Best Australian built car of all time

[Neale]

I think the criteria should be australian designed & built.

Or we could include the mini, escort mk1 etc that were legendary world wide. For example the mk1 escort has a world wide cult following & the shells they made here were the strongest type (type 49) & loads have been shipped back to europe, kinda like selling ice to eskimo's.

IMO one of the best Australian designed & built cars would have to be the Brabham BT19.

Sure it didnt win Bathurst or sell them to every man & his dog, but name one other Australian designed & built cars that has these sort of stats
- competed in 19 F1 championship races
- 6 pole positions
- 6 wins
- 4 fastest laps
- 2 constructors championships
- 1 drivers championship

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Neale

IMO one of the best Australian designed & built cars would have to be the Brabham BT19.

Sure it didnt win Bathurst or sell them to every man & his dog, but name one other Australian designed & built cars that has these sort of stats
- competed in 19 F1 championship races
- 6 pole positions
- 6 wins
- 4 fastest laps
- 2 constructors championships
- 1 drivers championship

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Totally agree...it's been said that that was the last time anyone could have designed and constructed and driven a Formula One car themselves and won the world championships...

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Totally agree...it's been said that that was the last time anyone could have designed and constructed and driven a Formula One car themselves and won the world championships...

it was the only time a driver won the world championship in a car of his own make

[cool65]

Originally Posted by vbvbvb088

A car that is always rubbished is the JB Camira.

I own 2 ‘mint’ SL/e’s…. have a shed full of NOS items. One day I will retire on them! 

Mate, the ONLY way to "retire on a shed full" of NOS camira parts is to move into the same shed. With 190,500 cars on carsales & 17000 cars on ebay, the is a huge total of one camira with a collectors price of $4000.
I suggest a quick visit to your doctor as it seems your out of medication.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Neale

I think the criteria should be australian designed & built.

Or we could include the mini, escort mk1 etc that were legendary world wide. For example the mk1 escort has a world wide cult following & the shells they made here were the strongest type (type 49) & loads have been shipped back to europe, kinda like selling ice to eskimo's.

The build-quality of the Australian Escort was shocking. I had the opportunity to compare it with its counterparts from Toyota, Mazda and Nissan and, while it had the best design, its assembly was visibly rough - bad gaps visible to even the amateur eye etc. It's no wonder that Japanese cars swept the local market. The Australian Mini was far better-built (as was the Morris 1100, Austin 1800/Kimberley) but in spite of there being some local variants I wouldn't class it as an Australian-originated design. Like you say - we're looking at Australian designed and built.

[Elks]

I know I am biased.

FG2 FPV GT/GTP/GTE.

It lacks the cool of an XC Cobra, or the pedigree of an XY GT, but simply for power, ease of driving, saftey, fuel economy, low emissions, and comfort all in the 1 package. It score bonus points for having a aussie only engine in an aussie only car.

2nd place for me would be 2007+ Territory. Early bugs ironed out these were a great car.

3rd, Landau/P5 LTD twins. Just because..

My 2c

[drew`SEVNT5]

Giocattolo.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Elks

I know I am biased.

FG2 FPV GT/GTP/GTE.

It lacks the cool of an XC Cobra, or the pedigree of an XY GT, but simply for power, ease of driving, saftey, fuel economy, low emissions, and comfort all in the 1 package. It score bonus points for having a aussie only engine in an aussie only car.

2nd place for me would be 2007+ Territory. Early bugs ironed out these were a great car.

3rd, Landau/P5 LTD twins. Just because..

My 2c

Did I write that above????? Was thinking the same when going though the thread but for second place ....... I know it probably sounds weird ..... would be the XF.

I had a new XD for a few years and then traded up to the XF and I was very excited about that car. The difference between the 2 was amazing in comfort and refinement (a word not thought of for them now), absolutely bullet proof, one of FORD's best selling cars (even with no V8) and the interior (Especially the Ghia to LTD) was just spot on for the times and a massive change from the XD/E.

P5 & Landau for 3rd ..... such a gamble which paid off very well. P5 went on to be a massive seller, was plush and was absolutely good enough to take on Merc at the time. To have only 2 options available as everything else was thrown in with bucket seats in the Landau, 4WD std ..... and lasted the test of time

FPV FG GT-E-P 335 ....... Number 1. To go from the BA into this ......

[Legit290]

Bolwell Nagari

[Stefan]

XY hands down the best thing to ever come out of this country.

To all the dudes saying monaros, toranas, EHs and commodores WTF? Seriously..... WTF?

[duaned]

The Chrysler Valiant Charger. Enough said.

[mik]

Originally Posted by 302 XC

Best built aussie car , well you could only guage that by the sales ,wouldnt we ???
If the general public at its time of release didnt like em, they wouldnt buy them
48-215 , EH,HQ were big sellers,but would they be contenders in the best aussie car ever built ???

no not really, if the public has been burned by an earlier model that will still translate into lost sales for years later.

[turbo4me]

Had a VE Chrysler once showroom condition should have seen the cancer that came out of it straight as body but full of pox.
The only car that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck was a XY GT and wasn't even a Ph3. Sorry but i am in love with them.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Stefan

XY hands down the best thing to ever come out of this country.

To all the dudes saying monaros, toranas, EHs and commodores WTF? Seriously..... WTF?

But the XY GT is basically an XR with some later mustang bits on it.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by MethodX

But the XY GT is basically an XR with some later mustang bits on it.

Not much from an XR is interchangeable with an XY...

But I guess an EL is basically an EA.....a BF is basically an AU.

[mad13b]

Hilman Hunter for sure.....

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Not much from an XR is interchangeable with an XY...

But I guess an EL is basically an EA.....a BF is basically an AU.

and all basically an updated xk...

[Polyal]

Depends on what your talking about I guess...overall the Territory would have to be the best by far. Say a TDi version to keep the fuel concern at bay.

If you are talking about performance then id still go the F6.

DASHGT...I have been driving a VE2 SV6 for the past 5 weeks as a hire car and it is the biggest POS I have driven in a while, only 15,000k's. The engine is breathless and has nothing down low, the gearbox is all over the place (rubbish calibration) and even though its a 6SPD it still doesnt hide the lack of torque. Styling is neither here or there, the drivers seat is really comfortable Ill give them that, but that handbrake..WTF, and whats with the boot button in the fricken glovebox?

The A pillar is a PIA, the boot spoiler covers what little rear vision you had left, it sounds like crap, and the handling that everyone goes on about is IMO ok but there is a large "dead mans gap" off center and I find that I am continuously correcting it through average corners.

A NA XR6 is so much better it makes me sick that people actually buy a SV6.

[Legit290]

the only thing the sv6 has going for it is nice flared rear guards to fit big meaty tyres in

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Stefan

XY hands down the best thing to ever come out of this country.

To all the dudes saying monaros, toranas, EHs and commodores WTF? Seriously..... WTF?

Well...apart from the fact the Falcon at that time was basicaly just a Yank car built here, and the others you name were totally Australian in design (apart from the Opel based Commodoes of course) then it's pretty obvious.

The Charger would win my vote...completely Australian designed, with a completely Australian designed engine as well...and it was faster than the V8's...

[Sizey]

My pick would be VN Commodore or Au Falcon. Both look plain Jane, both survived trial by taxi driver, police officer, reckless driver, thief, trades person. Both I have seen with faded paint, stuffed interiors, rusted exhausts, massive kms, caved in panels and different wheels.

They both have a few things in common though. They were both horrid in the looks department, the 6cyl versions didn't really go anywhere in a hurry, at massive k's I have witnessed both pull big burnouts (not that I condone it)

The VN being an odd 23 years old now you still see them in numbers getting around even after going to hell and back.

Same with the AU, for a 12 year old car that supposedly "didn't sell all that well" according to some they are still booting around with only one working brake light etc.

[89.SVO]

Any Valiant from VC-CM haha

[vbvbvb088]

Originally Posted by cool65

Mate, the ONLY way to "retire on a shed full" of NOS camira parts is to move into the same shed. With 190,500 cars on carsales & 17000 cars on ebay, the is a huge total of one camira with a collectors price of $4000.
I suggest a quick visit to your doctor as it seems your out of medication.

he he he

imagine the excitement they will generate at a car display in 15 years.....

[302 XC]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

It's the " best" Australian built car , pure and simple .

Your right, so how do we rate the best built aussie car ever
Seems by the masses its the XY ???
Best build quality,best handling, best economy, best performance, best comfort
The XY would be far of the pace
Take out the V8 here, eliminate the HO here, and whats left
An AU would be streets ahead
Better build quality,better handling,better economy,better performance,better comfort
Its to hard to pinpoint over decades whats better than what
Some were cars of the year,P76,camira, skylines ect , but those tho good at the time wouldnt rate a mention years later

[SumoDog68]

I know that AU has strong following here and i can understand passion can override common sense ( i like Magnas ;-) ) but AU for best australian built car ?
Surely that is pushing it a bit too far ? :-)

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

I know that AU has strong following here and i can understand passion can override common sense ( i like Magnas ;-) ) but AU for best australian built car ?
Surely that is pushing it a bit too far ? :-)

From an engineering and product line perspective yes, its was very well thought out.

[z80]

Lots of reports from owners that the Mitsubishi 380 has significantly good build quality and reliability.

[EgoFG]

To my recollection the only negative comments about the AU that could be taken seriously are that its looks were ... um ... polarising.

[Ryan]

My VL is the best Australian built car ever. End thread.

Of course it was designed by the Germans and the Japanese gave it a heart, but still it was built by Aussies.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by z80

Lots of reports from owners that the Mitsubishi 380 has significantly good build quality and reliability.

You know, I think you could be right.
I've driven several of them that are still running around as rental cars, and honestly, the one thing that crossed my mind was why didn't this thing sell enough to be viable? Great engine, pretty good handling, comfortable, well equipped...I do think that there was some negative press trying to feed into the stupid old pregidous against front wheel drive cars, something that hasn't really been relevant for fifteen years or so now.
Possibly it was marketed at the wrong time...like it or not, big cars like the Falcon, Commodore, and the 380, are now seen as "niche markets" instead of "the first choice" for people looking for a family car.