Top 5 Bathurst-inspired Aussie heroes
The Bathurst 1000 is more than a race; it’s a national legend that shaped Australia’s car culture. For decades, homologation specials—cars built to win on Mount Panorama and then sold in showrooms—gave ordinary road cars a performance edge. Here are the five Bathurst-inspired road cars that became iconic Australian heroes, according to a recent Torquing Cars feature.
5. Ford XR Falcon GT
The XR Falcon GT marked the birth of the Australian muscle car as we know it. In 1966, Ford dropped the Windsor 4.7-litre V8 into an Australian-built Falcon, a move that redefined performance in the showroom. The XR’s Bathurst-937 strategy paid off when the factory team swept Bathurst with Fred Gibson and Harry Firth at the helm in 1967, delivering a one-two that showcased the winning combination of V8 power and agile handling. This model cemented the idea that a heavy, purposeful V8 sedan could conquer Mount Panorama and still be a practical road car for everyday driving.
4. Holden VK Commodore SS Group A
When Group A racing arrived in 1985, Holden faced a crowded field of European and Japanese rivals. The Holden Dealer Team (HDT) responded with a homologation-spec VK Commodore SS Group A, upgrading the standard VK with a 4.9-litre V8, front spoiler, rear decklid and 16-inch wheels. Although HDT didn’t clinch Bathurst with this particular car, Allan Grice and Graeme Bailey’s podium finish in a privately built VK proved that an Australian-made car could beat the imports at Mount Panorama and in the showroom alike.
3. Holden HK Monaro GTS 327
Holden’s HK Monaro GTS 327 is a cornerstone of the brand’s performance lore. Powered by a 5.3-litre Chevrolet V8, this bold two-door coupe became Holden’s first hero model, designed to win on track and in the showroom. Bruce McPhee and Barry Mulholland swept the 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500 with the Monaro GTS 327, and the car’s dramatic styling—long bonnet, muscular profile, and purposeful stance—helped launch the Monaro legend that endures in Australian car culture today.
2. Holden LX Torana A9X
The Torana’s rise to Bathurst glory was a battle of innovation and speed. Building on Harry Firth’s earlier LJ Torana GTR XU-1, Holden introduced the LX Torana A9X in 1977—an upgraded, V8-powered version with flared arches, a bold bonnet bulge and a rear spoiler. With the A9X, Brock and Jim Richards secured back-to-back Bathurst wins in 1978 and 1979, reinforcing the Torana as one of Australia’s most desirable performance machines and a cornerstone of Holden’s racing heritage.
1. Ford Falcon GT-HO Phase III
The GT-HO Phase III is the stuff of legends. Debuting in 1971 as a direct response to Holden’s dominance, the Phase III featured Ford’s 5.7-litre Cleveland V8, a rugged four-speed, a nine-inch locker, and a massive fuel tank. Its Handling Option upgrades and aggressive suspension made it a formidable machine on Mount Panorama. Allan Moffat’s Bathurst win that year, coupled with Wheels magazine’s claim of reaching 142 mph, created a lasting aura around the Phase III—arguably the most iconic Australian-made car of all time. It’s a symbol of Ford’s performance pedigree and a benchmark for the Bathurst-inspired road car story.
Conclusion
These five Bathurst-inspired road cars embody the enduring romance between racing success and showroom desirability. They prove that in Australia, a high-performance car isn’t just about speed—it’s about heritage, engineering, and the drive to conquer Mount Panorama on both the track and the road.
