Holden is an Australian automobile manufacturing company that is considered to be this country's associate of General Motors. Currently, the only vehicle that is produced by Holden is the Commodore. Still, this model alone has proved itself to be quite popular within the domestic marketplace.
Holden is also one of the first Australian automakers; having been established in 1913 to manufacture parts for popular motorcycles of the time period. During this era, Holden also began manufacturing vehicle chassis and frames. Unfortunately (and like many manufacturers of the time), Holden was hit severely hard by the Great Depression and in 1931, it was subsequently taken over by the Australian branch of General Motors. However, the true production capacity of the Australian motor industry was not to be seen until the decade following the Second World War.
Due to its relationship with General Motors, some of the design features of Holden vehicles exhibited many American aspects and it was not until the 1970s that Holden began to incorporate a more Australian "feel" into their production line. This was coupled with an approach to create high-performance cars through their specialized subsidiary known as HSV (Holden Special Vehicles). This helped to establish a domestic niche market for Holden while increasing international exposure.
Although Holden has continued to maintain a presence in the automotive industry, many analysts feel that even their most innovative concept cars have been overshadowed by more internationally recognized brands such as Toyota, Honda and Opel. Nonetheless, Holden still boasts a firm grasp on the racing market and high-performance sectors.