There are a number of excellent cars from around the globe that aren’t legal in the United States. The Holden Commodore, which we came to know as the Pontiac G8 and later as the Chevrolet SS, is just one example of that and enthusiasts lust after it for its Ute and wagon body styles mixed with V8 muscle. Now, one person in Tennessee says he has a bunch of them… and somehow they’re for sale.
Before we get too deep into the weeds, it’s important to clarify that there are cars all over the USA with Holden badges on them. Most are nothing more than Chevrolet SS models, but a few are heavily modified cars with Holden bodies (like the Ute). All of those cars are legal and are left-hand-drive. What this seller in Tennessee has is different though. It doesn’t appear to meet the legal standards for importing a vehicle less than 25 years old.
According to that seller, Kelly Metzmaker, his 2011 Holden HSV R8 Clubsport Tourer is number 46 of 80 and only one of 13 in “Phantom Black.” That sure sounds like this is then a real Holden, not an amalgamation of parts put together to satisfy U.S. law. Despite that, he says “Yes it’s legal.” We reached out to Metzmaker who initially responded telling us that “it’s a long process each car take well over a year To do [sic]” but then went silent when we pressed for details.
More: Fancy A 2011 HSV Clubsport R8 Tourer To Drive On U.S. Roads?
While he was talking he told us that he “has a few” and sent us the photos below that appear to include over half a dozen Holden models. Another post he has for sale for $45,000 is a 2015 Holden Maloo R8 which he says has a Tennessee title with the name HSV Maloo. Keep in mind that for that price, all the buyer gets is a roller, as the engine and transmission are long gone. Nevertheless, if this Maloo is somehow legal, somebody might be willing to pay that price.
Some readers might remember this same wagon from an auction listing at Mecum in October. It was one of two Holden models available. Neither sold, but the auction house didn’t say whether they simply failed to meet the reserve or if something else went down.
This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen a similar situation. Back in April of 2022, we highlighted a similar vehicle that went up for auction with Cars & Bids. After a number of questions about legality popped up that went unanswered, Cars & Bids canceled the auction. Strangely, that Holden Ute was also registered in Nashville, TN, where one of Metzmaker’s listings is set. There’s no direct connection between the two that we could find though.
Regardless, any time someone goes to sell something like this it’s important to get all of the details. In fact, having a seller who is open and transparent about how they came to own and title such a car is vital. Otherwise, there’s a decent chance that the federal government might come and crush the car whenever they get around to it.
