Years later still a stunner

It may be 54-years-old, lacks air conditioning, power steering and a CD-player, but it's the vehicle that started the love affair with the tray in Australia.

And its already proving to be a favourite at this year's car show extravaganza.

And while more than five decades have passed, the origins remain the same for Holdens utes, possessing a whole lot of Aussie DNA.

There are noticeable changes in design and features but both were designed, engineered and built in Australia.

The Spearmint Green FX 50-2106 Coupe Utility was the very first of its kind for Holden and was surprisingly fast.

At the end of its first year of sale in 1951, the waiting list grew to 70,000.

Farmers thought it was useful for rounding up sheep, and others found it came in handy at the drive-ins, where it could be turned around and used as a bed.

The concept of the ute has come a long way, from the farm to the city streets.

Over at the Holden stand the new VE Commodore ute, is the first new design for Holden in seven years and shows a much more sporty and sleek look to the 1950s version.

On top of the $1 billion invested for the Commodore sedan, Holden also spent a further $105 million on the ute.

The cars star

• Where: Exhibition and Convention Centre Darling Harbour
• Hours:  weekdays 10am-10pm, Saturday 9am-10pm & Sunday 9am-7pm
• Highlights: Some of the star cars include Maserati GranTurismo, Murcielago LP640 Versace, Exige Sport 240 and BMW CS concept.