Australia developed its own muscle car tradition around the same period, with the big three manufacturers Ford Australia, Holden or Holden Dealer Team (by then part of General Motors) and Chrysler Australia. The cars were specifically developed to run in the Bathurst 500—then known as the Armstrong 500 (miles) race and later the Hardie Ferodo 500. These cars were supercars in every sense of the word and were brimming with powerful engines and other racing options. The demise of these cars were brought about by the racing rules of the time being that 200 examples had to be sold to the general public before the car could qualify. In 1972 this rule came to a head and the Government stepped in to ban supercars from the streets.
Ford produced what is considered to be the first Australian muscle car in 1967, being the 289 Windsor–powered XR_Falcon. Ford continued to release faster and faster models culminating in what is considered to be Australia's most desirable musclecar—the Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III of 1971, which was powered by a 351 Cleveland. Along with its GT and GTHO models, Ford, staring with the XW model in 1969, introduced a 'sporty' GS model, available across the Falcon range. The basic GS only came with 250ci six, but the 302 and 351ci Windsor (replaced by the Cleveland engines for the XY), were optional. Ford's larger, more luxurious Fairlane was also available with these engines, and could also be optioned with the 300bhp 351 Cleveland engine. Legend has it that several ZD (1971) Fairlanes left the factory with the high-output 351 from the GTHO Phase III.
Holden produced the famous Holden Monaro with 307, 327 and 350 Chevrolet smallblocks or 253 and 308 Holden V8s, followed by the release of four high-performance Toranas, the GTR-XU1 (1970–1973), SL/R 5000 (1974–1977), L34 (1974) and the A9X (1977). The XU-1 was originally fitted with a 186ci (3 litre) triple carburetored 6-cylinder engine, later increased to 202ci (3.3 litre), as opposed to the 308ci (5.0 litre) single quad-barrel carburetored V8 in the SL/R 5000, L34, and A9X.
Chrysler produced the R/T Valiant Charger from 1971 to 1973 when the R/Ts were discontinued; the dominant R/T models were the E38 and E49 with high performance 265ci Hemi engines featuring triple Weber carburetors. Chrysler apparently considered a high-performance V8 program importing 350 340ci V8 engines from the USA.
The 1972 SE E55 340 V8 Valiant Charger
Unfortunately this project never went ahead and the engines were subsequently fitted to the upmarket 770 model Charger. Initially this model was designated "SE" E55 340 (V8) and only available with automatic transmission, with a model change to the VJ in 1973 the engine became an option and the performance was watered down. All Chrysler performance Chargers were discontinued in 1974 with the exhausting of high performance 265ci hemi and 340 V8s.
The Australian muscle car era is generally considered to have ended with the release of the Australian Design Rule regarding emissions in ADR27a in 1976. An exception to this rule was the small number of Bathurst 1000 homologation specials that were built after 1976 which are considered to be musclecars. These cars were built by the Holden Dealer Team for track and road use and quickly gained an enthusiastic following. The program was under Peter Brock's direction and had approval from Holden. Several highly modified high-performance road-going Commodores were produced through the early and mid 1980s. These "homologation specials" were produced to meet the Group A racing regulations. Models included the VC Group C, the VH SS Group III with a 0-100 km/h of 6.7 seconds (quickest HDT according to Modern Motor Magazine - Jan 1983), the Blue VK SS Group A and the burgundy VL SS Group A. These vehicles are all individually numbered with only 4246 Brock HDT's made and are considered to be collectors' items due to their rarity. The HDT Commodores have a substantial place in Australian motoring enthusiast history, and thus they are highly collectible muscle cars. It is not uncommon to see these vehicles selling for over $60,000 for a clean genuine example or even between $80-150,000 for an extremely low km example. After the death of Peter Brock, Holden Dealer Team vehicles became more collectible than ever. According to the Australian 5/2007 Wheels Magazine showroom-condition cars are generating prices as high as $200,000 AU.
Currently in Australia Ford and Holden are producing performance vehicles—-for example Holden has its SS and SSV Commodores and Utilities, and their even more powerful HSV versions, which will soon be joined by an as-yet unnamed 7.0 litre Commodore.
Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) turns out similarly uprated special versions of the Ford Falcon Sedan, the major difference being Ford offer a 350+ hp turbocharged 4.0 litre I6 as well as their V8s. FPV are producing the GT 4-door Falcons—both Boss V8 and turbocharged sixes; the premier Fords are currently the BOSS V8 and Typhoon turbocharged inline 6.
Holden Special Vehicles currently produces high-performance versions of various rear-drive Holden Utes, Commodore sedans and, ceasing production in 2006, the Monaro coupes including one model with AWD, fitted with high performance (400hp+) V8 engines, and are perhaps one of the closest contemporary equivalents to the classic American muscle car (excluding the AWD of course)—-fast, exciting, but relatively crude automobiles (though with far more attention to handling, suspension, safety and exceptional brakes compared with the stock models).
In the United Kingdom, the muscle car itself never gained a significant market, but it certainly influenced British manufacturers, with models such as the Ford Capri and Vauxhall Firenza directly inspired by American designs. Later, both Ford and Vauxhall continued the tradition of producing high performance variants of its family cars, though often these had more subtle styling than the traditional muscle car, but with some notable exceptions. The more European influenced hot hatch has largely occupied this segment of the market since the early 1980s. Vauxhall imported the Holden Monaro from Australia in 2004, and this could possibly be considered a muscle car as it is identical to the Pontiac GTO (which is a rebadged Monaro).
In South Africa, Chevrolet shoehorned the Z28 302 Chevrolet smallblock into a Vauxhall Viva coupe bodyshell and called it the Firenza CanAm. Basil Green produced the 302 Windsor–powered Capri Perana. In addition Australian HT and HG GTS Monaros (1969-71)were exported in CKD form, and were given a new fascia and rebadged as a Chevrolet SS, which were sold until about 1973. Falcon GTs were also exported to South Africa and rebadged as Fairmont GTs. In South African the Australian XW Falcon GT was called the 1970 Fairmont GT and the XY Falcon GTs were called the 1971/72/73 Fairmont GT. The Falcons were re-badged as Fairmonts due to the bad reputation of the American Falcons at the time. The Fairmonts were almost the same as their Australian cousins apart from a few cosmetic differences.
Ford produced what is considered to be the first Australian muscle car in 1967, being the 289 Windsor–powered XR_Falcon. Ford continued to release faster and faster models culminating in what is considered to be Australia's most desirable musclecar—the Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III of 1971, which was powered by a 351 Cleveland. Along with its GT and GTHO models, Ford, staring with the XW model in 1969, introduced a 'sporty' GS model, available across the Falcon range. The basic GS only came with 250ci six, but the 302 and 351ci Windsor (replaced by the Cleveland engines for the XY), were optional. Ford's larger, more luxurious Fairlane was also available with these engines, and could also be optioned with the 300bhp 351 Cleveland engine. Legend has it that several ZD (1971) Fairlanes left the factory with the high-output 351 from the GTHO Phase III.
Holden produced the famous Holden Monaro with 307, 327 and 350 Chevrolet smallblocks or 253 and 308 Holden V8s, followed by the release of four high-performance Toranas, the GTR-XU1 (1970–1973), SL/R 5000 (1974–1977), L34 (1974) and the A9X (1977). The XU-1 was originally fitted with a 186ci (3 litre) triple carburetored 6-cylinder engine, later increased to 202ci (3.3 litre), as opposed to the 308ci (5.0 litre) single quad-barrel carburetored V8 in the SL/R 5000, L34, and A9X.
Chrysler produced the R/T Valiant Charger from 1971 to 1973 when the R/Ts were discontinued; the dominant R/T models were the E38 and E49 with high performance 265ci Hemi engines featuring triple Weber carburetors. Chrysler apparently considered a high-performance V8 program importing 350 340ci V8 engines from the USA.
The 1972 SE E55 340 V8 Valiant Charger
Unfortunately this project never went ahead and the engines were subsequently fitted to the upmarket 770 model Charger. Initially this model was designated "SE" E55 340 (V8) and only available with automatic transmission, with a model change to the VJ in 1973 the engine became an option and the performance was watered down. All Chrysler performance Chargers were discontinued in 1974 with the exhausting of high performance 265ci hemi and 340 V8s.
The Australian muscle car era is generally considered to have ended with the release of the Australian Design Rule regarding emissions in ADR27a in 1976. An exception to this rule was the small number of Bathurst 1000 homologation specials that were built after 1976 which are considered to be musclecars. These cars were built by the Holden Dealer Team for track and road use and quickly gained an enthusiastic following. The program was under Peter Brock's direction and had approval from Holden. Several highly modified high-performance road-going Commodores were produced through the early and mid 1980s. These "homologation specials" were produced to meet the Group A racing regulations. Models included the VC Group C, the VH SS Group III with a 0-100 km/h of 6.7 seconds (quickest HDT according to Modern Motor Magazine - Jan 1983), the Blue VK SS Group A and the burgundy VL SS Group A. These vehicles are all individually numbered with only 4246 Brock HDT's made and are considered to be collectors' items due to their rarity. The HDT Commodores have a substantial place in Australian motoring enthusiast history, and thus they are highly collectible muscle cars. It is not uncommon to see these vehicles selling for over $60,000 for a clean genuine example or even between $80-150,000 for an extremely low km example. After the death of Peter Brock, Holden Dealer Team vehicles became more collectible than ever. According to the Australian 5/2007 Wheels Magazine showroom-condition cars are generating prices as high as $200,000 AU.
Currently in Australia Ford and Holden are producing performance vehicles—-for example Holden has its SS and SSV Commodores and Utilities, and their even more powerful HSV versions, which will soon be joined by an as-yet unnamed 7.0 litre Commodore.
Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) turns out similarly uprated special versions of the Ford Falcon Sedan, the major difference being Ford offer a 350+ hp turbocharged 4.0 litre I6 as well as their V8s. FPV are producing the GT 4-door Falcons—both Boss V8 and turbocharged sixes; the premier Fords are currently the BOSS V8 and Typhoon turbocharged inline 6.
Holden Special Vehicles currently produces high-performance versions of various rear-drive Holden Utes, Commodore sedans and, ceasing production in 2006, the Monaro coupes including one model with AWD, fitted with high performance (400hp+) V8 engines, and are perhaps one of the closest contemporary equivalents to the classic American muscle car (excluding the AWD of course)—-fast, exciting, but relatively crude automobiles (though with far more attention to handling, suspension, safety and exceptional brakes compared with the stock models).
In the United Kingdom, the muscle car itself never gained a significant market, but it certainly influenced British manufacturers, with models such as the Ford Capri and Vauxhall Firenza directly inspired by American designs. Later, both Ford and Vauxhall continued the tradition of producing high performance variants of its family cars, though often these had more subtle styling than the traditional muscle car, but with some notable exceptions. The more European influenced hot hatch has largely occupied this segment of the market since the early 1980s. Vauxhall imported the Holden Monaro from Australia in 2004, and this could possibly be considered a muscle car as it is identical to the Pontiac GTO (which is a rebadged Monaro).
In South Africa, Chevrolet shoehorned the Z28 302 Chevrolet smallblock into a Vauxhall Viva coupe bodyshell and called it the Firenza CanAm. Basil Green produced the 302 Windsor–powered Capri Perana. In addition Australian HT and HG GTS Monaros (1969-71)were exported in CKD form, and were given a new fascia and rebadged as a Chevrolet SS, which were sold until about 1973. Falcon GTs were also exported to South Africa and rebadged as Fairmont GTs. In South African the Australian XW Falcon GT was called the 1970 Fairmont GT and the XY Falcon GTs were called the 1971/72/73 Fairmont GT. The Falcons were re-badged as Fairmonts due to the bad reputation of the American Falcons at the time. The Fairmonts were almost the same as their Australian cousins apart from a few cosmetic differences.
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