HX Holden a cost-cutting exercise

Well, someone had to commemorate the 50th anniversary of this most forgettable of Holdens.

When GMH presented their 1976 HX range to the motoring media the folks at Ford must have realised they were on their way to market success.

With its market share in decline and profits problematic, GMH’s senior executives decided to cost cut their way to success rather than invest in new products.

That’s all good in the short term, but for the long term it never ends well.

And so, the HX remained largely unchanged from the previous HJ model.

Externally, the Belmont, Kingswood, Premier and Statesman models were given revised grilles and a rearrangement of badges and trim.

It was a case of “nothing to see here”.

Inside there was a multi-purpose stalk for indicators, wiper, washers, headlights etc. and a revised pattern on the seats. No change to engine capacity, either.

What you got were engines that had to comply with the new Australian Design Rule 27A.

This new rule was aimed at reducing exhaust emissions.

The V8s did not suffer too much, but the Holden sixes were affected.

Rather than invest in upgraded engines, as Ford and Chrysler had done during the preceding years, Holden’s cheap fix was to lower compression ratios and attach some emission controls to their 13-year-old engines.

This did nothing for the power output and performance suffered.

Also ignored was the suspension.

Always a criticism of the HQ and HJ ranges, the chronic understeer characteristics were thought to be a “safety” feature by the company’s then chief engineer, who learnt his trade at Cadillac.

The brochure claimed the HX was “Australia’s Most Popular Car”.

Maybe it was true, because just over 110,000 people bought an HX.

But that was 66,000 less than spent their money on the HJ.

The decline in Holden’s market share was fully evident, and lack lustre products like the HX were not what was needed.

Highlight of the range was the LE Monaro.

Created to sell off the last Monaro coupe body shells, it was an opulent marketing exercise.

Fully loaded with all options, special red paint and matching interior, the coupe rode on gold honeycomb styled wheels similar in design to those used on the Pontiac Firebird.

And it was powered by the 5.0-litre V8.

Priced above the Statesman Caprice, Holden sold every one of the 580 they sent to dealerships.