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The
Australian automotive industry is one of the most complex, competitive and
exciting environments, employs thousands of Australians and reaches millions of
consumers. Holden
manufactures locally and distributes motor vehicles, engines, components and
parts for a diverse range of domestic and export markets. In addition to the
120,000 vehicles Holden produces in a year, the company also markets an exciting
range of vehicles sourced from overseas General Motors operations. Within
Australia, Holden vehicles compete in the passenger, light commercial and heavy
truck markets. Commodores are exported to markets in New Zealand, Fiji and
Brunei. Left hand drive versions of the Commodore are sold in the Middle East
and Latin America, badged as Chevrolets. Exports of Australian-built Holden
Vectra sedans and wagons to the Asian and Pacific markets began in 1998,
intended to establish Holden as the regional source for one of the mainstream GM
models. Holden
also manufactures and exports a range of Family II four cylinder engines and
components to a diverse customer base including South Korea, Japan, Taiwan,
Indonesia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Belgium,
Egypt and South Africa, making the company Australia's foremost exporter of
manufactured goods. |
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In
1998, Holden’s 50th Anniversary year, Commodore began on a high note by taking
out the highly prestigious 1997 Wheels Magazine Car of the Year award. During
the year, the Society of Automotive Engineers - Australasia presented Holden
with its Golden Automotive Engineering Excellence Award for the safety systems
of the VT Commodore. Many
other awards marked Holden’s 50th year. Commodore was voted Best Family Car by
the RACT, the RACQ and The Age and even became the most admired car at the Sao
Paulo Auto Show. Vectra was named Best Medium Car by both the NRMA and The Age,
and Best Buy in its category by the RACV. Astra was Car of the Year for radio
station 2CH, the Best Car of ’98 at the Canberra Times and voted Best Small
Car by the RACT, the RACQ and The Age. |
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“She’s
a beauty!” Australia’s Prime Minister Ben Chifley launched the first Holden
with those words back on 29 November, 1948, and nobody could have expressed it
better. This was the first car fully built by Australians for Australians, and
it rode a wave of national pride into the showrooms and the roads of this
country. Not
that Holden’s history begins in 1948. It is nearly a century older, dating
back to the arrival of James Alexander Holden in Adelaide and the opening of his
leather shop in 1854. It was a natural move from providing saddlery supplies to
repairing and then manufacturing horse-drawn carriages, and then to the motor
vehicle industry. In 1905, after James’ grandson Edward joined the business,
now called Holden and Frost, it established a motor trimming department. The
next move was to custom-built motorcycle sidecars and car bodies. As
Holden Motor Body Builders, the firm was well placed to benefit from the
government’s decision in 1917 to restrict the importation of complete cars. By
1923, Holden’s produced more than half of the national output of cars using
Buick and Dodge chassis. Business continued to go well until the advent of the
Great Depression, when the rapid downturn of business caught Holden’s unaware.
In 1931, General Motors acquired the firm and formed a new company, General
Motors-Holden’s Limited (GM-H). Business
once again began to flourish and by 1934, under the direction of the dynamic
Englishman Laurence Hartnett, GM-H was booming. Plants at Fishermens Bend in
Melbourne and Pagewood in Sydney joined the Woodville, Adelaide factory and by
the time war interrupted production, 374,073 Holden bodies had been built since
1917. In
September 1944, the Commonwealth Government invited proposals from local
manufacturers for the production of a complete car. GM-H was the first to
respond, and the company’s proposal was accepted. The result was the first
48-215 Holden, received enthusiastically by Ben Chifley, and by the time that
first car rolled off the assembly line Holden dealers already held more than
18,000 firm orders. The
company has never looked back since then. The production of Australian classics
such as the FJ Holden in 1953, the Torana in 1967, the Kingswood and the Monaro
in 1968 and the Commodore in 1978 saw Holden’s name maintained at the
forefront of automotive manufacturing in Australia. Now,
more than fifty years after the first 48-125 rolled off the line, the VT
Commodore continues Holden's proud traditions of value, trust and leadership. |
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Holden
buyers today have a wider choice of models than ever before. Customers can
choose from more than 60 model variants. The
Barina is the smallest member of the Holden range, and houses an economical 1.4
litre fuel injected four cylinder engine. The classy 1.8 litre Astra and the
stylish Vectra, available with 2.0, 2.2 and 2.5 litre engines, complete Holden's
small and medium line-up. The
famous Commodore range, which includes the Executive, Acclaim, Berlina, S and SS
models, and the Calais carry 3.8 litre V6, 3.8 litre supercharged V6 and 5.0
litre V8 engines. The
luxury Statesman and Caprice long wheelbase models are also available with V6 or
V8 engines. In addition, Holden Special vehicles (HSV) markets an exciting range
of performance Commodore and long wheelbase models. The
Holden model lineup also includes light commercial vehicles consisting of the
iconic Holden Ute, the Combo Van and the Rodeo range of cab-chassis and
pick-ups. The four-wheel drive Frontera, Jackaroo and Suburban give the range
its off-road capacity. But
the Holden ‘product’ does not end with cars. It also includes the more than
340 authorised Holden dealers throughout Australia and Holden’s
industry-leading Customer Care initiatives aimed at increasing the level of
owner satisfaction and building brand loyalty. Customer
Care includes initiatives such as a 3 year or 100,000 km new vehicle warranty; 3
year/24 hour Roadside Assistance free with every new vehicle and Holden’s
Luxury Edge program which provides guaranteed vehicle replacement if the
customer is unhappy with a Statesman or Caprice. There is also the GM Card;
Holden Financial Services and the toll-free Customer Assistance Centre telephone
service. In addition, Holden By Design offers new car buyers the opportunity to
individualise their vehicle with a wide range of genuine factory fitted options. |
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Holden
is determined to remain competitive and recognises that exports are the key to
success. The company returned to volume exports in 1998 with left hand drive
versions of the Commodore. Innovative manufacturing techniques allow the cars to
be built on the same line as domestic vehicles. A second car line, inaugurated
in 1998, builds the medium sized Vectra sedan and wagon for domestic and export
distribution. Holden
continues to develop leading-edge technology, especially for passenger and
vehicle safety. The recently introduced side impact airbags, a first in an
Australian-made car, are designed to protect against the most common side
impacts, setting new safety standards. Marking
a whole new era for the company, Holden expects vehicle exports to account for
up to a third of the company’s annual vehicle production within five years,
producing up to a billion dollars in export income. The first stage of the
program involved the supply of left-hand drive versions of the VT Commodore to
the Middle East. It has been followed by Commodore shipments to large markets in
Latin America. There are other prospects as well for the LHD Commodores, and
they will be joined in the next few years by the Holden Vectra, making its own
assault on Asia-Pacific markets. Opportunities
in Asia revolve around the flexible General Motors ‘Asian Platform’ that can
be tailored to specific sub-regional needs. Holden has a key role in the
development of this vehicle through the Holden Technical Centre. |
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Holden’s
comprehensive advertising programs are augmented by selected sponsorship and
endorsement programs. The most high-profile of these include golf sponsorship
and endorsement by Greg Norman, as well as a major commitment to the 2000
Olympics. Naturally, Holden maintains the major presence in motor sport that the
company has now had for 30 years. |
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Holden
is the icon among motoring brands in Australia. Everyone, young and old alike,
feels a sense of affinity and affiliation with the Holden name. The
brand is trusted. It is part of Australia’s personal and cultural history, a
sociable, friendly brand which touches all sorts of people with all sorts of
needs, united by their enthusiastic approach to contemporary Australian life. Australians
especially enjoy driving Holdens because of their style, exciting performance
and outstanding value for money. |
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Between 1948 and 1998, 5.8 million Holdens were manufactured in
Australia. Parked bumper to bumper they would reach twice around Australia on Highway 1. |
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Holden cars have been exported to 75 countries, for total export revenue
of $8 billion. |
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During the first 50 years of its existence, Holden employed a total of 241,000 Australians. | ||
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The first small Holden, the Torana, took its name from an Aboriginal word
meaning ‘to fly’. |
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Holden built its first panel van in 1953, four years before its first
station wagon. |
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Holden was the first manufacturer to offer side impact airbags in an
Australian-made car. |
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