Aussie Cars Down Under

Posted on Dec 26, 2016 in Antique | Comments Off on Aussie Cars Down Under

Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia. – Charles M. Schultz

Aussie cars make my brain hurt. From the day I saw my first Holden Monaro, I considered the country to be something like a parallel universe. Cars like the Series I and II Monaro look strangely similar to American cars, but somehow alien and old fashioned. For me, Australia must be like living in a real-life “Grand Theft Auto” game, where all the cars are modified almost to the point of being unrecognizable.

Holden Monaro

My thoughts about Australia came about after I was tipped off to a great site advertising “Hyundai cars for sale in Perth.” While browsing through the listings, I stumbled upon a stunningly beautiful 2010 Holden Commodore VE Series II SS V Redline for sale. Besides having an annoyingly long name, the car is equipped with a 6.2l V-8 that pushes out 436 horses. I actually drooled. Not only is the Commodore pretty, especially in Kelly Green, but it has the look of something brutal.

Holden Commodore

Seeing the Commodore got me thinking about the evolution of Holden, and the very different history the people in Australia have. I am passionate about cars, especially cars from my youth. It is fascinating to me to consider that what I know as the natural evolution of a design is so different from that of a person in another country. For example, both the US and Australia had the 1960 Ford Falcon. Here the Falcon morphed into the Fairlane/Torino, then the corpulent Grand Torino and finally the depressing LTD II. In Australia, the parallel universe, the car morphed into the awesome XA Falcon, XB Fairmont, XC Falcon Cobra, the pretty AU series, and finally the beautiful B and F series Falcons. One car, two very different chains of evolution.

Ford Falcon AU

This varied evolution gave me the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird, but it gave my Australian counterpart the Holden Monaro HG and GTS 350, the Ford XY GTHO and Cobra, and the Chrysler VH Valiant Charger R/T. The body shapes are familiar, but the differences in the grille, back end and interior makes them absolutely alien. Both histories are amazing, but I think I would have traded if given the chance.

Ford Falcon Cobra

It is different in most other countries, with the possible exception of Canada. Our US cars were not copied in France and Italy as closely as they were in Australia. It is a point that supports the theory that even the smallest change in the past can make dramatic differences in the future…I think that is from “Back to the Future.” What I accept as the evolution of a car like the Falcon is completely different from the Australian version, and that to me is very cool.

Holden Statesman

Sometimes that diversity remixes. Not long ago, we imported the Holden as the Pontiac G8. It, and the company did not do well, and it ended up being a “Hail Mary” pass that was dropped. We may get another chance. General Motors is importing the SS-V Commodore to the US as the new Chevrolet SS. There is even a chance we may get it’s sister, the Sportwagon, and half-brother the VF Commodore Ute by 2014. The Sportwagon is cool, but the Ute is something we have longed for in the US since the demise of the El Camino.

Holden Commodore Sportwagon

The VF Commodore Ute is basically a pickup truck body pasted onto a Commodore sedan, with the same 436 V8 power plant. A version of the car/truck, called the HSV Maloo was tested on Top Gear and basically made them insane. They loved the format, the styling, and most of all the absolute insanity of having that much power in a small truck. Ford also has a version called …wait for it…Super Pursuit, a name that is as cool as Interceptor. Why do they get names like FPV Typhoon and Tornado while we get Fiesta and Gremlin? It’s not fair.

Holden VF Commodore Ute

Cars like the Utes are desperately needed here in the US. The barrage of SUV and Crossovers is crushing the desire for people to drive something exciting. Utes will bring back the era of “bad boy” cars, resurrecting the coolness of the El Camino and casting out the demons left by the Subaru Brat. I would be first in line to buy one.

Ford Super Pursuit Falcon Ute

If the idea of mixing these parallel universes sounds interesting to you, you should act fast. General Motors and Ford have decided to shut down the production of vehicles in Australia. The Ford is not being imported, but the GM is, but only for a limited time. By 2017, the new Holden will be produced in China, where they will dump the awesome RWD platform for a dimwitted FWD platform, and squeeze the monster V8 down to a pathetic 4-cylinder. It seems that the gods are against us being happy for too long.

Ford FG Falcon FPV GT Boss 335

Australia has a long and proud automotive history that includes some outstanding cars. The diversity of models, the history of motorsports, and the unique evolution of models we have come to call our own makes it an exciting place to be a gear head. A quick scan of local dealers will produce cars like Alfa Romeo, Hyundai, Citroen, as well as the odd Asian brands SSangyong and Great Wall. For me, it is the classic cars and the muscle cars that spark the most interest. The automotive landscape in Australia is a strange reflection of what could have been here in the US, and browsing the used car market there is an interesting way to spend the day.