For many years, Australia had gone without its very own two-door coupe muscle car. That was until of course, the new Holden Monaro burst its way onto the scene in 2001. Now, while Holden no longer produces the Monaro, it will remain a favourite among Aussie V8 fans for years to come and a oneowner bonanza.



When the all-new Holden Monaro hit the roads back in 2001 it caused an instant sensation among die-hard Holden fans as well as fans of the former glory days of the big Aussie V8s of the seventies. It was the first time since the seventies that either of Australia's two big car makers, Ford and Holden, had produced a big, sporty, powerful two-door coupe. And while some wet blankets dismissed the new Holden Monaro as no more than "a Commodore with two less doors" it went on to become a success story in Australian motoring.

When the first Monaro was released, the base model supercharged CV6 cost just shy of $48,000, while the CV8 Generation III V8 model was yours for a mere $57,000. The V8 Monaro featured a six speed manual gearbox and produced a respectable 225kw of power. It came jam-packed with features including climate controlled air conditioning, cruise control, leather upholstery, power windows and mirrors, a huge 10-stacker CD player, trip computer and immobiliser and alarm to keep the car thieves at bay. Safety was a priority and included dual front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control and a limited slip diff to help keep those 17inch wheels gripping the road. A far cry from the old Monaro of the seventies!

The Monaro was naturally a huge hit among nostalgic revheads and younger Holden fans alike and it wasn't too long before Holden started pushing the car into the American market, re-badged as the Pontiac GTO.

Unfortunately for Holden, this was no easy task thanks largely to tariffs and opposition from American auto workers. By 2004, the Monaro, in the guise of the GTO Pontiac, was starting to make some inroads into the American market, thanks to a restyling of the Monaro that made it look much more American. The previous sleek, almost European styling of the Monaro did not appeal to American tastes. Thus, bonnet scoops and more aggressive styling were incorporated into the new VZ Monaro. This more aggressive, sporty look was not all bad and appealed to many Australian V8 enthusiasts.

With the new styling, came more power. The VZ Monaro now had a 5.7 litre 16 valve fuel-injected V8 that produced 265kw of raw power. It now cost punters around $60,500. However, the new Monaro was not without its problems. There were concerns raised over the level of the fit and finish on the new cars, and, as crazy as it sounds, the Monaro came with a space saver tyre!

If you're after a piece of Australian motoring history, and it probably helps if you're a Holden fan as well, then you can't go past a Holden Monaro. If looking for a good used car, you shouldn't have too many problems finding a good one owner car that has been looked after really well, as these are the types of cars that are usually treated better than the wife and kids by adoring owners. If you like the more aggressive styling, then go for the VZ. If you like your Aussie muscle cars to look a little more sedate on the outside, with just a hint of European styling, then you may want to go for an earlier model.