o)
This car is an epic failure, largely due to Holdens greed and it’s willingness to fleece local buyers with a grossly inflated price. From a scheduled run of 427 units, this was more than halved to 200, and now a final desperate attempt marketing them as a “great investment” as they realise they won’t even get close to that number.
If you’re looking to invest speak to an investment advisor.
Lets face it, the real legend (and closest Australia has ever come to making a super car rated sedan) the phase 3, achieved it’s vaunted status by being the fastest four door of it’s era and winning many races* (*read also the picnic table booted, Walkingshaw VL). If you can’t lay claim to at least one of those two records then you have bugger all chance of attaining Iconic status. Hence the W427, whilst rmembered through rose coloured glasses, will never be held as high
I am not into aussie cars, can anyone tell me what is special about this thing? It uses a 7.0 GM engnine or sth?
The one valid criticism of the W427 is that it is overpriced (maybe it is, maybe it isn’t)…however, given the hand built nature of the vehicle, one wonders if those who are so critical of the W427 are aware of how extensively modified it is compared to a GTS or Clubby.
This is the fastest mass-produced car made in Australia to this point, is it not?
I say good on HSV for building it for the lucky few who can afford to own one.
perspective
Last chance……………..Oh I must hurry!
Oh please talk about the most over-priced bogan car in history. Can’t wait to see the resale in a couple of years!
If someone has enough money to buy this car then they are not going to care about it’s resale value.
It may be overpriced but it is still a awesome tough holden that will do a burnout on your street and maybe your head.
Confused
You chose your name well, you are very definately confused. You will buy an XR6T for well under 50K, and it’ll drive the pants off the other cars you mention, not to mention be much more economical when tootling around town compared to them. The interior, well, there is no such thing as an FG Taxi, so check out the other cars too, you’ll find theirs has dated very badly and the FG is miles ahead.
thanks for your ’support’ Millatime :-)
Maybe I’ll go stretch the budget and go for a Passat R36.
Looked at the Ford webiste and can’t see how you’d think I’d get an XR6T for well under $50K, once you’ve added some basic options and on roads. Perhaps you’re thinking once I’ve haggled hard with the car yard and got their best price?
Thanks again anyway.
Roddy, please make your mind up, is it “hand built” or “mass-produced”??
“This is the fastest mass-produced car made in Australia to this point, is it not?”
Anyway, is 200 examples mass-produced?
You’re splitting hairs…does it matter?
Aparently you’re missing the point, or is your problem that is is not wearing a Ford badge?
Ooooo that was harsh Roddy ! Claws back in buddy Grr
Just asking….
Latest car mag from Oz (shall remain nameless) has a test with 2 V8 supercars (one holden/one ford), the GTS, W427, F6 and GT. The W427 carved up the other 3 easily in all parameters. One thing that was astonishing though is in one section of the track the W427 bested the 2 V8 supercars under braking. That is incredible for a road car.
Personally I think the W427 is a marketing wank and is nothing more than an overpriced commodore, but this test showed how far above all the other cars in Oz it is. Go read it yourselves!
Confused,
If you cant get an XR6T for well under 50K, ill do a nude run to the dealership and slap the salesman for not wanting your dollars.
the N/A XR6 is currently going out at 36K??? on road (i think)
Turbo adds 5K plus a couple of grand for your options you want.
I reckon you should strike a deal at 45K-ish no probs
I love it that where tryin to get a guy to buy a FORD FALCON XR6 TURBO on a w427 clown car post lol. The blue ovals back baby!!!!
Yeah im just hurrying ever so much to own a $155k Commodore. GTR will get mine if anything. Dreaming HSV.
Confused
Just as Andrew M says, not that much haggling required :-)
Problem is next generation HSV will use similar 7L V8
So no point pay $ 150 000… just few years time it will be
half price
fair enough, thanks guys.
I think The main reason for HSV not being able to find 227 more people to buy the 427 is because of its name…. it lacks heritage..
Given that it’s got a 7.0 litre engine maybe they should have called it the SL/R 7000?
Funny thing is a couple of years ago HSV built a Monaro with a similar hand built enginel upgraded brakes etc like the W427.. it was called the Monaro 427
HSV received way more advanced orders than what they were expecting.
However; in the end HSV decided not to build the Monaro 427 [which was going to be a limited edition of 427] because they said it would have cost approx $150-200K which they thought was a bit too much for most car entusiasts.
Yet at an Auction last year one of the 2 prototypes of the Monaro 427 sold for over $800K
Reading all these comments the reason why the 427 didn,t sell what was originally intended is simply price.
Like it or hate it, the price enters peoples minds the rest is just BS!
Confused
One last piece of advice; if you go for the Passat you will have absolutely no street cred, and people will think you are gay….
Bavarian Missile (.)(.) Says:
April 8th, 2009 at 11:51 am
“Realist ,comparing those that buy M3’s and C63’s, even IS-F’s AROUND the world is a silly statement .”
You starting to lose it BM. I was speaking about the Australian market.
I read this big mac mobile doesn’t even have satellite navigation – please confirm? Can you change the leather from bogan red to say something a little more understated?
How about we just leave it at that Realist,we all know you have no appreciation for Holden and Ford so why would you think this car has any appeal ?
Oh and yes you can change the interior colour ,boring black more you ;)
No sat nav ? Geez Realist you might have to pre plan your trip? Its not hard grab a melways … People these days are getting very very precious
I quite like the idea of stuffing a 7 litre engine into anything at all really, nothing wrong with that at all. More grunt equals more tyre smoke – perfect.
However, where it all goes horribly wrong and just a little bit pear shaped is all the attached hype, rubbish, nonsense, and ridiculous grand standing that inevitably comes along with it.
By anyones and everyones definition a supercar is a supercar, and that means a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani or the mighty Ascari, Koenigsegg and Bugatti. These are SUPERCARS, low slung two seat mid engined monstrously powerful exotics.
Which the W427 isn’t.
It’s only a Commodore with a big engine.
So forget all this supercar rubbish.
What it is though is a massively, massively overpriced car.
It’s double the price of any other HSV. And for twice the money it should be a LOT lighter, meaner, more distinct looking and definately quicker..
In a final act of desperation it’s now not being marketed on it’s merits as a performance car, but as an investment!
Whatever you think of Skaife, it is widely believed Walkinshaw shafted him, hence the saying “you’ve been Walkinshawed.” Holden and HSV tried to “Walkinshaw” the Australian public with the pricing on this car, including raising the asking in a cynical money grab after initially setting the price. Now, as this car is killed off with barely a quarter of the scheduled run built due to lack of buyer acceptance and HSV’s greed, it will be forever known as the failed HSV that didn’t sell, and the Australian public can proudly hold their heads up and say, “we Walkinshawed Walkinshaw!”
I may have missed it but how many will actually be built now.
Initially it was 427, then 200. Now they’re closing the books on the 200 early.
How many have actually sold?
120 Bret…………
Must be getting close to being only “Australia fatest specially hand built car” then?
But then again I always thought that this was a bit of a “hand job” anyway.
hahaha nice play on words hun.
Wonder where the break even point was on the project ?
Hummerbug, I think people have a right to be precious when they are spending $150K on something like this.
HSV should have stripped all of the weight out of this car and made it a barely disguised race car for the road, in the spirit of the old GTHO’s and A9X Torana’s etc. Strip a few hundred kilo’s out of it and see how fast it would be then. Also get rid of that red interior. If they did want to compare it to the M5’s and AMG’s of this world, why give it such a tacky interior?
This car is 5 years too late and $30,000 too expensive,if they made it 5 years ago it would have sold like hot cakes.
Now, as this car is killed off with barely a quarter of the scheduled run built due to lack of buyer acceptance and HSV’s greed, it will be forever known as the failed HSV that didn’t sell, and the Australian public can proudly hold their heads up and say, “we Walkinshawed Walkinshaw!” Millatime
——————————————————–
Well said, you’ve hit the nail on the head exactly on the sweet spot. What a beautiful comment, you should print that out, frame it and hang it on the wall.
Anyone with half a brain after a serious Australian performance car at a fair and reasonable price is buying an F6 or regular Clubsport and doing some work on it themselves, mind you with the new FG F6 you hardly need bother modifying it, Im quite happy to get one and keep it stock, those things are absolute weapons.
Note to Walkingshaw, grossly excessive greed will land you in trouble, many of the Wall street bankers have learned this and if the lack of market accpetance for your grossly over-priced baby has cost you a financial penalty / (loss), my heart bleeds for you, NOT !!!
A COMMODORE FOR $150,000?oh what a joke.
if you drive the car just 5000km/year, in 20years time that’d be 100000km on the odometer. would anyone pay a large sum of money for a so-call collectible? there are more better ways to invest $150000.
HSV I just don’t want one.