Global InformationHolden Kingswood information
| Holden Kingswood | |
|---|---|
 1971–1974 Holden Kingswood (HQ) sedan | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Holden (General Motors) |
| Also called |
|
| Production | 1968–1985 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size |
| Body style |
|
| Related | Statesman (1st Generation) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Holden Special |
| Successor | Holden Commodore |
The Holden Kingswood is a full-size car that was developed and manufactured in Australia by Holden, from the beginning of the HK series in 1968 through to the conclusion of the WB series in 1985. Prior to 1968, the full-size Holden range of family cars comprised the Holden Standard, the Holden Special, and Holden Premier models. Initially, the HK range of models included the basic Holden Belmont (replacing the Standard), the Kingswood (replacing the Special), and the luxury-oriented Holden Premier, all of which were manufactured in a choice of sedan and station wagon bodies. Commercial variants were offered in three types: coupé utility, panel van, and later from 1971, a heavy-duty Holden One Tonner cab chassis. The utility (ute) version was originally marketed in both Belmont and Kingswood configurations. However, after the Belmont name was deleted from commercials at the end of HQ in late 1974, the base model commercials were sold only with the "Holden" badge (the Belmont name continued on sedan and wagon variants until the end of the HX series).
A two-door Holden Monaro coupé and extended-length luxury Holden Brougham were also introduced in mid 1968. For HK, HT, HG and HQ the Holden Monaro carried the ID plate luxury level coding for a Kingswood but never wore Kingswood badges as a production car. HQ-HJ Monaro LS and HQ Monaro LS V8 shared luxury level coding with their respective Premier but also never wore Premier badges. HK-HJ Monaro GTS coupe, HJ Monaro GTS sedan, HT-HQ Monaro GTS V8 coupe and Monaro GTS327/350 coupe (HK-HQ) carried unique luxury level coding.
HQ Monaro GTS sedan and HQ Monaro GTS350 sedan shared Kingswood luxury level coding with later examples actually displaying the GTS coupe's Q code on the VIN plate but still retaining the HQ V8 Kingswood's 80469 model coding on the body plate. The Brougham was replaced in 1971 by the Statesman brand, based upon the station wagon chassis of the then new HQ series. For a complete listing of the HK–WB series Holden cars, see: list of Holden vehicles by series.
A new Kingswood model was introduced at the start of the HX Holden series in mid 1976, the Kingswood panel van.
Outside of Australia, the Holden range (including Kingswoods in various body styles) and its derivatives have been sold in New Zealand, parts of Asia, and parts of the South Pacific branded as Holdens. Following the late-1960s import cessation of the Canadian-sourced Chevrolet Impala and Chevelle in South Africa, the Holden Kingswood / Premier and Holden Brougham models were badge engineered as Chevrolet Kommando and Chevrolet Constantia, respectively. Holden-based style-side utilities in South Africa were known as the Chevrolet El Camino.[1] Between 1974 and 1978, the one-tonne cab-chassis utility was sold as the Chevrolet El Toro.
The Kingswood passenger car and Kingswood panel van ceased production with the demise of the HZ series in 1980, the passenger range succeeded by the smaller Commodore released two years earlier. However, the Kingswood name survived via the utility that comprised part of the WB series range manufactured between 1980 and 1985, sold alongside the WB Statesman and the WB Holden utility, panel van and cab-chassis.
- ^ 1971 South African Chevrolet El Camino brochure cover, www.moby302.co.za, as archived at web.archive.org