Holden 48-215, the first Australian-produced Holden automobile
While GM pretty much snoozes through its own centennial, it’s also given very little play to another rather important anniversary this year: the 60th of the Holden 48-215. Most Americans pay little attention to the modest car, based on a discarded post-war  Chevrolet design, but to Australians and New Zealanders, the 48-215 marked the (relative) independence of their own automotive industry.
Holden, of course, has been around for more than 60 years. The company began building automotive bodies in 1917, became the exclusive supplier of bodies for GM in Australia in 1924, then officially became a GM subsidiary in 1931. But even through the post-war years, Holden built Australianized American and English cars - Buicks, Chevrolets, Pontiacs, Vauxhalls. The company didn’t build a car unique to Australia until 1948, when the 48-215 debuted.
Holden FE sedan
Holden HG Ute
Holden HX Monaro
Since then, and continuing through today, Holden has built vehicles unlike anywhere else in the world, largely to satisfy Australian local-content rules that essentially prohibited externally produced automobiles. Utes, four-door muscle cars, even the underpinnings of several modern American GM performance vehicles.
And to celebrate this rather important anniversary, GM… wait for it… prepared a few press releases on the history of Holden since 1948 and released several historic press photos.
Holden HK Monaro GTS
Holden HT Monaro GTS 350 at the 1970 Ampol Round Australia trial
Holden HQ Monaro GTS
Still, they could have done worse. Like ignore Holden altogether. So enjoy the press releases GM has so far made available: 1948-1958 , 1963-1969, 1971-1978 and 1981-1990. Should we see further releases, we’ll link to them here. Photos are mixed in with all the Holden press photos at the GM media site, but we’ll run more here as we get the chance.
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