Holden Monaro 2006 News

What have been the most significant Australian cars since January 1, 2000 so far? With the first 25 years of the 21st century now out of the way, we rate the 10 most important models that left their mark, or came into their own afterwards.

Even at a time when fuel economy is top-of-mind with a growing number of Australian drivers there is plenty of space on the roads for Commodores and Falcons with old-fashioned V8 muscle under the bonnet. They burble menacingly at idle. They are the backbone of V8 Supercar racing.Yet V8s in the 21st century are not what they were in the days when they first conquered Mount Panorama and a GTHO Falcon or a Monaro - or even a Valiant V8 - was a dream machine for a generation of Aussie youngsters.Since 1970 the crude oil price has exploded from $20 a barrel to double that amount during the Iran revolution, over $70 during the first Gulf War, broke through the $100 barrier ahead of the Global Financial Crisis and has now settled at just below $100.In Australia, petrol prices have correspondingly risen from about 8c a litre in 1970 to about 50c in 1984 and almost $1.50 today.Despite all this, and despite one attempt at a death sentence by Ford in the 1980s, the V8 has not been wiped from Australian showrooms. Holden and Ford have continued to produce large cars with a V8 alternative and continue to slog it out at Bathurst.But Australian cars, even the ones that now have American V8s imported for local use, are not the only bent-eight blasters on the road.Germans are prolific builders of V8s and produce some of the most powerful engines in the world thanks to AMG-Mercedes, BMW and Audi. English V8s are built by Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar, while the Americans provide V8s in the Chrysler 300C sold here. Even the Japanese luxury brand Lexus has a V8 in its IS F hero and its luxury saloon LS460, as well as the LandCruiser-cloned LX470.Most V8s are powerful enough breathing ordinary air, but there are many forced-induction models with either turbo or supercharging to liberate even more power. Walkinshaw Performance does the job in Australia for Holden, BMW is going down the turbo V8 road for its latest M cars and Benz had a time with a supercharged AMG V8.But V8s are not just about unrestricted power. The push for greater fuel economy has also reached V8 land and so Chrysler and Holden have V8s with multiple displacement technology which shuts down half the cylinders when the car is just cruising to improve fuel economy. Formula One racing engines now do the same thing when they are idling on a grand prix starting grid.Holden's Active Fuel Management (AFM) was introduced on the V8 Commodore and Caprice in 2008 and the red lion brand is committed to the engine - with future technology updates - despite near-record fuel prices."It is incumbent on us to keep it relevant and continue introducing new technology that delivers on our customers' needs," says Holden's Shayna Welsh.Holden has the biggest stake in V8s with more models than any other company selling in Australia. It has a total of 12 models with V8 engines across four nameplates and four body styles, including Commodore SS, SS V, Calais V, Caprice V and the recently introduced Redline range. V8s account for about one quarter of Commodore sedan sales and almost half of Ute sales."We see it as being more than just the V8 engine - it's about the entire car. It's the whole performance package that appeals to people and we want to continue making cars that people are proud to own," Welsh says."The combination of features and technology, great handling and braking and outstanding value is consistent across our V8 model range."Ford fans are also committed to V8s, according to company spokesperson Sinead McAlary, who says a recent Facebook survey was overwhelmingly positive."We asked whether they worry about petrol prices and they say 'No, it's the sound of the V8 we love and we are prepared to pay the price'," she says.Both Ford and Holden also have performance divisions where the V8 was, and still is, king. Ford's is Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and Holden's is Holden Special Vehicles (HSV).HSV marketing manager Tim Jackson says their sales are "on par" with last year."That's despite the fact that last year we had the limited edition GX-P which is an entry level product for us," he says. "We don't have that model in our range at all this year and you would expect numbers to come off, but we've been able to maintain sales volume."All of HSV's range are powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine (6200cc 317kW-325kW), while the opposition at FPV has gained the kilowatt advantage with forced induction (supercharged 5000cc 315kW-335kW).Jackson says their LS3 V8 has been "validated" by customers."We're not getting guys screaming at us to go turbocharging. The LS3 is an extraordinary unit. It's a light engine with a good power-to-weight figure. There is not a turbo engine that would do it for us at the right development cost. But I wouldn't rule it (turbo) out or rule it in."Jackson says there have been no repercussions from the rise in petrol prices."Our customers don't have other choices in their repertoire," he says. "A small car doesn't suit them and they're not into an SUV. They're of a certain level where the whole cost of running the car is easy for them to absorb."The top-selling HSV is the ClubSport R8, followed by the Maloo R8, then GTS.However, the greatest HSV in history is debatable, Jackson says.HSV engineering boss Joel Stoddart prefers the all-wheel-drive Coupe4 and sales boss Darren Bowler the SV5000."The Coupe4 is special because of its engineering but I like the W427 because it's the fastest," Jackson says.FPV boss Rod Barrett says they are also experiencing strong sales growth. He says they sold about 500 cars in the first quarter, which is up 32 per cent on the previous year. He also says sales of the F6 have slowed since the launch of the supercharged V8 engine variants late last year, as customers "opt for power". Ford no longer offers a V8 with the demise of the XR8 sedan and ute last year."Our middle name is performance so we have all the V8s," Barrett says. "When we were launching this new supercharged car all the V8s came across here."Barrett says their supercharged engine has changed people's minds about "dinosaur V8s"."The turbocharged F6 was a cult hero car in its day and people thought a V8 was a low-tech dinosaur," he says. "But when we produced a high-tech all-alloy five-litre supercharged V8 built in Australia people started to think that V8s aren't all that bad after all. I'm not seeing the demise of the V8 just yet, but for us, the future is hi-tech."The supercharged 5.0Litre V8 335kW FPV GT continues to be FPV's top-selling vehicle followed closely by the supercharged V8 5.0 litre 315kW GS sedan and GS ute.Barrett believes the current GT is the best FPV car yet with its segment-leading power, light weight and improved fuel economy."However, I think our most iconic car was the 2007 BF Mk II 302kW Cobra in white with blue stripes. That car brought back the passion of '78 with the original Cobra. If you have a look at the second-hand prices, they are still holding up very well" he says.

The hand-built supercar is the latest extreme machine to join the show lineup, which also includes wicked Sucker Punch Sallys motorcycles from the USA.But the Monaro is a car with a difference, right down to its name - The Monaro from HAL.Every panel on the car has been tweaked and it is fitted with a 427 Corvette engine and a full custom interior. And there is the one-off blue paintwork.The car is a joint venture between one-time supercar hero Paul Halstead, who was the Australia importer for DeTomaso cars and created the locally-built Giacattolo, and Autotek chief Bob Roman.Between them they have more than 50 years experience in engineering and fast cars which is reflected in their super-special Monaro."It's a one-off. We took a brand-new Monaro and did something very special," Roman says."It has been totally stripped and then re-sculpted to Paul Halstead's vision."The car was built in Castlemaine and finished this week in time for a first public appearance at the motor show. It will also be the key to a reader contest in next week's edition of the Carsguide.But, even more, it reflects the depth of Australian motoring expertise and that is something Halstead and Roman will be pushing with a new joint venture between Autotek and ADAPS to provide automotive engineers and project managers to the industry.It's a new contract plan which is in its infancy but which can be used for cars like the Monaro, and more."Concept cars are the traffic magnets and the heart-and-soul of every motor show," Roman says."We think creating a car like the Monaro from HAL is a great way to get people thinking about the talent that is available to the Australian motor industry. We are moving to the next level of services to the industry."We want to occupy our own place. Show we're at the cutting edge."The result is a car with wild flared guards, a deep jutting nose and an aero diffuser under the rear bumper. It also has a full custom interior and an upgraded Corvette-style mechanical package."It's street legal but race ready," Roman says."And it's all steel. There is no plastic or fibreglass, the car is completely real."Roman says the car cost around $250,000 to build but it is a cheap investment in the future of a new company."The vehicle itself is basically to show the skills of both companies, on a special project. We could do the same thing on a concept car, or skilled labour in any level of the automotive business."The Monaro from HAL is actually the latest in a string of wild one-off cars created by Roman, from a Hillier Falcon coupe to the gullwing Raptor ute and a Commodore ute known simply as `The Beast'.But there is more to come from the Autotek-ADAPS, in time for the next Melbourne Motor Show in 2011."We're working on something even more radical. It is a rear-mid engined supercar. But that's something for the future," Roman says. The Melbourne Motor Show opens at 5pm on Friday, February 27 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.It runs from 10am-10pm each day until Sunday, March 8.The final day of the show is Monday, March 9 when it is open from 10am-6pm. The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show with video wrap... 

The share market is shot, superannuation is in “negative growth” whatever that means, house prices are dropping alarmingly and interest rates look like falling. Where can you make an honest investment dollar these days? Well, art has some attraction but the numbers involved would make plenty of people tremble in their boots.What about collectable classic cars?We have all heard the stories about the six figure Falcon GTHOs and Monaros not forgetting the European thoroughbred classics, some of which go for multi-million dollar prices.But what if you're just an average punter and want to get in on the action.Take a look at Japanese collectable cars - is the advice coming from those in the know.This is because they have the potential for increased value from a relatively low base. And depending on the car (and luck) you could have a tidy little nest egg in the garage, one that you can take out and actually enjoy at your discretion.Christophe Boribon is the National Auction Manager for Shannons Auctions and he has some firm ideas on what cars are good buying with potential appreciation and those that are dead certainties.Chris' named the Toyota 2000GT as the most collectable classic Japanese car in Australia because of its rarity (only eight imported) and the specification of the car. He says a good one will go for between $2-300,000.Hardly accessible to the average punter.But other cars from most Japanese manufacturers operating here are shaping up well at the auctions and as long term prospects.Mazda's 1960s R100 coupe is worth a look at 10 grand according to Chris' as is the original, glass back RX7.“The RX3 is also good buying at $25-35,000 if you can get a good one and it should appreciate if looked after,” Chris' said.”Then there is the late '90s twin-turbo RX7 and RX7 SP - a locally fettled hotrod that will appreciate because it was a low volume performance car.”“You will pay big dollars for a Mazda Cosmo (up to 100 grand) but the first MX5 is a good proposition for not much money.” He said the SP versions of the later MX5 will be worth more in the long run and even the Japanese turbo model, the SE, should appreciate over time.Toyota has a few potentially collectable models including the late '60s Celica RA23 and TA23 models as well as the rear drive Sprinter 1.6. Celica GT4s should also be good buying if you can find one that hasn't been raced. Honda's most collectable car is the NSX but Chris' says the first S2000 sports cars are worth a look if you can get one that hasn't been thrashed. The tiny S600 and S800 sports cars are good property and even the quad headlight Integra TypeR could appreciate given time.Any Mitsubishi Lancer Evo in reasonable road condition will be worth a punt as a collectable particularly the Evo 6.5 Makinen edition. And if you can get hold of a twin turbo GTO 3000 (non-factory import) it should be a solid investment.Nissan has plenty of collectable cars dating right back to the 1960s. Think Datsun Fairlady sports cars, Datsun 240Z and 260Z coupes and of course the R32 Skyline GTR Godzilla Bathurst winning car - (Australian spec) of which only 100 were imported by the factory. You'll pay about $35,000 for Godzilla these days and it's on the way up for a decent standard one.Subaru has a couple of collectable cars too, the SVX coupe 3.3-litre flat six all-wheel-drive has possibilities and the 22B two door Impreza WRX STi for which you'll pay about $100,000 and going up.Good luck. 

The mystery buyer of the most expensive Australian-made car is a Cairns car collector who was wearing shorts and thongs when he did the record-breaking deal.The businessman, who goes by the nickname Chooka, made national headlines in April when he paid $920,000 for a Holden Monaro.Other collectors have offered him more but he won't sell. The HRT 427, one of only two made, has quietly arrived in the Far North and has been hidden away in a warehouse.In an exclusive interview with Carsguide, Chooka revealed details of the deal as well as other aspects of his multi-million dollar vehicle collection of more than 50 cars and 60 motorbikes. For security and safety reasons he has declined to have his real name identified, but the 41-year-old is well known in collector circles and by senior motor industry officials.Chooka made headlines in April when he wandered into a Sydney showroom wearing shorts and thongs and bought the car, one of two built in 2002 to showcase Holden and HSV's engineering prowess.The other is in Holden's concept car collection and is not for sale. It cannot be driven, but Chooka's can. The registered vehicle features Kevlar fittings, has a 427kW 7.0-litre V8 and race brakes to haul it down from a top speed of 299km/h.It has a roll cage, special racing seats, fuel system, alloy wheels, push button start, six point harness seats, a Motec instrumentation system, a hand made boot spoiler made of Kevlar and aluminium. It is finished in Sting Red and the build number is ED (Experimental Development) 0001, August 12, 2002. It was built to rival Porsche's track-focused 911 GT2.Chooka is a Monaro fanatic and has been told he has the finest and most valuable collection in Australia.“I've got more than 20 of them, from the first ones in 1968 through to the last one in 2006,” he said. There are HK, HT, HG, HQ, HJ and HX Monaros. He has the last HSV GTS Monaro to come off the production line. As well, there are limited edition models.The HRT 427 is probably the most famous and valuable. It was first unveiled at the 2002 Sydney Motor Show and was expected to sell for $215,000. There was a huge response but Holden Special Vehicles abandoned the project because they would have lost money on the cars.Already, Chooka has turned down substantially more than what he paid for the car. None of his cars is for sale. While he rarely drives his Monaros, he took his dad for a spin in the HRT 427. His wife and five children were taken for laps around Eastern Creek in the car at Easter.He has been collecting rare cars for about four years but has amassed a collection scattered around the Far North in about six premises.Chooka, who has a building industry manufacturing plant, said plans were under way to build a museum, a fully operating garage and a race track on the outskirts of Cairns to house the collection.“I don't deem these cars as an asset. It's a passion,” he said. 

Specialist car builder and former racer Erich Bitter has been using General Motors cars for some time and from this month is making a performance Bitter Vero model from a Statesman donor.Holden exports variants of the VE and WM sedan ranges around the world, mainly as Chevrolets and Pontiacs.However, GM Holden media relations national manager John Lindsay said Bitter bought the cars directly from them."I believe he was a friend of (former Holden boss and now GM Europe's product planning head) Peter Hannenberger which is how the relationship was established," he said."We just sell him the cars and he then customises them and resells. We don't get involved in the tech or design side."At the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, Bitter displayed a Holden Monaro/Pontiac GTO based coupe, called the CD II.However, the prototype, which was rumoured to have a V12 engine, never went into production.Bitter this year took the wraps off his Statesman-based Bitter Vero in his former hometown of Schwelm. The company also unveiled a new philosophy, 'Bitter Horsepower.'Under the sculpted hood sits GM's six-litre V8 engine, which produces 270kW of power.The all-aluminium power plant is mated to a four-speed automatic and from May 2008 a six speed automatic will be an option.The biggest visible modification is the new nose with a large, low-mounted grille and massive Bitter logo.Bitter has also modified the suspension, brakes and interior.The Vero can only be ordered directly from Bitter in Germany where it will cost almost as much as a Maserati Quattroporte. 

It is fitting that GM-Holden's engineering guru, Tony Hyde, drives the car that best represents his work; a 2006 Holden Monaro CV8.Hyde and his department were responsible for the modern reincarnation of the venerable Monaro coupe, the modern version of which started as a concept car at the 1998 Australian International Motor Show.As GM-Holden's executive director, engineering, for the past seven years, Hyde has been responsible for some of Holden's most exciting products; Monaro among them.Now, after 39 years' service he will vacate his engineering role to retire at the end of the year.“It was an outstanding project and experience,” he says of the Monaro.Boasting an annual engineering budget of more than $300 million and counting 1250 people on the engineering staff, Hyde hopes he'll be remembered most for allowing his staff the freedom to push the boundaries.“From a management point or leadership point of view, I think I've tried to let the team push the boundaries and, to a certain extent, the Monaro was a bit of that,” he says.“I think that the people who have worked for me have hopefully enjoyed the amount of freedom I've given them."“From a project point of view, I'd say the work I've done on the original disc brakes for Holdens back in the mid-1970s ranks as a piece of work as an engineer that I remember fondly.”Hyde's brake work actually appeared on the Torana A9X concept car from the 1970s.With the new VE Commodore and WM Statesman and Caprice models now bedding in and the arrival of the just-launched VE Ute, Hyde says it's time to go.“I'm 60 in February and I just really think it's about time,” he says. “We're getting to the point of saddling up for the next all-new products and I'm certainly not going to be here for that so I think it's appropriate for new leadership for the team.”The quietly spoken Hyde started with Holden in July 1968; as a technical report writer in experimental engineering.His most favourite Holden is, perhaps not surprisingly, the latest VE Commodore and WM Statesman.“It's perhaps trite to say that but I would, on the basis it is 100 per cent Australian,” he says. “They are our technical tour de force."“However, the VM (Commodore) enabled us to break away from the copies of European vehicles and we were able to get back to the large cars we previously did.”Hyde has held several positions with the company within its engineering organisation, including three overseas postings.Early in his career he had a two-year scholarship to General Motors' Institute in Michigan in 1971; where he was subsequently awarded an overseas fellowship with GM.This was followed a few years later by a two-year assignment with Opel in Germany.After a brief interlude in 1984 in the role of manager, technical services, Hyde was promoted to chassis transmission and drivetrain engineer, which led to the role of manager, mechanical engineering in 1986.In recent years Hyde has expanded the breadth of his portfolio within Holden in other engineering and planning roles.In August 1997 he was promoted to the position of director, engineering and design, at GM Holden before taking on his current position as executive director, engineering, in 2000.One of his tasks has been to take Holden engineering to the GM world, by making Holden responsible for rear-drive platforms for GM.In 2002, he was also appointed to the Holden Special Vehicles board.Apart from his jet-black Monaro, Hyde also has a 1976 Chevrolet Corvette in his garage to tinker with in retirement.When he's not driving on the road, he'll be on the golf course trying to better his 3.5 handicap.Hyde will be replaced by Greg Tyus, who is currently general director, engineering and product planning, at GM Canada.Tyus will begin transitioning into his new position next month. 

Previous Bathurst 1000 Winners 1963 Harry Firth/Bob Jane Ford Cortina GT 1964 Bob Jane/George Reynolds Ford Cortina GT 1965 Bo Seton/Midge Bosworth Ford Cortina GT500 1966 Rauno Aaltonen/Bob Holden Morris Mini Cooper S 1967 Harry Firth/Fred Gibson Ford Falcon XRGT 1968 Bruce McPhee/Barry Mulholland Holden Monaro GTS

General Motors product chief Bob Lutz confirmed the high-performance Commodore SS, the sporty V8 version of Australia's favourite sedan, would sell as the Pontiac G8 in the US, with the export car due to be unveiled at the Chicago motor show next month."We're seriously planning to import a lot of Commodore SSs in the guise of Pontiac G8s," Mr Lutz said at the Detroit motor show yesterday. "It's such a logical thing to do."The export drive comes at a critical time for the nation's vehicle industry, which has been hit by a sales slump as consumers, mindful of higher petrol prices, shift to smaller imported cars.This has forced three of the four big local manufacturers - Mitsubishi, Ford and Holden - to cut jobs in response to tougher market conditions and search for cheaper parts overseas.Mr Lutz, a prime mover behind the Monaro export scheme, said GM's global strategy now required every model to be feasible for any market. He said the flipside for Australia would be an increasing variety of vehicles imported from the US, including the new Camaro.He refused to say when Commodore shipments would begin, but the February unveiling in Chicago suggests work is well advanced.The Monaro sold beyond expectations in Australia but failed to reach sales forecasts in the US, where it was criticised as being too bland to resurrect the famous Pontiac GTO muscle car.Exchange rates, with the rising Australian dollar, were another problem. "With the GTO we made a mistake because we passed on the deterioration in profitability that we took through the appreciation of the Australian dollar," Mr Lutz said.However, the Monaro had helped change thinking at the car giant."While the GTO program may not have fulfilled all our hopes and dreams in terms of volume and profitability, it did break the ice on global programs," he said. "It got everybody in North America understanding that the engineering groups in the other regions can do excellent vehicles for the North American market."

THERE could be a future movie star waiting to be discovered in your garage. A sports management company has branched out to find cars for movies, television shows and ads.Vantage Management opened its Star Cars arm last month and wants to expand its books. It's now looking for some new talent, director Shan Railton says.He says someone could have the next "General Lee" or "Mad Max Interceptor" parked in their driveway."If you think about all the ads on telly or the movies or even basic photos for magazines, they all have to come from somewhere," Railton says."The criteria is any car or thing you couldn't find in a standard car lot or rent from Avis. It might be a classic or something rare, or something outrageous. It could be a new FPV or Monaro, a WRX or an old Dodge pick-up."The cars don't even have to be in good condition. We needed a car for someone who was supposed to be down and out, and the car had to match. All we can say is we probably don't need any white Commodores, unless it's a 1978 white Commodore in perfect condition."Railton says Star Cars works much the same way as a fashion model agency. Vantage gets a call from a film or magazine production company and checks its books for a car to match. Once a match is found, Vantage works out a deal.Its cut is 17.5 per cent as an agent fee. The owner's only commitment is to turn up with the car at the agreed time and place."If you have a car that fits our very wide criteria, there is no reason why you wouldn't register it," Railton says. "It costs owners nothing except their car's time."If someone wanted to use your car I'd get a brief of where, when and who is going to drive it. We email that info to the owner and it's up to them to say yes or no within a certain time."Some production companies want their own people to drive the car, but that, of course, has to be part of the contract. And someone on our books who doesn't want to accept a job, doesn't have to."Railton says the system works for everyone. Production companies save time and money and clients can make money. How much usually depends on the value of the car."It's a sliding scale based on the insurance value of the car and the job," Railton says."We had a job involving street machines on the Gold Coast, but there had to be 80s cars and they had to be American. That job was $400 a day for each car, and they were just parked on the street. That's about the cheapest job because it's not worth it to us or our clients to do it for less than that."At the other end of the spectrum, we had a car used for three months. The production company spent $30,000 fully restoring it, then paid the owner $15,000 for the job."Feature film work (Vantage found cars for House of Wax, which starred Paris Hilton) makes up about a third of all Star Car jobs.The balance is split between TV shows, ads and magazine photo shoots.So you think your car is up to it? Check www.vantagemanagement.com.au