During the relatively prosperous
times of the 1960's many were becoming "2
Car Families". Holden identified an
obvious gap in their model lineup, that of the
smaller, cheap to buy, own and run economy car,
and looked to their counterpart Vauxhall to source
such a vehicle. The obvious advantages to the
purchaser was the well established dealer network
in place around the country, and the original
HB model became an overnight success.
But the
Torana
would evolve into something quite special, the
wonderful GTR's quickly gaining a cult following
that remains to this day. Although the LC and
LJ versions were based on the Vauxhall design,
at the hands of the Holden engineers it was inevitable
that a good old Aussie 6 would find its way
under the bonnet, the Torana morphing into something
quite different in the process. Although some
iterations, namely the TA, would fill the "cheap and cheerful"
market segment, others would become legend.
The
name Torana is derived from an Aboriginal word
meaning "To
Fly", and
at the hands of Peter Brock he would make the
Torana do just that around Mount Panorama. XU-1
and A9X models would leave an indelible mark
on the Australian motoring landscape, and remain
prized possessions for those lucky enough to
own one.
1967 - 1969
In the early 1960s other car manufacturers began offering
motorists a broader range of motor vehicles, particularly
smaller more economical and considerably cheaper models
- particularly as Australian households became 2 car family's.
More>>
1969 - 1972
The HB was replaced by the LC Torana in October 1968.
A much better car than its predecessor, it did however
share the same floorpan (although on 6 cylinder models
the wheelbase was lengthened). More>>
1969 - 1971
At just $2778 the two-door only GTR came standard with an Opel floor mounted four-speed box, front disc brakes, heavy duty suspension (firmer springs, shock absorbers and an front
anti-roll bar), full instrumentation, striking stylistic details which included louvres on the front
fenders, handsome two-piece wheel covers and bold paint
colours. More>>
1970 - 1971
By the time the XU-1 hit the market everyone knew the intent, and no doubt the people over at the blue oval were wondering where the chink was in the XU-1's armour was. They didn't have to look far. As GMH didn't have their own 4 speed transmission, they had to stick with the Opel sourced unit, and its dislike for long hard track work was already well known. More>>
Never (Initially 1970)
The Torana with the greatest reputation is, unfortunately,
one that did not make it into production. Designed during
the LC development, but most likely to be released alongside
the new LJ models, the GTR-X used a sleek wedge-shaped
body running XU-1 components under a fibreglass skin.
More>>
1972 - 1975
The LJ Torana of February 1972 was a facelift of the LC,
and offered more refinement with better handling, suspension
revisions and greatly improved noise supression. More>>
1972 - 1974
The LJ versions of the GTR and GTR XU-1's had their engine
capacity raised to 202 cubic inches (3300cc). In September
1972, it received a number of refinements including fine-spline
rear axles and Globe Sprintmaster wheels. More>>
1972 - 1974
The scene was set for another Holden vs. Ford showdown at the Mount during the 1973 Hardie-Ferodo 1000, and everyone wondered if the XU-1, and Peter Brock, could retain the crown. Many felt the new race distance, extended to 1000 kilometres for the first time, would prove a bigger endurance test for the more tempremental GT's - no doubt many Torana fans hoped so. More>>
1974 - 1976
At last Australians could enjoy an Australian designed
medium sized car from Holden - the LH Torana. Most
agreed it was a big improvement over its predecessor,
but was the LH a replacement or a different class of
car? Unlike the previous models that owed their heritage
to the English Vauxhall (from its entirity in the
HB to the chassis in the TA), the LH Torana series
could best be described as a scaled down Kingswood. More>>
1974 - 1976
The LH Torana sure looked the part, once and for all dropping any semblance of linage with the Vauxhall Viva's from which it originated. And while the LH was a truley great car, it was the dominance of the GT Falcon at Mount Panorama that many believed drove the General to shoe-horn an all-Aussie V8 under the hood. More>>
1976 - 1978
A facelift of the LH model, the LX is best rembered for
two reasons, the introduction of the hatchback and, unfortunately,
the last to be fitted with a V8. The hatch was available
is SL and SS versions, and in base form cam equipped
with a 3300 engine, however you could option the 253
4.2 litre V8, while the 5.0 litre V8 came as standard
with the SS. The hatch looked great, however in practical
terms the shallow boot did not swallow as much luggage
as many thought it should. More>>
1976 - 1978
To create the free flowing lines, the GM stylists dropped the roofline sharply from approximately six inches behind the thick B-Pillar - and in doing so created a genuine fastback style. The down-side was that the rear roof-height was somewhat compromised, meaning tall passengers would probably have preferred to travel in the back of a standard LX Torana sedan. More>>
1977 - 1978
The penultimate Torana, and one of the best ever Australian Muscle Cars, the Torana A9X became an overnight legend. That the Brock Commodore's would take four years to surpass their performance speaks volumes about the car's inate power and roadholding ability. More>>
1978 - 1980
The UC was unfortunately the last model in the Torana lineup.
The most obvious changes over the previous model LX were
in the front end re-styling, which featured a new grille
and rectangular headlights. Modifications were also made
to the tail-lights and interior, the latter offering increased
room and superior appointments. More>>
Never (Initially 1969)
In the late 1960's Holden were at the forefront of experimental
car design. Most know of the wonderful GTR-X, but only
a handful will truly remember the Hurricane. Unlike the
GTR-X, the Hurricane was never really intended to make
it into production. Rather, Holden described it as an
experimental research vehicle, allowing them
"‘to study design trends, propulsion systems
and other long range developments". More>>
