That’s a lot of dough!
A 1970 Ford XW Falcon GT-HO Phase II snagged an impressive $414,000 when it crossed the auction block in Wellington, New Zealand on March 20. That’s a considerable sum for a 50-year-old Australian muscle car, which is why the sale raised many eyebrows. Making it even more impressive was the fact the Ford Falcon was accompanied by 23 other high-under, rare vehicles like Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, Porsches, and Jaguars. One would have expected those other cars to overshadow the Falcon.
Learn here why a New Zealand man wrecked his Ford GT40.
For anyone who’s been paying close attention to the Australian muscle car collector market, this auction wasn’t much of a surprise. Not too long ago, a Falcon GT-HO Phase III sold for $1.15 million at an Australian auction. In fact, Webb’s, the auction house which sold the Ford in question on March 20, had estimated it would hammer between $400,000 and $450,000.
With Australian muscle cars no more, collectors and enthusiasts are willing to fork over large amounts to own the classic models which are left. How automakers can look at the island nation and not realize there’s still demand for muscle cars is beyond us, but we know the automotive market in the Land Down Under has become ridiculously complicated in recent years.
This particular car presented excellently, helping to fuel considerable interest. With a deep shine to the Reef Metallic paint, crisp brightwork, and the telltale “Super Roo” stickers, plus a Dark Saddle interior, it’s easy to see why so many people fantasize about sticking this classic in their collection.
When the Ford XW Falcon GT-HO Phase II first debuted, it was hailed as the fastest sedan in the world. Considering it was a homologation car, that’s not too surprising. At the heart of this car is a 351ci Windsor V8, supplying plenty of power. A limited-slip differential, 36-gallon fuel tank, and more gauges than other factory Falcons helped with performance. While the factory-claimed 14.4-second quarter mile isn’t anything to get excited about these days, that was the pride of Australians for some time. Some still consider it to be a true supercar.
