Holden Motorsport Editions remain unsold

Holden’s Commodore Motorsport Edition is not sold out, with dealerships nationwide reserving at least 168 examples and charging buyers as much as $100,000 driveaway.

Although the Magnum ute and Director sedan have actually sold out, just under 10 per cent of the 1200-unit Motorsport Edition remain in dealer stock, according to Holden’s online dealer database, with twenty-three dealers nationwide caught advertising them around $10,000 or more in dealer delivery, government and statutory charges.

By contrast a regular Commodore SS V Redline, at $54,990 plus on-road costs, only requires an additional $5154 to get it on the road for a total of $60,144 driveaway, according to Holden’s official (Sydney-based) pricing calculator.

Holden’s official retail price for the special sedan-only version of the SS V Redline – which gets magnetic dampers, larger 20-inch alloy wheels, a sticker pack, a special track cooling pack and upgraded seats with electric adjustment and heating – is $61,790 plus on-road costs for the manual, and $63,990 plus on-road costs for the automatic.

A dealer in rural New South Wales takes the price-gouge walk of shame with a white manual example advertised for $89,990 driveaway – or $34,898 and $28,200 in on-roads, respectively.

Two Western Australian dealers are asking $82,990 driveaway for a black manual, and $82,998 driveaway for a green or white auto.

Two more dealers in Victoria aren’t far behind at $81,990 and $79,990 driveaway, in each case for a red automatic. Even at the latter price, that’s $16,000 in on-roads.

The cheapest advertised price for a Motorsport Edition is at Sunco Holden in Maroochydore, Queensland, at $70,990 driveaway for a black auto – an about-right $7000 in on-road costs.

Overall there are 27 examples in the Sydney metropolitan area, 18 in rural New South Wales, 40 units in Melbourne metro and 10 in rural Victoria; with 16 in Queensland, 15 in Western Australia, 10 in South Australia and a single top-of-the-line sedan in Tasmania.

Holden in February admitted that dealer pricing of the special editions was largely out of its hands, but it appears that early advice to treat customers with respect has fallen flat.

“Clearly demand is outstripping supply, with both customers and dealers grappling with how best to manage that demand given each dealership was allocated only a limited number of cars,” a Holden spokesperson said.

“In a supply and demand market, vehicles are only ever worth what customers are prepared to pay and we are aware of many instances of customers offering well above RRP to secure a car.

“Dealers are within their rights to negotiate pricing and customers are within their rights to negotiate pricing. Holden has reminded all dealers of their obligations to ensure customers are treated in a way to maximise customer satisfaction during this unprecedented period.”

However, given that around 10 per cent of Motorsport Editions remain in showrooms months after the order books opened, it seems demand isn’t outstripping supply – but rather it would appear that several dealers are now holding loyal customers to ransom.