The obscure Holden Le Mans race car we never got 

mate, as an holden loving australian this is one of the greatest things i've ever seen. some really obscure stuff, not sure how this hasn't been more common throughout aussie media. researching it further and it seems like the project started as a torana A9X since the commodore hadn't come out until 1979. this has absolutely made my night, talking to my mates about it now. thanks for shedding light on this amazing story.

Errr @4:47 "the exhaust sits underneath the driver's door" You do realise we drive on the right hand side and not the left yeh? 😅

The exesive use of Ace Combat Soundtrack is everywhere

Torana A9X Would of been a flyer late 70’s too

I thought I'd seen it all.. this is very cool. Great video

Thats a million dollar mag; it deserves to ve put in a hilden museum

The list of countries with "some sort of Le Mans link" didn't mention German the all time top winner of the 24hr race. Neither did it mention the UK in 2nd place......

Unfortunately, this car was doomed before it even began. It was conceived a few years too early. It needed to wait a couple of dozen months before accepting the greatest automotive break thru of all time. An almost magical device that reduced fuel consumption whilst somehow increasing horse power. Reduced drag without reducing downforce. And it even improved both straight line speed and cornering. I'm speaking of course about the mythical Brock Energy Polariser. Spooky voodoo at its best.

This guy shares some lost auto history and all some idiots can do is moan- FFS grow up- If you dont like Holdens or Fords you are not Aussie

This is probably the greatest story of Holden motorsport never told. Can’t believe that this is the first I’ve ever seen of it!

We in Australia drive on the left side of the road in right hand drive cars. The exhaust sits under the passenger door not the driver.

Another brilliant piece of great research from my favourite Belgian. This is exactly the content a motorsport aficionado wants and needs. Thank you very much @Stijn Paspont. I'm already looking forward to the next story that would otherwise be forgotten in the history books.

Imagine a gut full of singlet and thong wearing, VB guzzling, Summernats bogans with big filthy mullets all starting fights and setting the sh**ters on fire at Lemans?

Is... is this an Ace Combat OST?

And guess what, this Holden is not even an Australian car, its just a rebadged Opel Senator from Germany.

The Ace Combat 5 music instantly hooked me in to the video. Awesome stuff!

I want to see someone make this into a real car now

I know quite a bit of Holden Motorsport history and I never knew about this. She doesn’t even resemble a VB in that aero package. I can picture it with turbo fan front wheels it would have looked awesome.. Great video

For weeks I’ve seen this video in my feed growing in views from 100s to 100k plus. I said fine RU-vid I’ll watch this video. Glad I did. Very cool and interesting obscure history.

I'm surprised nobody in Australia has even tried building a replica of this yet. Would be one of the most unique cars in Oz.

I have the poster and magazine feature article from the period. Planning to build a replica of this and trying to gather as much info as possible (Im in Australia)

I had that edition of modern motor when I was a teenager. Thanks for posting the video.

At 4:49 the exhaust went out under the passenger door, not the driver's door, Australian cars are right hand drive - the proper side!

I had a poster of the ‘finished’ car with Brockie and Perkins standing in front of it. It was Red and covered in stickers. The poster came out of the wheels mag in ‘83-‘84 ish. From memory the rear boot lid was much taller like the Walkenshaw commodore boot.

You mentioning brabham reminded my that they, apperently, said they wanted to enter the BT62 in the Hypercar category (so probably under the LMH ruleset), or at least so it was mentioned on Fifth Gear. Assuming their customer racing efforts in GT2 are paying out financially, they should find some way to get the BT62, or convert the 63, into something that can enter Le Mans. I believe Glickenhaus allready has something similar to a GT3 car and they are a small constructor as well that also have a Hypercar entry. If they can do it, i'm sure brabham can find a way!

Wooow! Never know about that!

This is rather bittersweet, and gives me that much more appreciation for the years that Holden did stay around.

I was expecting some Aussie guy to do the talking. Man was I wrong. Very cool video to see and the use of the old race footage was awesome to see. Very well produced video

Someone has got to make this car. At least, a model for sim racing! Also, love the Ace Combat tracks you used.

The Ace Combat hanger music

A video about a weird La Mans car that never raced AND Ace Combat 5 music? You my friend have ticked all the boxes!

6:28 The BMW M1 is basically a mid engined version of the BMW M635CSI that was competitive against the Commodore V8 back in those days. I'm not sure how the Commodore was going to beat a mid engined, better balanced and more aerodynamic version of that car at Le Mans. The Commodore probably would have been in a higher weight class. Then it would have to beat Porsche, who were winning the GT classes more years than anyone else. To even start the race, they would need a homologation into Group 5 or Group B, depending on the year. In 1984 the Porsche 928 was the last placed finisher. The Commodore would be fighting for second to last place. Running the Group A Commodore in the Spa 24 hrs was a much better idea and they finished #4 in 1987.

Good to see someone from across the pond appreciated AUS racing & our history in the sport. Thanks mate.

IS THAT THE ACE COMBAT 5 HANGAR SONG???

So many uneducated fools in the comment section is amazing. I'd love to see their racing cars and see how successful they have been racing it.....

To be honest Holden was just the Australian arm of GM. All of the profits went back over the Pacific Ocean to the US. This Brabham BT62 is the closest thing that Australia has had to a true domestic car company, but it's more like Koenigsegg, than Toyota...

I remember this car, and I did fill out the card and I still have the magazine

The Australian cars are right hand drive. The Touring car exhaust exits under the passenger door!

the le mans concept looks like a VK Commodore hahaha

I wish we'd got fox body fords in oz. 2 door fabness

More like Holden's parent company, American GMH wouldn't let them run it , it would shame the American built cars too much

What a shame it never raced. I always love oddball cars like what's found at the Nurburgring 24.

Lost in history. Thankyou for shedding light on a piece of Australian automotive history, I never knew this car existed. Respect from down under 👍

This was great. Rest in peace Holden. I'll never sell my VP Calais.

Crazy to think alan grice and HDT had VERY competitive vk ss commodores in europe for the 1986 European Touring Car Championship but didnt enter it in Le Mans 24 that year. i understand they would have been down on straight line speed but they all would have finished, same way they won the kings cup at spa that year. Hearing the holden v8 screaming down the mulsanne would have been amazing

That would have been awesome, it's an evolution of the VL Walkinshaw

I've got the wheels car magazine with that car on the cover very interesting read

If only they followed through, we might see a different car landscape in Australia...

Fantastic video mate, very informative and enjoyable. Would there be any chance of you scanning in the pages of the July 1983 Modern Motor and making them available to us? I've had a look online for a scan and have yet to find anything. I'd hate for this info on the Holden LeMans effort to be lost to time..

okay so when are we going to get a bunch of bogan mechanics together to build some sketchy as fuck barely passing safety checks le mans GTE or LMP car. i feel like this just needs to happen now

It’s amazing how butthurt so many people in these comments are over such an obscure car lol

cool video :) I never knew this

By the way... The exhuast comes out the passenger side mate. We drive on the right side of car, like Britain.

And they called the walky the plastic pig. HDT made way cooler cars than hsv.

Love your videos, keep it up! Also is the music from Ace Combat?

At least the VL Walkinshaw went into production, that car is an Australian icon.

Run at Le Mans for 24 hours? Ive been a holden fan for 50 years but the way Holdens were built back then you'd be lucky to have a holden run long enough just to get it home.

This was never going to be competitive.

That's the kind of absolutely bizzarre idea you'd expect to find in Ridge Racer... Incredibly that somebody even considered to turn a Commodore into a ground effect Le Mans racer.

4:45 One correction - as Australia drives on the left, the drivers side is on the right of the car. The exhaust shown in the picture is on the passenger side of the car. It's also worth pointing out that the late Bruce McLaren (who founded McLaren) was a New Zealander, and the logo still contains a stylised Kiwi in McLaren's signature orange. McLaren cars have not only competed at Le Mans, they have won! So you Aussies need to catch up. And despite what the movie implied, Ken Miles deliberately slowed his GT-40 at the finish line and gifted Bruce McLaren with his win in 1966.

A unique 1 off body kit, its given me ideas for my build as I'm at a bare shell, ex race car, so has all the goodies.

Someone needs to make this kit holy shit

George Fury holds lap record at Bathurst in a Datsun Bluebird TRX.

Bloody ripper mate. From Australia

I never knew we as Australia would enter our own car in Le Mans. If only I had became a legit custom car builder, I’d so would love to take on a project on building at least a road going version of that car. I could think of an ideal base and chassis for it be a Holden Ute or if not, commodore, get the back seats out, weld the back doors and put in a wide body kit on it. And IDK how I’d make the spoiler around the rear but the engine I would think either a Chevy corvette or an Elderbrock V8.

nor will it be seen.. not with Australia not making any cars ever again

It's a shame what happened to our beloved Holden, The Commodore evolved into one of the tuffest cars on the planet, not bad for a country with 20M people.

There is no way gm America was letting the aussie commodore out of Australia holden commodore scared the he'll out of them

Very obscure indeed! But very interesting. Great find and great video mate!

Awesome video, as an Aussie, it would have been awesome to see and Aussie car compete!

I remember this, my dad was a Veterinary Surgeon in regional NSW (that's one of the states of Australia) and had subscriptions to various magazines (including Modern Motor) so people had things to read in the waiting room of the clinic. I used to take the train home from school, then walk to dad's vet clinic before either riding my bike or getting a lift home. So I read a lot of those magazines, it was probably those magazines that got me interested in cars & motorsport. Thanks for the video & a trip down memory lane ....

Using Ace Combat music is a cheat code lol. Awesome video

How many people remember the two 427 Monaros that destroyed the field at Bathurst- beating all the big guns from Europe and America. Glorious moment in Australian motorsports history. I remember how much of a gap these two Monaros had on the field by the time they went through turn 2... They walked away from the Vipers, the Lambos and Ferraris and the Porsches running up the mountain after turn 1... Too bad Holden didn't back the project financially. They were supposed to sell a small number to the public, even took deposits from buyers- but then worked out the car's would cost about $230,000, when they had told the customers they would cost around $80,000. They weren't prepared to sell them at a loss and couldn't bump the price that much after people had signed on the dotted line to buy $80,000 cars... Hence why the red and yellow cars were the only ones produced... What could have been, huh. Imagine having such a halo car in the brand...

when’s 956 video coming up

It looks kinda like a Brock Aero....?

You thought you could sneak in Hangar I from Ace Combat 5 in the start of this video without anyone noticing, but here we are. :)

Would you be able to locate details of the Nissan R32 GTR Spa 24hour wins? I believe one year they won in group A And Group N. Details were in the Nissan dealer newspaper back in the day

Mclaren was a New Zealander. The logo is a Kiwi. How many of them been in leMan?... 😂😂😂😂

I was just a kid back then would have loved to see Holden backed car I was already hooked on f1 (my mother woke me for every race) she used to iron the clothes watching with me sparked my passion for motor vehicles ending with being fully qualified mechanic and the absolute love of my 1st car (still own) 65 Morris mini the mighty brick won Bathurst the best race in the Southern Hemisphere loved this thanks for the video

Thank you for bringing this story to the world. So well presented. A Holden at Le Man's....if only it came to fruition..... The demise of Holden still puts a lump in my throat.... From the FJ, to the HQ, to the HSV Maloo....some of the most beautiful and perfectly put together cars ever.

I mean, as hideous as it is, it is awesome to see a sedan like this that’s somewhat common here in New Zealand being modified for the greatest race ever

I remember seeing this being promoted in Modern Motor magazine and they were calling for donations/ contributions they were trying to raise $100,000 and were wanting amounts of at least $10 front each reader ;maybe more, I contemplated sending money,

If holden entered Le Mans it properly would have saved the brand and we would still have the Legend of a car

Wished they didn't put the Holden on hold.

4:42 why did you say the exhaust comes out under the drivers side door then show a picture of a Commodore with the exhaust clearly coming out under the passenger side door?

Is this ace combat music?

That thing looks like something out of a late 80s anime.

In any case, I do remember that the Holden Commodores V8 touring cars were raced in the 24 Hours of Spa/Francorchamps inBelgium in the (late) eighties. I have been working as a student at that time at a Belgian engine tuner who was building these V8 race engines. He had some previous experience with Chevrolet Camaro V8 race engines too, which are probably not too different from the Holden V8 engines.

Best content for Motorsport nerds on RU-vid, you deserve a lot more views

I really enjoyed this video. Thanks so much. I'll just add that the side bonnet naca ducts might still be seen on a Commodore at the National Motor Racing museum at Bathurst on a round-Australia rally car that Peter Brock drove

Pretty sure that Baskerville footage (1:49-2:00) is from one of my uploads

I think you meant to say @1:56 'John Shepperd' quit as Team Boss as he was the Team Boss and not 'Jim Richards' as he was a Driver.

I noticed Holden, HDT and hsv have some similar designs for some parts on this car. Vl Walkenshaw fenders Vl Walkenshaw rear window cover Vl Walkenshaw side skirts VK cakais looking wheels VK letterbox grill Vl ss group a bonnet scoop Vn ss group a splitter

This is where the hurricane would have made a lot of heads turn / It was already the shape ..

Having looked through the Comments so far Posted I see the U S U A L Hate-fest . Seriously , some of you people should GET OUT OF YOUR BASEMENTS and LOOK A R O U N D once in a while .

I doubt it would have been competitive. Back in the early 80s, the Porsche 935 which raced in the GT class topped about 350 km/h, vs. projected 275 for the Holden. There must be a reason why the project never came to fruition.

I wonder how this would have fit into the then Group 4 regulations.

like a mullet, business up front, party in the back. Someone needs to do this on a rescued first gen commodore wreck as a le mans tribute

GroupA/GroupC exhaust was under the Passenger Door, not the drivers - Commodores are Right Hand Drive. Can see where some design elements were later applied to some of the Brock Specials.

There were some flaws in this but allow me to add some details. 1. The exhaust on the touring car was the PASSENGER side as they were RHD, not the driver side. 2. You said 6000rpm for touring car and 6200rpm for LeMans. They were doing well over 7000rpm in Touring car. 3. The LeMans Commodore never got past that stage in the article and was still unfinished in its bodywork. Holden saw no point of doing all this for 1 race when they had a championship and Bathurst to win which was more important to sales. The concept of the body work changes was resurrected several years later after HDT's demise. The VL Commodore SS Group A Walkinshaw was the result. By this time, big wings and spoilers were used to maximize down force instead of underside ground effects, but both have the same manner of side profile, just with an exposed rear wheel cover. 👍 Hope this all helps. 😎