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1949

Holden 48-215

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The Holden 48-215 was the first car to bear the Holden name, giving it a special place in Holden’s history.

In 1944 Holden’s Managing Director, Lawrence Hartnett, noticed that overseas cars were being imported that were not adapted to the unique Australian conditions. He set out a plan to build the ideal Australian car after the war had ended.

The Holden 48-215 gets its name from the ‘48’ representing the year it went into production and ‘215’ being the size of its motor, 2.15 litres. The replacement that came in 1954 would see the 48-215 get the unofficial name of the Holden FX.

The very first Australian built prototype was complete at Fishermans Bend, Melbourne, on the 22nd August 1947. The very first Holden engine was started up on the 25th September 1948. The very first 48-215 left the assembly line on 1st October 1948. It was a Gawler Cream colour like the one on display today.

The 48-215 was officially launched on the 29th November 1948 by the Australian Prime Minister at the time, Ben Chifley. The 48-215 offered reasonable performance and fuel economy in an affordable package and it was also better suited to Australian conditions than most of its competitors.

In 1998 when Holden celebrated its 50th birthday, Bunbury Holden owner Mike Fagan bought this 48-215 from Bendigo Holden. He wanted to show kids that came into the showroom what cars were like back then and how far Holden had come.

Specific Model

Manufacturer

Holden

Top Speed

0-100 km/h 20.0 seconds

Engine

2.15 litre (132 ci) inline six ohv

Power

45 kW (60hp)

Transmission

Three speed manual column shift

Body Type

Brakes

Carburetor

Dimensions

Displacement

Fuel System

Kilometres

Layout

Steering

Suspension

Torque

Tyres

Weight

Wheelbase