Holden Premier

The Holden Premier was a mid-size car, which was built in the years 1962 to 1980 by Holden in Australia as a more luxurious version of the Standard / Special. When that simpler equipped versions were released from the duo Belmont / Kingswood 1968, the Premier made ​​the ascent to the upper middle class.

Year by year

Premier ( EJ / EH, 1962-1965 )

Holden EJ Premier (1962-1963)

In July 1962, the new Holden EJ series were presented, there was next to a standard or Special for the first time, a luxurious sedan called Premier EJ. This series was stylistically inspired by the new Chevrolet Chevy II Nova. The grille, which extended across the entire width of the vehicle, wearing single round headlights on the ends. The tail fins of the previous model were trimmed sharply, only the round rear lights had gone. Was taken from the previous six-cylinder in-line engine with 2261 cc and a power output of 75 bhp (55 kW). The working against each other gave way wipers working in parallel copies. The hydraulic brakes have been converted to a dual circuit system. The Premier had over the cheaper models front and an armrest on the rear bench seat to offer individual seats that were covered with leather. A manual transmission was not offered; the two-stage Powerglide automatic transmission was standard. In addition, wool carpets, armrests differed on all four doors, metallic paint, white wall tires and white steering wheel, and a substantial amount of additional instrumentation to the Premier of the simpler EJ variants.

The mature in August 1963 revision to the Premier EH gave the car elongated rear lights and new engines. While the two 2.45 -liter R6- machines were used only in the simpler EH variants in the Premier a six-cylinder with 2933 cm3 displacement and an output of 115 bhp (85 kW) was standard. As a second model of the Premier now also received a five-door station wagon. Both Premier models wore rear bumper horns.

The Premier EJ was 154 811 times made ​​, the Premier EH until January 1965 exactly 256 959 times (all figures including Standard / Special models).

Premier (HD / HR, 1965-1967 )

Holden Premier X2 HD ( 1965-1966 )

The presented in February 1965 Holden Premier HD formally showed little differences to its predecessor, but had clearly increased in size. With its chrome-ringed door sills and wheel arches - which he had, unlike the cheaper models - he was like the German Opel Rekord A, yes it as Opel L-6 was the first time ( with six-cylinder engine ). Its wheelbase was increased by 1 ". The engine of the predecessor has been taken; in addition, there was a high performance version with 140 bhp X2 (103 kW). Interior had the Premier Morrokide vinyl upholstery instead of the previous leather interior. The combined there was also available with a right hinged rear door with electrically versenkbarenm window instead of the usual tailgate.

The Premier HR was the result of facelifts the April 1966 round headlights were rectangular chrome frame and the double row, horizontally arranged rear lights gave way to two-chamber lights that -. Consisted of two mutually superposed triangles - in sedan and station wagon. The 2.9 -liter R6 was replaced by a unit with 3048 cm3 displacement, which at a compression ratio of 9.2:1 a power output of 126 bhp ( 93 kW ) or ( as X2 or S model) 145 bhp ( 107 kW ) gave. The Premier had, like the other HR models, now a standard manual transmission. On request there instead of the 3- speed gearbox, manual 4 -speed transmission of Opel or the two-stage Powerglide automatic transmission. On request could now ordered with a front bench seat the Premier without over-or under price.

From HD incurred 178 927 copies, from HR 252 352 pieces. (all numbers including Standard / Special models).

Premier ( HK / HT / HG, 1968-1971 )

Holden Premier HK (1968-1969)

In January 1968, received the Standard and Special new name, only the Premier also retained in the new HK - series its name. But he lost his role as top model, which now took the new Brougham. The carriage designed to 5 " in length and wheelbase and given a new, contoured front, in which the center of the grille and the vehicle corners with the desired forward headlights. The new grille was vertically and horizontally divided by a chrome bar ever. About the rear wheel wells showed a trendy hip bend and there was wide taillights. In addition to the luxury sedan a coupe Brougham called Monaro was also been included in the series. Unlike the simpler models equipped Belmont and Kingswood Premier now had to offer dual headlights.

In addition to the well-known six-cylinder engine with 3.05 liters and 124-145 hp ( 91-107 kW ), there was also the first time at Holden V8 engines. Chevrolet drove a motor in with 5031 cm3 and 210 bhp (154 kW) and from the other GM brands came a V8 with 5359 cm3 and 250 bhp (184 kW).

In May 1969, the facelifted Premier HT was presented. The horizontal chrome bar that divided the grille in the previous year, and accounted for the taillights were now two rows. As a new model in the HT series there was the Eintonner as a chassis for custom set-ups.

More teamed up with the engines one hand, developed its own Holden V8 engine with 4146 cm3 and 174 bhp (128 kW) at a compression ratio of 8:1, or 185 bhp (136 kW) at a compression ratio of 9:1, and as a replacement for the Chevrolet engine V8 with a 5047 cm3 and 240 bhp (176 kW). On the other hand, imported to the GM small-block V8 with 5735 cm3 and 275 bhp (202 kW) in automatic mode and 300 bhp (221 ​​kW) with manual transmission. As the engines of the last series HK were used up, stood for the HT Premier nine different engines to choose from.

In July 1970 came the second facelift for Premier HG. The horizontal chrome bar in the grille of the previous model had blossomed into a wide ridge on either side of which extended close-meshed grille. The tail lights were back row. The engine range almost equal to that of HT, only the old Chevrolet engine with 5.05 liter displacement and 210 bhp had outlived its usefulness.

The Premier HK created 199 039 copies, from the HT there were 183 402 pieces and the HG was until July 1971 built exactly 155 787 times (all figures including the models Belmont, Kingswood, Monaro, Brougham and 1- tonner ).

Premier (HQ / HJ / HX / HZ, 1971-1980 )

Holden HQ Premier (1971-1974)

A completely new series was released in July 1971 in the form of Premier HQ. While the wheelbase remained the same with the limousine, he grew up in the station wagon to 3 ". The new front with the black grille, which was divided by a horizontal chrome bar, reminiscent of the Opel Rekord D, the model with Premier but stayed with the dual round headlights in rectangular chrome frame. The tailgate was striking pulled down - similar to the Mitsubishi Galant 1980 - which gave the car a slightly discordant but very typical appearance. The tail lights were now three rows. The luxury model Brougham had given way to the Statesman.

The Premier had as standard a larger six-cylinder engine of its own design with 3,310 cm3 and 129 bhp (95 kW) at a compression ratio of 7.8:1 or 135 bhp (99 kW) at a compression ratio of 9,4:1.

The first facelift for Premier HJ came in October 1974 and gave the car a new front with prominently seated at the corners of the vehicle flashing lights and a radiator grille with a coarse mesh net. The stern remained virtually unchanged. The big 5.3 -liter V8 small block Chevrolet was abandoned. The in-house 5.05 -liter V8 got with a higher compression ratio 9,7:1 and now developed 250 bhp (184 kW).

In July 1976 again was followed by a minor facelift for the Premier HX, which mainly showed up in a new radiator grille, which consisted of ten juxtaposed rectangular boxes. New Australian emissions regulations made ​​the re-use of the existing aggregates impossible. Three engines were adapted to these new regulations, but lost significantly on performance: The 3.3 -liter R6 yielded only 120 bhp (88 kW), the 4.15 -liter V8 163 bhp (120 kW) and 5.05 liter V8 219 bhp (161 kW). All aggregates were highly compacted with 9,4-9,7:1.

The third little facelift introduced in October 1977 for Premier HZ. Again, the most noticeable change was the grille, which again had a close-knit network. In addition, there were better landing gear.

From HQ incurred 485 650 copies, by HJ there were 176 202. The HX Series was built 110 669 times, the HZ- series 154 155 times. During the Kingswood and the pickup and delivery in the WB series experienced a further edition, the Premier was discontinued in March 1980. (all figures including the models Belmont, Kingswood, Monaro, Statesman and Eintonner ).