The Australian Muscle Cars

Orange-Chrysler Australia

2012 Chrysler 300C on the way to Australia

Australia developed its tradition own muscle car, with the top three manufacturers sach as Chrysler Australia, Holden or Holden Dealer Team (then part of General Motors) and Ford Australia. The cars were specifically developed to run in an Armstrong 500 (miles) race and the Hardie Ferodo 500 (the current race 1,000 kilometers that was adopted in 1973).

Chrysler Australia Magenta-Front Left View

Chrysler Australia Magenta-Rear Left View

Chrysler Australia Magenta-Rear View

The death of the cars was brought by changes in the rules of racing that requires and must be sold to the general public before the car could qualify (homologation). The government stepped in to ban supercars from the streets after two important cases in 1972. The first example is a Wheels magazine journalist driving at 150 mph (240 km / h) in a 1971 Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III 351 cu in (5.8 L). While the car was getting exposure in the media, the second incident occurred in George Street, Sydney, when a young man caught driving at 150 mph is estimated (240 km / h) through a crowded street, in a 1971 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III, drag racing Holden Monaro GTS 350. It was known in Australia as the "Supercar Scare". Ford produced what was regarded as the first Australian muscle car in 1967, although the puritanical Americans would not consider a 4-door sedan that true muscle car by definition, 289 cu in (4.7 L) Windsor - powered Ford Falcon XR GT.

Hemi 245 Engine

Chrysler Australia Royal AP2 in 1958 and  1959

Months later in 1968, Australia will see the first home grown two-door muscle car, the Holden Monaro GTS 327. Ford continued to release faster models, culminating in the Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III of 1971, backed by a factory modified 351 Cleveland. Along with the GT and GTHO models, Ford, beginning with the XW model in 1969, introduced a 'sporty' GS model, available in a variety of Falcon. Base GS comes with a 188 cu in (L 3.1) six-cylinder engine, but the 302 cu in (4.9 L) and 351 cu in (5.8 L) Windsor (replaced by Cleveland engine to XY) V8 engine, which is optional. Ford's larger, more luxurious Fairlane also available with the machine and can also be optioned with a 300 bhp (224 kW) 351 cu in (5.8 L) "Cleveland" engine.