40 Facts About Holden

Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors.

However, Holden had offered badge-engineered models under sharing arrangements with Chevrolet, Isuzu, Nissan, Opel, Suzuki, Toyota, and Vauxhall Motors.

Holden had distributed GM's German Opel marque in Australia in 2012 and 2013.

Holden was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer in South Australia.

Holden briefly owned assembly plants in New Zealand during the early 1990s.

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Holden's production became increasingly concentrated in South Australia and Victoria after the Second World War.

From 2010, Holden incurred losses due to the strong Australian dollar and reductions of government grants and subsidies.

On 20 October 2017, production of the last Holden designed Commodore ceased and the vehicle assembly plant at Elizabeth was shutdown.

Holden has been replaced by GM Specialty Vehicles, which imports the Chevrolet Silverado and the Chevrolet Corvette.

Holden began to produce complete motorcycle sidecar bodies after 1913.

From here, Holden continued to pursue the goal of producing an Australian car.

The Holden was launched in 1948, creating long waiting lists extending through 1949 and beyond.

The FB became the first Holden that was adapted for left-hand drive markets, enhancing its export potential, and as such was exported to New Caledonia, New Hebrides, the Philippines, and Hawaii.

Holden began assembling the compact HA series Vauxhall Viva in 1964.

Holden offered the LC, a Torana with new styling, in 1969 with the availability of Holden's six-cylinder engine.

The mainstream Holden Special was rebranded the Kingswood, and the basic fleet model, the Standard, became the Belmont.

In 1975, Holden introduced the compact Gemini, the Australian version of the "T-car", based on the Opel Kadett C The Gemini was an overseas design developed jointly with Isuzu, GM's Japanese affiliate; and was powered by a 1.

Holden discontinued the Torana in 1979 and the Sunbird in 1980.

In 1984, Holden introduced the VK Commodore, with significant styling changes from the previous VH.

Holden even went to court in 1984 to stop local motoring magazine Wheels from reporting on the matter.

At GM headquarters' request, Holden was then reorganised and recapitalised, separating the engine and car manufacturing divisions in the process.

Holden began to sell the subcompact Suzuki Swift-based Barina in 1985.

UAAI resulted in Holden selling rebadged versions of Toyota's Corolla and Camry, as the Holden Nova and Apollo respectively, with Toyota re-branding the Commodore as the Lexcen.

Besides manufacturing Australia's best selling car, which was exported in significant numbers, Holden continued to export many locally produced engines to power cars made elsewhere.

Holden was critical, saying that Australia's population was not large enough, and that the changes could tarnish the local industry.

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Holden reintroduced its defunct Statesman title in 1990—this time under the Holden marque, as the Statesman and Caprice.

For 1991, Holden updated the Statesman and Caprice with a range of improvements, including the introduction of four-wheel anti-lock brakes ; although, a rear-wheel system had been standard on the Statesman Caprice from March 1976.

Total Holden sales peaked in 2002 at 178 392 vehicles and were stable up to 2005 before declining for the rest of the decade and the next.

Holden caused controversy in 2005 with their Holden Employee Pricing television advertisement, which ran from October to December 2005.

Commencement of the Holden-branded Daewoo models began with the 2005 Holden Barina, which based on the Daewoo Kalos, replaced the Opel Corsa as the source of the Barina.

Consequently, the Holden Rodeo was facelifted and relaunched as the Colorado in 2008.

In 2015, Holden again began selling a range of Opel-derived cars comprising the Astra VXR and Insignia VXR and Cascada.

Later that year, Holden announced plans to sell the European Astra and the South Korean Cruze alongside each other from 2017.

On 20 October 2017, Holden ceased manufacturing vehicles in Australia with the closure of the Elizabeth plant.

Holden announced on 6 February 2015 that Mark Bernhard would return to Holden as chairman and managing director, the first Australian to hold the post in 25 years.

In 1987, Holden established Holden Special Vehicles in partnership with Tom Walkinshaw, who primarily manufactured modified, high-performance Commodore variants.

Holden began to export vehicles in 1954, sending the FJ to New Zealand.

Whilst previously holding the number one position in Australian vehicle sales, Holden has sold progressively fewer cars during most of the 21st century, in part due to a large drop in Commodore sales.

Holden has been involved with factory backed teams in Australian touring car racing since 1968.

Holden won the Bathurst 1000 30 times, more than any other manufacturer, and has won the Australian Touring Car and Supercars Championship title 21 times.