The Holden brand has produced many Australian muscle cars that were never sold in the States, but the brand has been a tradition in Australia for decades. From its racing pedigree, in events such as Bathurst, to its iconic machines that fanned the excitement of gearheads, the Holden continues to hold a special place in automobile history.
The Commodore is one such car that not only has evolved but has endured as a much-loved vehicle, even if many gearheads outside Australia forget that this muscle car even exists. 1988 was a special year for Holden and for the Commodore, as it witnessed a joint venture with a racing legend which produced the Holden Commodore SS Group A SV, also known as the 'Walkinshaw'. This group A homologation special was not only a powerhouse for its time, but it forged a great partnership, some mouth-watering bids at auctions, and was a pioneer in its own right for future HSVs.
10 Holden Legend
It was in the late-eighties, in Dandenong, about 30 kilometers from Melbourne, Australia, Holden was assembling their Commodore SS Group A SV. The Dandenong plant was opened in 1956 and was later sold in 1997.
The plant may have shut down and production of Commodores may have stopped, even the Holden brand has retired. But the Commodore SS Group A SV still enamors gearheads, so much so that records continue to be set at auctions.
9 In The Family
The Holden Commodore has a long tradition, starting with the VB in 1978, a strategy which involved replacing the Kingswood, weathering the effects of the 1973 oil crisis, and competing against Ford, which launched its XD Falcon in 1979. And let's not forget the red-hot racing at Bathurst in the seventies, where Holden and Ford were the ultimate rivals!
When Holden released the SS Group A SV in 1988, they had already produced a line of Commodores in the eighties, including the VC Commodore, with its distinctive "egg-crate" style grille, and the VK Commodore, known as the "Blue Meanie" because of its paint job.
8 The Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw, once a Scottish racing car driver, associated with Jaguar, was the leading force in the development of Holden's HSV division. This coming after Peter Brock's split with Holden in 1987.
The Commodore SS Group A SV became known as the 'Walkinshaw', sometimes even referred to as the 'Walky'. This was the first car that was the result of a joint venture between Holden and Tom Walkinshaw Racing, their first car in partnership.
7 The Batmobile
Who can forget Batman and the Batmobile with its impressive list of specs, including its electroshock defense and its hydraulic gyroscopic wheels? Now say hello to the Walkinshaw. Also nicknamed the 'Batmobile', because of its aerodynamic body kit.
The aerodynamic features of the Commodore SS Group A SV are reported to reduce drag by more than 25 percent. It was designed with Australian racing in mind. But what powered this 'Batmobile'?
6 Oh, That Engine!
This 1988 'Batmobile' has a 5.0 liter V8 with 180 kilowatts. Remember that the VN Group A SS boosted that again to 210 kw. Yes, the nineties witnessed a power upgrade throughout the SS Commodore's V8 engines.
The 'Walkinshaw' is fitted with a six-speed ZF S6-40 manual transmission. The same transmission is used on the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1. It was also the first Holden V8 to include electronic fuel injection.
5 How Fast Can You Go?
As for acceleration, it's no surprise that it flew, especially since it was part of the joint venture with Tom Walkinshaw Racing. 0 to 100 km/h (0-60 mph) in less than 7 seconds!
The 'Walkinshaw' weighed in at 1,340 kg. But compared to other later HSVs, this HSV weighs in considerably less.
4 Performance Plus
If you wanted to crank up a bit of AC/DC or your favorite Aussie tunes, the Commodore SS Group A SV featured a radio-cassette player.
The 'Walkinshaw' also included sports seats, with tweed and cloth velour upholstery.
3 Panorama Silver
Check out the paint job! Every VL Commodore Walkinshaw produced in 1988 was finished in a panorama silver body color, including side moldings and door handles.
Panorama Silver was named after the Mount Panorama Circuit. This was the same course where the likes of Peter Brock, Allan Moffat and Mark Skaife raced.
2 Limited Numbers
The VL Commodore Walkinshaw continues to be a collector's dreams. Initially, there were 500 cars made from March to November 1988. But due to demand, Holden decided to add an extra 250.
Unlike the first 500, the second batch of 250 were harder to sell. The company was struggling financially and the extra numbers were a financial decision more than anything else, according to Toby and Will Hagon.
1 The Price Tag
In December 2020, a Commodore Walkinshaw Group A SS sold for $204,709. It had 69,000 km on the clock and had been parked in a shed for the last 30 years. But let's not stop at this price.
In 2018, a Walkinshaw sold at auction for $340,000. Even though there was a 1969 Corvette Stingray 427 Coupe and a 1970 GTS Monaro that were also going under the hammer, the Walkinshaw was the most expensive car at the auction.