Holden Torana III (LH/LX/UC) photos

Arriving in March 1974, the third-generation Holden Torana (LH series) was a completely newly engineered, uniquely Australian mid-size car. Designed to accommodate an extraordinarily broad spectrum of powertrains, the LH chassis was factory-fitted with four-cylinder engines, 2.85-litre and 3.3-litre inline-sixes, or rumbling 4.2-litre and 5.0-litre Holden V8 powerplants. The lineup was offered as a four-door sedan and, starting with the 1976 LX facelift, an attractive three-door hatchback. This generation yielded some of the greatest homologation muscle cars in history, notably the SL/R 5000 and the ferocious 1977 A9X Performance Option, engineered to dominate Mount Panorama and the Australian Touring Car Championship with disc brakes and flared arches. In 1978, the final UC series was introduced, featuring European-inspired squared front and rear fascias and Holden's acclaimed Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS) handling package, though V8 options were dropped. The Torana nameplate was officially retired in 1980, making way for the smaller, imported-platform Holden Commodore.