Sixty years
down the track, it may be difficult to imagine the real sense
of excitement and strong feelings of national pride that
accompanied the release of the first Holden in November 1948.
Even then, as Prime Minister Ben Chifley launched the car
‘made in Australia, for Australia’, nobody guessed what a
runaway success this plain and practical sedan would
immediately prove to be.
Australians took the Holden straight to their hearts, commencing
a love affair that continues to this day. Demand so far outstripped
supply that the waiting list stretched through 1949 and beyond.
(Taking advantage, some black marketeers sold their places in the
queue for £100 or more).
Although its official model code is 48/215, the first Holden is
widely known as the FX. Those two letters are thought to have been
adopted by used-car dealers when its successor, the FJ, appeared,
but FX never appeared on any official Holden records. Plans for its
development moved into gear in 1944, when the Federal Government
asked manufacturers to submit proposals for the production of an
Australian car; a move aimed at accelerating post-war industrial
growth. General Motors-Holden’s (GMH) - its technical and
manufacturing expertise advanced through wartime mobilisation -
accepted and completed the challenge of building the nation’s first
successfully mass-produced car.
Adapted from a US design, the first Holden was nevertheless a
uniquely Australian car. GMH, while publishing a booklet of
testimonials entitled ‘Holden Owners Give Reasons Why Holden is
Worth Waiting For’, worked hard to lift production rates, which
rose from an initial 10 units a day to 100 per day in 1951, when
the first Coupe Utility was launched.
By 1953, when the fleet- and taxi-oriented Business sedan was
introduced, the rate was close to 200 per day. The Holden boasted
‘Aerobilt’ body construction, a relatively new engineering
principle that combined body and chassis into one all-steel unit,
increasing rigidity and reducing weight.
With a top speed of over 80 mph (130 km/h), it could cruise all
day at 65 mph (105 km/h) - at a time when it was rare to see any
car travelling at over 70 mph - and it took steep hills in its
top-gear stride. The 48-215 would typically return overall fuel
economy figures of 30 miles per gallon (9.4L/100km) - a staggering
result for such a lively performer and particularly welcome in an
era that encompassed petrol rationing, Within a few short years,
the dependable Holden had also built a reputation for rugged
reliability and ease of servicing that endures into modem
times.
One of the first new cars to be built anywhere in the world
following the Second World War, the Holden made automotive history,
gaining GMH market leadership by 1951 ~ a feat that would have been
accomplished as early as 1949 if supply had matched demand.
- Year of Introduction: 1948
- Engine: 2.15 litre or 132.5 cu.in. 6 cylinder
- Power: 45kW or 60bhp
- Transmission: 3 speed manual
- Performance: 0 - 100 km/h 20.0 seconds; Standing 400
metres 20.5 seconds
- Production: 120,402
- Price: $1,466
The cache is a small clear plastic container. Please rehide it so
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*****FTF-Tealby*****