Many homologation specials live hard lives. They are bought to be driven, modified, raced, or at least exercised regularly enough that finding one with delivery mileage decades later borders on absurd.
This 1988 Holden Special Vehicles Commodore VL SS Group A Walkinshaw is the opposite. According to Australian dealer Richmonds, chassis #082 has covered only 20 km, or about 12 miles, from new.
Its original interior coverings are still in place, some exterior components were never fitted, and even the factory Bridgestone tires remain on the car. After spending decades tucked away with the same family, it has now emerged for sale.
Richmonds is offering the car through an expressions-of-interest process ending September 30, 2026. Given the mileage and preservation, this may be one of the closest things left to buying a new Walkinshaw.
It Was Barely Used From The Beginning
Chassis #082 left Holden on April 14, 1988, before being sent to HSV for conversion into a VL SS Group A. Richmonds says the work was completed on July 11 and the car was allocated to Canowindra Motors, a Holden and HSV dealer in rural New South Wales.
The future owner, who worked for Bridgestone during the 1980s and 1990s, later learned that the Walkinshaw was still sitting unsold at the dealership. He travelled from South Australia with a trailer, purchased it, and brought it home without adding any mileage.
Some of the side skirts and other exterior components are still wrapped because they were never installed by the dealer. The interior protection also stayed in place, preserving the cabin in remarkably original condition.
Even The Tires Are Still From 1988
Apart from a replacement battery, Richmonds says the car remains original down to its date-coded Bridgestone tires. The original battery has even been kept with the vehicle.
During the earlier years of ownership, the Walkinshaw was reportedly started occasionally and allowed to reach operating temperature. Later, the engine was turned over by hand periodically rather than run, keeping internal components moving while limiting use.
Fresh fuel has recently been added as part of recommissioning work. Richmonds says the 4.9-liter V8 now starts, runs, and idles, with video evidence available to prospective buyers.
A Proper Australian Homologation Special
The VL SS Group A was created during the era of international Group A touring-car rules, with road-going examples built to homologate competition hardware. Its dramatically extended body kit earned it one of the most distinctive silhouettes of any Australian performance sedan.
Under the hood, the fuel-injected 4.9-liter V8 produces 180 kW, or roughly 241 hp, and 380 Nm of torque. Power goes to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.
Period figures quoted by Richmonds put the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint at around 6.5 seconds, with a top speed near 230 km/h (143 mph). Those numbers were serious for a four-door Australian sedan in the late 1980s.
The Paper Trail Is Almost As Impressive
The car comes with an unusually extensive archive, including its factory release form, dealer inspection report, original registration certificate, NSW plates, sales contract, and finance paperwork. Period photographs and memorabilia from shows in the early 1990s are also included.
After appearing at events including the 1993 Street Machine Show, the Walkinshaw was put away in the garage, where it remained for decades. It stayed within the same family until being offered for sale following the death of its custodian.
Richmonds hasn’t listed an asking price, which makes sense for something this unusual. A Walkinshaw with 12 miles, factory wrapping, original tires, and a one-family history is unheard of, and it’s expected to smash previous auction records.