Holden Cars

The list below are all of the Holdens manufactured since 1948.  A model list and a history of Holden cars follows this list. 

48-215 Holden (FX)
Year of Manufacture: 1948
Engine: 2.15 litre 6 cylinder
Power: 45kW
Transmission: 3 speed manual
Price: $1,466

FJ Holden
Year of Manufacture: 1953
Engine: 2.15 litre 6 cylinder
Power: 45kW
Transmission: 3 speed manual
Production: 169,969
Price: $2,046

FE Holden
Year of Manufacture: 1956
Engine: 2.15 litre 6 cylinder
Power: 53kW
Transmission: 3 speed manual
Production: 155,161
Price: $2,284

FC Holden 
Year of Manufacture: 1958
Engine: 2.15 litre 6 cylinder
Power: 53kW
Transmission: 3 speed manual
Production: 191,724
Price: $2220

FB Holden
Year of Manufacture: 1960
Engine: 2.26 litre 6 cylinder
Power: 56kW
Transmission: 3 speed manual
Production: 174,747
Price: $2214

EK Holden 
Year of Manufacture: 1961
Engine: 2.26 litre 6 cylinder
Power: 56kW
Transmission: 3 speed manual & 3 speed Hydramatic
Production: 150,214
Price: $2,212

EJ  Holden
Year of Manufacture: 1962
Engine: 2.26 litre 6 cylinder
Power: 56kW
Transmission: 3 speed manual & 3 speed Hydramatic
Production: 154,811
Price: $2102

EH  Holden
Year of Manufacture: 1963
Engine: 2.45 litre (149ci) 6 cylinder & 2.95 litre (179ci) 6 cylinder
Power: 75kW & 86kW
Transmission: 3 speed manual & 3 speed Hydramatic
Production: 256,959
Price: $2,102

HD Holden 
Year of Manufacture: 1965
Engine: 2.45 litre (149ci) 6 cylinder & 2.95 litre (179ci) 6 cylinder & 2.95 litre X2 6 cylinder
Power: 105kW (X2)
Transmission: 3 speed manual & 2 speed Powerglide automatic
Production: 178,927
Price: $2,320

HR Holden
Year of Manufacture: 1966
Engine: 2.65 litre (161ci) 6 cylinder & 3.05 litre (186ci) 6 cylinder & 3.05 X2 6 cylinder
Power: 95kW (186)
Transmission: 3 & 4 speed manual & 2 speed Powerglide
Production: 252,352
Price: $2,167

HK Holden 
Year of Manufacture: 1968
Engine: 2.65 litre (161ci) 6 cylinder ; 3.05 litre (186ci) 6 cylinder ; 3.05 litre 6 cylinder (186S) ;5.0 litre V8 (307) & 5.3 litre V8 (327)
Power: 95kW (186) & 188kW (327)
Transmission: 3 speed manual ; 4 speed manual & 2 speed Powerglide
Production: 199,039
Price: $2,215

HT Holden
Year of Manufacture: 1969
Engine: 2.65 litre (161ci) 6 cylinder ; 3.05 litre (186ci) 6 cylinder ; 4.2 litre V8 (253) ;5.0 litre V8 (307) ; 5.0 litre V8 (308) & 5.74 litre V8 (350)
Power: 95kW (186) & 188kW (327)
Transmission: 3 speed manual ; 4 speed manual & 2 speed Powerglide
Production: 183,402
Price: $2326

HG Holden 
Year of Manufacture: 1970
Engine: 2.65 litre (161ci) 6 cylinder ; 3.05 litre (186ci) 6 cylinder ; 4.2 litre V8 (253);5.0 litre V8 (307) & 5.74 litre V8 (350)
Power: 97kW (186) & 225kW (350)
Transmission: 3 speed manual ; 4 speed manual ; 2 speed Powerglide & 3 speed Trimatic
Production: 155,787
Price: $2394

HQ Holden
Year of Manufacture: 1971
Engine: 2.84 litre (173ci) 6 cylinder ; 3.3 litre (202ci) 6 cylinder ; 4.2 litre V8 (253);5.0 litre V8 (308) & 5.74 litre V8 (350)
Power: 101kW (202) & 206kW (350)
Transmission: 3 speed manual ; 4 speed manual ; 3 speed Trimatic & 3 speed Turbohydramatic 400 (350 only)
Production: 485,650
Price: $2,730

HJ  Holden
Year of Manufacture: 1974
Engine: 2.84 litre (173ci) 6 cylinder ; 3.3 litre (202ci) 6 cylinder ; 4.2 litre V8 (253) & 5.0 litre V8 (308)
Power: 101kW (202) & 179kW (308)
Transmission: 3 speed manual ; 4 speed manual ; 3 speed Trimatic & 3 speed Turbohydramatic 400 (308 only)
Production: 167,251
Price: $3594

HX Holden 
Year of Manufacture: 1976
Engine: 2.84 litre (173ci) 6 cylinder ; 3.3 litre (202ci) 6 cylinder ; 4.2 litre V8 (253) & 5.0 litre V8 (308)
Power: 82kW (202) & 180kW (308)
Transmission: 3 speed manual ; 4 speed manual ; 3 speed Trimatic & 3 speed Turbohydramatic 400
Production: 110,669
Price: $5186

HZ  Holden 
Year of Manufacture: 1977
Engine: 3.3 litre (202ci) 6 cylinder ; 4.2 litre V8 (253) & 5.0 litre V8 (308)
Power: 81kW (202) & 161kW (308)
Transmission: 3 speed manual ; 4 speed manual ; 3 speed Trimatic & 3 speed Turbohydramatic 350
Production: 154,155
Price: $6,377

VB Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Oct 1978
Engine: 2.85 litre 6 cylinder ; 3.3 litre 6 cylinder ; 4.2 litre V8 & 5.0 litre V8
Transmission: 4 speed manual ; 3 speed Trimatic & 3 speed Turbohydramatic 350/400
Production: 95,906
Price: $6,513

VC Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Mar 1980
Engine: 1.9 litre 4 cylinder ; 2.85 litre 6 cylinder ; 3.3 litre 6 cylinder ; 4.2 litre V8 & 5.0 litre V8
Transmission: 4 speed manual ; 3 speed Trimatic & 3 speed Turbohydramatic 350
Production: 121,807
Price: $7403

VH  Holden Commodore
Year of Manufacture: Sep 1981
Engine: 1.9 litre 4 cylinder; 2.85 litre 6 cylinder ; 3.3 litre 6 cylinder ; 4.2 litre V8 & 5.0 litre V8
Transmission: 4 speed manual ; 5 speed manual ; 3 speed Trimatic & 3 speed Turbohydramatic 350/400
Production: 141,018
Price: $8366

VK Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Feb 1984
Engine: 3.3 litre 6 cylinder ; 3.3 litre EFI 6 cylinder & 5.0 litre V8
Transmission: 4 speed manual ; 5 speed manual & 3 speed Trimatic
Production: 135,705
Price: $11,152

VL Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Mar 1986
Engine: 3.0 litre 6 cylinder ; 3.0 litre turbo-charged 6 cylinder & 4.9 litre V8
Transmission: 5 speed manual ; 3 speed Trimatic (V8) & 4 speed automatic(6 cylinder)
Production: 151,801
Price: $13,830

VN Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Aug 1988
Engine: 3.8 litre EFI V6 ; 5.0 V8 EFI
Power: 125kW (V6) & 165kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed manual ; 4 speed Turbohydramatic ; 6 speed ZF manual (Group A)
Production: 215,180
Price: $20,014

VP Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Sep 1991
Engine: 3.8 litre EFI V6 ; 5.0 V8 EFI
Power: 127kW (V6) & 165kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed manual & 4 speed Turbohydramatic 700
Production: 111,949
Price: $21, 894

VR Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Jul 1993
Engine: 3.8 litre EFI V6 ; 5.0 V8 EFI
Power: 130kW (V6) & 165kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed manual & 4 speed Turbohydramatic
Production: 165,262
Price: $25,302

VS Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Apr 1995
Engine: 3.8 litre EFI V6 ; 5.0 V8 EFI
Power: 145kW (V6) & 165kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed manual & 4 speed Turbohydramatic
Production: 277,774
Price: $26,780

VT  Holden Commodore
Year of Manufacture: Aug 1997
Engine: 3.8 litre ECOTEC EFI V6 ; 3.8 litre Supercharged V6 & 5.0 V8 EFI
Power: 147kW (V6) ; 171kW (Supercharged) & 179kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed Getrag manual & 4 speed Turbohydramatic
Production: 303,895
Price: $28,330

VX Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Sep 2000
Engine: 3.8 litre ECOTEC EFI V6 ; 3.8 litre Supercharged V6 & 5.7 V8 EFI
Power: 152kW (V6) ; 171kW (Supercharged) & 225kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed Getrag manual & 4 speed Turbohydramatic
6 speed manual on SS sedan
Production: 207,339
Price: $28,900

VY Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Oct 2002
Engine: 3.8 litre ECOTEC EFI V6 ; 3.8 litre Supercharged V6 & 5.7 V8 EFI
Power: 152kW (V6) ; 171kW (Supercharged) & 235kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed Getrag manual & 4 speed Turbohydramatic
6 speed manual on SS sedan & ute
Production: 241,909
Price: $30,880

VZ  Holden Commodore
Year of Manufacture: Aug 2004
Engine: 3.6 litre Alloytec EFI V6 ; 5.7 V8 EFI and from 2006 production 6.0 Gen 4 V8 EFI
Power: 175kW (V6) ; 190kW (High Output) & 260kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed manual & 4 speed or 5 speed auto
6 speed manual on SS sedan & ute
Production: 228,788
Price: $36,240 

VE Holden Commodore 
Year of Manufacture: Jul 2006
Engine: 3.6 litre Alloytec EFI V6 ; 6.0 litre GEN IV V8 EFI
Power: 180kW (V6) ; 195kW (High Output) & 270kW (V8)
Transmission: 5 speed manual on SV6, 6 speed manual on SS, 4 speed auto on Omega, 5 speed auto on SV6 and Calais V6 engines, and 6 speed auto with GEN IV
Production: Commenced July 2006
Price: $36,490 

Holdens by Date of Manufacture

• (1948-1953) 48-215
• (1953-1956) FJ
• (1956-1958) FE
• (1958-1960) FC
• (1960-1961) FB
• (1961-1962) EK
• (1962-1963) EJ
• (1963-1965) EH
• (1965-1966) HD
• (1966-1968) HR
• (1968-1969) HK
• (1969-1970) HT
• (1970-1971) HG
• (1971-1974) HQ
• (1972-1974) LJ Torana GTR-XU1
• (1974-1976) HJ
• (1976-1977) HX
• (1977-1980) HZ

The History of Holden Cars

The Holden tradition was started by an English immigrant James Alexander Holden, who started a leather goods business in Australia, 1857. Later the business expanded into the production of coaches and then truck bodies, by Henry James Holden the son of James Holden, after his death in 1887. The join with Frederick Hack in 1918 formed what was known as Holden Motor Body Builders. The company was building bodies for Chevrolet, Ford, Buick, Essex and Hupmobile by 1920 and was building more than 500 bodies a month by 1922.

In 1924, when production was over 20,000 units a year, Henry Holden made the biggest deal yet. The Holden Motor Body Builders would be contracted to build entire car bodies for all General Motors chassis imported into the country. The deal was ensuring at least 10,000 units per year. Two years on and Henry Holden passed away, leaving the company in the hands of his son Edward Holden. The company was producing 36,000 units per year.

General Motors set up headquarters in Melbourne, Victoria and installed assembly plants in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. By 1927 over 100,000 units per year were being sold.

But the future of the company wasn't looking too good when the depression hit Australia in the early 1930s. With the company having to deal with huge losses every day, and the future of General Motors looking bleaker, a deal had to be made. In 1932 the GM director, Graeme Howard visited to see stockpiles of unsold cars, which would probably never be sold. GM had no other assets to keep itself afloat, whereas the Holden assets included buildings, land and production equipment.

Graeme. Howard and the now Sir Edward Holden agreed that the merge of both companies would enable them to pool resources and survive the low car sales. Vehicle prices dropped and by 1934 sales slowly but steadily increased and when the second World War came about, the economic recovery was complete. The new company, GMH, concentrated on building armaments engines and ships at Fishermen's Bend, Melbourne. When the end of the war came about General Motors Holden had already been considering plans for the first all Australian car. The car would go under the name of it's founder, Holden.

Designers had to design a car which could be used in Australian environments. It had to have enough power and be able to handle the harsh road and bush conditions. "Project 320" was underway, with some assistance of United States engineers and BHP steel.

Production was complete. Australia's first locally produced car was known as the 48-215, but we all know it as the FX Holden. Prototypes were released in 1946, but there were still problems with it. The car went under the biggest stress test to help further develop the design, which was almost going to be thrown out. Finally testing finished and the prototype became a production car. The first 48-215 rolled off the line on the 29th of November 1948. The release of Australia's first car was made by the then Prime Minister JB Chifley. The Holden cars were all successful, and the production of same created many jobs for Australian people.