Ford has said goodbye to Holden, the end to what was one of Australia’s most famous rivalries.

SURE, BLUE AND RED fans agree the rivalry between Ford and Holden ended with the shuttering of local production, but today’s announcement from General Motors brings a finite end to the unique competition which existed for generations in Australian culture.

For decades since the 1960s both the blue oval and lion brand dominated sales in Australia with the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon, and models which were sold in between went on to become cult icons, like the Monaro, Torana, Sandman and GT. Many collector’s cars from either side were born on the fiercest battleground of them all at Bathurst. Other battlegrounds included weddings, parties, and anything, the attachment to either side so deep in some that the only way to figure out which was better was with a barney. Sometimes physical.

It’s a sad day for Australian motoring, and after GM’s announcements that it would shut Holden, its operations and decalred 600 of the 800 Holden jobs here would become redundant, Ford Australia released its own goodbye.

“All of us here at Ford Australia are saddened to hear the news that Holden will cease operations,” it said in its announcement.

“Holden is an iconic brand that holds a special place in the heart of many Australians, and has done so much to shape the Australian automotive industry and the country. Its vehicles have been worthy competitors both on road and on the racetrack.

“To our friends at Holden, thank you for keeping us on our toes and inspiring us to keep aiming higher. We will miss you. Ford continues to invest in its Australian operations and our 2,000+ workforce of engineers, designers and other experts as we develop vehicles for more than 180 markets around the world.”

Earlier today, GM announced that it was ceasing operations of Holden in Australia, confirming that Holden, the Lang lang proving ground in Victoria and the design studio in Port Melbourne would all be shut by 2021. You can read the full article and release notes here.

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