Falcons and Commodores just weren't selling enough numbers. As alot of people who had Commodores and Falcons have gone to crossovers or vehicles like the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger.
They were selling, manufacturing was just too expensive in Australia and our Government did nothing to protect our industry. So cheap Asian imports like Isuzu, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia & Great Wall used the low import tax to their advantage. The Commodore is one of the top 3 best selling cars in Australia & the Falcon is in the top 10, Ford & Toyota just couldn't afford to stay but General Motors is killing off classic Holden because the "Large car segment is dead" in their opinion.
Part of me also suspects it's because many of these manufacturers might be run by these jokers: Who envision us all driving around in something like this: Because reasons.
Well that seems like a shame. I had come to think of the the "ute" as Australia's party trick. And I liked them. Anyway, Supposed to go look at this on Monday, 76 GMC K20, 350-TH400-NP208. 4.56 geared Dana 44HD front and full float 14 bolt in the rear.
It does have a turbo (at least on some versions) and probably has VVT, but those things cease to be cool when you realize it's a FWD I3 tallbox. Turbos were cool back in the days of cars like the Supra, the Callaway Corvette, the air-cooled (and early water-cooled) Porsche Turbos, and so on, but now they're just something manufacturers tack on to hilariously tiny eco-engines in an attempt to make them perform one size class higher, with variable results.
I still say turbos just aren't as cool as they used to be. Now, there's three types of people who use them: 1. Manufacturers scrambling to meet shockingly absurd efficiency & emissions targets set by ideologues and ineptocrats who believe that they have but to make the decree and it will be done with zero negative consequences (that aren't worth it, according to a very skewed definition of such). This may be necessary, but it is absolutely not cool; having a turbo doesn't change the fact that there is still a tiny engine where there should be a bigger one. 2. Serious drag racers looking to take their horsepower to the next level. Absurd power numbers are always cool, but there's just something slightly wrong with a turbocharged Camaro. 3. Tuners, usually with import- or import-styled cars, just looking for more power. This is cool. So, it all depends on how you do it and why.
Yeah, but with 265/75's, 55-60 would be cruising speed, maybe 70 wide open. Plans are 37 in military tires, which should balance things out some.
Just checked Wikipedia, and it seems you're right on this one, though why they'd sell the only reasonably quick version in a place like Brazil is beyond me (unless it has to do with more stupid emissions regulations).
All the car manufacturers are just exterminating all the nice cars. By the time I am old enough to get my licence (in 4 years) The only cars on the market will look like this:
Why are 12 year olds here? Anyway, I'm hoping I can pick up a turbo redblock Volvo parts car sometime, throw all the turbo bits on my car. But today I turned the trans mount into a pancake doing a clutch dump, so there's a chance certain parts of the drivetrain may not take well to extra power.
