The history of Holden is a colourful one.  Although the name dates back to the days of the gold boom in the 1850s, Holden will always hold a special place in Australia’s history as the maker of the first all-Australian car.  It is very interesting to note the progression and continued success of the company that began as a leather and saddlery business in 1856 to one of the top vehicles in Australian V8 supercar racing today.

The Beginning

While the history of Holden begins with a leather and saddlery business, it did not remain that way for long.  In 1885 the company combined with Henry Adolf Frost, a carriage builder and the name was changed to Holden and Frost.  They got into business trimming vehicles in 1910 and eventually began building bodies under the name Holden Motor Body Builders.  In 1924, they were the only body builder for General Motors in Australia.

The Lion and Stone Symbol

Many people have come to recognize the famous lion and stone symbol as Holden’s trademark.  This symbol is a big part of the history of Holden.  It was designed in 1928 by a man named George Rayner Hoff and began to be fitted to all Holden bodies.  The symbol represents man’s invention of the wheel.  Much like the wheel, the symbol remains with Holden today.

The Beginning of Australian’s Own Car

In 1931 GM purchased Holden Motor Body Builders and merged it with their Australian company to form General Motors-Holden’s Ltd.  During the second World War, the Australian government had begun to encourage an Australian automotive industry.  GM and Ford both turned in proposals.  The government initially preferred the Ford model, but chose the GM model because of the lower cost and less need for government intervention.  This decision made the history of Holden a part of Australia’s own history.

Development of Australia’s Own Car

Holden began to work on the designs of the Australian car and eventually had to come to a compromise with GM because Holden’s managing director preferred a local design, but GM was insisting on using an American design.  Ultimately, they settled on a previously rejected Chevrolet proposal after the war.  In 1948 the car became available, but there were waiting lists that extended more than a year into the future.

V8 Supercar Racing

Today, Holden is well known for their participation in the Australian V8 with the Holden VE Commodore.  Still in competition with Ford, they are raced every year in events like the Desert 400 at the Bahrain International Circuit against the Ford Falcon FG to determine the new champion of the series.  Because strict contest rules require both cars to be extremely similar in weight, aerodynamics, and speed, Holden has had to come up creative ways to keep their cars ahead of the pack.

The history of Holden is rich in Australia, not only because it was the first all-Australian vehicle, but because of its aggressive marketing and ability to stay on top of current trends.  The car has remained very popular despite a decline in production in the 1980s.  The company was quick to make the necessary changes to get back on top of the market again in the 1990s and 2000s by producing both practical and fun racing vehicles that are well loved by everyone.