Final Insult: Holden Commodore Factory Becomes Mushroom Farm

Australian muscle is stone cold dead.

The Australian car market fills us with dread since it seems to show a possible, dire future for North America. Flooded with cheap Chinese and Vietnamese vehicles, domestic automakers there have long since folded up shop, including GM’s Holden. Now a report from Australia details out how the factory which used to churn out Holden Commodores, a legitimate Aussie muscle car, is becoming a mushroom farm.

Find out why Australia wants to make its own EVs here.

That’s right, from making performance cars to growing mushrooms, the fun of driving in Australia is being sapped right out of the population. But don’t worry, apparently these fungi will be used to make mushroom burgers, mushroom balls, and mushroom sausages for those who want to avoid eating any meat.

With the future of the Dodge Charger and Challenger looking bleak, we’re afraid our own new muscle car market is rapidly disappearing. V8 engines aren’t in the cards for those two Mopars moving forward, striking a vicious blow to enthusiasts from coast to coast.

Meanwhile, the future of the Chevy Camaro seems to be up in the air. There are competing rumors about GM’s muscle car. One claims it’s going away yet again. Another pushes that a whole line of Camaro-badged vehicles, including a sedan and crossover, are coming in the not horribly distant future. Even if the nameplate lives on, if V8 engines are dropped from the lineup, it’s no longer American muscle. However, there is hope with GM announcing a new generation of the small block.

Finally, there’s the Ford Mustang. While the GT with its Coyote V8 is part of the next generation, this might be the last time eight cylinders are offered in the pony car. Ford has been pouring resources into developing electric vehicles, all but assuring the Mustang will go down that pathway soon enough.

While some might laugh at what’s become of Australian muscle cars, we don’t. Instead, we look on in horror not only because we once admired Down Under muscle, but also because it’s like looking into our potential, bleak future.

Source: Drive

Image via Wikimedia Commons