Diecast Detective

40th Anniversary of the VK Commodore

The HDT Era

Oct 04, 2024

The mere mention of "VK" instantly brings to mind the iconic day-glo Marlboro-liveried HDT cars, dominating Mount Panorama in all their glory. It’s hard to believe that 40 years have passed since Brock and Perkins led a historic 1-2 finish alongside Harvey and Parsons at the 1984 Hardie-Ferodo 1000, and equally, since the VK Commodore itself was first released. While our other blog dives into the VK Group C cars from the '84 Australian Touring Car Championship, here we’re celebrating the six VK road cars produced by Biante—the only 1:18 scale VKs ever created, and a must-have for collectors.

In 2008, Biante introduced their highly anticipated VK mould, kicking things off with the release of the HDT SS Group 3 in Asteroid Silver (B182705A), debuting in August of that year. The Alpine White (B182705B) version followed swiftly in September, with both models initially retailing for $144. Today, they're worth at least triple that, in direct comparison with each other, the white car leads in either condition (+11% for New and +18% for Used) despite having transacted more frequently than the silver model.

[GRAPH-B182705A vs. B182705B]

The final VK release of 2008 arrived in December with the HDT SS Group A, or "Blue Meanie" (B182704A) the 5th most produced 1:18 scale Holden model ever, with 8,202 units—nearly double the Alpine White Group 3 (4,200). Despite its abundance, values remain high, especially on eBay, where prices are typically around or above $800, while private sales averaged around $500 in 2024. Even after eBay fees, sellers typically see a 30% or greater profit over private sales. There's less than a 10% price difference between new and used models, highlighting its desirability regardless of condition.

In June 2009, the white aero-wheeled version (B182704G) of the "Blue Meanie" hit the market at the same $215 retail price as its chrome-wheeled counterpart. With only 1,350 units produced, it is the second lowest-volume VK model—and the rarest based on sales transactions. This variant has the highest Diecast Detective Price of the trio of Formula Blue VKs.

The third and final Formula Blue VK was released in May 2014, nearly five years after the previous model, proving that long waits for Biante releases aren't a new issue! But the wait was worth it, with the HDT SS LE Group 3 (B182705C) being exceptionally well-executed. While 1,482 units might seem like a large production run today, it was relatively modest a decade ago. Of the trio of Formula Blue VKs, this variant has the smallest variance in price between conditions at less than 5%.

[GRAPH-B182704A vs. B182704G vs. B182705C]

The final VK street car model released was the understated HDT SS in Alpine White (B182704N), arriving in January 2020 with a $250 price tag. With only 1,002 units produced, it holds the title of the rarest VK street car. Despite its recent release, its value has nearly doubled, now matching the Group 3 models in value.

[GRAPH-B182704N]

These high-quality models predate the production issues that have plagued recent Biante releases and have managed to avoid the paint rash affecting many of their contemporaries. While their craftsmanship and "must-have" factor among Holden fans ensure they remain prized by collectors, the real driving force behind their continued rise in value is the certainty that these six diecast models will forever be the only VK street car models ever produced, based on the assumption that the moulds are unserviceable and the industry has largely moved to resin.

Product Code	Image	Model	Colour	No. Made
B182705A		HDT VK Commodore SS Group 3	Asteroid Silver	3,600
B182705B		HDT VK Commodore SS Group 3	Alpine White	4,200
B182704A		HDT VK Commodore SS Group A "Blue Meanie"	Formula Blue	8,202
B182704AG		HDT VK Commodore SS Group A	Formula Blue with Alpine White Aero wheels	1,350
B182705C		HDT VK Commodore SS LE Group 3	Formula Blue	1,482
B182704N		HDT VK Commodore SS	Alpine White	1,002