For years Ford and Holden have battled it out in Australia over who has the better car. They fight to make the best car by consumer standards just as hard as they fight to make the winning V8 supercar. The truth is, both cars are at the top of consumer lists in Australia and the V8 Supercar races just wouldn’t be the same without their legendary battle. The battle dates back to the 2nd World War when Australia was looking for an all-Australian made car.
The name of Holden has been around since the 1850s. It began as a leather and saddlery business and quickly progressed to trimming vehicles in 1910. By 1924, they were building vehicles and became the only body builder for GM in Australia. They merged with GM in 1931 and began building their own family car that was all-Australian made in 1948. The design was based on a previously rejected Chevrolet proposal, and was such a hit that there was a waiting list for over a year.
Ford opened factories in Australia in 1925. They were a part of Ford Canada, which was a separate company from Ford USA. As models were released in Australia, they were constantly having to make numerous modifications for the differing road standards and desires of Australians. Eventually, in the 60s, the company began making cars that were designed specifically for Australians. It was at that time that Ford was able to come out with an all-Australian car and the battle between Ford and Holden would soon begin.
The Battle Over Australian’s First Car
The Australian Government began encouraging the automotive industry to build an all-Australian car during World War II. Ford and Holden (GM) both turned in their proposals. The Ford model quickly gained the favour of the government, but appeared to be too cost prohibitive. They eventually settled on the Holden model because of the lower cost and less need of government intervention. Ford still ended up producing their own all-Australian car and since then have been competing against Holden to produce the best one.
Bringing the Battle to the Track
One of the more intense ways the two manufacturers, Ford and Holden, challenge each other is on the tracks of the Australian V8 Supercar Championships. It’s common to see the two vehicles pitted against each other on the Bahrain International Circuit, or other championship race track. The current models being used in the race are the Holden VE Commodore and the Ford FG Falcon. Since those are the only two cars in the race, the battle is entertaining and intense.
In recent years, Ford has held the title. Champion James Courtney won the title in a Ford Falcon in 2010 and Jamie Whincup won in 2009 and 2008 while driving a Ford. However, it will be interesting to see if 2011 brings the title back to Holden, as both of those Champions have switched over to driving Holdens since winning the Championship. Many people believe the battle between Ford and Holden is what makes the Supercar racing so interesting. As the sport forces this battle to further heights, it is always fun to see who will dominate the scene.