The Thunder, last seen in the days of the VZ workhorse, has been brought back to combat all the attention Ford is getting with its updated Territory and revamp plans for the Falcon.
The official excuse for the Thunder ute is the 60th anniversary of the first Holden ute, produced in 1951 and officially known as the 50-2106 Coupe Utility. The Thunder run comes with a claimed $3000 worth of extra value, thanks to charcoal-finish 19-inch alloys, satnav, leather seat bolsters and - not surprisingly - Thunder badge.
“Over 60 years of production, the Holden ute has evolved from typical tradesman’s transport to two-door sports machine with a practical edge - that’s epitomized by the Thunder range,” says GM Holden's executive director of sales and marketing, John Elsworth.
The Thunder pack is available on the SV6 and SS utes, with driveaway pricing of $34,990 and $39,900 for manual models. Add $4500 for the the automatic versions.