The Australian muscle car is dead. Holden has confirmed that it will not be developing a new Commodore, instead using the same front-wheel-drive platform developed by Opel for the Insignia.
Of course, the Australian muscle car has enjoyed a 50-year legacy, which included some interesting, stand-out creations. Let’s explore what the engineers Down Under managed to serve up…
1967 Ford Falcon XR GT
This is the car that started it all … the first Aussie muscle car. While employing the Ford Mustang’s 4,7-litre V8, the Falcon GT conquered Bathurst with a 1-2 win and gave police officers at the time the upper hand when chasing the bad guys, thanks to an exclusive Interceptor pack.
The 596 Falcon GTs were available in only one colour (Falcon Gold) and came fitted with a manual transmission.
1971 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III
Yes, you’ll see a few Falcons on this list. Of all the Falcons, however, the GTHO Phase III is probably the most valuable, thanks to its very limited production run and respectable racing record (the Falcon GTHO claimed the 1971 Bathurst 500 title and the 1973 Australian Touring Car Championship).
For road-users, it came equipped with a 5,7-litre Cleveland V8 (supported by a whopping 134-litre fuel tank) that Ford Australia claimed would push out 224 kW, but private tests showed that in some cases it delivered as much as 283 kW. As a result, it was the fastest production saloon of its time with a standing quarter-mile of 14,4 seconds.
1971 Holden Monaro 350 GTS Coupe
Thanks to a 5,7-litre V8 sourced from Chevrolet, the Monaro 350 GTS was a coupe to be reckoned with. It is also since considered one of the most stylish designs to come from an Australian manufacturer.
Owners at the time, however, often suffered from twisted rear axles due to the amount of torque that this engine sent to the rear wheels. It was also available in the shape of a four-door sedan.
1973 Ford Falcon XB GT
This would turn out to be the last Falcon GT the world would see for some 20 years, and it fittingly appeared in the Mad Max franchise. The Falcon XB received styling cues inspired by the Mach 1 Mustang and was able to claim the both the Australian Grand Prix and the Bathurst 1000 at the hands of John Goss.
1977 Holden Sandman
What would come to be known as the Chevrolet El Camino here in South Africa started as the Holden Kingswood Ute over in Australia. The so-called Sandman moniker, however, signified that it was a panelvan that soon became somewhat of an institution for the Australia’s surfing population.
It came fitted with beefy V8 engine, an optional limited-slip differential and some funky decals. This idea didn’t last long, though, as Holden was forced to pull the plug due to poor sales in 1979, mainly thanks to a hefty premium over the standard model.
1977 Holden Torana A9X
The A9X version of the Holden Torana SS (coupe and sedan) was a road-going example of what would be used at the Bathurst 1000. It didn’t feature any upgrades to the 5,0-litre V8, but it did make use of rear disc brakes, heavy-duty axles and a 10-bolt differential.
The Torana fell victim to the Falcon at Bathurst, but it did see success on the Group C touring car scene, where it was able to win the Hang Ten 400 with Peter Brock behind the wheel. A more refined model would eventually score back-to-back wins at the ’78 and ’79 editions of the Bathurst 1000.
1988 Holden Commodore SS Group A SV
This was the car that started the Holden Special Vehicles movement (HSV). It was a homologated version of the racing car that competed in the Australian Touring Car Championship. It took part in international tournaments as well, such as the BTCC, but didn’t see much success due to the dominant Ford Sierra RS500 and Nissan Skyline GTS-R. Things started to turn around after months of development from HSV in 1990 when it conquered the Tooheys 1000 and the Nissan Sydney 500.
The road-going version, limited to 500 units, was finished in Panorama Silver and came fitted with a Walkinshaw body kit that apparently improved aerodynamics by more than 25%. The 5,0-litre V8 delivered an underwhelming 180 kW, but owners found that by removing the restrictor plates, this power output could be improved by about 40 kW.
1996 HSV GTS-R
The GTS-R was HSV’s answer to Ford’s Windsor V8-powered 1994 Falcon XR8 and it claimed both the 1995 and 1996 Bathurst 1000. Just 85 of these road-going versions were built to celebrate the car’s victories.
It came fitted with a 215 kW cast-iron 5,7-litre V8 with a Harrop stroker camshaft, Tremec T56 six-speed transmission and a Hydratrak limited-slip differential. The GTS-R was available only in this bright yellow paint … and that giant wing on the boot was standard equipment as well.
2008 FPV Super Pursuit
Just short of 10 years ago we saw what would be the beginning of the end of this industry: the final ute from Ford. This direct ancestor of the Ranchero made use of a 5,4-litre Boss V8 pushing 315 kW and 551 N.m of torque to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual. It also featured a set of Brembo brakes for extra stopping power. The perfect tool for caravaning in the Outback.
2006 Holden Commodore SS-V
This particular model should hold a special place in many South African hearts as it was the only muscle car we had easy access to for some time … in the shape of the Chevrolet Lumina SS, anyway. This particular model marked a 10-year record for the Commodore moniker as Australia’s best-selling badge.
The SS-V came equipped with a 6,0-litre V8 that sent 270 kW and 530 N.m of torque to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual or optional automatic transmission. This car was praised by many publications for being an accessible performance car but also criticised for featuring somewhat of a “cheap” persona. Nevertheless, it satisfied many a muscle car enthusiast.
2009 HSV W427
Based on the Commodore, the W427 turned heads thanks to the implementation of a Walkinshaw-supercharged 7,0-litre V8 that churned out a massive 375 kW and 640 N.m of torque. Seeing that the engine was sourced from the Corvette, many dubbed this a supercar with four doors. To compensate for this extra power, a new clutch, gearbox, differential and exhaust had to be fitted. Only 427 of these models were produced.
2017 HSV GTS-R
All good things come to an end. As far as we know it, the HSV GTS-R, built on the Zeta platform, is the last Australian muscle car to use this iconic badge. With an active magnetic suspension, massive AP Racing ventilated brake discs and a 6,2-litre V8 thumping out a whopping 425 kW (474 kW for the W1 edition) this model goes to show how far this segment has come. HSV claims that this is the best performance car ever to have been produced by an Australian manufacturer, and will most likely be the best we shall ever see.
