Group E Series Production Touring Cars was an Australian motor racing category for production based sedans competing with limited modifications. It was current from 1964 to 1972.
106-455: The Holden Monaro ( / m ə ˈ n ɑː r oʊ / Mon-AH-ro ) is a car that was manufactured by General Motors ' Australian division Holden . It has a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and was produced with a two-door coupé body from 1968 to 1975 and again from 2001 to 2006 and with a 4-door sedan body from 1973 to 1977. Three generations of the Monaro coupe have been produced,
212-624: A Callaway C4B V8 engine rated at 300 kW (402 hp). Externally, the GTS differed from the GTO in having contrasting colour accents on the bumpers and side skirts. The GTO's engine output increased to 260 kW (350 hp) in the Series II upgrade of March 2003, and 285 kW (382 hp) with the Series III upgrade of September 2003. Other additions brought by the latter upgrade included
318-552: A Porsche 911S . Beechey's win was all the more remarkable considering he failed to finish at Warwick Farm and did not start the final round at Symmons Plains after suffering an engine failure in qualifying. He also finished 2nd to Geoghegan in round 4 at Mallala . Beechey would continue to run the Monaro (dubbed Trans-Aus in reference to its Australian build compared to the American Trans-Am cars of his opposition) for another two seasons, though unreliability plagued
424-571: A 'flop' because of its poor US sales. It was withdrawn from the US market in 2006, although a few were still on dealers' lots in 2007. The Pontiac GTO was released in 2004 and was facelifted in 2005. Complaints from American consumers about the Pontiac GTO's bland design led to the addition of twin hood scoops in 2005 with the VZ series Monaro to recall the later muscle-car variants of the late 1960s' models;
530-529: A 15% stake in AeroVironment . In 1989, GM acquired half of Saab Automobile 's car operations for $ 600 million. In August 1990, Robert Stempel became CEO of the company, succeeding Roger Smith . GM cut output significantly and suffered losses that year due to the early 1990s recession . In 1990, GM debuted the General Motors EV1 (Impact) concept, a battery electric vehicle , at
636-530: A British producer of high-performance sports cars . In 1987, in conjunction with AeroVironment , GM built the Sunraycer , which won the inaugural World Solar Challenge and was a showcase of advanced technology. Much of the technology from Sunraycer found its way into the Impact prototype electric vehicle (also built by Aerovironment) and was the predecessor to the General Motors EV1 . In 1988, GM acquired
742-543: A Falcon GTHO. Coming home third in the Dealer Team's 3rd Monaro was Des West and Bathurst rookie Peter Brock . In January 1970, Bond and Roberts would win the Rothmans 12 Hour Series Production race at Surfers Paradise driving their HDT Holden Monaro. Norm Beechey upgraded to a HT GTS350 and would win the 1970 Australian Touring Car Championship , Holden's first ever ATCC championship success. Beechey won three of
848-510: A breakthrough in heat treating still in use today as ASTM A255. GM established Detroit Diesel the next year. In 1939, the company founded Motors Insurance Corporation and entered the vehicle insurance market. The same year, GM introduced the Hydramatic , the first affordable and successful automatic transmission , for the 1940 Oldsmobile. During World War II , GM produced vast quantities of armaments, vehicles, and aircraft for
954-444: A class act that deserves an encore performance." The CV8-Z was offered in the same colours as the standard CV8 but to highlight the model, a new colour was introduced called 'Fusion' orange/gold metallic with unique colour matching (Fusion and black) leather interior. The CV8-Z had unique features including a sunroof, modified darkened taillights, signature black bonnet scoop accents, special engraved CV8-Z wheels, CV8-Z badging throughout
1060-482: A continuation of its diversification plans, GMAC formed GMAC Mortgage and acquired Colonial Mortgage as well as the servicing arm of Norwest Mortgage in 1985. This acquisition included an $ 11 billion mortgage portfolio. The same year, GM acquired the Hughes Aircraft Company for $ 5 billion in cash and stock and merged it into Delco Electronics . The following year, GM acquired 59.7% of Lotus Cars ,
1166-957: A controlling interest in North American Aviation and merged it with the General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation . The GM labor force participated in the formation of the United Auto Workers labor union in 1935, and in 1936 the UAW organized the Flint Sit-Down Strike , which initially idled two key plants in Flint, Michigan, and later spread to 6 other plants including those in Janesville, Wisconsin and Fort Wayne, Indiana . In Flint, police attempted to enter
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#17327726139681272-594: A full-size Holden coupe, the Monaro made a return in November 2001 following the overwhelming response of the public and media to the Commodore VT -based Holden Coupé concept displayed at the 1998 Australian International Motor Show held in Sydney. The third generation of the Monaro was produced from 2001 to 2005. The HSV Coupé saw production through to June 2006, with HSV variants on sale until August 2006. After
1378-763: A gestation period of 22 months (contrary to the planned 12 to 18 months) and at a cost of A$ 60 million, Holden launched the V2-series Monaro based on the VX-series Commodore. It was available as the CV6, with a supercharged 3.8 L V6 and 4-speed automatic transmission (production ceased in mid-2004), and as the CV8, featuring the 5.7 L LS1 V8, with a choice of either a 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. A Series 2 model debuted in December 2002 with
1484-485: A new production based Group C touring car class introduced for which the Monaro was not eligible to race. Unveiled on 26 July 1970, the HG Monaro was the last of the original coupé design concept. HG had cleaner lines with redesigned exterior trim pieces. The HG sported different stripes (delete options) known as "sidewinder" stripes which ran along the top edge of the fenders, under the windows and finishing just before
1590-521: A price tag to match: AUD $ 11,500. The cars were built at the now-defunct Pagewood (Sydney) plant. Production totalled 580 cars. The distinctive US sourced honeycomb wheels fitted to the LE, which resembled those of the second generation Pontiac Firebird , were created by a plastic mould adhered to the outside of conventional steel wheel rims. These were a gold painted version of the same wheel that had been available as an option on passenger vehicles since early in
1696-542: A program to develop a lightweight two-stroke diesel engine for possible usage in automobiles. Soon after, GM acquired Electro-Motive Company and the Winton Engine Co. , and in 1941, it expanded EMC's realm to locomotive engine manufacturing. In 1932, GM acquired Packard Electric (not to be confused with the Packard car company, which merged with Studebaker years later). The following year, GM acquired
1802-742: A rebodied Monaro, badged as the CD II and to be fitted with a V12 engine. This project, however, never reached full production. The third generation Monaro was exported to several overseas markets. It was also sold, in left-hand drive , in the Middle East as the Chevrolet Lumina Coupé , and in the United States as the Pontiac GTO , reviving another classic muscle car icon. However, at least one commentator has described it as
1908-741: A revised dashboard from the VY-series , a new alloy road wheel design and new paint and trim colour choices. The CV6 model was dropped after disappointing sales (reputedly 10 times as many CV8s were built compared to CV6s) when a Series 3 model appeared in 2004. A limited edition model called the CV8-R was introduced in July 2003, all 350 of which were made in Turbine Mica (grey metallic) paint colour. A revised CV8-R model would appear again in May 2004 (based on
2014-460: A revised exhaust system and extra cabin instrumentation. Between September 2003 to July 2004, a GTO LE (Limited Edition) was also available for sale. With the Series III upgrade, the GTS became a special order only model and was discontinued in 2004. In May of that year, HSV launched the new luxury-oriented Coupé4 , which was essentially a modified GTO fitted with HSV's first all-wheel-drive system and cost A$ 89,950. Due to powertrain limitations, it
2120-422: A strategy by CEO Roger Smith to derive at least 10% of its annual worldwide revenue from non-automotive sources. GM also intended to have EDS handle its bookkeeping, help computerize factories, and integrate GM's computer systems. The transaction made Ross Perot the largest shareholder of GM; however, disagreements with Roger Smith led the company to buy all shares held by Ross Perot for $ 750 million in 1986. In
2226-625: The Fortune 500 and 50th on the Fortune Global 500 . In 2023, the company was ranked 70th in the Forbes Global 2000 . In 2021, GM announced its intent to end production of vehicles using internal combustion engines by 2035, as part of its plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. By 1900, William C. Durant 's Durant-Dort Carriage Company of Flint, Michigan , had become the largest manufacturer of horse-drawn vehicles in
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#17327726139682332-609: The 2-mode hybrid system in the Chevrolet Tahoe , GMC Yukon , Cadillac Escalade , and pickup trucks . Group E Series Production Touring Cars Although production car racing in Australia had gained momentum with the running of the first Armstrong 500 endurance race at Phillip Island in 1960, no national guidelines for this type of racing existed until 1 January 1964 when the Group E regulations were introduced by
2438-848: The Allies of World War II . In 1940, GM's William S. Knudsen served as head of U.S. wartime production for President Franklin Roosevelt , and by 1942, all of GM's production was to support the war. GM's Vauxhall Motors manufactured the Churchill tank series for the Allies, instrumental in the North African campaign . However, its Opel division, based in Germany, supplied the Wehrmacht with vehicles. Politically, Sloan, as head of GM at
2544-629: The Australian Manufacturers' Championship title which was to be contested over a series of endurance races for Group E cars and the Hardie Ferodo 500 was included in this series for the first time in 1972. By this time the eligibility rules had been changed again with a vehicle now accepted if it was one of 200 manufactured or assembled in Australia or if it was a recognised FIA Group 1 Touring Car of which at least 100 units had been sold in Australia. In 1973, in response to
2650-522: The Cadillac V8-6-4 variable-cylinder engines. GM sold Frigidaire in 1979. Although Frigidaire had between $ 450 million and $ 500 million in annual revenues, it was losing money. Robert Lee of GM invented the neodymium magnet , which was fabricated by rapid solidification, in 1984. This magnet is commonly used in products like a computer hard disk. The same year, GM acquired Electronic Data Systems for $ 2.5 billion from Ross Perot as part of
2756-527: The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport as part of a major review of Australian motor sport categories. Vehicles racing in Group E had to be one of at least 1000 units which had been produced in 12 months and could compete only with strictly limited modifications. The rules were framed to cater for cars such as those that had been contesting the Armstrong 500 (which had moved from Phillip Island to
2862-520: The General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC), which provides financing to automotive customers, was formed. In 1920, du Pont orchestrated the removal of Durant once again and replaced him with Alfred P. Sloan . At a time when GM was competing heavily with Ford Motor Company , Sloan established annual model changes, making previous years' models "dated" and created a market for used cars . He also implemented
2968-634: The LA Auto Show . It was the first car with zero emissions marketed in the US in over three decades. The Impact was produced as the EV1 for the 1996 model year and was available only via lease from certain dealers in California and Arizona. In 1999–2002, GM ceased production of the vehicles and started to not renew the leases, disappointing many people, allegedly because the program would not be profitable and would cannibalize its existing business. All of
3074-515: The Monaro region in New South Wales (although pronounced differently), Holden's new coupé was introduced in July 1968 in a two-door pillarless hardtop design available in three models: base, GTS and GTS 327. The GTS versions had the full instrumentation installed which included a tachometer mounted on the centre console. This proved to be a bad location, as the driver's knee would obstruct
3180-599: The Mount Panorama Circuit at Bathurst in 1963), although that race continued to run under its own regulations which at the time limited the field to Australian built cars only. From 1967 the minimum production requirement for Group E was changed to 5000 units produced internationally or 500 produced and/or sold in Australia. In 1969 Group E cars were eligible to compete in the Australian Touring Car Championship alongside
3286-716: The Port Elizabeth assembly plant. Later the HG series Monaro was assembled and sold in South Africa badged as the Chevrolet SS. At this time GMSA had made a decision to market most of its products as Chevrolets. The Chevrolet SS had revised front styling unique to that model, incorporating four headlights and large turn indicators in the front edge of the fenders above the bumper. The Holden Monaro and Chevrolet SS models were both available with Holden 308 in (5.0L) and
Holden Monaro - Misplaced Pages Continue
3392-567: The Rapid Motor Vehicle Company of Pontiac, Michigan , and the Reliance Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan (predecessors of GMC ) in 1909. Durant, with the board's approval, also tried acquiring Ford Motor Company , but needed an additional $ 2 million. Durant over- leveraged GM in making acquisitions, and was removed by the board of directors in 1910 at the order of the bankers who backed
3498-765: The Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company the same year, and its president, John D. Hertz , joined the board of directors of GM; it acquired the remainder of the company in 1943. In 1926, the company introduced the Pontiac brand and established the General Motors Group Insurance Program to provide life insurance to its employees. The following year, after the success of the 1927 model of the Cadillac LaSalle designed by Harley Earl , Sloan created
3604-472: The corporate spin-off of Electronic Data Systems . In 1997, GM sold the military businesses of Hughes Aircraft Company to Raytheon Company for $ 9.5 billion in stock and the assumption of debt. In February 2000, Rick Wagoner was named CEO, succeeding Smith. The next month, GM gave 5.1% of its common stock, worth $ 2.4 billion, to acquire a 20% share of Fiat . In December 2000, GM announced that it would begin phasing out Oldsmobile . The brand
3710-481: The "Art and Color Section" of GM and named Earl as its first director. Earl was the first design executive to be appointed to leadership at a major American corporation. Earl created a system of automobile design that is still practiced today. At the age of 24, Bill Mitchell was recruited by Earl to the design team at GM, and he was later appointed as Chief Designer of Cadillac. After Earl retired in December 1958, Mitchell took over automotive design for GM. Also in 1926
3816-525: The 20th century saw the company grow into an automotive behemoth through acquisitions; going into the second half, the company pursued innovation and new offerings to consumers as well as collaborations with NASA to develop the earliest electric vehicles . The current entity was established in 2009 after the General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization . As of 2024 , General Motors ranks 25th by total revenue out of all American companies on
3922-444: The 350 Chevrolet badge on the fender, but rather a bold decal stating "350" as well as blackout treatment that covered the air-vents on the bonnet. The GTS badge originally above the gills in the fenders would be removed and would now be black instead of red (with the badges being placed on the passenger side of the grille and boot). The taillights had a cleaner look and the grille was redesigned. Most mechanical specifications remained
4028-428: The 350 in (5,700 cc) V8. The new coupé design had a much larger rear window and a squarer rear quarter window; it was somehow seen as not as sporty looking compared to the earlier HK-HT-HG series, but is often now considered one of the best looking body designs to come from an Australian manufacturer. Taillights were now rectangular in dual-unit style, integrated into the rear bumper; they were not unlike those of
4134-564: The American 1969 Chevrolet Bel Air/Biscayne . The car's styling was somewhat reminiscent of the 1970-72 Chevrolet Chevelle . Until 1973, the HQ Monaro GTS did not have any exterior graphics and the 5.7 L (350 cu in) L48 Chevy V8 was a little less potent than in previous HT/HG versions rated at 205 kW (279 PS; 275 hp) at 4,800 rpm and 488 N⋅m (360 lb⋅ft) of torque at 3,200 rpm, especially with
4240-569: The Chevrolet 350 in (5.7 L) engines. South African sales totalled 1,828 Monaros and 1,182 SS models. A completely new body design emerged with the HQ series in July 1971, including the new Monaro 'LS' (commonly believed to mean "Luxury Sports") model which featured four headlights and chrome trim rings shared with the Holden Premier sedan. There were no longer any six-cylinder versions of
4346-618: The Coupé's body was built at the Holden manufacturing plant in Elizabeth, South Australia, and then transported and modified at HSV's Clayton production facility. The initial range consisted of two models, the GTO and GTS , which were differentiated by their engine and exterior design. The entry-level GTO was originally powered by a 255 kW (342 hp) Chevrolet LS1 V8 engine, whereas the GTS had
Holden Monaro - Misplaced Pages Continue
4452-588: The EV1s were eventually returned to General Motors, and except for around 40 which were donated to museums with their electric powertrains deactivated, all were destroyed. The documentary film Who Killed the Electric Car? covered the EV1 story. In November 1992, John F. Smith Jr. became CEO of the company. In 1993, GM sold Lotus Cars to Bugatti . In 1996, in a return to its automotive basics, GM completed
4558-460: The GTO's engine output to the other HSV Z Series models. It featured a 6.0 L; 364.1 cu in (5,967 cc) LS2 V8 engine, rated at 297 kW (398 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 530 N⋅m (391 lb⋅ft) of torque at 4,400 rpm also found on the C6 Corvette, a boot-mounted fuel tank, dual exhaust pipes, new bonnet scoops, and revised manual and automatic gearboxes. In line with
4664-443: The GTS were made. New emissions regulations heralded the mildly facelifted HX Monaro GTS sedan, announced in July 1976. The HX was quite distinguishable, with liberal splashes of black paintouts contrasted against a range of bold body colours, and a choice of traditional chrome or body painted bumper bars. Holden had a limited number of HJ coupe panel sets in 1975 and a decision was made to do something special with them. The solution
4770-501: The HJ Monaro incorporated a heavy facelift and some model rationalisation. Its front end bore a resemblance to the 1970–1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo . The 350 V8 engine option and the base Monaro coupé were both discontinued. The Monaro GTS continued to be available as a coupé or sedan with the 253 in (4.15 L; 4,150 cc) V8 engine, or the optional 308 in (5,050 cc) V8 engine. The Monaro LS coupé also continued within
4876-531: The HJ series. The front end styling of this pillarless hardtop resembles a smaller-scale 1971 U.S. specification Chevrolet Caprice . Although the Monaro name had survived into 1977 as the HX Monaro GTS sedan, the coupé configuration was no longer in production and Holden decided to delete the Monaro name altogether from the new Holden HZ range. With the development of Radial Tuned Suspension, Holden transformed
4982-562: The HK's sintered bronze, and larger taillights where the turn indicators also wrapped around the now slightly undercut edges. Bodywork 'go-faster' stripe designs (delete options) varied for each series; HK stripes were offset to the driver's side of the bonnet (hood) and bootlid (trunk), the HT had two broad stripes down the centre of the car. HT also had twin air scoops / vents incorporated into their bonnet, which served no real purpose in delivering air into
5088-420: The Monaro VXR in the UK. General Motors General Motors Company ( GM ) is an American multinational automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit , Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing four automobile brands: Chevrolet , Buick , GMC , and Cadillac . By total sales, it has continuously been the largest automaker in the United States, and
5194-423: The Monaro GTS, just the locally manufactured 4.15 L (253 cu in) or optional 5.0 L (308 cu in) V8s or the top level GTS350 coupé, equipped with an imported 5.7 L (350 cu in) Chevrolet motor. The base model Monaro standard engine was enlarged to 173 in (2,830 cc) whilst the Monaro LS had a broad spectrum of engine options from a 202 in (3,310 cc) six to
5300-419: The Monaro's engine bay was too small to house the 327 Chevrolet V8 , a decision was made to speed up the development of Holden's first ever Australian-developed and manufactured V8 engine, the 253 in (4.1 L; 4,145.9 cc) and larger capacity 308 in (5.0 L; 5,047.2 cc) Holden V8 engine . However, as this particular V8 engine project ran behind schedule, this led to engineers remeasuring
5406-492: The Series 3 CV8), all 320 of which were made in an exclusive Pulse Red paint colour. Other unique features of the 2004 CV8-R cars included 18" five-spoke machined face alloy wheels, smoked front and rear lamp treatment, and a “Holden By Design” electric sunroof. The interior featured the centre fascia and instrument surrounds in satin finish, “Pulse Red” and black floor-mats with CV8-R logo, a unique instrument cluster with white dial-plate daytime illumination, and leather trimming for
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#17327726139685512-440: The Trimatic, was offered as an option, although it was not available on the 'GTS 350'. The HT Monaro can be distinguished from the HK by the adoption of plastic grilles (previously metal), two section taillights separated by a blacked out panel, a round speedometer instead of "strip" style allowing for bringing the tachometer into the main instrument cluster instead of on the floor console, rubber front suspension bushes instead of
5618-539: The United States. Durant was averse to automobiles, but fellow Flint businessman James H. Whiting , owner of Flint Wagon Works , sold him the Buick Motor Company in 1904. Durant formed the General Motors Company in 1908 as a holding company , borrowing a naming convention from General Electric . GM's first acquisition was Buick , which Durant already owned, then Olds Motor Works on November 12, 1908. Under Durant, GM went on to acquire Cadillac , Elmore , Welch , Cartercar , Oakland (the predecessor of Pontiac ),
5724-425: The Year for 1968. In June 1969, the HK Monaro was replaced by the facelifted HT Monaro. The 'GTS 327' became the 'GTS 350' with the replacement of the Chevrolet 327 in (5.4 L) V8 by the 300 hp (224 kW) Chevrolet 350 in (5.7 L) V8. As the Monaro was Holden's main car in Series Production racing, this was primarily in response to Ford who had introduced the XW Falcon GTHO Phase I in 1969. There
5830-406: The addition of a fifth colour named Fusion, seen only in the closing of production CV8-Z model. The VZ Monaro CV8 was upgraded in other ways too, receiving a 10-speaker audio system with two built-in subwoofers, new front/rear bumper assemblies, dual exhaust system and various other small changes. The revised rear bumper, dual exhaust system, and new hood with air intakes would soon find their way onto
5936-409: The announcement made by Holden in July 2005 about the Monaro's end of production, HSV again released a GTO LE from April 2006 (featuring three body colour and stripe combinations for just 50 units in black, 25 in yellow and 25 in red) plus a final 'Signature' limited edition. The Signature Coupe' (with a total production of 70 units), announced in July 2006 and for sale in August 2006 this model would be
6042-478: The bland characteristics of their full-size sedans and introduced a sporting variant called simply Holden GTS . Released on 5 October 1977, this HZ variant featured a four headlight grille, front and rear air dams, four-wheel disc brakes, sports wheels and a 4.2-litre V8 engine as standard equipment. The optional 5.0-litre V8 became standard in June 1978. With the November 1978 introduction of the new mid/full-size Commodore VB sedan and its availability with V8 engine,
6148-414: The car in 1971 and 1972. Norm only finished fifth in the 1971 ATCC , winning only round two at Calder. The 1972 ATCC saw Beechey retire from the first three rounds at Symmons Plains, Calder and Bathurst before his only points for the series came from a third place in round four at Sandown Park. At the end of 1972 as a result of the Supercar scare , the Improved Production class was shut down by CAMS with
6254-449: The cessation of HJ coupe production partway through 1976 and prior to the end of the HJ series. All LE cars were painted in an exclusive metallic colour called LE Red. The LE was not badged or officially referred to as a Monaro. The LE was an amalgam of prestige and surplus parts (including an eight-track cartridge player well after cassette tapes were common), in effect a combination of Monaro GTS and Statesman Caprice components. The LE had
6360-399: The company acquired Fisher Body , its supplier of automobile bodies. GM acquired Allison Engine Company and began developing a 1,000 horsepower liquid-cooled aircraft engine in 1929. The same year, GM acquired 80% of Opel , which at that time had a 37.5% market share in Europe, for $ 26 million. It acquired the remaining 20% in 1931. In the late-1920s, Charles Kettering embarked on
6466-432: The company in 1915 after a disagreement with Durant. GM was reincorporated in Detroit in 1916 as General Motors Corporation and became a public company via an initial public offering . By 1917, Chevrolet had become successful enough that Durant, with the backing of Samuel McLaughlin and Pierre S. du Pont , reacquired a controlling interest in GM. The same year, GM acquired Samson Tractor . Chevrolet Motor Company
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#17327726139686572-499: The days of the GTS appeared numbered. Production of the GTS ceased in December 1978, an estimated 1,438 were built. Ultimately, the VB Commodore proved very popular in both six-cylinder and V8 forms, such that all full-size HZ Holden passenger cars were phased out of production in 1980. Remnants of the H-series lived on in the Holden WB series commercial vehicle range and in the revamped Statesman WB luxury sedans that were manufactured until December 1984. After 25 years of absence of
6678-540: The diesel-hybrid market, the Opel Astra diesel engine hybrid concept vehicle was rolled out in January 2005. Later that year, GM sold its Electro-Motive Diesel locomotive division to private equity firms Berkshire Partners and Greenbriar Equity Group. GM paid $ 2 billion to sever its ties with Fiat in 2005, severing ties with the company due to an increasingly contentious dispute. GM began adding its " Mark of Excellence " emblem on all new vehicles produced and sold in North America in mid-2005. However, after
6784-438: The engine bay and finding that the original measurement calculations had been incorrect, thus allowing the use of the imported Chevrolet engines. The HK Monaro GTS327 gave Holden its first victory in the 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500 at the hands of Bruce McPhee and co-driver Barry Mulholland . Whilst Mulholland only drove one of the total 130 race laps, McPhee drove the remainder and also scored both pole position and fastest lap of
6890-427: The engine bay. The HT Monaro GTS350 was successful in Series Production racing. The Holden Dealer Team was formed in 1969 by longtime Ford Works Team boss Harry Firth with the team using the GTS350 in competition. The HDT entered three Monaros in the 1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500 the lead car driven by Colin Bond and Tony Roberts winning from 1968 winners Bruce McPhee and Barry Mulholland who had switched to driving
6996-409: The export Pontiac GTO . However, in July 2005, Holden announced that production of the current generation VZ Monaro CV8 would soon be coming to an end and this led to the run of a special edition model called the CV8-Z, of which 1,605 units were ultimately made. The last Holden Monaro-badged coupé was purchased by Emerald, Queensland businessman Darryl Mattingley for A$ 187,355.55—around three times
7102-425: The first covering the HK, HT, and HG series from 1968 to 1971, the second covering the HQ and HJ series from 1971 to 1975, and the third covering the V2 and VZ series from 2001 to 2005. The first generation Monaro coupe was also manufactured by General Motors South Africa in 1970 and 1971 in both Holden Monaro GTS and Chevrolet SS variants, utilising CKD kits imported from Australia. The third generation Monaro coupe
7208-482: The first hydrogen fuel cell car ever produced. Though fuel cells have existed since the early 1800s, General Motors was the first to use a fuel cell, supplied by Union Carbide , to power the wheels of a vehicle with a budget of "millions of dollars". In the 1960s, GM was an early proponent of V6 engines , but quickly lost interest as the popularity of muscle cars increased. GM demonstrated gas turbine vehicles powered by kerosene , an area of interest throughout
7314-497: The gasoline was harmful to various biological organisms including humans. Evidence shows that corporate executives understood the health implications of tetraethyllead from the beginning. As an engineer for GM, Midgley also developed chlorofluorocarbons , which have now been banned due to their contribution to climate change . Under the encouragement of GM President Alfred P. Sloan Jr., GM acquired Vauxhall Motors for $ 2.5 million in 1925. The company also acquired an interest in
7420-445: The generic HQ series 'V8' bootlid badge. In the final year of HQ production, i.e. 1974, the manual-transmission version of the GTS350 was discontinued and sales of the automatic version were minimal prior to the engine option being discontinued. A 1972 model year two-door base Monaro was used in the film Mad Max as the MFP Pursuit Special driven by the Nightrider during the film's opening chase scene . Introduced in October 1974,
7526-456: The growing media concerns regarding Group E homologation specials, CAMS replaced both Group E and Group C with a new Group C Touring Car category which specified a level of modifications between those applicable in the two superseded classes. The Australian Touring Car Championship, Australian Manufacturers' Championship and the Bathurst endurance race would all be run to the new Group C rules from that year. Production car racing in Australia
7632-558: The hood scoops vent in cool air to the engine bay but do not directly feed the engine. In the eyes of the Australian press, the scoops have spoiled the clean lines of the design, while the American media seemed to accept them. The 2005 and 2006 GTO also received a LS2 6.0 L engine rated at 298 kW (400 hp); the Australian HSV Coupé GTO received a similar engine in its Z series; and Vauxhall launched this as
7738-664: The industry, but abandoned the alternative engine configuration due to the 1973 oil crisis . In partnership with Boeing , GM's Delco Defense Electronics Division designed the Lunar Roving Vehicle , which traversed the surface of the Moon, in 1971. The following year, GM produced the first rear wheel anti-lock braking system for two models: the Toronado and Eldorado. In 1973, the Oldsmobile Toronado
7844-418: The interior and gun metal chrome CV8-Z badging on the exterior. Tony Hyde, the chief engineer of Holden, announced on his retirement in 2007 that being a part of the development of modern Monaro's was his proudest achievement. He described the modern Monaro program as "pure emotion" and that his Monaro will be kept next to his 1976 Chevrolet Corvette . The Monaro was used as a basis for various concept cars and
7950-554: The last monaro/GTO and last two door coupe' manufactured in Australia. This signature model retailed for A$ 83,990 plus on road costs when new and gained HSV's top-of-the-line AP racing brake package with coloured front six-piston calipers with 362mm cross-drilled and grooved rotors and rear four-piston calipers with 343mm cross-drilled and grooved rotors, 19 inch multi-spoke rims (found on the HSV GTS-R Coupe concept car) sunroof and unique paint scheme as standard. In recognition of
8056-637: The loans to keep GM in business. The action of the bankers was partially influenced by the Panic of 1910–1911 that followed the earlier enforcement of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 . In 1911, Charles F. Kettering of Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (DELCO) and Henry M. Leland invented and patented the first electric starter in America. In November 1911, Durant co-founded Chevrolet with race car driver Louis Chevrolet , who left
8162-501: The more highly modified Group C Improved Production Touring Cars for the first time. The local market component of the eligibility rules for Group E was relaxed in 1970 such that models of which 200 units had been sold in Australia within 12 months were now eligible. The annual Hardie Ferodo 500 endurance race at Bathurst continued to be run under regulations differing from Group E, with the former still being more restrictive in terms of permitted modifications. For 1971 CAMS introduced
8268-588: The normal retail price, on 19 February 2006. The car was bought through eBay , with the proceeds going to the Leukaemia Foundation . The Holden Monaro CV8-Z was produced to farewell the legendary Monaro name, much like what had been done with the LE coupé back in 1976. Wheels magazine tested a CV8-Z in the March 2006 issue with a Ford Mustang GT and a Nissan 350Z . They summed up the test with, "The Monaro eats Mustangs and spits out Nissans. It's
8374-555: The optional Turbo- hydramatic 400, 3-speed automatic transmission . This and the fact that the same 350 engine was also available as on option in the large Statesman luxury sedan, probably contributed to a downgrade of the Monaro GTS range in muscular image terms, as did the replacement of the bigger coupés with the inline-six engine Holden Torana GTR XU-1 as the chosen GM car for Australian touring car racing . The introduction of bonnet and bootlid paint-outs in 1973 coincided with
8480-486: The plant to arrest strikers, leading to violence; in other cities, the plants were shuttered peacefully. The strike was resolved on February 11, 1937, when GM recognized the UAW as the exclusive bargaining representative for its workers and gave workers a 5% raise and permission to speak in the lunchroom. Walter E. Jominy and A.L. Boegehold of GM invented the Jominy end-quench test for hardenability of carbon steel in 1937,
8586-528: The pricing strategy used by car companies today. The pricing strategy had Chevrolet , Pontiac , Oldsmobile , Buick , and Cadillac priced from least expensive to most, respectively. In 1921, Thomas Midgley Jr. , an engineer for GM, discovered tetraethyllead (leaded gasoline) as an antiknock agent, and GM patented the compound because ethanol could not be patented. This led to the development of higher compression engines resulting in more power and efficiency. The public later realized that lead contained in
8692-524: The race. Norm Beechey drove a HK Monaro GTS327 to third place in the 1969 Australian Touring Car Championship , the first time the ATCC was held as a series rather than a single race. Beechey showed the capabilities of the Monaro when he won the final two rounds of the five-round series at Surfers Paradise and Symmons Plains . In early 1969, the HK Monaro range was awarded Wheels magazine's Car of
8798-529: The range, but still with the 3.3-litre six-cylinder engine as its base power unit. The body paint-outs were discontinued in the HJ Monaro GTS range, but for the first time, the Monaro could be specified with optional front and rear spoilers. The HJ Monaro LS coupé is close to being the rarest regular production car ever made in Australia with only 337 units produced. The HJ Monaro GTS coupé was discontinued during 1975 due to falling demand, 606 examples of
8904-507: The rear pillar. The "Monaro" badge on both rear pillars was introduced to all models. For the HG GTS, the "GTS" badges now featured black paint fill, received new black-out paint on rocker panels, with the GTS 350 getting bold treatment with new "sidewinder" stripes and black bonnet scoop. "GTS 350" designations now featured gutsier decals on the fenders and boot lid. Wheel arch moldings were deleted on all models. The "GTS 350" models no longer had
9010-503: The release of the HQ Monaro GTS in four-door sedan configuration. It is generally considered that Holden created the bold contrasting paint-outs so the new Monaro GTS sedan would not be mistaken for the humble Kingswood sedan upon which it was based. The continued erosion of the GTS350 cachet was compounded by the deletion of specific "350" decals on the post-1973 cars, with all Monaro GTS coupés and sedans now being externally labelled with
9116-535: The reorganization in 2009, the company no longer added the logo, saying that emphasis on its four core divisions would downplay the GM logo. In 2005, Edward T. Welburn was promoted to the newly created position of vice president, GM Global Design, making him the first African American to lead a global automotive design organization and the highest-ranking African American in the US motor industry at that time. On July 1, 2016, he retired from General Motors after 44 years. He
9222-600: The same as HT series, with the exception of Monaro GTS (non-350), which had softened suspension, resulting in a smoother ride. Manual HG GTS 350 retained the suspension from the HT GTS 350. Other upgrades included thicker (HT GTS 350 style) power front disc brakes, now standard for all V8 and the 6-cylinder Monaro GTS. The HG would be the final model for the generation and the last to use the original body shell. HT and HG series Monaro GTS coupes were assembled in South Africa from imported parts by General Motors South Africa (GMSA) at
9328-443: The seven rounds at Bathurst, Sandown and Lakeside where he wrapped up the title. The 550 bhp (410 kW) Monaro (which Beechey and his chief mechanic Pat Purcell had bored out from 5.7 to 6.0 litres) proved too much for the opposition which included defending champion Ian Geoghegan in his Ford Mustang , Allan Moffat in his Ford Mustang Boss 302 Trans-Am, Bob Jane 's Mustang and Beechey's own teammate Jim McKeown in
9434-606: The significance HSV also reversed the order of build numbers with the last signature Coupe off the manufacturing line receiving a #1/70 rather than HSV's conventional numbering system. Just like HSV, independent manufacturer Corsa Specialised Vehicles (CSV) also produced its own version of the Monaro, badged the Mondo ("world" in Italian) and based on V2 series. It came in three distinctive GT models depending on engine power. In 2003, German manufacturer Bitter Cars instead previewed
9540-508: The steering wheel, handbrake and transmission selectors (matching anthracite leather was used for the sports seats and door trims, with perforated leather inserts and black stitching). On 12 September 2004, Holden introduced the VZ Monaro CV8 with a 15 kW increase in engine power when compared to the previous V2-series cars. The VZ series at first came in only four paint colours (Phantom, Devil, Turismo and Quicksilver) and later saw
9646-504: The time, was an ardent opponent of the New Deal , which bolstered labor unions and public transport . Sloan admired and supported Adolf Hitler . Nazi armaments chief Albert Speer allegedly said in 1977 that Hitler "would never have considered invading Poland" without synthetic fuel technology provided by General Motors. GM was compensated $ 32 million by the U.S. government because its German factories were bombed by U.S. forces during
9752-418: The vehicle safety, security, and information services provider OnStar , the auto parts company ACDelco , a namesake financial lending service , and majority ownership in the self-driving cars enterprise Cruise LLC . The company originated as a holding company for Buick established on September 16, 1908, by William C. Durant , the largest seller of horse-drawn vehicles at the time. The first half of
9858-415: The view and it often rattled. The base Monaro had a standard 161 in (2,640 cc) straight-6 engine or the extra-cost options of two versions of 186 in (3,050 cc) straight-6 engines (Monaro GTS came standard with the more powerful 186'S' engine), and both base model and GTS could be optioned with a 307 in (5,030 cc) Chevrolet-sourced V8 engine. The exclusive Monaro 'GTS 327' model
9964-518: The war. Effective January 28, 1953, Charles Erwin Wilson , then GM president, was named by Dwight D. Eisenhower as United States Secretary of Defense . In December 1953, GM acquired Euclid Trucks , a manufacturer of heavy equipment for earthmoving , including dump trucks , loaders and wheel tractor-scrapers , which later spawned the Terex brand. Alfred P. Sloan retired as chairman and
10070-424: Was also an automatic version of the 'GTS 350' introduced which used a lower power version of the 350 in (5.7 L) engine coupled to a 2-speed Powerglide transmission. HT Monaro also marked the phasing out of the 5.0-litre Chevrolet V8, and the introduction of Holden's own locally made V8 engines, the 4.2-litre 253, and the 5.0-litre 308. Late in the HT model run, a new locally produced 3-speed automatic transmission,
10176-490: Was consolidated into GM on May 2, 1918, and the same year GM acquired United Motors , a parts supplier founded by Durant and headed by Alfred P. Sloan for $ 45 million, and the McLaughlin Motor Car Company , founded by R. S. McLaughlin , became General Motors of Canada Limited. In 1919, GM acquired Guardian Frigerator Company , part-owned by Durant, which was renamed Frigidaire . Also in 1919,
10282-560: Was eventually discontinued in 2004, seven years after it had become the first American car brand to turn 100. In May 2004, GM delivered the first full-sized pickup truck hybrid vehicles , the 1/2-ton Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra trucks. These mild hybrids did not use electrical energy for propulsion, like GM's later designs. Later, the company debuted another hybrid technology, co-developed with DaimlerChrysler and BMW , in diesel-electric hybrid powertrain manufactured by Allison Transmission for transit buses. Continuing to target
10388-421: Was manufactured not only for domestic Australian consumption but also for export as variously a Chevrolet Lumina (Middle East), Vauxhall Monaro (UK), or Pontiac GTO (USA) badged vehicle. The third generation was also 'remanufactured' in Australia by HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) from 2001 to 2006, marketed in a range of HSV-badged high performance derivatives without application of the Monaro nameplate. Named after
10494-477: Was powered by a 327 in (5,360 cc) Chevrolet V8 engine rated at 250 hp (186 kW), available only with a 4-speed manual transmission. Despite the styling being unique, the Monaro nevertheless featured styling cues derived from GM designs, employing a " coke bottle " look similar to that of the Camaro , Corvair , and Nova coupés of the late 1960s. After Holden engineers had originally claimed that
10600-598: Was powered by the older 270 kW (360 hp) LS1 V8 engine. The all-wheel-drive system was developed in-house by HSV rather than being an adaptation of the then existing system used by Holden on its Adventra wagon or Crewman and Cross 8 utility range. Conjecture surrounds the total number of Coupé4s built, claimed to be 134 units (28 Series III models; 106 VZ; 6 pilot cars) of which 20 were exported to New Zealand available only in Phantom Black, Quicksilver and Sting Red. The Z Series facelift of October 2004 aligned
10706-566: Was replaced by Michael Simcoe . In 2006, GM introduced a bright yellow fuel cap on its vehicles to remind drivers that cars can operate using E85 ethanol fuel . They also introduced another hybrid vehicle that year, the Saturn Vue Green Line . In 2008, General Motors committed to engineering half of its manufacturing plants to be landfill-free by recycling or reusing waste in the manufacturing process. Continuing their environmental-conscious development, GM started to offer
10812-608: Was succeeded by Albert Bradley in April 1956. In 1962, GM introduced the first ever turbocharged production car in the world in the Oldsmobile Cutlass Turbo-Jetfire. Two years later, the company introduced its " Mark of Excellence " logo and trademark at the 1964 New York World's Fair . The company used the mark as their main corporate identifier until 2021. GM released the Electrovan in 1966,
10918-487: Was the largest in the world for 77 years before losing the top spot to Toyota in 2008. General Motors operates manufacturing plants in eight countries. In addition to its four core brands, GM also holds interests in Chinese brands Baojun and Wuling via SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile . GM further owns a namesake defense vehicles division which produces military vehicles for the United States government and military,
11024-502: Was the first retail car sold with a passenger airbag . Thomas Murphy became CEO of the company, succeeding Richard C. Gerstenberg in November 1974. GM installed its first catalytic converters in its 1975 models. From 1978 to 1985, GM pushed the benefits of diesel engines and cylinder deactivation technologies. However, it had disastrous results due to poor durability in the Oldsmobile diesels and drivability issues in
11130-576: Was to create the Limited Edition, or LE, which was not released until 27 September 1976. More than 600 body shells were assembled at the Pagewood body plant as HJ bodies in white late in 1975, but due to delays, the HX series came around before LE production begun, thus mandating the cars to be converted to HX which meant body shell changes. Some of those bodies were utilised to build HJ coupes prior to
11236-674: Was used by several different brands, HSV in Australia, Chevrolet in the Middle East, Pontiac in North America, and Vauxhall Motors in the United Kingdom. The HSV Coupé is a high performance iteration which was produced by Holden Special Vehicles from 2001 to 2006. It was originally based on the Monaro V2 series but did not carry the Monaro name. As in the case of the Commodore-based HSV sedan range,
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