Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III up for auction

Australians can buy a slice of local motoring history, but it’ll set them back more than the average price of a house in Sydney.

Aussie muscle car fans start your engines. One of the most desirable locally-built weapons is up for auction.

A 1971 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III is being sold online via Lloyds Auctions with bidding already at $750,000. It is possible the car could sell for as much as $1.5m when the hammer falls at 2pm on Saturday.

This example could sell for as much as $1.5m.

Lloyds Auctions chief of operations, Lee Hames, believes the vehicle will break the record for an Aussie classic car.

“We expect this car to break Australian Classic Car records indefinitely, its current bid is in the high 6 figures, and we expect it to reach anywhere between $1 million and $1.5 million dollars come auction day,” says Mr Hames.

The car is one of only 12 finished in special Yellow Glo paint colour.

He says the GTHO Phase III is the ultimate Aussie collector’s car, which could explain why a 50-year-old Ford could be worth more than the average house in Sydney.

“The Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III receives so much attention because it is the pinnacle of Australian muscle cars and has consistently held its value over its lifespan since its release in 1971, so they attract bidders including enthusiasts, collectors as well as investors,” he says.

The 50 year old car has been immaculately restored.

This particular example is one of only 12 finished in a special Yellow Glo paint scheme and has a distinctive contrast beige roof.

Power comes from a 5.8-litre V8 making 224kW — 300 horsepower in the measure of its day — matched to a four-speed manual transmission.

There are 30,875 miles (49,688km) on the clock and it has been restored comprehensively.

It packs some serious pedigree, winning the Classic Grand Tourer at the Bathurst 2003 GT Nationals and runner up best restored Phase 3 at Adelaide GT Nationals in 2019.

This 1971 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III has been recognised for mint condition.

The record price paid for a GTHO Phase III is a smidgen more than $1m back in 2018. That particular vehicle used to be owned by former Australian fast bowling legend Jeff Thomson.

The GTHO cost $5000 when it rolled off the production line in 1971 and was the world’s fastest four-door passenger car.

A secret Aussie ute holds the current record for a locally built vehicle selling at auction for $1.035m in January.

The 2017 HSV GTSR W1 Maloo was one of only four examples built in secret and sold to insiders for an undisclosed sum.

This HSV Maloo GTS-R W1 currently holds the record for the most expensive Aussie built car sold at auction.

A giant 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine producing a whopping 474kW and 815Nm was part of its appeal. HSV claimed the sedan version was the fastest Australian car ever built.