Fifty years of Holden Wagons - 2014 VF Calais Sportwagon vs 1964 EH Special Wagon
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- The Holden Commodore Sportwagon is the only Australian-built station wagon you can buy. Wagons have been important to Australia, so James takes a look at two cars, fifty years apart - the 2014 Holden Calais V Sportwagon and the 1964 EH Holden Special Station Sedan.
When the EH was on sale in 1964, Australia had a population of only 11 million people and was still a couple of years away from having decimal currency.
The EH Holden was Australia's best-selling car and came in three trim levels - Standard, Special and Premier.
There were two 6-cylinder engine options - a 149ci and 179ci 'red motor' putting out about 85kW.
On the road the EH Holden feels light and fun to drive. There are no safety features found in modern cars - not even seatbelts!
For 1960's Australia, this would have been standard transport and given many Australians a way of travelling around the big country in comfort.
The 2014 Commodore Calais Sportwagon seems a world away from the EH Holden.
It is quiet and refined. There is all manner of safety and comfort technology available at your fingertips.
The Calais V has a 6.2-litre V8 with 260kW - three times that of the EH and while heavier, actually uses less fuel.
Where the advances may be in modern cars, the older EH still has a few tricks, providing more cargo space with the seats up - and a qualified 6'10" of sleeping space in the back.
When production ends of the Holden Commodore in 2017, the VF Sportwagon will be the last ever wagon produced in Australia.
This is sad - as there are many great memories associated with Australian made wagons, but to end on this car, a truly world-class product, is absolutely going out on a high note.
www.caradvice.c... - Read the article here.
I am now 71. My very first car was an EH premier of which l have extremely fond memories. Since the eh l have owned a long line of fantastic Holdens which included a hr premier a HK 327 Monaro HQ 253 Monaro HJ caprice VH top 30 sle (which l still have today) VL Calais VN Calais VT Calais among a number of other great Holdens. I cannot highlight enough the disappointment l feel about the winding down of local vehicle manufacturer in this country. Not just Holden but Ford and Toyota as well. The loss of the Industry can be attributed to the idiotic Button Plan initiated back in the 80's which encouraged imports to the detriment of the local industry. People of my age are of minimal importance to the bean counters at GM these days but let me say this - l for one would never ever consider purchasing a "Holden" made in Europe. My future vehicles of choice will be a second hand Aussie made Holden - till the day l die!!
I had a light green HG Kingswood 186 manual, then an LH Torana 202 trimatic in green, followed by a blue VK Commodore wagon 202 trimatic.
Once they anounced they were closing, i lost interest and switched over to Toyota. I've owned my 2012 Corolla sedan since 2014, and have just purchased a new Hilux 2wd singlecab tabletop. I ditched the black wheels in favor of silver units off the previous model, and ordered the front bumper in body colour. Given my age, these vehicles will likely see me out.
I feel betrayed by GM, the unions and the federal government for their part in this mess.
I will never forgive any of them.
@H HOUR HOTEL
The trimatics were shocking.......as was quality control with many vehicles.
Don't forget Mitsubishi.😅
Fifty years of Holden Wagons - filmed on the road where my son wrote off my Holden Wagon.
My pop has a Special Wagon, a Premier Sedan and a Ute all EH, all restored. All beautiful.
My dad bought a 179 EH special manual brown and white roof station wagon from Smiths of Port Adelaide
I will never forget that day ....We were king of the road way back when :)
Such a shame to lose a great marque like Holden, GM should be a shamed
Such a shame Eddie McGuire was born ...
Sad we lost our Aussie wagons, I love my falcon wagon!
It's damn unforgivable that Holden will soon stop producing cars in Australia. Is there anything produced in Australia anymore, or is it all produced elsewhere and sold in Australia? :(
The funny thing is that the VF Calais was actually louder than the EH! Maybe it was a difference in road surfaces, but definitely louder.
EH
My dad has that exact spec CalaisV, Identical except for the paint.
Should of had the 3 on the tree
Love the story and way you presented. As a very young whippersnipper, it brought back my memories of the later model Holden HR Wagon 161 motor a standard 3 on the tree manual with no heating, no fan, no demister, unless I jumped into the rear with a towel. BUT it did have seat belts in the front and navigation - ME. The car was so reliable and a great load area my father refused to sell it and kept it as an extra work (Plumbing) car. He had some sense, luckily for me, when he bought a Holden LH Torana SLR 4 speed manual.
"We are absolutely going out on high note".....yeah. right! "WE" sure are!
Everytime a Commodore is tested its a V8, slightly different story with the 3.0 V6.
Throw it into corners?.....you mean throw it off the cliff.
Can some rich Aussie buy the badge and start a fresh in Australia .
Great presenter. Very sad to see the cease of production though.
Blame the Lima Agreement. Oh, & at the same the the railways, one Australias largest employer began vastly reducing their number of employees.
No the governments, don't care if you are employed/trained, or not.
an station wagon had 3 rows of adult seats!
gm has betrayed Australia!
With a bitta help from the government. See Lima Agreement (snug bedfellows they are)
Love my 304 vn Berlina wagon
If only Aussie station wagons were more popular then suvs and 4x4 by other countries That's why holden lost sales and GM had role to play.
Grew up in HT's, HQ's, early then later Commodores. A few nicer ones, such as a , shock-horror, XA Fairmont V8. And a HT GTS 350 that my dad had but sold before I was born... Hard to believe local manufacturing is coming to an end, for a variety of reasons. Would be nice to own these two cars featured- VF for daily stuff and the EH for sunny weekends......
I'm lucky enough to both models; an EH Special wagon (being resto-modded) and a '17 SS-V Redline Sportwagon. Best of both worlds.
You spoilt the video by pointing out the year that Eddie McGuire was born. My parents had a sedan EH, but it rusted out VERY quickly because my Dad would reverse it into the ocean when going boating
anyone knows what place is the last scene? looks awesome!!!
NICE EH WAG