It is without a shadow of a doubt that the LC Torana was a game changer for General Motors Holden. The LC formed the building blocks for the Torana nameplate to not only become a force to be reckoned with in terms of on road sales during the 1970s, but for it to also become a force in Australian motorsport.
After years of producing the iconic GTS 327 and 350 Monaros, Holden were faced with the challenging prospect of bringing a new model to the market that was not only more competitively priced then the larger Monaro beasts but had a small body / big performance package which when both combined, would attract more youthful and mainstream buyers. The LC Torana GTR was the product of this new vision from Holden. It was a cheaper, sportier package than what was available in the Australian market at the time and it was certainly the beginnings of the famous Torana legend.
Released in October, 1969 as part of the 6-Cylinder range of Toranas, the GTR used a 2.6 Litre '161' engine that was commonly found in the base model Holden Belmonts but with a raft of modifications including the cylinder head, camshaft, exhaust and dual throat carburettor. The new '161S' engine was only capable of producing a slightly higher performance output, but it was in a significantly lighter car body which made a world of difference. Along with the engine treatment, the four-speed manual transmission and disc brakes added to the GTR's performance package.
Available in a range of gorgeous colours, the GTR was $100 less than the base model Monaro's available at the time. While the asking price was $100 less, many punters argue that the high insurance costs for the new sporty GTR were a major deterrent for new customers. While this could have been an issue longterm for Holden, once the visionary Harry Firth from the Holden Dealer Team recognised the potential of this new, nimble, 6 cylinder model and started to develop a package capable of taking on the Australian Motorsport landscape, another beast entirely was beginning to be discovered in the form of the XU-1. The eventual development of the GTR XU-1 would not only lead to a performance package that couldn't be ignored for Holden and a nameplate that would truly begin to shape Australian Motorsport for the better part of the next decadeƒ?Ý but that's another story.
