Australia’s last V8 ute for sale
This one-of-one HSV Colorado SportsCat prototype was close to becoming Walkinshaw’s V8 swansong, and now it’s up for grabs.
The history in Australia of putting V8 engines into utes didn’t end when Holden built the last Commodore ute in 2017, and this dual-cab is proof of it.
Holden Special Vehicles (HSV, better known as Walkinshaw) decided the Colorado-based SportsCat could do with a bit more pep in its step, which resulted in its 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine being swapped out for an ‘LT1’ 6.2-litre V8 from the Chevrolet Corvette.
As such the HSV Colorado SportsCat V8 prototype was born as what was envisioned to become the final V8-powered ute in Australian showrooms, though it wasn’t to be.
Now being sold by Young Timers Garage, Chassis E001 was to be the only V8-powered SportsCat to be built by Walkinshaw, and was wheeled out for media launches to promote the potential of it becoming a production reality.
Finished in the ‘Panorama Silver’ paintwork which first made its appearance on the HSV VL Commodore SS Group A SV – the brand’s first in a long line of cars for the brand – the SportsCat V8 appears to be almost identical to the standard SportsCat, though with badging inspired by the aforementioned homologation special.
Its interior too is largely unchanged, aside from a numbered plaque ahead of the gear selector, bearing the retro ‘SV’ logo as well as its E001 designation.
Of course, the centrepiece is under the bonnet, with a 6.2-litre V8 engine sitting in the place of where the 2.8-litre turbo-diesel once did.
This upgrade led to a substantial increase in outputs, rising from 147kW and 500Nm to 350kW and 650Nm.
The engine wasn’t the only thing HSV changed, as the SportsCat V8 also received a 10-speed automatic transmission (rather than the standard six-speed), as well as transfer case parts from the larger Silverado pickup.
Since being completed in 2019, the HSV SportsCat V8 has clicked over 25,000km, while the sale includes its ‘SV8CAT’ personalised number plates.
Listed from $299,990, it is far dearer than the last of the turbo-diesel SportsCats which started from $68,990 before on-roads back in 2019.
It also represents an increase of almost 50 per cent of what it most recently sold for in 2021, when it was purchased at auction for $205,000 plus buyer’s premium.
Still, it’s not the most expensive HSV ute to ever be sold or listed, with that record being reset earlier this year, when one of just four HSV GTSR W1 Maloos – and the only one which was painted in the iconic XU3 Yellah hue – sold for $1.2 million, making it the most expensive Holden to be sold at auction.
Since wrapping up its HSV brand, Walkinshaw has continued to work with OEMs in converting vehicles from left- to right-hand drive – including the V8-powered Chevrolet Silverado – and modified utes such as the Isuzu D-Max Blade and Volkswagen Amarok W-Series.
Jordan Mulach
