In 1969, Holden debuted a concept car called the Hurricane at the Melbourne, Australia auto show. It was a stunning design, jam-packed with science fiction technology that predicted the future of the automobile with uncanny accuracy.
The Hurricane also debuted a rear-view camera and a route guidance system, decades before satellites made turn-by-turn navigation a reality.
What may be most impressive of all is that the 1969 Holden Hurricane was the Australian automaker’s first attempt at designing a concept car. If you’re lucky enough to attend the Melbourne Auto Show on October 21 to 23, the Holden Hurricane is worth seeking out.
Most futuristically styled concept cars begin to look dated just a few years after their unveiling, but not the Hurricane. Occupants were kept safe by the inertia-reel seatbelts, and comfortable by the climate control system.
The curvaceous front wings, wraparound windscreen and Kamm-tailed rear end dropped many a jaw when the Hurricane landed at the 1969 Melbourne Auto Show.
Holden designers started restoring the Hurricane concept--code-named RD 001--in 2006, using as many of the original parts as possible.
The 4.2-liter V8 powering the Hurricane served as a precursor to Holden's production version. The Hurricane concept stands just 38.9 inches high and has no conventional doors. Notable safety features in the Hurricane include a foam-lined fuel tank, a roll-over bar, digital instrument readouts, ignition safety locks, interior padding and a fire-warning system.
Add to these a group of volunteer workers at G.M. Holden, the Australian subsidiary of G.M., who recently completed restoration work on the 1969 Holden Hurricane, a concept car that was, by any measure, well ahead of its time.
The car is powered by a 253-cubic-inch Holden V-8, a precursor of the automaker’s production V-8, which followed soon after the car’s initial showing at the 1969 Melbourne auto show.
Holden has gone back to the future, restoring its very first concept car - the 1969 Holden Hurricane Concept.
The team that designed and built the original Holden Hurricane employed some advanced technologies and techniques when it came to the powertrain.
The Holden Hurricane's V8 engine featured many advanced design components such as the four-barrel carburettor - a feature which wouldn't be seen on a production 253ci Holden V8 until the late 1970s.
Former Holden Chief Studio Engineer Rick Martin led the modern-day Hurricane team in researching the vehicle's components, systems and history in order to restore it.
The hand-picked team of engineers and designers who built the original Holden Hurricane worked in strict secrecy and began Holden's now proud tradition of ground-breaking concept cars.
Since the debut of the Holden Hurricane Concept in 1969, Holden has continued to build a global reputation for envisioning and executing world-class concept vehicles.