Holden Monaro

The Holden Monaro ( ) is a car that was manufactured by General Motors' Australian division Holden. It has a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and was produced with a two-door coupé body from 1968 to 1976 and again from 2001 to 2006 and with a four-door sedan body from 1973 to 1979.

Three generations of the Monaro coupe have been produced, the first covering the HK, HT, and HG series from 1968 to 1971, the second covering the HQ, HJ, HX, and HZ series from 1971 to 1979, and the third covering the VX, VY, and VZ series from 2001 to 2006.

The first-generation Monaro coupe was also manufactured by General Motors South Africa from 1970 to 1973, using knock-down kits imported from Australia.

The third-generation Monaro coupe was manufactured not only for domestic Australian consumption, but also for export, as variously a Chevrolet Lumina Coupe (Middle East), Vauxhall Monaro (UK), or Pontiac GTO-badged vehicle (USA). The third generation was also "remanufactured" in Australia by Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), from 2001 to 2006, marketed in a range of HSV-badged high performance derivatives without application of the Monaro nameplate.

First generation (1968–1971)

HQ

A completely new body design emerged with the HQ series in July 1971, including the new Monaro 'LS' (commonly believed to mean "Luxury Sports") model which featured four headlights and chrome trim rings shared with the Holden Premier sedan. There were no longer any six-cylinder versions of the Monaro GTS, just the locally manufactured or optional V8s or the top level GTS350 coupé, equipped with an imported Chevrolet motor.

The base model Monaro standard engine was enlarged to whilst the Monaro LS had a broad spectrum of engine options from a six to the V8. The new coupé design had a much larger rear window and a squarer rear quarter window; it was somehow seen as not as sporty looking compared to the earlier HK-HT-HG series, but is often now considered one of the best looking body designs to come from an Australian manufacturer. Taillights were now rectangular in dual-unit style, integrated into the rear bumper; they were not unlike those of the American 1969 Chevrolet Bel Air/Biscayne. The car's styling was somewhat reminiscent of the 1970-72 Chevrolet Chevelle.

left|thumb|1971–1974 Holden Monaro GTS coupe (HQ)

thumb|1971–1974 Holden Monaro GTS 350 coupe (HQ)

Until 1973, the HQ Monaro GTS did not have any exterior graphics and the L48 Chevy V8 was a little less potent than in previous HT/HG versions rated at at 4,800 rpm and of torque at 3,200 rpm, especially with the optional Turbo-hydramatic 400, 3-speed automatic transmission. This and the fact that the same 350 engine was also available as on option in the large Statesman luxury sedan, probably contributed to a downgrade of the Monaro GTS range in muscular image terms, as did the replacement of the bigger coupés with the inline-six engine Holden Torana GTR XU-1 as the chosen GM car for Australian touring car racing. The introduction of bonnet and bootlid paint-outs in 1973 coincided with the release of the HQ Monaro GTS in four-door sedan configuration. It is generally considered that Holden created the bold contrasting paint-outs so the new Monaro GTS sedan would not be mistaken for the Kingswood sedan upon which it was based.

The continued erosion of the GTS350 cachet was compounded by the deletion of specific "350" decals on the post-1973 cars, with all Monaro GTS coupés and sedans now being externally labelled with the generic HQ series 'V8' bootlid badge. In the final year of HQ production, i.e. 1974, the manual-transmission version of the GTS350 was discontinued and sales of the automatic version were minimal prior to the engine option being discontinued.

A 1972 model year two-door base Monaro was used in the film Mad Max as the MFP Pursuit Special driven by the Nightrider during the film's opening chase scene.

HJ

Introduced in October 1974, the HJ Monaro incorporated a heavy facelift and some model rationalisation. The LE was an amalgam of prestige and surplus parts (including an eight-track cartridge player well after cassette tapes were common), in effect a combination of Monaro GTS and Statesman Caprice components. The LE had a price tag to match: AUD$11,500. The cars were built at the now-defunct Pagewood (Sydney) plant. Production totalled 580 cars.

File:1976 Holden Limited Edition (HX) coupe (25184906076).jpg|1976–1977 Holden Limited Edition (HX)

File:Holden HX LE (15113792416).jpg|Rear view

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HZ

For the new Holden HZ range General Motors decided to delete the Monaro name altogether and shortened the name to Holden GTS. However the Holden HZ GTS sedan is commonly and unofficially referred to as a Monaro. With the development of Radial Tuned Suspension handling had significantly improved since previous models. Released on 5 October 1977,

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| production = November 2001 – February 2006

| model_years = 2002–2006

| assembly = Australia: Adelaide, South Australia (Elizabeth)

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After 25 years of absence of a full-size Holden coupe, the Monaro made a return in November 2001 following the overwhelming response of the public and media to the VT Commodore-based Holden Coupé concept displayed at the 1998 Australian International Motor Show held in Sydney. The third generation of the Monaro was produced from 2001 to 2006.

V2

left|thumb|2001–2003 Holden Monaro (V2)(VX) CV8 coupe

After a gestation period of 22 months (contrary to the planned 12 to 18 months) and at a cost of A$60 million, Holden launched the V2-series Monaro based on the VX-series Commodore. It was available as the CV6, with a 3.8 L Supercharged Ecotec L67 V6 and 4-speed automatic transmission (production ceased in August 2004 along with the Holden and HSV models based on the VY series 2 Commodore), along with the CV8, featuring the 5.7 L LS1 V8, with a choice of either a 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.

VZ

On 12 September 2004, Holden introduced the VZ Monaro CV8 with a 15 kW increase in engine power when compared to the previous V2-series cars. The VZ series at first came in only four paint colours (Phantom, Devil, Turismo and Quicksilver) and later saw the addition of a fifth colour named Fusion, seen only in the closing of production CV8-Z model. The VZ Monaro CV8 was upgraded in other ways too, receiving a 10-speaker audio system with two built-in subwoofers, new front/rear bumper assemblies, dual exhaust system and various other small changes. with the proceeds going to the Leukaemia Foundation.

thumb|2005-2006 Holden Monaro CV8-Z in colour "Fusion"

The Holden Monaro CV8-Z was produced to farewell the legendary Monaro name, much like what had been done with the LE coupé back in 1976 and 1977. Wheels magazine tested a CV8-Z in the March 2006 issue with a Ford Mustang GT and a Nissan 350Z. They summed up the test with, "The Monaro eats Mustangs and spits out Nissans. It's a class act that deserves an encore performance."

Safety

Badge engineered Monaro models (2001–2006)

The Monaro was used as a basis for various concept cars and was used by several different brands, HSV in Australia, Chevrolet in the Middle East, Pontiac in North America, and Vauxhall Motors in the United Kingdom.

HSV Coupé

The HSV Coupé is a high performance iteration which was produced by Holden Special Vehicles from 2001 to 2006. It was originally based on the Monaro V2 series but did not carry the Monaro name.

As in the case of the Commodore-based HSV sedan range, the Coupé's body was built at the Holden manufacturing plant in Elizabeth, South Australia, and then transported and modified at HSV's Clayton production facility. The initial range consisted of two models, the GTO and GTS, which were differentiated by their engine and exterior design. The entry-level GTO was originally powered by a LS1 V8 engine, whereas the GTS had a Callaway C4B V8 engine rated at . Externally, the GTS differed from the GTO in having contrasting colour accents on the bumpers and side skirts.

The GTO's engine output increased to in the Series II upgrade of March 2003, and with the Series III upgrade of September 2003. Other additions brought by the latter upgrade included a revised exhaust system and extra cabin instrumentation. Between September 2003 to July 2004, a GTO LE (Limited Edition) was also available for sale.

With the Series III upgrade, the GTS became a special order only model The all-wheel-drive system was developed in-house by HSV rather than being an adaptation of the then existing system used by Holden on its Adventra wagon or Crewman and Cross 8 utility range.

Other variants

Corsa Specialised Vehicles (CSV) started production of the Mondo ("world" in Italian) in 2002, based on the Holden V2 Monaro. The standard option had a LS1 at , or with the ' tage 2 Engine Enhancement' at , the Mondo GT305 being rated at .

Export models

The third generation Monaro was exported to several overseas markets. It was also sold, in left-hand drive, in the Middle East as the Chevrolet Lumina Coupe, and in the United States as the Pontiac GTO, reviving another classic muscle car icon. However, at least one commentator has described it as a 'flop' because of its poor US sales. It was withdrawn from the US market in 2006, although a few were still on dealers' lots in 2007.

Pontiac GTO

thumb|right|2005-2006 Pontiac GTO (VZ)

The Pontiac GTO was released in 2004, the styling was based on the VY series 2 Commodore version of the Holden Monaro. The Pontiac GTO was facelifted in 2005 to the updated VZ series Holden Monaro. Complaints from American consumers about the Pontiac GTO's bland design led to the addition of twin hood scoops in 2005 with the VZ series Holden Monaro to recall the later muscle-car variants of the late 1960s' models; the hood scoops vent in cool air to the engine bay but do not directly feed the engine. In the eyes of the Australian press, the scoops have spoiled the clean lines of the design, while the American media seemed to accept them. The 2005 and 2006 GTO also received a LS2 6.0 L engine rated at 298 kW (400 hp); the Australian HSV Coupé GTO received a similar engine in its VZ series; and Vauxhall launched this as the Monaro VXR in the UK.

The 40,808th GTO built became the last Monaro-based unit built by Holden.

Vauxhall Monaro

thumb|right|2004-2005 Vauxhall Monaro VXR (V2 III) (VYII)

The Monaro was also sold in the United Kingdom as the Vauxhall Monaro where it won Top Gear magazine's best muscle car award in 2004.

Vauxhall offered the Monaro buyer a limited edition prior to discontinuation of the model: the VXR 500. A Harrop supercharger was installed onto the standard GM 6.0 L LS2 engine by Vauxhall dealer Greens of Rainham in conjunction with tuning firm Wortec, increasing power to and torque to 677 N·m (500 lbf·ft). In addition to this, a shorter gear linkage was added to enable quicker shifts. The resultant 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) was 4.8 seconds.

With the end of production, Vauxhall opted to replace the VZ Monaro in 2007 with the Vauxhall VXR8, a rebadged version of the VE series HSV Clubsport R8 4-door sedan.

Chevrolet Lumina Coupe

thumb|2004-2006 Chevrolet Lumina Coupe (VZ)

The Chevrolet Lumina Coupe, released in 2003, was sold in the Middle East and was positioned as part of the VY and VZ series Commodore-based Chevrolet Lumina range until 2006. The Lumina Coupe was offered in S (CV6), and SS (CV8) trims.

The Lumina S Coupe, which used the 3.8 L Supercharged Ecotec L67 was discontinued along with the CV6 at the end of the VY series in August 2004.

Bitter CD 2 concept

thumb|right|Bitter CD 2

In 2003, Bitter presented a concept car, a modern incarnation of their previous CD model, known as the CD II, based on the Monaro. but was rumoured to feature a V12 engine. Two prototypes were created; investors were sought but the car never reached full production. Bitter Automotive later produced a Holden WM Caprice-based Bitter Vero.

Concept cars

1980s VH project

The possibility briefly existed in the early 1980s for a revival of the Monaro badge based on a combination of the Holden VH Commodore and the Opel Monza. With serious exploration of the concept, a Monza was shipped to Australia by Peter Brock but the project was shelved as Holden was more preoccupied, at the time, with engineering work to revamp the Statesman and Gemini range as well as with the launch of the JB Camira.

1998 Coupé

This concept car, codenamed "Monica", emerged 20 years after the last Monaro coupé. Publicly displayed at the 1998 Sydney Motor Show, the two-door Coupé was based on the then existing VT-series Holden Commodore, which, in turn, was based on a modified platform of the European Opel Omega B. Journalists quickly christened it the Monaro and orders came flooding in, thus encouraging Holden to produce it. The production model the third generation Monaro, known as the V2 series was eventually launched in 2001, by then based on the VX Commodore.

2002 HRT 427

Displayed at the 2002 Sydney Motor Show, the HRT 427 based on a modified Monaro bodyshell. The MacPherson strut front suspension was replaced by an aluminium double A-arm setup with adjustable dampers and a weight reduction program including a carbon fibre bonnet and magnesium wheels brought the car's weight down to just 1575 kg (3472 lb). a (7.0-litre) V8 engine from the Corvette C5-R (based on the GM LS7 design), producing at 6,000 rpm. This powerplant was built by Melbourne-based John Sidney Racing, renowned for its success in the Australian Sprintcar and NASCAR series. The transmission used was a custom Tremec T-56 M12 six-speed manual gearbox with a heavy-duty 900 N·m clutch, giving the car a time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of . Other unique fittings included: AP Racing six-piston racing brakes, ram air induction, Motec instrument panel, two Sparco Pro 2000 seats and a half roll cage. As a result, the project was eventually cancelled and all customer deposits received were refunded.

The only HRT 427s in existence are two road cars and four racing versions (the latter built by Garry Rogers Motorsport for use in the short-lived Bathurst 24 Hour race and Australian Nations Cup Championship), each of which cost about A$500,000 to build. The road cars had a reported of power and of torque. One of these is not for sale and has remained within Holden's concept car collection. In April 2008, the other road car was sold to the Cairns car collector, Shawn Ryan. It has since been inaccurately stated in the media that he paid the record-breaking price of A$920,000, making it the most expensive Australian car ever sold. In reality, however, the quoted price tag was for both an HRT 427 and the first HSV VS GTS-R ever built. The portion of that figure attributable to the HRT 427 is $710,000, which was the amount the then owner received before commission to the sales agent. In June 2010, the concept car was re-sold at auction in Sydney to an anonymous Queensland buyer at the far lower price of A$350,000. The four racing cars have likewise made their way into collections, with their racing careers shortened by regulation changes.

The interest in the HRT 427 was such that, in 2008, its spiritual production version became the HSV W427 sedan built to celebrate HSV's 20th anniversary. In addition, in 2004, a more affordable racing coupé version reemerged in the form of the HSV GTS-R.

2004 Convertible

The Holden Monaro four-seater convertible, codenamed Marilyn, was a fully operational one-off concept car, it was never intended to reach production. It was built in 2002 in left hand drive by TWR Engineering at a reported cost of A$2 million and shown at the 2004 Sydney Motor Show.

2004 HSV GTS-R

The HSV GTS-R concept car, codenamed P120, was unveiled at the 2004 Sydney Motor Show. Similarities could be drawn with the HRT 427, however, the GTS-R was never intended for road-use but for a one-make racing series. Its more aggressive appearance was achieved through the use of a large front airdam, xenon headlights, LED rear lights, active carbon fiber rear spoiler and rear diffuser. The GTS-R was powered by a modified version of Chevrolet's LS2 V8 engine rated at . Other features included carbon ceramic disc brakes, rollcage, side-exiting exhausts and 19-inch ROH alloy wheels. The concept never reached production. but never reached production.

2013 VF project

In 2013, the Australian media became aware of a "VF Monaro" digital rendering posted online by design firm, Dsine International, which also saw the input of Holden designers, Simon Gow and Peter Hughes. It remained only a rendering with no production prospects, thanks to the existence, at that time, of the larger volume selling fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro, which was based on the same Zeta platform of the VE-VF Commodore.

Motorsport

thumb|The [[Garry Rogers Motorsport Monaros at the 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour]]

A pair of Monaro GT racecars powered by an Australian built version of the 427 cu in Corvette C5-R engine was built by Garry Rogers Motorsport (GRM) to compete in the Australian Nations Cup Championship and won the 2002 and 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour races. This car is often confused for being the 'track' version of the HRT 427, but the racing program headed by then-Holden Motorsport Manager John Stevenson was announced many months before the HRT 427 was revealed to the press and public.

In fact, the first GRM-built car in 'nuclear banana' yellow underwent shakedown laps at Calder Park before a half day's testing at Winton wearing the race number "427". It was then shown to the media and public at the Bathurst 1000 race a week before the HRT 427 was unveiled at the 2002 Sydney Motor Show. Much to the displeasure of V8 Supercars event organisers, Garth Tander drove a lap of the Mt Panorama circuit in the rain, as part of Holden Motorsport's buying track time to promote the 'rival' 24 Hour race event. So as not to preempt the HRT 427's launch the following week, for its sneak Bathurst 1000 unveiling, the yellow Monaro wore the Tander's GRM V8 Supercar race number "34" before reverting to "427" for the 24 Hour race.

The HRT 427 won both the first and last races it competed in. Garth Tander, Steven Richards, Cameron McConville and Nathan Pretty drove the car to a debut win in the 2002 Bathurst 24 Hour, while James Brock son of legendary driver Peter Brock drove the third and last 427 Monaro built by GRM to victory in the final race of the 2004 Nations Cup at the Mallala Circuit in South Australia.