A rare 1988 HSV Commodore SS Walkinshaw has surfaced in Australia. The sports sedan shows just 12 miles on the clock and remains unwrapped. It is powered by a V8 and some factory aero bits have not yet been fitted. The VL generation of the Holden Commodore is welded to the childhood memories of just about every Australian who grew up in the ’80s. The muscle sedan also doubled as the basis for a homologation special built with the blessing of Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) and Walkinshaw. One of those cars has now come up for sale after sitting untouched in a garage for more than three decades. More: Ex-Peter Brock Owned Holden Commodore SS HDT Group A Is An Aussie V8 Legend The 1988 Holden Special Vehicles Commodore VL SS Group A Walkinshaw barn find came to light following the death of its original owner. The odometer reads 20 km (12.4 miles), and the interior still wears its protective plastic. A Homologation Special With Serious Company Richmonds In Australia, the Walkinshaw Commodore sits on the same shelf as the Plymouth Superbird or the European Ford Sierra RS500. It arrived in the late 1980s, when Australian touring car racing moved to international FIA Group A rules and manufacturers had to build 500 road-legal copies of their race cars. This model was developed by Scottish racing driver Tom Walkinshaw and the newly established Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), following the automaker’s split with racing driver Peter Brock and his Holden Dealer Team (HDT) in 1987. Never Driven, Still Wrapped Richmonds The pictured model is chassis number #082, completed by HSV in July 1988. It was originally allocated to a dealership in New South Wales where it sat unsold and unwrapped until 1991. That’s when a Bridgestone employee recognized its historical significance, purchased it, and transported it to his home in South Australia, where it remained until his passing. More: 1986 Holden Commodore Walkinshaw Convertible Is The Only One Of Its Kind Richmonds Judging from the delivery mileage and the wrapping, the sports sedan has never been driven outside the factory. It even comes with bumper extensions still sealed in original factory packaging, waiting to be assembled. The HSV variant is distinguished by the hood scoop, deeper bumpers, side skirts, and rear spoiler, painted in a Panorama Silver metallic shade. 4.9 Liters, Twin Throttle Bodies, Five Gears Richmonds Under the hood sits a 4.9-liter (299 cu in) V8 with twin throttle bodies and a bespoke intake manifold built for Group A duty. It makes 241 hp (180 kW / 245 PS) and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) of torque, sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual. HSV quoted 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h). More: Never Driven Prototype 1979 Holden Found Hiding In A Barn For Over 40 Years According to the listing, the car was meticulously preserved, and its operational status has been verified with a new battery and fresh fuel. All of its parts are original, including the factory Bridgestone tires from 1988. It also comes with comprehensive paperwork, including a sales contract, factory release, dealership inspection report, NSW license plates, and photos. The rare model is offered by Adelaide dealer Richmonds, which is currently accepting “expressions of interest”. According to Drive.com.au, the most expensive VL SS Group A Walkinshaw is the #333 chassis, auctioned for AU$ 380,000 ($US 284,000) back in 2018. However, this 12-mile barn find has a decent shot at beating it. Richmonds
