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.

Every car you see on the road is like a chapter in Australia's big book of stories. Our cars aren't just ways to get from A to B - they're time capsules on wheels, each one telling a story about who we are and where we've been.

Cars That Made Australia

How will we get to net zero? Australian Financial Review's reporter Peter Ker meets the entrepreneurs leading the charge into the new industrial revolution. Empires will crumble. Fortunes will be made.

How will we get to net zero? Australian Financial Review's reporter Peter Ker meets the entrepreneurs leading the charge into the new industrial revolution. Empires will crumble. Fortunes will be made.

AFR Podcasts 

Hyundai Excel

The Holden Statesman and Ford Fairlane were more than simply bigger Commodores and Falcons, they were Australia’s answer to luxury on four wheels, symbols of quiet success and Aussie pride. These oversized but understated sedans were for the boss, the politician, the bloke who’d made it without needing to shout about it —  they were built for the times. They were more than just roomy interiors and analog clocks; they were a mark of status in a simpler time, when “made in Australia” still had real meaning.

In this episode, we’ll explore how the Statesman and Fairlane went from local luxury to nostalgic relics, what they meant to a generation chasing the Aussie dream, and why they still hold a place in our hearts — even if our tastes have shifted to hatchbacks and SUVs.

Special thanks to:
Tony Davis
Russell Howcroft
Harvey Miller
Owners Rob & Martin

Thanks to eBay. Shop on eBay. Where you can find parts for every project car, from sellers you can trust.
Disclaimer: eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the brands discussed in this podcast episode.

The Holden Statesman and Ford Fairlane were more than simply bigger Commodores and Falcons, they were Australia’s answer to luxury on four wheels, symbols of quiet success and Aussie pride. These oversized but understated sedans were for the boss, the politician, the bloke who’d made it without needing to shout about it —  they were built for the times. They were more than just roomy interiors and analog clocks; they were a mark of status in a simpler time, when “made in Australia” still had real meaning.
In this episode, we’ll explore how the Statesman and Fairlane went from local luxury to nostalgic relics, what they meant to a generation chasing the Aussie dream, and why they still hold a place in our hearts — even if our tastes have shifted to hatchbacks and SUVs.
Special thanks to:
<ul>
<li>Tony Davis</li>
<li>Russell Howcroft</li>
<li>Harvey Miller</li>
<li>Owners Rob &amp; Martin</li>
</ul>
Thanks to <a href="https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors">eBay</a>. Shop on <a href="https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors">eBay</a>. Where you can find parts for every project car, from sellers you can trust. Disclaimer: eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the brands discussed in this podcast episode.

Holden Statesman & Ford Fairlane: Local Luxury

Oh la la... what can we say about French cars? They were baguettes on wheels, a rolling slice of European flair that somehow found their way into Australia’s heart.

Whether it was the chic Citroën DS or the oddball Renault 4CV, these cars had something special — sophistication with a side of quirk. Sure, they were unpredictable and a bit unreliable, but that’s what made them memorable.

In this episode, we explore how these eccentric Frenchies not only survived Aussie roads but also found their tribe of equally strange and cool drivers — academics, architects, maths teachers, comedians, rock stars, and anyone who doesn’t just watch movies, but films.

Special thanks to:
Tony Davis
Laura Cook and the National Museum of Australia
Rob Hirst
James Ward and drive.com.au

Thanks to eBay. Shop on eBay. Where you can find parts for every project car, from sellers you can trust.
Disclaimer: eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the brands discussed in this podcast episode.

Oh la la... what can we say about French cars? They were baguettes on wheels, a rolling slice of European flair that somehow found their way into Australia’s heart.
Whether it was the chic Citroën DS or the oddball Renault 4CV, these cars had something special — sophistication with a side of quirk. Sure, they were unpredictable and a bit unreliable, but that’s what made them memorable.
In this episode, we explore how these eccentric Frenchies not only survived Aussie roads but also found their tribe of equally strange and cool drivers — academics, architects, maths teachers, comedians, rock stars, and anyone who doesn’t just watch movies, but films.
Special thanks to:
<ul>
<li>Tony Davis</li>
<li>Laura Cook and the National Museum of Australia</li>
<li>Rob Hirst</li>
<li>James Ward and drive.com.au</li>
</ul>
Thanks to <a href="https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors" data-stringify-link="https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors" data-sk="tooltip_parent">eBay</a>. Shop on <a href="https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors" data-stringify-link="https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors" data-sk="tooltip_parent">eBay</a>. Where you can find parts for every project car, from sellers you can trust. Disclaimer: eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the brands discussed in this podcast episode.

French Cars and the Citroën DS: Tres Bien

The Mini Moke wasn't just a car, it was an oddball on wheels, automotive fun in its simplest form.

Originally designed as an army runabout, it never quite made the cut... but somehow found its place in beach towns, resorts, a few Bond films, and even Bass Strait.

With no doors, no roof, and barely even an engine, somehow it defied the odds and became a cult classic, perfect for sun-soaked adventures in places like Magnetic Island and the Gold Coast.

The Moke was a ride of cheap thrills, a sense of adventure, and a cheeky personality in a comically small package.

In this episode, discover how a car that wasn’t very good at anything somehow became kind of perfect for everything — if you didn’t mind a bit of sunburn along the way.

Special thanks to:
Tony Davis
Watto
Ben
Hans Tholstrup

Thanks to eBay. Shop on eBay. Where you can find parts for every project car, from sellers you can trust.

Disclaimer:  eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the brands discussed in this podcast episode. 

The Mini Moke wasn't just a car, it was an oddball on wheels, automotive fun in its simplest form.
Originally designed as an army runabout, it never quite made the cut... but somehow found its place in beach towns, resorts, a few Bond films, and even Bass Strait.
With no doors, no roof, and barely even an engine, somehow it defied the odds and became a cult classic, perfect for sun-soaked adventures in places like Magnetic Island and the Gold Coast.
The Moke was a ride of cheap thrills, a sense of adventure, and a cheeky personality in a comically small package.
In this episode, discover how a car that wasn’t very good at anything somehow became kind of perfect for everything — if you didn’t mind a bit of sunburn along the way. Special thanks to:
<ul>
<li>Tony Davis</li>
<li>Watto</li>
<li>Ben</li>
<li>Hans Tholstrup</li>
</ul>
Thanks to <a href="https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728535202747000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2KYVzT_WIuKwN6ma7UgkwS">eBay</a>. Shop on <a href="https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ebay.com.au/vlp/motors&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728535202747000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2KYVzT_WIuKwN6ma7UgkwS">eBay</a>. Where you can find parts for every project car, from sellers you can trust.
Disclaimer:  eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the brands discussed in this podcast episode.

Hyundai Excel

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