145-764: The Holden HR is an automobile that was produced by Holden in Australia from 1966 to 1968. The Holden HR range was released in April 1966, replacing the Holden HD series which had been in production since 1965. In addition to a revised grille, the HR featured a reworked roofline and larger rear window (on the sedans), revised rear lights (on sedans and wagons) and changes to almost all exterior body panels. Other changes included revised ball joint front suspension, widened track, improved interior trim and woodgrain interior finish for
290-793: A business-only vehicle . In the past, GM also assembled the Suburban and Avalanche in Mexico for export to other markets, chiefly the U.S. and Canada. In 2009 China became Chevrolet's third-largest market, with sales of 332,774 vehicles, behind only the United States and Brazil (1,344,629 and 595,500 vehicles respectively). By 2010, Chevy sold just over half a million, with the Cruze being its best seller there. A total of 673,376 locally-manufactured Chevrolets were sold in China in 2018 (down from
435-768: A A$ 149 million government grant to build a localised version of the Chevrolet Cruze in Australia from 2011, Holden in 2009 announced that it would initially import the small car unchanged from South Korea as the Holden Cruze. Following the government grant announcement, Kevin Rudd , Australia's Prime Minister at the time, stated that production would support 600 new jobs at the Elizabeth facility; however, this failed to take into account Holden's previous announcement, whereby 600 jobs would be shed when production of
580-614: A controlling interest in General Motors . After the deal was completed in 1918, Durant became president of General Motors, and Chevrolet was merged into GM as a separate division. In 1919, Chevrolet's factories were located at Flint, Michigan ; branch assembly locations were sited in Tarrytown, N.Y. , Norwood, Ohio , St. Louis, Missouri , Oakland, California , Ft. Worth, Texas , and Oshawa, Ontario General Motors of Canada Limited . McLaughlin's were given GM Corporation stock for
725-504: A lack of Australian identity and internal company competition, decreasing the brand recognition and desirability of Holden in its domestic market. This led to the announcement, on 11 December 2013, that Holden would cease vehicle and engine production by the end of 2017. On 29 November 2016, engine production at the Fishermans Bend plant was shut down. On 20 October 2017, production of the last Holden designed Commodore ceased and
870-465: A large four-storey factory on the site. By 1923, HMBB were producing 12,000 units per year. During this time, HMBB assembled bodies for Ford Motor Company of Australia until its Geelong plant was completed. From 1924, HMBB became the exclusive supplier of car bodies for GM in Australia, with manufacturing taking place at the new Holden Woodville Plant (which was actually in the adjacent suburb of Cheltenham ). These bodies were made to suit
1015-629: A market share of 21.5% of the region's plug-in electric passenger car segment. Combined global Volt/Ampera sales passed the 100,000 unit milestone in October 2015. As of June 2016 , the Volt family of vehicles ranks as the world's all-time top selling plug-in hybrid, and it is also the third-best-selling plug-in electric car ever, after the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Model S . Volt sales in
1160-539: A market share of more than 50% in 1958 with the revised FC model. This was the first Holden to be tested on the new Lang Lang Proving Ground in Lang Lang, Victoria . In 1957, Holden's export markets grew to 17 countries, with new additions including Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Fiji, Sudan, the East Africa region, and South Africa. Indonesian market cars were assembled locally by P.T. Udatin. The opening of
1305-557: A number of chassis imported from manufacturers including Austin , Buick , Chevrolet , Cleveland , Dodge , Essex , Fiat , Hudson , Oakland , Oldsmobile , Overland , Reo , Studebaker and Willys-Knight . In 1926, General Motors (Australia) Limited was established with assembly plants at Newstead, Queensland ; Marrickville, New South Wales ; City Road, Melbourne, Victoria ; Birkenhead, South Australia ; and Cottesloe, Western Australia using bodies produced by HMBB and imported complete knock down chassis. In 1930 alone,
1450-557: A partner and effectively managed the company. In 1885, German-born H. A. Frost joined the business as a junior partner and J. A. Holden & Co became Holden & Frost Ltd. Edward Holden , James' grandson, joined the firm in 1905 with an interest in automobiles. From there, the firm evolved through various partnerships, and in 1908, Holden & Frost moved into the business of minor repairs to car upholstery. The company began to re-body older chassis using motor bodies produced by F. T. Hack and Co from 1914. Holden & Frost mounted
1595-532: A racer as the foundation for his new automobile company. The first factory location was in Flint, Michigan at the corner of Wilcox and Kearsley Street, now known as " Chevy Commons " at coordinates 43°00′31″N 83°42′36″W / 43.00863°N 83.70991°W / 43.00863; -83.70991 ( Chevy Commons ) , along the Flint River, across the street from Kettering University . One of
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#17327932035181740-677: A range of Opel-derived cars comprising the Astra VXR and Insignia VXR (both based on the OPC models sold by Vauxhall) and Cascada . Later that year, Holden also announced plans to sell the European Astra and the South Korean Cruze alongside each other from 2017. Chevrolet Chevrolet ( / ˌ ʃ ɛ v r ə ˈ l eɪ / SHEV -rə- LAY ), colloquially referred to as Chevy , is an American automobile division of
1885-681: A record of 767,001 in 2014). In 2018, Chevrolet held just 2.90% share of the Chinese market (down from a record market share of 5.33% in 2012). The best-selling Chevrolet models in China by 2019 were the Cavalier (~ 10 000 units per month). Malibu (~ 3500 units per month), Equinox (~ 2000 units per month), Cruze - at one time the best-selling model (~ 1500 units per month), Sail (~ 1200 units per month), new Orlando (~ 1000 units per month), Malibu XL (~ 800 units per month), Trax (~ 100 units per month), Lova RV (~ 100 units per month), representing just 9 of
2030-534: A result of GM's toying with the Wankel rotary engine , as used by Mazda of Japan, an export agreement was initiated in 1975. This involved Holden exporting with powertrains , HJ, and later, HX series Premiers as the Mazda Roadpacer AP . Mazda then fitted these cars with the 13B rotary engine and three-speed automatic transmission. Production ended in 1977, after just 840 units sold. Development of
2175-420: A steady decline. 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. This downturn affected Holden's profits; the company recorded a combined gain of A$ 842.9 million from 2002 to 2004, and a combined loss of A$ 290 million from 2005 to 2006. Factors contributing to the loss included the development of an all-new model,
2320-754: A three-door hatchback variant. A final UC update appeared in 1978. During its production run, the Torana achieved legendary racing success in Australia, achieving victories at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales. 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
2465-697: Is also manufactured in Rayong, Thailand. Starting in 2003, the Holden Commodore was badged as the Chevrolet Lumina in Thailand for the VY and VZ model series. Exports lasted until 2005. General Motors is currently exploring cost-cutting options as part of its restructuring plan. One of these options involves expanding the Rayong, Thailand plant to add additional capacity to export Colorados to
2610-691: The High Feature engine. This was built at the Fishermans Bend facility completed in 2003, with a maximum output of 900 engines per day. This has reportedly added A$ 5.2 billion to the Australian economy; exports account for about A$ 450 million alone. After the VZ, the High Feature engine powered the all-new Holden Commodore (VE) . In contrast to previous models, the VE no longer used an Opel-sourced platform adapted both mechanically and in size, but
2755-623: The Adventra , a Commodore-based station wagon. The fourth model to be replaced with a South Korean alternative was the Vectra by the mid-size Epica in 2007. As a result of the split between GM and Isuzu, Holden lost the rights to use the "Rodeo" nameplate. Consequently, the Holden Rodeo was facelifted and relaunched as the Colorado in 2008. Following Holden's successful application for
2900-703: The Chevrolet Camaro , all were commercially successful and included family sedans, practical station wagons, and sporty coupes and convertibles. As the popularity of small, fuel efficient imported vehicles began to find buyers in the US during the 1970s and 1980s, the Chevrolet Vega was introduced while the Chevrolet Chevette was the result of international collaboration. By the mid-1980s, the Vega
3045-882: The Chevrolet Cavalier , followed up by the Chevrolet Celebrity . Chevrolet during the 1990s formed a partnership with Toyota and introduced the Geo Prizm while also offering the domestically produced Chevrolet Corsica . As mid-sized family sedans began to gain popularity, the Chevrolet Lumina found many buyers and as minivans began to find buyers, the Chevrolet Venture followed the popular selling Chevrolet Trailblazer and Chevrolet Traverse SUV's. The basic Chevrolet small-block V8 design has remained in continuous production since its debut in 1955, longer than any other mass-produced engine in
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#17327932035183190-521: The Chevrolet Cruze , Chevrolet Spark , Chevrolet Optra , Chevrolet Aveo , Chevrolet Tavera , Chevrolet Captiva , Chevrolet SRV , Chevrolet Beat , Chevrolet Sail and Chevrolet Aveo U-VA . The Chevrolet Forester , a rebadged Subaru , was imported directly from Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan until 2005. The Cruze and Tavera were built at the Halol plant. Chevrolet also was the sole engine supplier for
3335-702: The Chevrolet Tahoe . In 2018, the Corvette was added to the roster, making it the most expensive vehicle in the lineup. It is legally imported, as the government has seized and destroyed expensive vehicles that were bought into the country illegally. In 2019, the Camaro returned to the Philippines with a 2.0-liter turbo engine at 275 hp and 398Nm to compete with the Ford Mustang ever since it
3480-1059: The Chevy C2 , which is a reworked older-generation Corsa B. Vehicles based on US platforms are the Avalanche, the Suburban, the Equinox, the Tahoe, the Cheyenne (which is similar to the Silverado), the Aveo, the HHR, the Traverse, the Malibu, the Camaro and the Corvette. The Chevrolet Optra , assembled in South Korea by GM Korea, was also sold in Mexico. The second-generation Epica was sold as
3625-539: The Chrysler Corporation formed Plymouth in 1928, Plymouth, Ford, and Chevrolet were known as the "Low-priced three". In 1929 they introduced the famous "Stovebolt" overhead-valve inline six-cylinder engine, giving Chevrolet a marketing edge over Ford, which was still offering a lone flathead four ("A Six at the price of a Four"). In 1933 Chevrolet launched the Standard Six , which was advertised in
3770-585: The Corvette , a two-seater sports car with a fiberglass body. In 1957 Chevy introduced its first fuel injected engine, the Rochester Ramjet option on Corvette and Chevrolet Bel Air passenger cars, priced at $ 484 ($ 5,251 today). In 1960 Chevrolet joined the newly popular "compact car" market by introducing the Corvair , with a rear-mounted air-cooled engine. In 1963 one out of every ten cars sold in
3915-756: The Daewoo Kalos , replaced the Opel Corsa as the source of the Barina. In the same year, the Viva, based on the Daewoo Lacetti , replaced the entry-level Holden Astra Classic, although the new-generation Astra introduced in 2004 continued on. The Captiva crossover SUV came next in 2006. After discontinuing the Frontera and Jackaroo models in 2003, Holden was only left with one all-wheel drive model:
4060-566: The Dandenong , Melbourne , production facility in 1956 brought further jobs; by 1959, Holden employed 19,000 workers country-wide. In 1959, complete knock-down assembly began in South Africa and Indonesia. In 1960, Holden introduced its third major new model, the FB . The car's style was inspired by 1950s Chevrolets, with tailfins and a wrap-around windscreen with "dog leg" A-pillars . By
4205-618: The Family II engine ceased in late 2009. In March 2012, Holden was given a $ 270 million lifeline by the Australian Federal Government (Labor Party of Australia) along with the South Australian and Victorian state governments. In return, Holden planned to inject over $ 1 billion into car manufacturing in Australia. They estimated the new investment package would return around $ 4 billion to
4350-577: The Formula Rolon single-seater series in India. In 2017, GM ceased the production and sale of Chevrolet cars in India, but it continues to run service centers. In 1999, Opel was rebranded to Chevrolet as a coincidence of Chevy's entry to Indonesia. Chevrolet stopped selling cars and ceased production in Indonesia by the end of March 2020. From 1995 to 2000 Toyota in an agreement with GM sold
4495-996: The GM LS1 engine , commonly known by the name or a variant thereof of its progenitor, the Chevrolet small-block engine . On November 8, 1911, the Chevrolet Motor Car Company was incorporated. It was founded by Swiss race car driver and automotive engineer Louis Chevrolet with his brother Arthur Chevrolet , William C. Durant and investment partners William Little (maker of the Little automobile ), former Buick owner James H. Whiting , Edwin R. Campbell (son-in-law of Durant) and in 1912 R. S. McLaughlin CEO of General Motors in Canada . Former Buick officers were also employed, including Curtis R. Hatheway as secretary. Durant
Holden HR - Misplaced Pages Continue
4640-402: The HR was introduced, including changes in the form of new front and rear styling and higher-capacity engines. More significantly, the HR fitted standard front seat belts; Holden thus became the first Australian automaker to provide the safety device as standard equipment across all models. This coincided with the completion of the production plant in Acacia Ridge, Queensland . By 1963, Holden
4785-428: The Holden Astra , as a result of a deal with Nissan. This arrangement ceased in 1989 when Holden entered a new alliance with Toyota, forming a new company: United Australian Automobile Industries (UAAI). 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. The company changed throughout
4930-438: The Holden Commodore , Holden Caprice , and the Holden Ute . However, Holden had also offered badge-engineered models under sharing arrangements with Nissan , Suzuki , Toyota , Isuzu , and then GM subsidiaries Opel , Vauxhall and Chevrolet . The vehicle lineup had included models from GM Korea , GM Thailand, and GM North America. Holden had also distributed GM's German Opel marque in Australia in 2012 and 2013. Holden
5075-415: The Sonic , Captiva , Camaro , and Corvette in limited numbers through an agreement with Yanase Co., Ltd. dealerships. In the 2000s, General Motors Asia Pacific (Japan) had distributed and marketed the TrailBlazer also. As of 2010 , Mitsui Bussan Automotive distributes and markets the Chevrolet Tahoe , Chevrolet Express , Chevrolet HHR , Silverado , and Traverse . Previously, it had also marketed
5220-412: The Statesman WB limousines were introduced in 1980. However, the designs, based on the HQ and updated HJ, HX and HZ models from the 1970s were less competitive than similar models in Ford's lineup. Thus, Holden abandoned those vehicle classes altogether in 1984. Sales of the Commodore also fell, with the effects of the 1979 energy crisis lessening, and for the first time the Commodore lost ground to
5365-409: The United Kingdom , were to be moved upmarket. However, GM reversed this move in late 2013, announcing that the brand would be withdrawn from Europe from 2016 onward, with the exception of the Camaro and Corvette . Chevrolet vehicles were to continue to be marketed in the CIS states, including Russia . After General Motors fully acquired GM Daewoo in 2011 to create GM Korea , the last usage of
5510-458: The plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt , sold as the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera in Europe , which received multiple awards including the 2012 North American Car of the Year, European Car of the Year , and World Green Car of the Year. The Volt/Ampera family was the world's best selling plug-in electric car in 2012 with 31,400 units sold. The Opel / Vauxhall Ampera was Europe's top selling plug-in electric car in 2012 with 5,268 units, representing
5655-479: The "Holden". The unofficial usage of the name "FX" originated within Holden, referring to the updated suspension on the 48–215 of 1953. During the 1950s, Holden dominated the Australian car market. GM invested heavily in production capacity, which allowed the company to meet increased postwar demand for motor cars. Less expensive, four-cylinder cars did not offer Holdens the ability to deal with rugged rural areas. Holden 48–215 sedans were produced in parallel with
5800-429: The 1920s. In the mid-2000s, Suzuki imported and marketed the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and the Chevrolet Optra wagon in Japan. Suzuki, a GM partner, also assembled and marketed the Chevrolet MW microvan. The MW was originally a rebadged Suzuki Wagon R+ and later a rebadged Suzuki Solio. Suzuki had also marketed the Chevrolet Cruze subcompact in the past. In the 2010s, General Motors Japan Limited distributed and marketed
5945-549: The 1950s, the declining sales of large sedan cars in Australia led the company to look to international markets to increase profitability. In 2013, Holden revealed it received A$ 2.17 billion in Federal Government assistance in the past 12 years, the amount was much larger than expected. Holden blamed a strong Australian currency, high manufacturing costs and a small domestic market among the reasons for exit of local manufacturing. The Australian population also blamed GM's consistent mishandling of rebadging Holden's lineup leading to
Holden HR - Misplaced Pages Continue
6090-440: The 1970s, Holden ran an advertising jingle "Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos, and Holden cars", a localised version of the "Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pies, and Chevrolet" jingle used by GM's Chevrolet division in the United States. Holden discontinued the Torana in 1979 and the Sunbird in 1980. After the 1978 introduction of the Commodore, the Torana became the "in-between" car, surrounded by the smaller and more economical Gemini and
6235-455: The 1990s, increasing its Australian market share from 21 percent in 1991 to 28.2 percent in 1999. 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. In this decade, Holden adopted a strategy of importing cars it needed to offer a full range of competitive vehicles. During 1998, General Motors-Holden's Ltd name
6380-417: The 1st generation Chevrolet Camaro by the Yutivo family-owned General Motors plant. Other than Chevrolets, the plant also assembled Opels , Pontiacs , Holdens , Buicks , and Vauxhalls for the Filipino market. GM withdrew from the Philippines in 1985 and returned in 2000. During Chevrolet's absence in the market, many cars like the Chevrolet Suburban and the Chevrolet Astro have been imported new in
6525-515: The 5.7-litre LS unit. The UAAI badge-engineered cars first introduced in 1989 sold in far fewer numbers than anticipated, but the Holden Commodore, Toyota Camry, and Corolla were all successful when sold under their original nameplates. The first generation Nova and the donor Corolla were produced at Holden's Dandenong, Victoria facility until 1994. UAAI was dissolved in 1996, and Holden returned to selling only GM products. The Holden Astra and Vectra , both designed by Opel in Germany, replaced
6670-568: The 50-2106 coupé utility from 1951; the latter was known colloquially as the "ute" and became ubiquitous in Australian rural areas as the workhorse of choice. Production of both the utility and sedan continued with minor changes until 1953, when they were replaced by the facelifted FJ model, introducing a third panel van body style. The FJ was the first major change to the Holden since its 1948 introduction. Over time, it gained iconic status and remains one of Australia's most recognisable automotive symbols. A new horizontally slatted grille dominated
6815-476: The American market passed the 100,000 milestone in July 2016. In October 2016, GM began production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV , the first ever affordable mass market all-electric car with a range over 200 mi (320 km). The Chevrolet Bolt won several awards including the 2017 Motor Trend Car of the Year award, the 2017 AutoGuide.com Reader's Choice Green Car of the Year, Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy 2017, Green Car Journal 's 2017 Green Car of
6960-416: The Atlanta Constitution on November 12, 1911. Others claim that the design was a stylized Swiss cross , in tribute to Chevrolet's home country. Over time, Chevrolet used several different iterations of the bowtie logo at the same time, often using blue for passenger cars, gold for trucks, and an outline (often in red) for cars that had performance packages. Chevrolet eventually unified all vehicle models with
7105-470: The Australian Government to halt the lowering of car import tariffs. By 1997, the federal government had already cut tariffs to 22.5 percent, from 57.5 percent ten years earlier; by 2000, a plan was formulated to reduce the tariffs to 15 percent. Holden was critical, saying that Australia's population was not large enough, and that the changes could tarnish the local industry. Holden reintroduced its defunct Statesman title in 1990—this time under
7250-405: The Australian economy and see GM Holden continue making cars in Australia until at least 2022. In mid-2013, Holden sought a further A$ 265 million, in addition to the A$ 275 million that was already committed by the Federal, South Australian and Victorian governments to remain viable as a car manufacturer in Australia. A source close to Holden informed the Australian news publication that
7395-454: The Australian engine, at least until 1969. The South African Holden Special had power disc brakes in front as standard from 1967. A three-speed manual gearbox with column change and synchronization on the top two gears was standard on the HR, with a two-speed "Powerglide" automatic transmission available as an option. An Opel four-speed manual gearbox was offered from June 1967. A total of 252,352 vehicles were produced up to January 1968 when
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#17327932035187540-409: The Australian government outlining the production of the first Australian-designed car. Ford's proposal was the government's first choice, but required substantial financial assistance. GM's study was ultimately chosen because of its low level of government intervention. After the war, Holden returned to producing vehicle bodies, this time for Buick, Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Vauxhall. The Oldsmobile Ace
7685-418: The Camaro and right-hand-drive Corvette in Japan. Kazakhstan-based Allure Group of Companies and Uzbekistan-based UzAuto Motors opened an assembly plant for the manufacture of Chevrolet-branded cars in March 2020, in the city of Kostanay . As of 2024, the vehicles are assembled from semi-knocked-down or complete-knocked-down kits. Assembly of the Chevrolet Onix from complete knock-down kits commenced at
7830-435: The Chevrolet Export Boxing plant at Bloomfield, New Jersey was repurposed from a previous owner where Knock-down kits for Chevrolet, Oakland, Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac passenger cars, and both Chevrolet and G. M. C. truck parts are crated and shipped by railroad to the docks at Weehawken, New Jersey for overseas GM assembly factories. Chevrolet continued into the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s competing with Ford, and after
7975-437: The Commodore's recovery strategy involved the 1988 VN , a significantly wider model powered by the American-designed, Australian-assembled 3.8-litre Buick V6 engine . Holden began to sell the subcompact Suzuki Swift -based Barina in 1985. The Barina was launched concurrently with the Suzuki -sourced Holden Drover , followed by the Scurry later on in 1985. In the previous year, Nissan Pulsar hatchbacks were rebadged as
8120-452: The Daewoo automotive brand was discontinued in its native South Korea and succeeded by Chevrolet. In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the prominence and name recognition of Chevrolet as one of General Motors' global marques, 'Chevrolet', 'Chevy' or 'Chev' is used at times as a synonym for General Motors or its products, one example being
8265-415: The Dandenong line on 25 October 1962. Following the Chevrolet V8 fitted to the HK, the first Australian-designed and mass-produced V8, the Holden V8 engine debuted in the Hurricane concept of 1969 before fitment to facelifted HT model . This was available in two capacities: 253 and 308 cubic inches (4.1 and 5.0 L). Late in HT production, use of the new Tri-Matic automatic transmission, first seen in
8410-420: The Elizabeth plant was shut down. Holden produced nearly 7.7 million vehicles. On 17 February 2020, General Motors announced that the Holden marque would be retired by 2021. On 30 October 2020, the GM Australia Design Studio at Fishermans Bend was shut down. Holden has been replaced by GM Specialty Vehicles (GMSV), which imports the Chevrolet Silverado and the Chevrolet Corvette . The parts supplier known as
8555-502: The Ford Falcon. Sales in other segments also suffered when competition from Ford intensified, and other Australian manufacturers: Mitsubishi , Nissan and Toyota gained market share. When released in 1982, the Camira initially generated good sales, which later declined because buyers considered the 1.6-litre engine underpowered, and the car's build and ride quality below-average. The Camira lasted just seven years, and contributed to Holden's accumulated losses of over A$ 500 million by
8700-501: The GM presidency. After Durant's second ousting in 1919, Alfred Sloan , with his maxim "a car for every purse and purpose", picked the Chevrolet brand to become the volume leader in the General Motors family, selling mainstream vehicles to compete with Henry Ford 's Model T in 1919 and overtaking Ford as the best-selling car in the United States by 1929 with the Chevrolet International . Chevrolet-branded vehicles are sold in most automotive markets worldwide. In Oceania , Chevrolet
8845-408: The HR was replaced by the Holden HK series. The price at release was A$ 2286 for the 161 cu in (2.6 L) Special Sedan manual and A$ 2856 for the Premier Station Sedan manual. HR Holden Australian Body Plate example Holden Holden , formerly known as General Motors-Holden , was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors . Founded in Adelaide, South Australia , it
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#17327932035188990-418: The Holden Trade Club was renamed GM Trade Parts. An extensive Holden service network continues to help maintain the many Holdens that remain in operation in Australia. In 1852 James Alexander Holden emigrated to South Australia from Walsall , Staffordshire, U.K, and in 1856 established J. A. Holden & Co. , a saddlery business in Adelaide . In 1879 J. A. Holden's eldest son Henry James Holden , became
9135-430: 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 (ABS); although, a rear-wheel system had been standard on the Statesman Caprice from March 1976. ABS was added to the short-wheelbase Commodore range in 1992. Another returning variant was the full-size utility, and on this occasion it
9280-484: The Impala was added to the lineup as Chevrolet began importing the American-built sedan to South Korea for the first time. In 2018, Gunsan plant was shut down on May 31 and VIDAMCO plant in Hanoi , Vietnam was sold by Vinfast in June. Chevrolet Cruze and Chevrolet Orlando was discontinued on May 31. Also Chevrolet Captiva discontinued in July 2018. Their best-selling vehicle is Chevrolet Spark and Chevrolet Malibu . The American-built Chevrolet Colorado pickup
9425-433: The Kingswood sedan, station wagon, and utility body styles to Indonesia, Trinidad and Tobago, Pakistan, the Philippines, and South Africa in complete knock-down form. Holden launched the new HQ series in 1971. At this time, the company was producing all of its passenger cars in Australia, and every model was of Australian design; however, by the end of the decade, Holden was producing cars based on overseas designs. The HQ
9570-421: The LC Torana was phased in as Powerglide stock was exhausted, but Holden's official line was that the HG of 1971 was the first full-sized Holden to receive it. Despite the arrival of serious competitors—namely, the Ford Falcon, Chrysler Valiant , and Japanese cars—in the 1960s, Holden's locally produced large six- and eight-cylinder cars remained Australia's top-selling vehicles. Sales were boosted by exporting
9715-435: The Middle East, Chevrolet-badged cars, trucks, SUVs, and crossovers are sourced from GM Korea (in South Korea) and GM in North America. Formerly, some models were sourced from GM Holden in Australia. The Middle Eastern market has a separate division called Chevrolet Special Vehicles , which (as of December 2007) sourced the high-performance 400 bhp (300 kW) CR8 sedan from Holden Special Vehicles . The Holden Commodore
9860-449: The Middle East. In Pakistan, Chevrolet introduced its cars in collaboration with a local automobile manufacturer called Nexus Automotive . The lineup from Chevrolet Pakistan included the Chevrolet Optra , Chevrolet Spark , Chevrolet Joy , Chevrolet Aveo , Chevrolet Cruze , and Chevrolet Colorado . Chevrolet has been in the Philippines for a long time, assembling the Chevrolet Bel-Air , Chevrolet Impala , Chevrolet Malibu and even
10005-443: The Premier models. Six months after the launch of the HR, all models were given a safety upgrade with the addition of front safety belts, windscreen washers, reversing lights, padded sun visors and a shatterproof interior rearview mirror. The Holden HR passenger vehicle range offered four-door sedan and five-door station wagon body styles in three trim levels with the six models marketed as follows: The HR commercial vehicle range
10150-450: The Starcraft versions of the G-Van and Chevrolet TrailBlazer . Mitsui Bussan Automotive had been importing and distributing certain GM models since 1992, but will cease their GM import business in November 2011, as GM Japan wants to consolidate the distribution channels. The Chevrolet models that have been imported by Mitsui will no longer be sold once existing inventories are depleted. As of 2022, General Motors Japan imports and distributes
10295-408: The Torana continued in with the larger mid-sized LH series released in 1974, offered only as a four-door sedan. The LH Torana was one of the few cars worldwide engineered to accommodate four-, six-, and eight-cylinder engines. This trend continued until Holden introduced the Sunbird in 1976, essentially the four-cylinder Torana with a new name. Designated LX, both the Sunbird and Torana introduced
10440-655: The Toyota-sourced Holden Nova and Apollo. This came after the 1994 introduction of the Opel Corsa replacing the already available Suzuki Swift as the source for the Holden Barina. Sales of the full-size Holden Suburban SUV sourced from Chevrolet commenced in 1998—lasting until 2001. Also in 1998, local assembly of the Vectra began at Elizabeth, South Australia. These cars were exported to Japan and Southeast Asia with Opel badges. However,
10585-722: The United States as the cheapest six-cylinder car on sale. During the Great Depression the Chevrolet Master introduced a streamlined appearance, showing Art Deco influences and before and after the World War II era, the Chevrolet Deluxe and Chevrolet Fleetline found many buyers. Chevrolet had a great influence on the American automobile market during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1953 it produced
10730-476: The United States was a Chevrolet. During the 1960s and early 1970s, the standard Chevrolet, particularly the deluxe Chevrolet Impala series, became one of the United States' best-selling lines of automobiles in history. During that era, the mid-sized Chevrolet Chevelle which was used to introduce the Chevrolet Monte Carlo , and the economically priced Chevrolet Nova , which was the basis for
10875-501: The Vectra did not achieve sufficient sales in Australia to justify local assembly, and reverted to being fully imported in 2000. In the 1990s, Holden's share of the Australian market surged and peaked at 27.5 percent in 2000 before declining to 15.2 percent in 2006. From March 2003, Holden no longer held the number one sales position in Australia, losing ground to Toyota. Commodore sales had peaked in 1998 at 94 642 vehicles and were relatively stable up to 2004 before going into
11020-749: The Year , and was listed in Time magazine's Best 25 Inventions of the Year of 2016. On February 14, 2021, Chevrolet unveiled the 2022 Bolt EUV and redesigned Bolt EV . As of 2010 Chevrolet had operations in over 140 countries, and global sales in 2011 set a record with 4.76 million vehicles sold worldwide. Mexico has a mix of Chevrolet models from different GM brands and platforms branded as Chevrolet. The models come from Chevrolet USA, GM Korea, Mexico and other origins. Examples of Opel-sourced vehicles are Vectra, Astra, Corsa, Meriva, Zafira and Captiva (Opel Antara). Mexico also has some cars of its own, such as
11165-617: The basic fleet model , the Standard , became the Belmont. On 3 March 1969, Alexander Rhea , managing director of General Motors-Holden's at the time, was joined by press photographers and the Federal Minister of Shipping and Transport, Ian Sinclair as the two men drove the two-millionth Holden, an HK Brougham, off the production line. This came just over half a decade since the one-millionth car, an EJ Premier sedan, rolled off
11310-542: The body, and painted and trimmed it. The company began to produce complete motorcycle sidecar bodies after 1913. After 1917, wartime trade restrictions led the company to start full-scale production of vehicle body shells. H. J. Holden founded a new company in late 1917, and registered Holden's Motor Body Builders Ltd (HMBB) on 25 February 1919, specialising in car bodies and using the former F. T. Hack & Co facility at 400 King William Street in Adelaide before erecting
11455-402: The car company is losing money on every vehicle that it produces and consequently initiated negotiations to reduce employee wages by up to A$ 200 per week to cut costs, following the announcement of 400 job cuts and an assembly line reduction of 65 (400 to 335) cars per day. From 2001 to 2012, Holden received over A$ 150 million a year in subsidy from Australian government. The subsidy from 2007
11600-484: The company in 2002 as a representative of GM. This was increased to 50.9 percent in 2005, but when GM further increased its stake to 70.1 percent around the time of its 2009 Chapter 11 reorganisation , Holden's interest was relinquished and transferred to another (undisclosed) part of GM. The commencement of the Holden-branded Daewoo models began with the 2005 Holden Barina, which based on
11745-511: The country under Holden management. In the postwar period, this decentralisation was slowly reduced and, by 1989, the consolidation of final assembly at Elizabeth in South Australia was largely completed, except for some operations that continued at Dandenong until 1994. Engine manufacturing was consolidated at Fishermans Bend , which was expanded to supply markets overseas. Although Holden's involvement in exports had fluctuated from
11890-588: The country via grey-market and sold to retailers. Chevrolet's current Philippine operations are under the control of The Covenant Car Company Inc. The company was officially incorporated on July 1, 2009 and assumed business operations on October 1, 2009. There are at least 24 dealerships around the country as of 2020. Its current lineup include the Chevrolet Spark , Chevrolet Sail , Chevrolet Cruze , Chevrolet Malibu , Chevrolet Colorado , Chevrolet Trax , Chevrolet Trailblazer , Chevrolet Suburban , and
12035-461: The development days, the six-cylinder Torana was reserved for motor racing, but research had shown a business case existed for such a model. The LC Torana was the first application of Holden's new three-speed Tri-Matic automatic transmission. This was the result of Holden's A$ 16.5 million transformation of the Woodville, South Australia, factory for its production. Holden's association with
12180-426: The early 1990s. The plants had belonged to General Motors from 1926 until 1990 in an earlier and quite separate operation from GM's Holden operations in Australia. Holden's production became increasingly concentrated in South Australia and Victoria after World War II . However, Holden had factories in all five mainland states of Australia when GM took over in 1931, due to the combining of Holden and GM factories around
12325-487: The end of 2017. As a result, 2,900 jobs would be lost over four years. Beyond 2017 Holden's Australian presence would consist of a national sales company, a parts distribution centre and a global design studio. In May 2014, GM reversed their decision to abandon the Lang Lang Proving Ground and decided to keep it as part of its engineering capability in Australia. In 2015, Holden again began selling
12470-794: The engine locally for the Camira model, and to export markets - primarily to GM's plants in Europe for installation in Opel/Vauxhall vehicles. While GM Australia's commercial vehicle range had originally been mostly based on Bedford products, these had gradually been replaced by Isuzu products as the Bedford brand was being retired in Britain. This process began in the 1970s and by 1982 Holden's commercial vehicle arm no longer offered any Bedford products. The new Holden WB commercial vehicles and
12615-522: The factory. The engine design has also been used over the years in GM products built and sold under the Pontiac , Oldsmobile , Buick , Hummer , Opel ( Germany ), and Holden ( Australia ) nameplates. In 2000, Chevrolet brought back the iconic Impala , although unlike its predecessors, this car was a mid-sized front-wheel drive four door sedan. It was produced until 2020, and the last generation (2014-2020)
12760-612: The firm, largely through the use of public relations , a then novel form of business communication which was imported to Australia through the formation of General Motors (Australia) Limited. Throughout the 1920s, Holden also supplied 60 W-class tramcar bodies to the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board , of which several examples have been preserved in both Australia and New Zealand. Holden's second full-scale car factory, located in Fishermans Bend ( Port Melbourne ),
12905-617: The first twenty months, with increased production expected. The Chevrolet Cobalt compact sedan will be the first Chevrolet-branded vehicle to be assembled at the plant, with plans to expand to many other models in the coming years. Chevrolet entered the Malaysian market in 2003, replacing Opel . Between 2003 and 2009, a joint-venture between GM and DRB-HICOM called Hicomobil, marketed the Chevrolet Aveo , Chevrolet Optra , Chevrolet Nabira and Chevrolet Lumina . The joint venture
13050-525: The four-wheel drive Jackaroo (1981), the Shuttle (1982) van and the Piazza (1986) three-door sports hatchback. The second generation Holden Gemini from 1985 was also based on an Isuzu design, although, its manufacture was undertaken in Australia. In 1981, the Fishermans Bend engine plant began production of the Family II - part of a global engine programme for GM's compact vehicles. The plant supplied
13195-602: The front end of the FJ, which received various other trim and minor mechanical revisions. In 1954, Holden began exporting the FJ to New Zealand. Although little changed from the 48–215, marketing campaigns and price cuts kept FJ sales steady until a completely redesigned model was launched. At the 2005 Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, Holden paid homage to the FJ with the Efijy concept car . Commercial success underpinned
13340-438: The gold bowtie in 2004, for both brand cohesion as well as to differentiate itself from Ford (with its blue oval logo) and Dodge (who has often used red for its imaging), its two primary domestic rivals. Louis Chevrolet had differences with Durant over design and in 1914 sold Durant his share in the company. By 1916, Chevrolet was profitable enough with successful sales of the cheaper Series 490 to allow Durant to repurchase
13485-544: The introduction of the HJ , heralding new front-panel styling and a revised rear fascia. This new bodywork was to remain, albeit with minor upgrades, through the HX and HZ series. Detuned engines adhering to government emission standards were brought in with the HX series, whilst the HZ brought considerably improved road handling and comfort with the introduction of radial-tuned suspension. As
13630-642: The larger Holden six-cylinder and V8 engines. Initially, the Commodore maintained Holden's sales leadership in Australia. However, some of the compromises resulting from the adoption of a design intended for another market hampered the car's acceptance. In particular, it was narrower than its predecessor and its Falcon rival, making it less comfortable for three rear-seat passengers. With the abandonment of left-hand drive markets, Holden exported almost 100,000 Commodores to markets such as New Zealand, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Malta and Singapore. During
13775-578: The larger, more sophisticated Commodore. The closest successor to the Torana was the Camira , released in 1982 as Australia's version of GM's medium-sized " J-car ". The 1980s were challenging for Holden and the Australian automotive industry. The Australian Government tried to revive the industry with the Button car plan , which encouraged car makers to focus on producing fewer models at higher, more economical volumes, and to export cars. The decade opened with
13920-450: The life of the VL. The decision to opt for a Japanese-made transmission led to the closure of the Woodville, South Australia assembly plant. Emboldened by the apparent sign of turnaround, GM paid off Holden's mounted losses of A$ 780 million on 19 December 1986. At GM headquarters' request, Holden was then reorganised and recapitalised, separating the engine and car manufacturing divisions in
14065-667: The manufacture of Chevrolets and Pontiacs ended in 1968, coinciding with the year of Holden's next major new model, the HK . This included Holden's first V8 engine , a Chevrolet engine imported from Canada. Models based on the HK series included an extended-length prestige model, the Brougham ; and a two-door coupé , the Monaro . The mainstream Holden Special was rebranded the Kingswood , and
14210-485: The manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941), Arthur Chevrolet (1884–1946) and ousted General Motors founder William C. Durant (1861–1947) started the company on November 3, 1911 as the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. Durant used the Chevrolet Motor Car Company to acquire a controlling stake in General Motors with a reverse merger occurring on May 2, 1918, and propelled himself back to
14355-454: The matter. The engine change was necessitated by the legal requirement that all new cars sold in Australia after 1986 had to consume unleaded petrol. Because it was unfeasible to convert the existing six-cylinder engine to run on unleaded fuel, the Nissan engine was chosen as the best engine available. However, changing currency exchange rates doubled the cost of the engine and transmission over
14500-586: The mid-1980s. In 1984, Holden introduced the VK Commodore , with significant styling changes from the previous VH . The Commodore was next updated in 1986 as the VL , which had new front and rear styling. Controversially, the VL was powered by the 3.0-litre Nissan RB30 six-cylinder engine and had a Nissan-built, electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission. Holden even went to court in 1984 to stop local motoring magazine Wheels from reporting on
14645-498: The new Falcon in Australia, only months after its introduction in the United States. To Holden's advantage, the Falcon was not durable, particularly in the front suspension, making it ill-suited for Australian conditions. In response to the Falcon, Holden introduced the facelifted EK series in 1961; the new model featured two-tone paintwork and optional Hydramatic automatic transmission. A restyled EJ series came in 1962, debuting
14790-475: The new luxury oriented Premier model. The EH update came a year later, bringing the new Red motor , providing better performance than the previous Grey motor . The HD series of 1965 had the introduction of the Powerglide automatic transmission. At the same time, an "X2" performance option with a more powerful version of the 179-cubic-inch (2.9 L) six-cylinder engine was made available. In 1966,
14935-675: The office was relocated to the General Motors Building at Cadillac Place in Detroit. In January 1921 a General Motors management survey recommended that the Chevrolet Division be cancelled, but Alfred P. Sloan Jr . recommended that the division be saved and William S. Knudsen , a former Ford employee who oversaw production of the Model T, was made Vice President of Operations and performance improved In May 1925
15080-409: The outcome of a A$ 600 million development programme that spanned more than five years. The new model featured a rounded exterior body shell, improved handling and many firsts for an Australian-built car. Also, a stronger body structure increased crash safety. The locally produced Buick-sourced V6 engine powered the Commodore range, as did the 5.0-litre Holden V8 engine, and was replaced in 1999 by
15225-649: The plant in March 2024. A separate dealer in Almaty , authorized by GM, imports and sells the Tahoe and Traverse. Uzbekistan-based UzAuto Motors and Kyrgyz supplier DT Technikis are opening an assembly plant near Bishkek in the summer of 2024. Components will initially be imported from Uzbekistan, with plans to build components independently in the coming years. The plant will assemble Chevrolet and Isuzu vehicles. The Chevrolet brand has been licensed from GM. The plant will assemble 10,000 cars from semi-knocked-down kits within
15370-493: The process. This involved the splitting of Holden into Holden's Motor Company (HMC) and Holden's Engine Company (HEC). For the most part, car bodies were now manufactured at Elizabeth, with engines as before, confined to the Fishermans Bend plant in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The engine manufacturing business was successful, building four-cylinder Family II engines for use in cars built overseas. The final phase of
15515-575: The production line's closure in 2016. Holden's ultimate survival, though, depended on continued negotiations with the Federal Government—to secure funding for the period from 2016 to 2022—and the final decision of the global headquarters in Detroit, US. Following an unsuccessful attempt to secure the extra funding required from the new Liberal/National coalition government, on 11 December 2013, General Motors announced that Holden would cease engine and vehicle manufacturing operations in Australia by
15660-737: The proprietorship of their Company article September 23, 1933 Financial Post page 9. In the 1918 model year, Chevrolet introduced the Series D , a V8 -powered model in four-passenger roadster and five-passenger tourer models. Sales were poor and it was dropped in 1919. Beginning also in 1919, GMC commercial grade trucks were rebranded as Chevrolet, and using the same chassis of Chevrolet passenger cars and building light-duty trucks, sharing an almost identical appearance with GMC products. Until 1921, Chevrolet Corporate headquarters were located at 57th and Broadway in New York City until April when
15805-505: The resettling to the new Holden headquarters on 191 Salmon Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria. Holden caused controversy in 2005 with their Holden Employee Pricing television advertisement, which ran from October to December 2005. The campaign publicised, "for the first time ever, all Australians can enjoy the financial benefit of Holden Employee Pricing". However, this did not include a discounted dealer delivery fee and savings on factory fitted options and accessories that employees received. At
15950-577: The rise of Holden as a cultural icon, as the Holden car became synonymous with the 'Australian way of life', coming to symbolise the stability of post-war Australian capitalism. Holden's next model, the FE , launched in 1956, offered in a new station wagon body style dubbed "Station Sedan" in the company's sales literature. In the same year, Holden commenced exports to Malaya , Thailand, and North Borneo . Strong sales continued in Australia, and Holden achieved
16095-586: The same time, employees were given a further discount of 25 to 29 percent on selected models. Holden revived the Monaro coupe in 2001. Based on the Commodore VX architecture, the coupe attracted worldwide attention after being shown as a concept car at Australian auto shows. The VX Commodore received its first major update in 2002 with the VY series. A mildly facelifted VZ model launched in 2004, introducing
16240-560: The shut-down of the Pagewood, New South Wales production plant and introduction of the light commercial Rodeo , sourced from Isuzu in Japan. The Rodeo was available in both two- and four-wheel drive chassis cab models with a choice of petrol and diesel powerplants. The range was updated in 1988 with the TF series, based on the Isuzu TF . Other cars sourced from Isuzu during the 1980s were
16385-522: The staggering total of 628 (sic) models of passenger cars being produced in China by February 2019. Until 2003, GM India—originally a joint venture with Hindustan Motors , sold the Opel Corsa , Opel Astra and the Opel Vectra . Launched by GM's India operations, Chevrolet officially began business in India on June 6, 2003. The Corsa and Astra were built at a plant in Halol , Gujarat. Chevrolet sold
16530-677: The still independent Woodville plant built bodies for Austin, Chrysler , DeSoto , Morris , Hillman , Humber , Hupmobile , and Willys-Overland , as well as GM cars. The last of this line of business was the assembly of Hillman Minx sedans in 1948. The Great Depression led to a substantial downturn in production by Holden, from 34,000 units annually in 1930 to just 1,651 units one year later. In 1931, GM purchased HMBB and merged it with General Motors (Australia) Pty Ltd to form General Motors-Holden's Ltd (GM-H). Its acquisition of Holden allowed General Motors to inherit an Australian identity, which it used to cultivate nationalist appeal for
16675-499: The strong Australian dollar and the cost of reducing the workforce at the Elizabeth plant, including the loss of 1,400 jobs after the closure of the third-shift assembly line in 2005, after two years in operation. Holden fared better in 2007, posting an A$ 6 million loss. This was followed by an A$ 70.2 million loss in the 2008, an A$ 210.6 million loss in 2009, and a profit of A$ 112 million in 2010. On 18 May 2005, "Holden Ltd" became "GM Holden Ltd", coinciding with
16820-412: The technical advancements Chevrolet benefited from was the implementation of an overhead valve engine from the very beginning, as the company was developed by the former owner of Buick , which had patented the overhead valve and cross-flow cylinder design as being more efficient than the conventional use of the flathead engine . Actual design work for the first Chevy, the costly Series C Classic Six ,
16965-592: The third-generation model Chevrolet Cavalier as the Toyota Cavalier in Japan in exchange for the Geo/Chevrolet Prism in an effort to avoid additional restrictions on their exports to the US. The OHV Chevrolet Stovebolt engine was used and reverse-engineered by Toyota when they created the Toyota Type A engine when GM had a factory manufacturing GM cars in Japan at Osaka Assembly during
17110-412: The time it was introduced, many considered the appearance dated. Much of the motoring industry at the time noted that the adopted style did not translate well to the more compact Holden. 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. In 1960, Ford unveiled
17255-511: The world, although current versions share few if any parts interchangeable with the original. Descendants of the basic small-block OHV V8 design platform in production today have been much modified with advances such as aluminium block and heads, electronic engine management, and sequential port fuel injection. Depending on the vehicle type, Chevrolet V8s are built in displacements from 4.3 to 9.4 litres with outputs ranging from 111 horsepower (83 kW) to 994 horsepower (741 kW) as installed at
17400-646: Was also available. The 194 cu in (3.2 L) and later 230 cu in (3.8 L) Chevrolet six-cylinder engine was fitted for the South African market. This longer engine required the firewall to be scalloped out. This availability began partway through the HR's existence, with the 194 introduced for the 1967 model year. This was coupled to a fully synchronized, column-shifted, three-speed manual transmission sourced from Opel in West Germany. The Premier Automatic sold in South Africa retained
17545-428: Was also produced from 1946 to 1948. From here, Holden continued to pursue the goal of producing an Australian car. This involved compromise with GM, as Holden's managing director, Laurence Hartnett , favoured development of a local design, while GM preferred to see an American design as the basis for "Australia's Own Car". In the end, the design was based on a previously rejected postwar Chevrolet proposal. The Holden
17690-496: Was an automobile manufacturer , importer, and exporter that sold cars under its own marque in Australia. In its last three years, it switched entirely to importing cars. It was headquartered in Port Melbourne , with major industrial operations in the states of South Australia and Victoria . The 164-year-old company ceased trading at the end of 2020. Holden's primary products were its own models developed in-house, such as
17835-823: Was badged as the Chevrolet Lumina in the Middle East, as well as South Africa. The longer wheelbase Holden Caprice was sold as the Chevrolet Caprice in the Middle East. The Middle East fleet (particularly Saudi Arabia) includes the likes of the Groove, Captiva, Blazer, Tahoe, and Traverse in the SUV/crossover category, and the Silverado in the truck category. Previously, the Cruze, Malibu, Sonic, and Avalanche, among other models, were offered in
17980-528: Was based on the Commodore. The VN Commodore received a major facelift in 1993 with the VR —compared to the VN, approximately 80 percent of the car model was new. Exterior changes resulted in a smoother overall body and a "twin-kidney" grille—a Commodore styling trait that remained until the 2002 VY model and, as of 2013, remains a permanent staple on HSV variants. Holden introduced the all-new VT Commodore in 1997,
18125-496: Was based on the Holden developed GM Zeta platform , that was earmarked to become a "Global RWD Architecture", until plans were cancelled due to the 2007/08 global financial crisis . Throughout the 1990s, Opel had also been the source of many Holden models. To increase profitability, Holden looked to the South Korean Daewoo brand for replacements after acquiring a 44.6 percent stake—worth US$ 251 million—in
18270-524: Was dismissed from his senior management position at General Motors in 1910, a company that he had founded in 1908. In 1904 he had taken over the Flint Wagon Works and Buick Motor Company of Flint, Michigan. He also incorporated the Mason and Little companies. As head of Buick , Durant had hired Louis Chevrolet to drive Buicks in promotional races. Durant planned to use Chevrolet's reputation as
18415-415: Was drawn up by Etienne Planche, following instructions from Louis. The first C prototype was ready months before Chevrolet was actually incorporated. However, the first actual production was not until the 1913 model. So in essence there were no 1911 or 1912 production models, only one pre-production model was made and fine tuned throughout the early part of 1912. Then in the fall of that year the new 1913 model
18560-507: Was ended and Naza was taking over Chevrolet's dealership as Naza Quest Sdn Bhd in 2010. The lineup of Chevrolet cars available were Chevrolet Sonic , Chevrolet Cruze , Chevrolet Malibu , Chevrolet Captiva , Chevrolet Orlando and Chevrolet Colorado . In 2018, Naza Quest Sdn Bhd ceased to distribute new Chevrolet vehicles in Malaysia, but continues to provide warranty support and aftersales service for existing Chevrolet customers. In
18705-646: Was exporting cars to Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Caribbean. Holden began assembling the compact HA series Vauxhall Viva in 1964. This was superseded by the Holden Torana in 1967, a development of the Viva ending Vauxhall production in Australia. Holden offered the LC, a Torana with new styling, in 1969 with the availability of Holden's six-cylinder engine. In
18850-601: Was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer in South Australia before moving into the automotive field in 1898. It became a subsidiary of the United States–based General Motors (GM) in 1931, when the company was renamed General Motors-Holden's Ltd . It was renamed Holden Ltd in 1998 and adopted the name GM Holden Ltd in 2005. Holden briefly owned assembly plants in New Zealand during
18995-587: Was gone and the Chevette was about to be discontinued. Lacking a line of competitive small cars, Chevrolet imported several Japanese models and re-badged them as Chevrolets. The Suzuki-sourced Chevrolet Sprint and the Isuzu-supplied Chevrolet Spectrum were a better match to compete against the popular Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic . The Chevrolet Citation was the division's first compact sized front-wheel-drive car along with
19140-485: Was introduced at the New York auto show . Chevrolet first used the "bowtie emblem" logo in 1914 on the H series models (Royal Mail and Baby Grand) and The L Series Model (Light Six). It may have been designed from wallpaper Durant once saw in a French hotel room. More recent research by historian Ken Kaufmann presents a case that the logo is based on a logo of the "Coalettes" coal company. An example of this logo as it appeared in an advertisement for Coalettes appeared in
19285-432: Was introduced in 2010. Many global-market Chevrolet vehicles are designed and manufactured by GM Korea of South Korea, but they had been sold under the Daewoo Motors brand in South Korea until February 2011. The Daewoo brand was fully replaced by Chevrolet in March 2011. All Daewoo products relaunched under the Chevrolet brand, with the release of the Chevrolet Camaro , Chevrolet Orlando and Chevrolet Aveo . In 2015,
19430-487: Was larger and classified as a full-size passenger car. In 2005, General Motors re-launched the Chevrolet marque in Europe , using rebadged versions of the Daewoo cars produced by GM Korea . The Chevrolet division largely recovered from the economic downturn of 2007–2010 through launching new vehicles and improving existing lines. GM began developing more fuel efficient cars and trucks to compete with foreign automakers . In late 2010 General Motors began production of
19575-417: Was launched in 1948, creating long waiting lists extending through 1949 and beyond. The name "Holden" was chosen in honour of Sir Edward Holden, the company's first chairman and grandson of J. A. Holden. Other names considered were "GeM", "Austral", "Melba", "Woomerah", "Boomerang", "Emu", and "Canbra", a phonetic spelling of Canberra . Although officially designated " 48-215 ", the car was marketed simply as
19720-408: Was more than Holden's capital investment of the same period. From 2004, Holden was only able to make a profit in 2010 and 2011. Industry Minister Kim Carr confirmed on 10 July 2013 that talks had been scheduled between the Australian government and Holden. On 13 August 2013, 1,700 employees at the Elizabeth plant in South Australia voted to accept a three-year wage freeze to decrease the chances of
19865-405: Was not marketed as a "Holden", but rather a "Statesman". The HQ framework led to a new generation of two-door Monaros, and despite the introduction of the similar-sized competitors, the HQ range became the top-selling Holden of all time, with 485,650 units sold in three years; 14,558 units were exported and 72,290 CKD kits were constructed. The HQ series was facelifted in 1974 with
20010-433: Was offered in two-door coupe utility and two-door panel van variants, marketed as follows: The two versions of the inline, six-cylinder Holden Red motor were carried across from the HD series, both with increased engine capacity and a higher compression ratio of 9.2:1. The 114 bhp, 161 cu in (2.6 L) six was standard in all models except the Premiers. A 126 bhp 186 cu in (3.0 L) six
20155-440: Was opened on 5 November 1936 by Prime Minister Joseph Lyons , with construction beginning in 1939 on a new plant in Pagewood , New South Wales . However, World War II delayed car production with efforts shifted to the construction of vehicle bodies, field guns, aircraft, and engines. Before the war ended, the Australian government took steps to encourage an Australian automotive industry. Both GM and Ford provided studies to
20300-404: Was powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine. Fast becoming a popular car, the Gemini rapidly attained sales leadership in its class, and the nameplate lived on until 1987. Holden's most popular car to date, the Commodore, was introduced in 1978 as the VB . The new family car was loosely based on the Opel Rekord E body shell, but with the front from the Opel Senator grafted to accommodate
20445-429: Was relaunched in Europe , primarily selling vehicles built by GM Daewoo of South Korea with the tagline "Daewoo has grown up enough to become Chevrolet", a move rooted in General Motors' attempt to build a global brand around Chevrolet. With the reintroduction of Chevrolet to Europe, GM intended Chevrolet to be a mainstream value brand, while GM's traditional European standard-bearers, Opel of Germany and Vauxhall of
20590-426: Was represented by Holden Special Vehicles , having returned to the region in 2018 after a 50-year absence with the launching of the Camaro and Silverado pickup truck (HSV was partially and formerly owned by GM subsidiary Holden , which GM retired in 2021). In 2021, General Motors Specialty Vehicles took over the distribution and sales of Chevrolet vehicles in Oceania, starting with the Silverado. In 2005, Chevrolet
20735-401: Was shortened to "Holden Ltd". On 26 April 1990, GM's New Zealand subsidiary Holden New Zealand announced that production at the assembly plant based in Trentham would be phased out and vehicles would be imported duty-free—this came after the 1984 closure of the Petone assembly line due to low output volumes. During the 1990s, Holden, other Australian automakers and trade unions pressured
20880-438: Was standard on Premiers and optional on all other models. The 145 bhp twin carburettor "X2" version of the "186" was initially available as an option on all models. The "X2" was replaced by the 145 bhp "186S" in June 1967 after Holden exhausted the remaining X2 intake manifolds; the new version was fitted with a single, two-barrel carburettor. A lower compression (8.2:1) version of the 161 cu in (2.6 L) six
21025-450: Was thoroughly re-engineered, featuring a perimeter frame and semi-monocoque (unibody) construction. Other firsts included an all-coil suspension and an extended wheelbase for station wagons, while the utilities and panel vans retained the traditional coil/leaf suspension configuration. The series included the new prestige Statesman brand, which also had a longer wheelbase, replacing the Brougham. The Statesman remains noteworthy because it
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