Originally introduced with the HK range as a two-door hardtop coupe, the Monaro is a name uniquely etched into the psyche of any Australian motoring enthusiast. Finding success at Mount Panorama, and at the sales desks of Holden dealerships around the country, the Monaro was a symbol of everything that was great about Australia. Powerful, individual and jingoistic, the Monaro was the envy of many young car enthusiasts through the 1970’s.
Fans of the Falcon GT and Valiant Charger may have derided the Monaro, but it was because of the competition, both on the race track and at the showroom, that 1970’s Australia offered such a wonderful array of quality performance machinery. They were always highly desirable, and inevitably they became highly collectable. Will the lucky owners of the V2 and VZ Monaro’s appreciate they are merely “breaking in” the collectables of tomorrow. We hope so.
1968 - 1969
The sleek, pillarless two-door was introduced six months
after the rest of the range and soon took pride of place
in Holden dealer showrooms across the country. Its 'boy
racer' appeal was universal - a tribute to the foresight
of the then Managing Director of GM-H, Max Wilson. More>>
1969 - 1970
The HT Monaro upgrade exhibited even more of the self-assured
and extroverted attitude of the people who choose to drive
it. Most dramatic change was a new multi-louvred plastic
grille with a raised centre section and Monaro black-outs. More>>
1970 - 1971
Regarded as the most sophisticated of the early Monaro
models, the HG is today one of the rarest and most sought-after
of the charismatic Holden coupes. More>>
1971 - 1974
With the HQ series, Holden's design, engineering and manufacturing
team delivered the definitive Australian car - new from
the ground up and embracing the best of US and European
trends. More>>
1973 - 1974
Inevitably, the trendsetting two-door Monaro had such
a strong influence on the rest of the Holden range that
sedans took on a similarly sleek look. The process began
with the HT sedan's 'faster' roofline and became more
apparent with the arrival of the fluid HQ. More>>
1974 - 1976
As a rush of new European models entered the market and
Australians were presented with a wider range of choices
in general, the HJ Monaro upgrade had to satisfy a more
demanding enthusiast buyer. More>>
1976
The HX arrived in July 1976 as the Australian automotive
industry concentrated on meeting new anti-pollution requirements.
There was no Monaro coupe in the new HX line-up, but the
name was emblazoned on a single, extroverted GTS four
door. More>>
1976
This final coupe was exceptional and exclusive enough
to ensure that the original Monaro concept had an appropriate
send-off. Although the limited edition LE coupe did not
carry the Monaro nameplate, Holden fans regard it as a
true blue member of the breed. The LE arrived in August
1976, almost two months after the HX series release. More>>
1977 - 1979
All cars in the HZ lineup brought remarkable advances in ride and handling with the introduction of Radial Tuned Suspension, delivering
a Holden that tamed local road conditions better than
any before it and handled the twisty bits with European-style
competence. The flagship in the Holden lineup was the GTS Sports Sedan. More
>>
2001 - 2004
First seen at the Sydney International Motor Show as
a design concept in 1998, the stunning Monaro coupe would
make it to production, the first example rolling off
the assembly line in October, 2001 - a transition that
would take only 22 months. More
>>
2003 - 2004
Any classic car collector will tell you the rarer
the car, the more quickly it will appreciate.
It may be a few years off, but if you are looking
at purchasing a second hand Monaro, the CV8-R
would be an astute investment. More
>>
2004 - 2005
It was always going to be difficult to improve on
the magnificent V2 Monaro, but essential to the
success of any update would be one ingredient, better
performance. And so the VZ Monaro was indeed a better
car, if power and torque is the gauge by which any
car should be judged. Boasting 260kW and 500Nm,
the VZ was, for a time, the most powerful mainstream
Holden ever manufactured. More
>>
