ESP standard equipment on VE Commodore

[pauljh74]

Originally Posted by new2ford

Yes I found I had to use Extra Sensory Perception a lot to get myself out of situations when I owned a Holden.

I find I need to use ESP when driving near a Holden - you have to foresee that they're about to cut you off.

[new2ford]

OK, I emailed Holden customer service to challenge them on the claims made in their website history about Holden being first in this and that. One thing I raised was that Holden wasn't the first Australian production range to fit seatbelts as standard - it was the Austin 1800 (in 1965). The reply was:

"Thank you for your email. We advise that Holden was the first Australian vehicle manufacturer to fit seatbelts in all models as a standard feature. As Wolseley was a British manufacturer, this information does not relate to them."

I replied pointing out that BMC Australia (where did they get Wolseley from - that was just one model?!) was a major local manufacturer like GMH and it could equally be argued that GMH is an American manufacturer. And sorry, BMC was first, not Holden. They emailed back saying they've "documented" my comment at HO. I bet the website won't change.

From this exchange I think I can see the psychology of it - Holden honestly believe they are the only ridgydidge Australian manufacturer and a patriotic institution. (51st state?) Never mind all those other car factories here. So there's the answer to why they're "first" in everything. Its because they are not only first but the only. I'll contemplate that as I drive off in my American Ford Territory.

And funny that they should mention Wolseley. Because Wolseley, like Holden, was an Australian but Wolseley went into cars much earlier, in the 1890s. He moved over to England and employed Herbert Austin and it all went (to England!) from there. SO who's more originally Australian then?