Holden vs. Ford is dead, but not at the Bathurst 1000: why Commodore vs. Mustang V8 supercar race is the latest hitch in Australian car culture center after Falcon, AMG, Nissan and Volvo | Opinion

V8 Supercars is now the only place you can see the Holden-Ford rivalry that is still alive today.

Holden vs. Ford was the foundation that formed the backbone of Australian car culture for decades.

At least that was the case until both brands stopped making cars here, and then Holden quickly sank into oblivion. Now Holden is officially gone, and the showroom rivalry that has spilled over into schoolyards, workplaces and pub debates for generations is all but a thing of the past.

But there is one last bastion of this once-iconic rivalry - the Bathurst 1000. Next weekend, Holden Commodores and Ford Mustangs will go head-to-head at Mt Panorama for glory in Australia's biggest car race.

Although the "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" concept of motor racing disappeared many years ago, there was still something important for both brands in winning the Bathurst 1000. in Bathurst meant that the company was in a good mood, no matter what was going on. in the showroom.

Judging by the huge amounts of money that have changed hands over the latest HSV, Holden and Ford models this year, such as two HSV Maloo GTSR W1s that sold for more than $1 million each, it seems that Australia is not ready to give up. from rivalry. just for now.

But where do we go from here? What happens to our automotive culture moving forward into this previously unknown landscape? And will the future of the Bathurst 1000 hold when the Commodore is due to be permanently parked and replaced by the Chevrolet Camaro in 2023?

These are questions that get to the heart of the Australian car enthusiast. Even if you don't race V8 supercars, every true car enthusiast at least respects racing. So, what happens on the track will affect what happens in the wider community of car enthusiasts.

The reason is simple: Bathurst helped shape the direction of the Australian automotive industry. This is the reason Ford built the Falcon GT and then the GT-HO, and it was instrumental in building the V8-powered Holden Monaro, Torana, and Commodore. It's almost certain that collectors wouldn't have HSVs to spend millions on were it not for Peter Brock and his HDT Commodore business, which was set up to fund his Bathurst search.

In 1971, Moffat won his second Bathurst 500/1000 in a GT-HO Phase Three.

The fact that General Motors' Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) division has chosen to stay in the sport with the Camaro - even though it will likely only use a fraction of Holden's investment - is a sign of Bathurst's importance. 1000. GMSV may not be selling the Camaro here, but by attaching it to the racing grille, it is sending a signal to car enthusiasts in this country that this is serious business in Australia.

But you can't stop the passage of time, and as more and more kids grow up in a time where there's no Holden vs. Ford rivalry, what's happening in Bathurst needs to evolve. Of course, the planned introduction of the Mustang and Camaro in 2023 should give a fresh start, but Supercars organizers must find a way to keep the sport going.

The Camaro will replace the Commodore in 2023.

One of the best ways to do this is to bring more brands into the category, especially now that it has opened the door for coupes. There have been rumors all year about a European manufacturer reportedly showing interest and it would be nice to bring in a brand like BMW, but Japanese duo Toyota and Nissan remain the most obvious candidates.

The Supra has reached a point in its life where it needs a new marketing push to keep the level of interest going, while the arrival of the new Z in '22, combined with Nissan's local racing heritage, fits well. 

Should the Supra join the supercar grid?

It would also help expand the V8 supercar audience, from the current audience of Holden vs. Ford to JDM fans who grew up on a Playstation diet. Gran Turismo games and Fast and furious movie.

Whether any of these brands register in any capacity - be it a factory-backed team or simply being allowed to use Supra and Z Supercars - could be a defining moment not just for the sport, but for the future of automotive culture in Australia. .

The Bathurst 1000 has always been a reflection of the cars we either drive or aspire to drive and as the demands of the Australian motoring community change it seems like it's time for racing to make those changes too.