Holden, officially known as General Motors Holden, is a well-known Australian car brand that has been in business since 1856. Its headquarters are in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was first founded as a saddlery manufacturer in South Australia.
But in 1908, it moved into the automotive industry and became a subsidiary of the United States-based General Motors (GM) in 1931.
Although the Holden brand is retired now, you can still service your car and purchase authentic holden parts for it.
Whether you need an air compressor, condenser, bonnet, rear and front bumper, fuel flap, or headlight for your Holden, many online and offline retailers sell Holden parts.
Now, here are some fun facts about the Holden brand:
- The Holden company didn’t build a car until 92 years after it opened for business
- The first Holden car was called “The Holden”
- Holden was kind of a master of all trades. The company has experienced with everything from golf club heads, fruit-packing cases, horse saddles, filing cabinets, torpedo engines, and trams.
- The Holden Lion logo was created in 1928. Sculptor George Rayner Hoff created the logo.
- Holden steered the way in Australian firsts for car design. In the 1960s, the carmaker became the first domestic market manufacturer to fit seatbelts in cars.
Moving on, here’s a look at some of the best cars produced by Holden:
Holden Ute ( Maloo )
One of the most famous cars manufactured by Holden, The Holden Ute. Though the idea was initially developed by Ford, Holden’s version was more sought after.
Holden Monaro ( GTO )
Named after the Monaro region in New South Wales, the third generation model produced from 2001 – 2006 introduced US car aficionados to a little touch of Australia’s exceptional car manufacturing abilities.
Holden Caprice ( Statesman )
Brought to the US as the Chevy Caprice, the Holden Caprice was a full-size rear-wheel-drive sedan. It only had a short stint in the US.
Holden Commodore ( VE )
One of the most iconic cars ever produced, the Commodore was the most well-known Australian car outside of Australia. The fourth-generation car launched in 2006 cost GM nearly a jaw-dropping 1 billion dollars to develop.
Holden Commodore ( VF )
The Holden VE Commodore was replaced in 2013 with the VF, also known as the final generation of the Holden Commodore. Offered in the US as the Chevrolet SS, the end of Holden made its time as an export quite brief. While many people liked the styling of the VE more, the VF will forever be thought of as the final Holden to roll off the assembly line in Australia.
HSV Models
Holden Special Vehicles ( HSV ) was Holden’s performance tuning division. Over the years Holden has created some tremendously incredible cars in this category under names like ClubSport, Coupe, Grange, Maloo, Senator, and the GTS.
HSV used almost every great GM engine in existence including the LS7 from the Corvette Z06 and the LSA from the Camaro ZL1. The final HSV model, called the GTSR W1, was manufactured in an exclusive run of only 275 units and sported a 635 hp LS9 from the Corvette ZR1.
Well, that’s about it. Hopefully, this blog has provided some information about Holden and its history, as well as providing more knowledge about its cars.
