Holden Hurricane Concept

[XR8putts]

Mid engined, RWD V8 Holden Coupe..




Sorry, forgot to mention this was back in 1969 :P

Stumbled accross this by accident, if only they went ahead with a production version (it was possible back then!). Just started this thread because I've never heard of this car before and I'm sure some of you havn't either. If Holden made a production version back then, and it took off - then Ford would've too. Australia today could've been like Italy, producer of the worlds most exotic, mid-engined supercars.

Built to brand aerospace technology with their image, Holden of Australia commissioned this radical concept in the 1960s. At that time, Hurricane was one of the most expensive experimental cars, and helped the company sell one million cars from 1969 to 1974.


Finding the ''feasibility of applying aerospace techniques and materials to the manufacture of future Holdens'' was the companies' motivation for the project. However, this rhetoric held little weight, and only the production-worthy engine found its way into the road cars. With this engine, the Hurricane started a trend that would have 500 000 Holden's feature Australian-designed V8s.


What made the Hurricane special was elements that didn't make it to assembly lines: it's styling, electronics and engineering.


Probably the most experimental aspect of the Hurricane was it's styling. The low wedge shape was an upcoming trend for the period and was copied in previous years; the 1970 Bertone Stratos Concept, 1970 Ferrari 512S Berlinetta Speciale and 1972 Maserati Boomerang all share the Hurricane's lines.


Inside, Hurricane had an array of extraneous instrumentation to convince any onlookers that the driver car could pilot to moon. Of these, the most notable was a 'retro-gps' system called Pathfinder. It used magnetic signals built within the road to alert the driver of upcoming turns. Other electronic amenities included digital instrumentation, a rear view camera, lifting seats and an automatically opening one piece door.


At the core, the Hurricane used a tubular space frame, supporting a new Holden V8 and covered in an impressive fiber glass body. The engine sat mid-ship in the chassis and was attached to a four speed transaxle. Very GT40. A distinct feature of the chassis was the oil-cooled disc brakes. Used on the front, these discs used oil, and oil coolers to dissipate heat.


In conclusion, the Holden Hurricane might be the most exciting car made in Australia. Its motor sport engineering, glorious styling and funky electronics complete a concept that can still impress forty years later.

[DJM83]

Seen it before, very different for its time thats for sure.

[blackwood]

It is my understanding that this vehicle's main purpose was to have a crowd wowing
showcase to present the then new Holden V8 (which was only avaliable in 253ci form at launch).

The other pieces of technology were borrowed from earlier GM concept cars.

Anyway, it is a very beautiful car and I believe it is on display at the NMM.

[arlester]

in that second picture the windows and roof line look alot like the enzos. IMO

[DoreSlamR]

So did Ford have a new model released at that motorshow?
Some things never change huh? :P

[Jayden]

Its says they commissioned it, does that mean someone else designed it for them or they commissioned themselves to do it. Hurricanes only happen in the north, why didnt they call it the cyclone.

knowing holden they may unveil a revival of it any minute, it turns 40 next year. Hurricane 40. Just to make ford look bad.

[The G6ET Spot]

Originally Posted by puts99

Probably the most experimental aspect of the Hurricane was it's styling. The low wedge shape was an upcoming trend for the period and was copied in previous years; the 1970 Bertone Stratos Concept, 1970 Ferrari 512S Berlinetta Speciale and 1972 Maserati Boomerang all share the Hurricane's lines.

Obviously they had forgotten that Ford had already had a low wedge shape design nearly 4 years earlier in the GT40

[bangm001]

To think, people were surrounding that more than the HK in the background!!!

[nb_351]

wasnt this built on the hb torana platform or something? i read about it in a magazine somewhere, probably amc...

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by puts99

Looks like the guy in the top left made a sale.

[rodderz]

Holden made a few concept cars that never saw the light apart from the handmade versions for the shows

The Torana GTR-X was another http://www.diseno-art.com/encycloped...X_concept.html

[Fairlane]

Originally Posted by rodderz

Holden made a few concept cars that never saw the light apart from the handmade versions for the shows

The Torana GTR-X was another

Love that GTR-X, read about it before. Essentially an XU-1 in new clothes, but so cool. I reckon its the coolest Australian car, never made.

[charlie200]

Originally Posted by rodderz

Holden made a few concept cars that never saw the light apart from the handmade versions for the shows

The Torana GTR-X was another http://www.diseno-art.com/encycloped...X_concept.html

I have the original motorshow brochure of this car somewhere.I was digging through my fathers things and found in perfect condition.

[1970galaxie]

And doesn't the GT 40 look so much better than the Hurricane?

[nb_351]

probably a bit quicker than a 253 aswell lol

[desGT]

And of course there was the Leyland Force7. Still a few around, but never went into production (due to failure of the P76).

[trent]

Looks disturbingly similar to the Purvis Eureka

[Need_a_V8]

Originally Posted by trent

Looks disturbingly similar to the Purvis Eureka

The purvis, being an ugly hunk built on a volkswagen beetle using a volkswagen beetle engine, isn't much of a comparison :p

And it was built 5 years after the Hurricane.

[TERMINATOR X]

if that aint ugly i dunno what is!