UPDATE 30/01: Itโs official, the guys from LMCT+ won the auction for the HSV GTSR W1 Maloo ute at a final auction price of $1,050,000. The car will be raffled off by the guys in an upcoming draw. We will update you with more details shortly.
A limited-edition HSV ute recently passed the $1 million mark at auction with several days still left.
Like you, weโve been watching the number creep higher and higherโฆ and now CarExpert can exclusively reveal the current highest bidder plans to give the car away in a raffle.
The limited edition HSV GTSR W1 Maloo ute is one of just four created, all of which were offered exclusively to HSVโs most loyal customers. They were never made available to the general public.
Another two were created to the same specifications, but outside of the HSV factory.
Based on Australiaโs most powerful sedan, the HSV GTSR W1 Maloo ute is powered by the same 6.2-litre supercharged V8 LS9 engine producing 474kW of power and 815Nm of torque, with the engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
The only difference between the GTSR W1 Maloo ute and the sedan (aside from the bed on the back) is the side skirts, which couldnโt be swapped from the sedan due to the difference in wheelbase. Beyond that, it features the same driveline and Supashock suspension setup.
Where the ute production run was capped at four units, the sedan stretched out to 275 units in Australia with four pilot build vehicles also offered for sale.
The current high bidder is Melbourne-based company LMCT+, an automotive marketplace that connects members with over 300 merchants and runs car raffles to support charity. It will give the ute away as a raffle prize if it wins the auction.
Speaking exclusively with CarExpert, LMCT+ director Adrian Portelli said bidding is tight with another two active bidders fighting it out for the ute.
โAs much as I would personally love to hold onto this car and put it into the collection, giving every day Aussies the chance to win a piece of Australian history for as little as $30 gives us goosebumps and is much more rewarding,โ Mr Portelli said.
โThis will be the most expensive car we use as a promotional giveaway. Thereโs not many cars that top that million dollar mark available here in Australia other than an Aventador SVJ, your occasional Ferrari 488 Pista Spider, McLaren Senna, and then obviously your highly sought after collectables, F40 etcetera.โ
โOur most expensive giveaways to date would be our 488 Spider and our McLaren 720s, both valued at $450,000 and offered to the public for one week only. Why do we run them for one week only? We love the adrenaline rush and love to keep pushing the boundaries.โ
As part of the raffle giveaways, LMCT+ donates a portion of each ticket sale to charity. So far the company has given away over $3 million in prizes, with donations to charity totalling over $550,000.
LMCT+ supports the Beyond Blue and Make-a-Wish Foundation charities and has most recently established its own charity to help better direct funds.
โWe recently have started our very own charity called the Little Legends Foundation which allows us to be more hands on and show our customers how their support is helping little Aussie legends going through a tough time,โ Portelli said.
โWe also have a lot less overheads than a larger charity would have meaning much more of the donated money goes in the right hands. Since December weโve managed to donate over $70,000 to the Little Legends Foundation thanks to the support of all of our customers.โ
Portelli said the W1 ute will hopefully be one of many big prizes the company gives away this year. There may even be a treasure hunt.
โMy goal is to do a one-day giveaway sometime this year and also a car hunt around Melbourne, by buying 10 cars and hiding them all across Melbourne for people to find. Whoever finds the cars wins them. 2021 will be an exciting year.โ
โItโs really starting to sink in with these bigger prizes how life changing theyโve become and the impact it can have on someoneโs life. Many of our winners have gone on to sell the car or take the cash offer and improved their quality of life whether it be using the money as a healthy deposit for a house or investing it.โ
The auction is part of a Lloyds Classic, Muscle and Barn Finds and ends on January 30 at 12PM AEDT. Weโll keep you posted on whether LMCT+ wins the auction and if it does when the company plans to raffle the car.
To find out more about LMCT+, check out the companyโs website or Facebook page.
