When Australia said "Hi to Hyundai", we welcomed a car that changed the game. While others were affordable, the Excel was cheap, giving more people the chance to buy a brand-new set of wheels than ever before.


In this episode, hear from the colourful businessmen who took a punt that paid off as Aussies everyone snapped up a new car from a new country at a new low price, drive away, no more to pay... 

When Australia said "Hi to Hyundai", we welcomed a car that changed the game. While others were affordable, the Excel was cheap, giving more people the chance to buy a brand-new set of wheels than ever before.
 In this episode, hear from the colourful businessmen who took a punt that paid off as Aussies everyone snapped up a new car from a new country at a new low price, drive away, no more to pay...

Australians have a long-standing love affair with the automobile and when, in 1948, the first Holden came off the production line, our cars also became part of our national pride. 

Our cars do more than take us from A to B, they are freedom on four wheels. What we drive reflects our personalities, and our aspirations, and even allows us to let out our inner bogan. 

This is the story of the car that your folks bought home when you were a kid and you climbed all over the back seat. It’s the car that you crammed into on those hot summer road trips. It’s that model that you saved up for when you were a teenager or the car that your friend has that took you out of the suburbs. It's the car that you were brought home in from the hospital (potentially without being secured properly).

This is the story of the people who drove them and the people that rode in them... this is the story of the Cars That Made Australia.

Australians have a long-standing love affair with the automobile and when, in 1948, the first Holden came off the production line, our cars also became part of our national pride.    Our cars do more than take us from A to B, they are freedom on four wheels. What we drive reflects our personalities, and our aspirations, and even allows us to let out our inner bogan.    This is the story of the car that your folks bought home when you were a kid and you climbed all over the back seat. It’s the car that you crammed into on those hot summer road trips. It’s that model that you saved up for when you were a teenager or the car that your friend has that took you out of the suburbs. It's the car that you were brought home in from the hospital (potentially without being secured properly).   This is the story of the people who drove them and the people that rode in them... this is the story of the Cars That Made Australia.

Australians have a long-standing love affair with the automobile and when, in 1948, the first Holden came off the production line, our cars also became part of our national pride.

Cars That Made Australia

Hyundai Excel

I'm built for the bends at Burthst and the Aussie bogan looking to burn some rubber - what am I? If you answered "Holden Torana", you'd be bang on.

From humble beginnings, the Torana grew to become one of the most collectible Australian cars of all time - largely thanks to Brockie's legendary exploits at Bathurst.

The Torana is more than just a compact classic, it's a working-class hero that stands as an emblem of Australia's proud automotive history, a golden era of Australian motoring on the road and on the racetrack.

I'm built for the bends at Burthst and the Aussie bogan looking to burn some rubber - what am I? If you answered "Holden Torana", you'd be bang on.
From humble beginnings, the Torana grew to become one of the most collectible Australian cars of all time - largely thanks to Brockie's legendary exploits at Bathurst.
The Torana is more than just a compact classic, it's a working-class hero that stands as an emblem of Australia's proud automotive history, a golden era of Australian motoring on the road and on the racetrack.

Holden Torana

The Magna was the other other Australian-made family favourite from the late 1980s, a car that says "I have kids, a job, a dog, and I value practicality over performance". It was good but not iconic, sophisticated but never cool, forever in the shadow of Falcons and Commodores.

It was, however, the thinking person's alternative, popular with those who happily cut against the grain. And while it was clearly third of The Big Three, that's still a podium finish... so should we remember the Magna more magnanimously?

The Magna was the other other Australian-made family favourite from the late 1980s, a car that says "I have kids, a job, a dog, and I value practicality over performance". It was good but not iconic, sophisticated but never cool, forever in the shadow of Falcons and Commodores.
It was, however, the thinking person's alternative, popular with those who happily cut against the grain. And while it was clearly third of The Big Three, that's still a podium finish... so should we remember the Magna more magnanimously?

Mitsubishi Magna

The 1970s, often dubbed the "decade that style forgot", when Australia's automotive and suburban landscapes shared similar levels of austerity. Our locally made gas-guzzlers were overshadowed by the growing popularity of cheap, reliable, fuel-efficient imports from Japan.

The cars were as boring as they were brown... but we lapped them up. The Datsun 180B was an unpretentious suburban stalwart and lays claim to being the 'best of the boring'. Hear how the Datto came to define the decade and laugh at the time Merrick & Rosso tried to buy one from a questionable character...

The 1970s, often dubbed the "decade that style forgot", when Australia's automotive and suburban landscapes shared similar levels of austerity. Our locally made gas-guzzlers were overshadowed by the growing popularity of cheap, reliable, fuel-efficient imports from Japan.
The cars were as boring as they were brown... but we lapped them up. The Datsun 180B was an unpretentious suburban stalwart and lays claim to being the 'best of the boring'. Hear how the Datto came to define the decade and laugh at the time Merrick &amp; Rosso tried to buy one from a questionable character...

Hyundai Excel

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Cars That Made Australia

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