Vauxhall Monaro VXR 500 Review: If You Want a Muscle Car Done Right, Ask Australia
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- Опубликовано: 30 дек 2024
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Today I am driving the oft-forgotten Australian import that is the Vauxhall VXR 500. Known in its home market as the Holden HSV Coupe, this is an iconic car to same - and unknown to others. What is it really like though?
#Vauxhall #VXR #Holden
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Fun fact Jay, the Aussie government actually gave GM a couple of hundred million dollars to keep Holden going... unfortunately, they left some legal loopholes in the agreement which GM exploited nicely, absconding with the larger portion of the hundreds of millions of dollars (they added it to the US operations books that year as profit) and shutting down operations anyway. I can't recall all the details - but GM basically stole a couple of hundred million dollars from Aussie taxpayers and got away with it, thanks to incompetent politicians and immoral GM executives.
Shrimp! WTF they are prawns, and prawns don't go on the barbie, except maybe with a gremolata. They were the chariot of the "Cashed up Bogan" like a CHAV with some money - in the day, today I would have more respect now for someone who loves cars, they are not that bad, but the build quality, rear suspension, not for me. Power is addictive - and it corrupts!
The grass is always greener ;)
Jay could you perhaps do a review of the F series 650i? Even a 640d review would be cool. They’re proper value right now.
A very big thank you to the editing team who don't use constant jump cuts to appeal to TikTok addicts.
I could relax and enjoy the work you all put in.
Liked. Commenting and Subscribed.
Both impressed you've managed to find one to review and annoyed as usual when a RUclipsr highlights a car on my wishlist that I hoped people would forget about!
That happened a little while back for me with the BMW Z4 M coupé. The prices had started creeping up a little bit and then all the RUclips channels plastered it on their pages as future classic and the prices soared
@@lbnewell23 I've lost count how many cars it's happened to for me! The Z4 M was also on my extensive list
Right?! The Doug guy also did that to me yesterday with the 550!
@@toms3965dude he said there are like 3k of those in the entire world thats not a cheap unknown car fella youre talking about the ferrari 550
@@SamRouns the values are still low relative to others in the same segment as they are both slept on by the larger car community. The common theme is that they are incredible cars, relatively rare and fairly unknown (ask someone under 25 what a 550 is). This makes the still obtainium without a double lotto win, until a RUclips pipes up about their upward trajectories. Not comparing the cars, comparing the videos.
It may be our finest export, however, the rest of the world never got to enjoy the pure legend that is Ford's Falcon from the BA to the FGX and its legendary Barra straight 6. While this Holden is rocking an American V8, the Ford was entirely Australian and I think its character reflects that.
RIP Aussie engineering, both teams can rally together around the good times we had and the legends that were created.
That fact your name is "wogboy" is the cherry on top of your comment, to all the aussies that know what that relates to 😂
Legend.
Fpv typhoon ftw 🙌
The Aussie Ford Falcon was sold in South Africa, my friends dad had one.
Barra the World!!!
Bloody oath!
I bought an LS2 Monaro as my daily driver 12 years ago and still have it today.
I don’t drive it much any more, but when I do, I’m quickly reminded why I’ve kept it so long.
U lucky duck,hold on to her
I sold my V2 Devil Yellow a few years go, regretted it ever since....so I bought a VZ though in a more muted colour. Damn straight about the boot though, the older one was great the newer one is absolutely tiny
A AMG, And BMW Nerd mate in Germany, came to Australia. Test drove our 6 litre version. Went home, sold the AMG AND BMW'S. Bought one of these. And has never looked back..
I asked him to watch this video. His reply.
Still got it, best thing ever. Love it. Never breaks down. Unlike his son and wife's bmw and amg...
Damn straight
That's interesting. Are you saying they impored R/H drive Monaro's back to Germany ? Or did they import back L/H Pontiac GTO's ? I Know Peter Hanenberger got a customised Monaro as a gift from everyone at Holden when he retired back to Germany...
Rofl. I've had a VC, VL, VT and VZ. ALL 6 Cylinder.
The engines and drivetrains are extremely reliable. The electronics and the rest of the car is dodgy shite that falls apart and wears out.
And unlike BMWs getting parts for them are either difficult or impossible, depending on age and model.
If your mates got a newer one - VF or something - he might get another five years or so out of it before all the plastic starts breaking.
The only one I still have is the VC, which at least is worth the restoration. The others all got to a point where general maintenance just cost too much come rego time.
Love this car but I’d be suicidal if I sold an M or AMG of this same era for this. It’s just a big American v8 and a 6 speed that’s about it. Interior is kinda shit, nothing terribly special about this car other than there aren’t many. No different than a Camaro really, but I’m in the US so cheap 6 speed v8’s are plentiful I guess.
@@benji5777 It is one of very few concept cars that made it to production.
As far as four seat coupes go, the Monaros were really good.
But the V8 (and production quality) actually lets them down.
My uncle bought one new, and after a couple of years got rid of it because the fuel economy was a joke. even for a V8.
The Fifth Gear review of the VXR500 has stuck with me. I think the comment was “it will do 70 in first gear, so all the other gears are just there to see how angry the police will be with you” great car, I still think the original 5.7 was the best looking of the bunch, cleaner lines.
No way , the vxr looks way better in the flesh
Great review that was by Tom Ford, the car was completely sideways with traction still on 😂😎
Sadly it's a mix up of facts. Monaros reach 70mph in 2nd gear, not 1st.
70 KPH in first possibly, not MPH
@@hoonaticbloggs5402 possibly means the 5.7 VXR which is pure HSV without the US influence.
Here in Australia when the neighbours bought a Monaro you knew you lived next to a boogan. And if my blue singlet was clean enough I would grab a can of VB and a pack of Winnie blues and go to stand next to said neighbour not really saying anything just doing that thing where the bonnet is open and there's 3 guys stood round it beer in hand all in reverence of the mighty Monaro
I'm from Europe, so I can only say that has to be one of the most Australian comments I've ever read, in the best way possible.
Boogan wearing a singlet, smoking a ? and drinking a ? Sorry, I hear with an American accent.
Yet that's just a tall tail as bogans in blueys can't and couldn't afford new Holdens.
brilliant mate haha.
@@Kyuzeth Just imagine 3 Valteri Bottas' then.
Fun fact. A HSV Maloo ute of this era with a 6L V8 won a "green car challenge" because mods done by some HSV engineers cut its rated consumption by about HALF - it was pootling along, 100kph at like 1400rpm or so... getting 30mpg. The mob who ran the competition weren't happy and changed the rules afterwards xD
The rules were pretty stupid. Biggest reduction from manufacturers figures. So a higher consuming car with more ability to reduce could easily beat a less consuming car with less wiggle room who at the end still consumed far less.
Still funny though.
392 HEMIs get 31mpg while doing 60mph, yes thats in 4 cylinder mode. In V8 mode they get around 24mpg. Either way I'm pretty sure for 2014 thats amazing, even for 2024 thats a very nice performance.
Man, those organisers. Do you want people to improve or you just want to weed out those you don't like?
Sounds like how my C5 Corvette performs unmodified. 65mph is about 1400rpm in 6th and I've averaged 34mpg with cruise control set to the speed limit across the big flat middle of North America. Around town it's under 20 no matter how you drive though, lol. Low teens easily achievable with spirited driving.
I'm currently on my 5th Pontiac GTO here in the USA so obviously I love these Aussie imports. So much so I recently got a Pontiac G8 GXP 6-speed (final VE Commodore). The closest thing we got to this thing was the Sport Appearance Package - SAP - LS2 GTO. I have an 05 6-speed full SAP kit GTO now which came with GM-branded Magnaflow mufflers - best sounding factory exhaust I've ever heard (outside of a F50 or something) it's perfectly tuned and just loud enough to potentially be aftermarket, but restrained enough to have your boss in. Otherwise it was purely an appearance package, but because the SAP kit alone was almost 14% of the MSRP it's very rare (1%-5% are SAP).
The gearbox must've been a kit or something - these had the T-56 with long throws so many people do short shifters. Diff whine is common but solvable with proper Torco fluid and friction modifier. Loved the review and glad you liked it - I kept buying these because it allowed me to effectively drive for free when well bought; haven't lost money on a single one of mine yet besides ~$1,000 on my W40 04 GTO, but that was after 125,000 miles added and getting T-boned.
As an Australian, I'd be over next door in a heartbeat if I saw a Monaro GTO (or similar!) sitting out front!
I miss Holden :(
Great review of a cool car..I worked at GMH when we were building these cars and drove a lot of Monaros and GTOs around the Assembly plant!... These cars were built when Holden's export program was strong..A great time to have been working at Holden!😊
I was surprised to hear that more of the Pontiac GTO version were made in Adelaide than the Holden Monaro version.
Was that your experience?
typical bloody Tories , Abbot and Hockey ,exported 100k jobs, subsidised Motor vehicle industry creates jobs (i.e. look at Germany) .Menzies started exporting vehicle jobs in the 60's , Oz made =cheap ,tariffs %47 ,put on imports unless Commonwealth made ,CKD started with Ford and GM out of Canada
Got to Australia in Feb 21, by Dec 21 I was the proud owner of a 365HP Holden Commodore V8. May 23, cammed it and now it has 520HP. These V8's are bloody awesome and look so good too.
+155hp just with cams?
@@garethjohnstone9282cam, it’s not hitech enough to have cams.
@@glennO-e9r It's a SOHC/OHV?
@@garethjohnstone9282 ohv, 2 valves per cylinder. Your lawn mower has more technology.
Thank you for posting that video and reminding us Aussie's of a better time.
They were old school muscle cars and fairly simple but extremely cool.
Auto industry created jobs ,bloody Tories exported 100k+ jobs ,Abbot (now works for UK as Trade commissioner post Brexit) Hockey was US ambassador , they stuffed manufacturing in Oz .
Worth every Penny for the sound alone. That it also has the ability to put an ear-to-ear grin on the driver’s face makes this an absolute peach. The world’s a better place for it.
Love to see another Holden on the channel! The Monaro is certainly a special car. To complete the trio JayEmm, I HIGHLY recommend you try and track down one of the 15 final VXR GTSR's. The VF commodore platform that it is based on, is a complete night and day difference in every way. Handling, Performance, Interior (For an Australian car) and refinement. With the cherry on top being the glorious LSA Supercharged engine. It will walk over this completely in every aspect (And if you take the limiter off, even with the slightly less power, I wouldn't be surprised if it left this for dead)
Thanks, that’s exactly what I was going to say, plus the GTS-R looks incredible….love the blue one in the clip too. I’ve got an HSV R8 Clubsport Track Edition 90/150. It may only have an LS3, but handles like it’s on rails. Also I have the auto with paddle shifters, it may not be the most popular, but I’ve not regretted it once. I get great economy, 48,000 kms and it’s never missed a beat…can’t think it anything I don’t love about it. The styling of all the VFII HSV’s and GTS-Rs is perfect as well….I’m not biased lol
Thanks again Jay, it was a brilliant day in the Scottish sunshine. Glad you enjoyed the car!
Onya Callum!👍
Fun Fact: The man that started HSV was a Scotsman: Tom Walkinshaw.
Did I see this before n the Carluke area at the weekend
@@damiantaylor7993 wouldn't of been mine. I am rarely in Scotland to drive it unfortunately
Nice one Callum👍
Hello from NZ, common cars here too. I remember back in the days going for a ride in one of these as part of a convoy of holdens they called the 200k club meaning they would all meet up and go for a drive on country roads at 200km/h. Effortless for those cars, a bit scary for the passengers 😁
Personally I think the best looking and equipped holden was the Holden Senator hsv
Lived Wellington , 70's , Commonwealth tariff program left NZ, (Holyoak &Muldoon) ,left NZ with no choice but to import Japanese, Tories in Oz ,made everything except Valiants assembled in Petone too expensive ,then Tories gutted that ,10's thousands jobs lost in NZ alone
Got overtaken by a Monaro in the Hindhead tunnel a couple of years ago. Fortunately I was driving roof down so got the full deep body resonating experience.
Great review......they are brilliant cars! I'm from U.K. and currently have a 5.7 litre Monaro in my garage, it's the 4th one i've owned - and even with a standard 350bhp engine (has headers and full exhaust) it still has enough shove to put a big grin on your face! 😁
I'm on my 5th 04-06 Pontiac GTO in the USA (all 6-speeds) so we're obviously of the same mind - so difficult to top them for the money. I've had two 04s two 05s and an 06, but I had an 04 pulse red GTO the longest (the defunct W40 40th anniversary edition) I modded that and ran it to 156k miles before getting T-boned. The LS1 sounds better than the LS2, although my current 2005 LS2 is a full SAP car with the GM branded Magnaflow mufflers and it sounds the best of all my GTOs by far.
I recently got a G8 GXP 6-speed and while it's basically the same quickness, the interior is just simply not as nice as the GTO's honestly. Amazing that they haven't taken off in price given the rarity, but I think people forget they exist or don't realize it's so much nicer than any muscle car in its price range until you get to late model Camaros. I considered an SRT Challenger which is fun but it drives worse than the GTO and is so much heavier it's barely faster. So much exhaust drone too on the highway it was absurd.
@@clinttube yeah I prefer the LS1 motors, though I have owned 2 LS2 powered Monaros. 🙂
@@davegreg I think the GTO/Monaro iteration of the LS1 is about as good as it gets too, but the LS2 really feels quite a bit punchier to me when stock. Can't really say the same for the LS3 it seems no better than the LS2 but I need to get an intake on it before I can judge since the stock one is a joke on the G8 GXP (VE Commodore).
Great video on the Vauxhall Monaro! Your version was indeed essentially the HSV GTO. These were sold here without Monaro badging as Holden had exclusive rights to the Monaro name, HSV being a semi-independent skunkworks in the vein of AMG. To many Antipodean eyes the basic Holden Monaro, particularly the earlier ‘V2’ versions, were the prettiest - especially if ordered without the nasty rear spoiler.
The lines as originally penned in 1998 by Australian designer Mike Simcoe were spot on for local tastes - which at the time were on odd blend of US and European influences. Mike is now VP of design with GM in Detroit.
HSVs used the same garish body kit as seen in the Vauxhall version (designed by Ian Callum in the UK). But it was the Pontiac GTO that really copped a whack with the ugly stick. It wore a particularly nasty nose in a feeble attempt to graft on some US heritage. The result being more, erm, goat than GOAT.
The “SAAB style” cup holders were actually genuine SAAB cup holders - a result of GM ownership of SAAB at the time. The VXR was in fact a pretty close relative of the Omega you tested recently. Holden started with the Omega but by the end of development had stretched, warped and widened it in every direction. In the end the only common components between a VXR and Omega being the door handles and rear suspension.
Great Channel!
This was quite the write-up and an enjoyable one to read.
That’s a HSV GTO with a factory supercharger kit and it’s a god damn classic
It's not Factory fitted, as the video states. We never got that option in the UK and this is not an official product. A single Vauxhall dealer worked with a UK tuning company called wortec who specialised in LS engines to fit the superchargers and exhausts.
@@Aliasify why are you like this man
In South Africa they were called Chevrolet Lumina, we had the sedan and ute.
An Australian Baakie? 😉
Not quite. This car is based on those cars that are rebadged commodores, although it's pretty much the same chassis and interior bits.
I remember seeing this on top gear when I was a kid and falling in love with it.
In 1998, Holden Australia revealed a surprise at the Sydney Motor Show: a two-door coupe concept car based on their four-door sedan Commodore. I drove the 300km to Sydney (in my six-year-old Commodore) just to see this one car. The country-wide reaction was immediate: "You MUST make this car!" Two years later, Holden announced it - and I put down a deposit. Two years after that, I took delivery of a 5.7L V8 six-speed manual, that I still own to this day after putting 320,000 km on it. It has been around Australia twice (including Tasmania), still with the original engine, and the gearbox refurbished once. I disagree with your characterisation of the gearbox: mine is smooth as silk in all the gears - but I do agree with the low-down grunt power. I usually get 8.2 L/100km on highway (no supercharger or 6.0L engine, so...), and have taken it up the Centre of Oz at 264 kph while it was still legal to do that. Sixth faded around 230 kph, so I upshifted to fifth and was redlining it to get 264. The trip computer was declaring 99.9 L/100 (max), and since it's literally 100 kms between roadhouses there, you can't keep that up with only a 75L tank! Mine is not as aggressive looking as the one you showed: no nostrils on the bonnet, or aggressive skirts, or even twin exhausts. It's very rounded, yes - but I believe it's the best looking of all of the Monaro models. Oz never used Vauxhall's VXR designation: in many respects it just used the standard Commodore designations - but never the name. This was a Monaro!
I'm not going to be buried in it - but I also doubt I'll ever sell it. It is no longer my daily driver, simply because fuel is too pricey. But I drive it at least weekly, and to this day I get admiring glances at it. It doesn't growl anywhere near as aggressively as yours: it's seen more as a GT car than a muscle car, so I'm not considered a "bogan" for owning it. Where I live (a smaller city than Sydney or Melbourne) they're rarer, and I get one or two offers to buy it a year - but never enough to convince me to sell it. It is quite simply my favourite car I've ever owned in forty years; and I've had it for twenty.
I bought mine in 2003, unfortunately she died in 2013. It's a long story, no one's fault just bad luck. I will second the notion regarding our gearbox, the Tremec T-36 was smooth as silk! Easily the best gear box available in Australia at the time. Maybe the refurbishers installed a different box?
@@Sentinel22-vl9ek They absolutely didn't - or I got the best deal of a lifetime! The price was a few (Australian) thousand, whereas a new box would have been twice that.
Thanks as always. I live in Aus and used to own a 4 door HSV. Was a great car. Quite recently I learnt the father of one of my kids friends has a Monaro that he only drives once a month. I definitely went around for a good yarn with him. Fantastic cars. In Aus these are always in far better condition and lower kms than a similar 4 door car or the same year. They attract a big premium and that means they attract a better class of owner who will look after it properly (which isn’t hard they are cheap and easy to maintain).
Surely you mean 'Car of the colonies ' :)
Magnificent thing. Lived in Australia a while ago and loved the V8s Holdens and Fords - and the culture and rivalry around them. Soft spot for Monaros in particular. Real shame to hear it's all gone now.
Remember very nearly having a big 'un when hooning a Falcon on a de-restricted road in the Northern Territory. Fun times.
Car of the colonies? GM Is a US car company, not British , and im prerty sure by the time GM was incorporated, the USA was no longer a colony of Great Britain.
Aussie here: The Monaro’s, while common’ish here, still fetch $50k+ for a good regular one, and a lot more for the HSV versions.
The loss of our car industry, has made both Holden and Ford performance models worth good money. Sure the common as mud poverty spec cars are still being flogged to death by bogans, but the good cars are being collected and appreciated.
Thank you for stating your geographical base. I find the comments on this post confusing because (apart from you) most don't state where they are based. I'm in the UK and I recall Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear reviewing the car and saying how much we needed it here. I think a small number were imported, but I've never seen one. Did the Lotus Carlton ever make it to Oz?
@@davidvivian596no, sadly. Only as an import.
@@davidvivian596 not that I’m aware of.
Another Australian here - confirm the OPs statement.
Sold our VE SS Sportwagon with a very hard to find manual transmission. My husband loved the car but I found it too large. We bought it new & sold it in virtually new condition for half of what we paid. We then saw prices start to rise as a result of Holden closing down. Husband used the money to buy a Jaguar XKR.
Liked your story James. From an Aussie, note that HSV never marketed or sold the car here in Aus as a Monaro. It was as I think you said briefly the HSV Coupe GTO, or the Coupe GTS with a Callaway fettled 5.7 litre V8. We had to wait for the final series Holden brought out to see HSV slap a supercharger on a LS3 V8. Note, we aren’t Americans and have prawns not shrimps 😂 And if my neighbour bought a HSV Coupe or a Holden Monaro, I would be impressed - because as you say: if you know, you know these were very good & probably the best looking Holden (HSV) ever!
That first HSV Coupe GTS is the best looking HSV ever.
Abbot & Hockey exported 100k+ jobs , subsidised manufacturing works ,(ask a German) Menzies started this early 60's , when Tariff %47 was put on imports , CKD started in Canada ,so we complied with "Commonwealth only" import program to bail out UK , Tories same everywhere
I have the American cousin car. LS1 + 6-speed and I'm reminded how much I love it every time I drive it. It's good at powering through turns yet has a nice spacious interior with more backseat room than any modern coupe I've ever seen.
They are rising in value everyday back here in their home land Australia 🇦🇺.
Are there any performance/sports cars being made over there anymore??
@@NewEdgeDesigns no
@@NewEdgeDesigns no just bs hybrids and electric cars
@@T.S.T2014 wow that’s terrible
i dont see any on northshore in sydney so i guess the stored or more drive European performance cars here
As an Australian. When new they were expensive vs a Monaro. But now they are rare and you'd consider the owner a guy who has good taste in local muscle. No shrimp though.
still middle class affordable ! an Hsv
I have a E63 and the over 200k new in oz
A thought for the UK viewers from an American about the American V8. My manager is from the UK. We've worked together for over 5 years and is a bit of a car enthusiast. They flew from London to Scottland after visiting friends in the south of England. London to Edinburgh is about 400 miles. Many Americans will drive that distance on a Friday evening after work to holiday, or watch a Football game on Saturday just to reverse the trip on Sunday. They were a bit surprised at what distance Americans would drive and consider normal for a holday.
A low rpm high torque V8 is great when covering longer distances at 60 to 80mph and my 6 speed Corvette can get 30mpg doing it at 400hp. 30mpg driving south to Florida and 28 going north. Florida is downhill I do love your high revving light sportscars on a country road. Differences are not a fault of one culture or the other just a product of culture and possibly roads, fuel costs, tolls, and/or traffic. I know some in the UK drive to Spain to vacation, so it certainly is not all. However, on average especially outside the North East US, we are more likely to drive 400 to 600 miles. I'd imagine Aussies are bit like the US but can not confirm.
From Queensland Australia drive 80 miles to go shopping
@@Gary-gr3ff Sydney to Brisbane over 1000km, that's just a day trip.
Can confirm you are correct mate. Only Adelaide moan about driving more then 30mins 😂
@@Gary-gr3ffout west mate?
@lamarw9901 I am an American, and I love a road trip. After work on a Friday and back on Sunday evening, covering over 1,000 miles just to go see something or another while making memories on the road.
I am from the Midwest and live primarily in the Midwest, just outside of Chicago on the Indiana side of the border, and it's great to just get on HWY 65 and head south to Kentucky or Tennessee every once in a while.
To be on a long road trip, in my opinion, it's best to be inside of a comfortable, capable car with a low rev, relaxed V8. Americans have abandoned V8 sedans for the most part in favor of CUV'S and SUV'S, whatever floats their boat. My wife owned a large displacement V8 SUV for a number of years, totally issue free. The engine was great. The last great V8 highway cruisers were the Panther platform cars from Ford. The Lincoln Town Car excels at 70-80mph quiet cruising. It's difficult to believe that platform and America's last good full framed car has been gone for 13 years now. The Chrysler LX platform cars are pretty good, too.
I've owned my GTO from new, but don't put any miles on it anymore. It stays at my AZ home in order to avoid the rust belt environment. I've been fortunate over the years and have owned a lot of really good cars, including two Porsches. They're all gone except the GTO. To me, it's just that good and a great representation of what a manufacturer, Holden in this case, can do with a limited budget and great engineering.
I've had the joy of living next door to two men who bought similar cars - the first flogged his always-garaged Mustang to buy one of the run out VF Commodore Motorsport (essentially the four door sedan with ALL the trinkets and go-faster options), and after we moved, someone moved in next door with an HSV (Holden's AMG) Maloo (the ute) GTS-R - which was the most extreme version of the tarted-up ute. Ridiculously large wheels, a hard cover over the load bed, and less practical than a Volvo or Skoda wagon.
In both cases they were obnoxiously loud on startup (the former liked to idle it for 10 minutes before leaving, the latter was a tradie who would leave at 6am) - such that we'd speak about the Throbadoore over the fence - there was no sleeping nearby once they started; in both cases they were nice enough men exploring their mid life crisis, but neither were brain surgeons. Simple, loud, fun cars for nice but dull men.
Friend had a 6.0 GTO with a manual. I remember other friends (at the time) giving hom crap for the looks and not really being a true GTO. I'm glad to see folks are coming around on these in the US due to this setup, big V-8, rear drive and can be had with a stick.
And yet it was, hands down, the best GTO ever. Looks were a bit blend.
"Coming around" they have been expenive forever on the used market in the USA...have looked for YEARS for a good deal
Thankyou Jay for making this video. AUSTRALIA loves you 🇦🇺😃
Australia certainly does. 🇦🇺 😊
I’ve owned my VXR 600 from new. Done just over 10000 miles, dry weather only. You couldn’t prise it out of my dead hands.
Drive it more
As an Aussie I love seeing these in the hands of car reviewers from other countries. If only you guys got the ford falcon, would be another sweet car to review. My dad has a VZ commodore wagon and it’s a fantastic family car
I was in the UK last month and saw what looked like an XR6 or XR8 drive past me. Also saw a Territory on the M25! There must be a few personal imports.
I loved all the Aussie cars in the 70's and 80's, from Ford Falcons and Fairlanes to Holden Kingswood, Commodore and Valiant/ Chrysler VE and CM's. Oh those days have sadly all gone. Australia just as well be Asia or Europe now 😢
To clarify, the HSV Monaro and the Monaro itself are distinct models here in Australia. Despite common misconceptions, Australians typically pair beer with tinnies, not shrimps. Putting that aside, I appreciate your take on the vehicle. I've personally owned my HSV GTO Coupe for 15 years now. Finding parts has been a challenge-often, they're only available on platforms like eBay, and at exorbitant prices. Currently, there are no Australian companies producing reproduction parts, given that these cars aren't quite old enough yet.
Holden may no longer be around, but Ford Australia still has its headquarters in Melbourne, though they no longer manufacture cars locally. As for seeing a neighbor with one, I'd think they paid nearly 100 grand for theirs, whereas I bought mine for a fraction of that price with only 50,000 kilometers on it. These cars were impressive in their time, thanks to the dedication of Holden's engineers who brought them to market. However, today's cars boast superior technology, safety, and reliability that these future classics can't match-they're products of their era.
I'm glad you enjoyed driving it; a lot of effort went into its production, and it's a testament to the skilled engineers at Holden who made it possible.
From Down Under - this is special. You don't see the Monaro here now either let alone an HSV spec model. If my neighbour has one of these we'd be sharing a beer or two for sure
Australian viewer here and the way people saw this over here was it was something properly special because they were not necessarily cheap in comparison to a commodore or falcon when they were new (the hsv variants commanded a significant premium) yet people aspired to have one because they were attainable dream cars. These were somewhat popular with the street racing scene because of the engine.
Also HSV did a variant of the Monaro with 4 wheel drive and there was a planned convertible concept which unfortunately never made it to production.
That “just one more run” line is a pretty cool “behind the scenes” take. While most of us would love to do what you do and drive as many cars as you do, it’s still a job. Driving a particular car after the cameras are off, just for your entertainment, has got to be the really fun part of your job. Thanks for including us on these reviews.
Haven't watched video yet , not even the ad and it gets a thumbs up. Love those cars, and will watch later.
As an Australian, I have a real soft spot for these as my uncle bought one brand new in the early 2000s. I worked with a bloke a month ago who owns one as a weekender, and my opinion of him was that he is a connoisseur. If it were my neighbour, I would be equally as impressed, and it would make me like him more. I don’t think I know anyone who would turn their nose up at one of these. Great video thanks
I drove one for the first time last week, similar spec to this one and it’s great, my 28 year old son bought it at a few weeks back, it’s epic and at 16 grand great value.
Was this the auction one in silver?
When he’s done with it, export it to Australia, and make £40,000 profit
@@superjodyYeah, that’s the one.
@@xkimopyeReally, wow.
@J4cko999 nice, I was watching that and thought it would have gone for more.
Wanted to go to the auction but I'd just got back from new york.
Hope he got a good one. I got the standard vxr 2 weeks ago
Aussie here. You can see show car spec Monaros that really steal the show, and you can see some bogan rolling through the Macca's drive through in his clapped out shitbox of a Monaro as his daily driver.
These things are fairly common to see on the roads. It's about 50/50 in terms of the reaction to them, and in terms of how clean the car is. I've seen two in the past couple of weeks, and it will always garner a good turn of the head and an "Ah, nice." Honestly, you could see these sitting in the driveway of the ghetto suburbs or out the front of someone's mansion. It's pretty funny!
Loved the video, mate. You are very genuine behind the camera, and it doesn't feel like a forced performance or like a robot sticking to a script. Keep it up!
The Pontiac GTO was reviewed in the US. It was very expensive for what you got, and never sold in large numbers.
Here in Texas I saw a Pontiac GTO with all the Holden badges replacing the American ones.
It is funny but here in Oz some people put Pontiac and Chevy badges on Holdens. 😆
@@person.X. Chevy badges on a Holden are serious bogan things. Still quite a few where I am (Dandenong, near former Holden factory location) and Chev badges are stupid.
Earnheart Jnr has one converted to Holden spec...
Great video as always James! These things always made me think they were the Aussie version of TVR. Big engine, straightforward engineering, grass roots big power motorcars. Fabulous
They were much better put together than the trevors, being built in a factory and not some guys in a shed in Blackpool, but yeh the spirit is the same.
Those wheels aren't aftermarket, they're the genuine HSV wheels with different centre caps.
Great video, James. As you stated the Monaro is known as the Pontiac GTO on this side of the pond. They still have a big following over here along with the Pontiac G8 and Chevy SS. I've owned my G8 GT for 8 years now, hands down my favorite car ever!
When GM gets a car right, but they don't sell millions of them. My friend has one... Pontiac it's quick.
I’ve never been happier to watch a JayEmm video
"Putting a great big smile on my face" is precisely why I have one.
Growing up in Australia loving the old Holdens of the 60s and 70s, when Vauxhall brought them to the UK I bought a 5.7 as my daily and loved it to bits. I always regretted selling it so last year I finally picked up a red VXR 6.0 as a weekend car. It's like the one on your video (minus the supercharger), just as loud and puts out 500bhp after a cam and some tuning.
For me, it's hard to beat in the "smiles per mile" category.
Minor details on the UK spec variants:
2004 V2 Monaro V8: 5.7 LS1, 245kW / 328hp / 333ps - sold 240 examples
2004 V2 Monaro VXR: 5.7 LS1, 285kW / 382hp / 387ps - sold 62 examples
2005 VZ Monaro V8: 5.7 LS1, 260kW / 349hp / 354ps - sold 142 examples
2005 VZ Monaro VXR: 6.0 LS2, 297kW / 398hp / 404ps - sold 338 examples
2006 VZ Monaro VXR500: 6.0 LS2 + Harrop 112 @ 5psi, 368kW / 493hp / 500ps - sold 18 examples (conversions)
I was looking this up the other day.
I own one of 112 in quicksilver. 2006 vxr built in 2005
@@superjody Figure I found was 111 VXR6.0 in Quicksilver, 1 of which became the VXR500 press car (incidentally sold back to Australia in 2022 after Stellantis gutted the Vauxhall heritage collection)
@benponsford2742 ah, I was getting different but similar figures on a few different sites.
Mine is build 0194
Thanx for this list. My car is from the second group, sting red VXR car No 0008, mileage is at 43,500, 3 previous owners, it has a number of upgrades including recent torque master engine mounts. Had it just over 4 years now.
@@Phil-RS Ah nice, I just picked up an early VXR as well, build no 0009! Much like the red one in this video, it's been given the VXR500 upgrade package, although fitted individually before the VXR500 was even a thing. Also making somewhere between 550 and 600hp. Between that and the big boot, no problems handling the beer run!
The first sedan of this generation was the Commodore VT which popped up here in Australia way back in late 1997, so you are indeed looking at a 1990s design. And to answer your question, any Monaro is a special here, and take pride of place in a heated/cooled garage, I know of several, one is about 20 feet away. Same with the rarer high horsepower sedans. Good video. Gooday from Australia.
One of my "dream garage" cars! I knew of one guy who bought one of the first 5.7 models, and sold it a few months later complaining that it was "too much car for him"! Keep it stock and just USE IT LIKE A $2000 HOOKER! Take it nice places, treat it nice, and when in private and no-one is looking, treat it like your naughtiest fantasy! At all times, you are going to want EVERYONE to notice! .....mainly the smile on your face!
"$2,000 hooker". I like that.
Many years ago I remember going on a Dyno Day at a place called The Powerplant with our car club (Rebel Motorsport Club) and a member having one of these. Its the onlytime I've ever looked at a Vauxhall and thought.... NICE, I'd own that.
I was absolutely blown away by how it sounded on the Dyno as it scremed to the redline and when we came back across the severn bridge and it took off from the tolls with myself chasing I was grinning from ear to ear with the sound it made.
The HSV Coupe of the day came in GTO (with 5.7 LS1 with 255kw) and the GTS (with a Calloway C4B version of the same engine producing 300kw)
The GTS was great because it revved higher and was the stuff of my teenage dreams.
The HSV 4 door with the same engine was the VX GTS and still my favourite HSV to this day
Some of these are selling today for $150k AUD and are worth every cent. Most of them have trickled down to the burnout crowd. Some are collector cars. We even had the HSV Coupe 4 variant with awd.
Second most powerful Vauxhall, slightly behind the Astra-max van. You've seen them on the roads, they are faster than everything else!
I have a monaro cv8z its a beast.
Was my late fathers.
I do get sad when i sit in it.. but then it makes me smile
Felt the urge many times in the past…….. at 19 years mad, some 40+ years back, I had a much modified 1974 Ford Fairmont/Falcon coupe - Australia’s Mach 1 - remote opening doors, munroe air suspension, 351 cui Ford V8, later a 400 cui after I detonated the old one…… Detroit locker rear axle and a crazy paint job. A RHD muscle car in the UK 🇬🇧🙂
Max Rockatansky drove one for work, in mat black with a blower…….. if only I knew the future value and rarity. More or less gave it away……. 😢
It wasn’t the last V8 for me, but haven’t had one for years……. I still yearn for an old school cross plane V8, there’s nothing quite like it. Like my Hardly MovinSon, 1600 cc of belligerent V twin, left for dead by my Honda VeryDareYou, 1000 cc of mad V twin, but no soul. 🇬🇧🙂
i have a 2005 BA xr8 manual ute. its bright yellow too, they just dont make cool cars like that anymore. it stand out so much in traffic haha.
australia in the 2000s and 2010s made some great cars
This sounds glorious. That US Rumble+ Supercharger whine. ❤️
here on the other side of the pond in america, the GTO badged car was sold between 04-06. only the 04 was sold with the LS1. the 4 door one that came later we had badged as the pontiac G8 and it had 3 engine options: the 3.6 V6, the 6.0L LS2, and the 6.2L LS3, and was sold for the 08 and 09 model years. pontiac died only a year later.
Here in New Zealand we have a couple of Falcons with a Barra, and sons got an HSV Clubsport, manual, because you need that power when you're nineteen apparently.
Anyway even though some these cars get seriously thrashed, they don't break. There was this Skyline, let's not discuss that...
Know of a few people that mocked V8s, then drove one, haven't met one that still was negative after the experience, they 'get it'
Incidentally the HSV gets amazing gas mileage on the open road if you drive reasonably.
Great review... Great aussie muscle car! I have an 02 gts hsv..quiksilver with 37.000kms
On the clock. It makes me smile too..😊 stew
I'd buy this before a ferrari, lambo or bugatti any day of the week, I absolutely love these cars. ❤
And you'd not have a RUclips channel to cry about spending £10,000 on maintaining the Ferrari in one go too. Not improving it. Unlike a Monaro that with that money would make 800hp and have improved everything.
This is a real car and not some toy !
They sound great, I like the look, but the more power you put on them the less they put to the ground. Great for burnouts if that’s your idea of fun, and it can be, but even Lewis Hamilton wouldn’t put down a 0-60 in under 5 seconds on his best day. I know that’s not the point of this car, but at least it will never break down.
😂
@@olik9388 you can get them going pretty fast with some suspension upgrades. Fastest Commodore/Monaro with the factory irs is a 7 second car.
V cool motor! Remember one of these coming into the auction site I used to work at… had to rev it a good few times! What a beast
JayEmm's doppelganger ,,actor Shane Jacobson , drove a replica of Peter Brock's Monaro in the 2021 Targa Tasmania.
Brocky drove the original Monaro CV8 in 2002 ,2003 and 2004 ,Targa's , with great success.
He is Jay Em’s Aussie doppelgänger ! Good call.
@@Thisonegoestoeleven666 Yes, they look like twins.
I had one of these for a weekend when I worked in a Vauxhall dealer in the 2000s, it was the branch manager's company car and he gave me use of it reluctantly (he lost a bet, I think it was about me turning up on time), it was a hoot but it had a prodigious thirst and the typical GM build quality, by that I mean that it had rattles and squeaks even from new but the engine is a peach and the exhaust note was so addictive it emptied my wallet. A few weeks later HMRC changed the company car tax rules and even he was driving a Vectra.
Great review! I’m in Australia, and I always notice these when I see one out and about and even notice if it’s localJust yesterday saw a black GTO version new to my area, and it was sweet. Like your VXR500, the GTO’s are the ducks nuts. 😂
Hi Jay emm, Finally you got your hands on an Australian Car ! I hope you get the opportunity to review the Vauxhall ( HSV) Maloo Ute (pickup) as well as the VXR sedan one day. The original Top gear , along with Tiff Needel as well , love these cars as well as the HSV Clubsport/ Senators. Clarkson also once quipped that if you want a exciting , reliable GM sports car, go to Australia to find one..
Was the maloo ever sold here? Because I can't recall ever seeing one neither up for sale, in car media, or in person. I do remember the stig driving one on Top Gear but that was in Australia on a mine so was a Holden. Oh and when they went up against the top gear Australia crew the Australians brought one over but again that was a Australian domestic market one, not one sold here
@@Afraz_9n3 yes it was, Chris Harris has driven one, and shmee hss reviewed one....ruclips.net/video/nmBx_EY3UnM/видео.htmlsi=_m8QSykG4XN06RFX
For your info Jay the Harrop supercharger is Aussie as well
The shape is lovely, great proportions
Drove a friends VRX500 and it scared the shit out of me. It liked to spin the wheels for fun! 🤣
Mate could get 30mpg out of his if he drove like a nun. 😂
People are actually exporting these Vauxhall Monaro’s back to Australia , as they command more of a premium since Holden has come defunct… The Monaro is to Australia as what the Mustang is to the USA.
Having lived and experienced UK motoring in all its 'rusty splender' - I would be very concerned with the purchase of UK based Vauxhall and exporting to Australia.
@@georgebettiol8338 It’s still worth more money in Australia with a little bit of rust, than it is in the UK- they don’t make them anymore!
Oh but this review made my heart sing ... I watched and then went straight outside to tell to my VYII 'QuickSilver' coloured Monaro all about it ... I bought her new back in 2004 and have loved her ever since ... she's my 'daily' atm but only has 113,500 (original) Kms on the clock ... we are soon to celebrate our 20th anniversary ... (that's longer than my marriage lasted) .... what does THAT tell you ... perhaps that she's a 'keeper' ... SIGH!
Fun fact, Holden's started in 1856 as a saddlery.
And coach builder , for Ford along with others .
Aussie here. Loved Monarto since the day they were announced and one day I will own one.
The Monaro is a legend. I've only driven a VXR8 (6.0 and 6.2) that was fab too. The 5.7 Monaro could do 30mpg if you were gentle 😂😂😂
HSV's advertising slogan here Down Under was 'I just want one'. This completely sums up this great car 🤤
As an Aussie, if someone brought home a Vauxhall Monaro, wed probably just treat it like a fake Holden, but if they bought a Holden Monaro, wed probably visit to check it out cuz they're cool
I'd give em a break if actively looking for 'birth' signage
@@duncanyourmate2433 sounds like something a non Australian would say
What are you onna about
Tom Walkinshaw came to Bathurst in 1985 and won with John Goss (TWR XJ-S). With GMH having had a split with Peter "Perfect" Brock, Walkinshaw and GM set up HSV to take over from the HDT Brock Commodores. So the first car HSV's were always 4 door Commodores - the Coupe only occurring when the Monaro returned. So anyone who says a 4 door is not an HSV is strange. Also made Utes (Maloo) and Statesman (Grange? - long wheel base, luxury Commodores on the wagon platform I believe).
This was the first car that made me excited about Vauxhall. Thanks to a certain underground racing game from EA. God that sound on flybys are pure Bathurst 1000 stuffs.
And yes it's Vauxhall Monaro VXR over Pontiac GTO for me, thanks.
Also if you can get your hands on one, try the HSV GTS-R aka. Vauxhall VXR8 GTS-R. The last one. That is one of my dream muscle car. Especially in the GTS-R W1 guise with the LS9 V8 from Corvette ZR1.
💯💯💯👌🏾
Pristine W1 are worth huge money in Oz now. Crazy money.
$365000
I think the supercharger whine on those is too much. Completely drowns out the exhaust not for me. The Mustang Terminator is about the right balance, supercharger whine/exhaust note for me
🇦🇺 I'm just left with 1 feeling 😭
I'm a Ford fanboy here in the Antipodes. However, the later VE and VF chassis were a big improvement over this car. Some smart boffins could retrofit the chassis from the more modern sedan and this thing would be an absolute weapon.
Can't argue with 600 HP and 500 lb ft that this car makes though! Has plenty more to give with the David Vizard cam formula along with his approach to cylinder head porting and the cheat code - tuning on E85 fuel. Great review.
I very nice Holden Monaro, beautiful car, they are getting rarer in WA
Australian here, I live 20 mins from the old Monaro factory.
These cars are worshipped in Australia, if the neighbor bought one, he'd be the coolest guy in town 😁
Because the Commodore was developed over decades, they're very very reliable and parts locally are cheap. Even at that level of tune the motor isn't overly stressed.
The T56 gearbox is indeed from the Corvette and the short shift kit aggravates its quirks.
Not sure how many people are aware but we had an awd version here in Aus. The awd system was developed with “help” from subaru. It only came with an auto unfortunately. I saw one launch from a set of traffic lights in torrential rain expecting it was a Rear wheeler and waiting for the inevitable wheel spinning but i was blown away when it squatted and rocketed away. 😳👌
Ahh, the Coupe 4. Love the body kit on those.
The Coupe 4 was overpriced, heavy and underpowered.
Yesterday, I did over 1200 km on my 2017 SSV redline Commodore with the LS 3 and improved suspension amongst other things.
The drive was along a track we euphemistically call a highway which breaks European cars.
I was still smiling when I got home to my Bull Arab, not Doberman.
And my best fuel figure for the trip was 8.2 L per hundred kilometres!
Australian here... in Australia your loyalties were aligned with either Ford or Holden (Ford here .. ''my blood runs blue" as they say in the blue oval corner). But if my neighbor parked a Monaro in their drive you would pay due respect and welcome the arrival. It's a shame that Ford Australia's products didn't have more visibility around the world, arguably superior to the equivalent Holden products which relied more heavily on designs from Germany (body) and the US (mechanically) albeit with a lot of tweaking for the local market. In my opinion, the world's best six cylinder engine is Australian, the bullet-proof all-metal-no-plastic smooth 4.0 litre double overhead cam straight six which I don't believe made its way to any other markets. RIP Australian car industry, how sad that it came to an end.
Yep, the Barra is a legend - I got it's "Tickford tickled grandpa" in my NC Fairlane Sportsman Ghia...cheaper than the V8 to buy and run, but just as quick and smoother, and a great way to cruise. Cheers!
Holden man here but I have a huge respect for Ford Australia in making the Barra engine. You are right, it was only the Australian Ford Falcon and Territory that had the Barra engine. A real shame that the Territory wasn't exported (other than NZ) as I'm sure the Americans would have loved that vehicle.
Yep never even seen a Barra here I think
@@JayEmmOnCarsThe “Barra” name refers to the Ford Australia 4.0L inline six-cylinder engine that was only used in Australian produced Ford vehicles. Some of these engines have been imported into the USA where modifiers use them in custom vehicles as the engine responds well to turbocharging to extract some very good HP numbers.
I’ve owned both, got an FPV parked in the garage, they’re both great cars.
I bought a then two year old original VXR500 in 2009 for £18k - around half its original asking price. I was even more smug when I sold it 3 years later for the same £18k I paid for it. Wasn’t quite so smug when I saw that my actual old car had sold at auction for £38k in 2021! Ouch. Always said I’d love to buy my old car back one day, but I fear I may be waiting a while for it to come back up for sale again. Great review by the way.
I've always absolutely adored these, they're so fucking cool. Would love to get one at some point. For some reason I have an affinity for Aussie stuff.
I'm Australian...don't romanticise them - they're cheap rubbish..
@@stephenscholes4758 Ford owner? ;)
@@MonaroTravels No. ND MX5 - a driver's car, not a taxi
@@stephenscholes4758 I own both a Holden VY V8 and a Mazda MX5 and both provide a great motoring experience - each having their strengths and weaknessess. Consequently, I consider such disparaging comments uninformed and unhelpful.
@@MonaroTravelsnah mate he's a jdm kid, we have ALOT of them and they really dislike anything ford,gm or chrysler and tolerate European(german).
I drove the younger brother of this across country recently.
The last model commodore SS wagon
What a great car!
HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) and FPV (Ford Performance Vehicles) got pretty pricey in some cases, putting you in entry level German saloon territory. It was definitely a petrol-headed and somewhat patriotic decision to take the hotted-up body-kitted version of the domestic car, over something sterile and European. Interiors were quite American (crap) but they were the everyman heroes. A commodore was a police car, a taxi and also a muscle car aspiration for Aussies. Speed for the people. Gotta love it.
So many Falcons and Commodores were on the road all day every day as taxis.. not the cheapest thing on fuel but I guess reliable and somewhat affordable converted to LPG. I'm not sure if there's any to speak of still doing taxi duty
@@dielaughing73 not many Commodores ended up as taxis, particularly in later years. The Ford I6 was far more reliable than the Commodore V6 and it took to LPG better.
@@dielaughing73 they absolutely loved a LPG falcon. You're probably right, the Barra's robustness outweighed it's thirstiness. I still see the occasional falcon taxi at the airport, always in terrible condition 😂
@@skilgour44Correct. Falcons were used for the Taxi fleets, a little bit bigger and the 4.0 straight six was way more reliable than the 3.8 V6 used in the Commodores. Police cars were usually V8 Commodores. Although that did change in later years, when the XR6 Turbo became a popular choice as a Police car too.
@@jamestoby2552 the 3.8L V6 was reliable... it was the 3.6L and 3.0L Alloytecs that were rubbish.
Ford tried to break into the police market but they never quite made the consistent sales that Holden did. There were some XR8 HWP vehicles around too but the XR6 Turbo certainly was more common.
I have been critical of your presenting style in the past, but I would like to say, you are winning me over.
Very good video and I am starting to understand the way you put your passion across.
Thank you for the video.
We'll get you in the end :)
RIP Aussie manufacturing. What a tragedy that our entire automotive industry was abandoned by the Liberal government. Thanks for that Tony Abbot.
Australia couldn't build cara competitively against other countries. Once they removed tariffs, it was an unfair advantage to foreign built cars.
Done on purpose, 5-10 years from now, there won't be anything left, in 50 years we've lost 80%
2000-2017 was golden era of modern muscle cars in australia
So you wouldn't remember the Button Plan of Hawke/Keating that started the rot, and the same Labor govt slashing import tariffs to "create a level playing field"? Which started the path of industrial destruction that Howard and Costello, then Rudd and Gillard continued? They all could have stopped it.
And Nissan at Clayton closed the year after Hawke took power.
Owned one in 2009, black. Was a good laugh and sounded great, handling was as good as you'd expect for a car of its calibre and relatively skinny wheels.. The change from 5th to 6th when going for top speed always left it out of its power band. It did used to blow the dipstick out due to crank pressures generated, which did cause a bit of a scene the first time, with burnt oil. Easy remedied. Lost zero money on it.
There's currently a 2006 6.0VXR with 107k miles on Ebay for £11,995. Super cheap imo.
Only going to go up in value....
And mileage 😁
Been there for months, people have been to see it, won't let them drive it....avoid
Last of the Australian muscle car 2 door coupes. The Monaro will be very sort after in Australia for a long time to come as there aren't ever going to be a new one.
Paint it black and put some leathers on James and you’ll be Mad Max 😅
Need a bigger blower and phase 4 heads for that mate.
Except Max drove a Ford Falcon...
@@StigTricolore Yes but give James a break he’s doing his best with what’s he’s got 😉
@@dielaughing73 And let’s not forget what James really needs is a nitrous oxide kit and the big lever on the centre console to let it rip 😅
@@LPVP123 Fair. But in Oz no Ford man would be seen dead in a Holden, and vica versa 🙃
Let's not forget the ultra limited(2) 427s by Garry Rogers Motorsport. Got to see PB whip one around Gold Coast Indy, yrs ago. ❤