THE Holden Sandman is back 40 years after it was introduced, minus the fluffy dice and heart-shaped windows — but with the shagpile carpet and brightly coloured stickers that made the original famous.
A CD player and music-streaming apps on a touch screen have replaced the cassette deck, and there are now six airbags rather than an arrangement of pillows.
But for those yearning for a trip down memory lane, the new one is not available in its most recognisable form.
Instead of being released as a panelvan and ute as it was in the 1970s, the new Sandman is based on the latest Commodore wagon and ute.
Holden is dipping into its back catalogue to stimulate sales of the Commodore in the lead-up to the end of local production in 2017.
It follows recent editions including the ‘Collingwood Dore’ and the Craig Lowndes limited edition.
Each limited edition comes with Sandman stitching in the interior and stickers on the bodywork, while options include orange shagpile carpet seat covers and a fluffy rug for the wagon.
Holden toyed with the idea of a modern panelvan when it unveiled a concept ute with a canopy at the Sydney motor show in the year 2000.
Some of the artwork by Mambo creative director Dare Jennings had to be covered when the car was on display at the Detroit motor show the following year because a scantily-clad woman depicted in the painting was too revealing for US tastes.
Sticker pack, but they were so slack they couldn't sort out the sticker around the petrol cap? a tiny edge of the sticker is on the cap. i don't see much design here....
Wish they'd bring that wagon over here. Beach party anyone? Ute looks kinda cool though. That red one pictured third from the bottom looks like they stole Ford Pinto taillights or somethin'.
Didn't understand your title at first, mikmak... I thought that there was a 'to' missing. Was going to say only if you take me out for dinner first, and definitely if it's in a car like that!
The idea was good but the execution lacking. Those "seat inserts" look so cheap it's embarrassing. The least they could have done is orange stitching in the seats/dash...
So in an attempt to flog off the last couple of years of VE Commodores Holden are aiming to alienate their last bastions of passion; the boganistas of Elizabeth, Broadmeadows, Punch Bowl, and Logan!!!!
This proves to me that we need Capital Punishment in this country! Who ever signed off on that sportswagon should be sitting on Death Row.
What did you expect? There are only a handful of petrol heads in their marketing department, the rest are just co-op students communicating between desks through Facebook.
On the other hand, Holden's marketing coffers are empty. Seriously empty. Everything is done on a shoestring. Not many profitable cars in their lineup at the moment. The Commodore is heavily subsidising Holden's Cruze/Barina/Trax/Malibu/Colorado 7 advertising/marketing.
Don't expect it to improve though. The company is shrinking very fast, top talent have all left the building long time ago. You either have co-op students, or pre-retirement staff doing their time in anticipation of a nice fat separation package.
Breaks my heart to see such a waste of a classic name.
Some of us would be almost willing to give up our firstborn for a Real Sandman, Guess I'll wait for the XU-1 edition Cruze...........
It's Holden's latest halo car, but in reality it looks more like a halo in reverse.
Kingswood and Brougham are next!
A smooth new ride makes the new Holden Insignia Brougham as easy to drive as it is to look at. A new "122" economy inline four turbo makes it easy to run as it is to own. Insignia can take a pique out of peak hour traffic, the kinks out of the open road. It gives you comfort that lasts through a full day's drive. Have your Holden dealer turn on a test drive today.
With the exchange rate as favorable as it is for the US now, I'm seriously tempted to fly down to Aus, buy a Ute new and ship the damn thing back, as apparently, that's the only way I'll ever get a new one in the US!
I like the idea of the ute and to be honest I don't know why they didn't do it before. I owned a HX Sandman in my younger days and all they were was optioned up Belmonts and I too wish I still had mine. What is funny is not much has changed regarding the stripes. Back in the day, many didn't like the stripes and there was a stripe delete option. Its only now that the stripes on the old Sandmans are popular. Where marketing have missed the boat is there is a fantastic canopy that can be sourced that gives the ute that great panel van look. After all, many remember the Sandman as a panelvan.
I am not keen on the wagon version, but at least they are putting it out there. What car company in the world would do something like this anyway, we should enjoy it while we can before the Holden we know becomes just a sticker company. There is not much else happening on the new Holden front that means much anyway.
On the other hand if I was in the market for an SS wagon, I would think about a Sandman with the stripe option deleted as at least they come with individual numbering and identification. Who knows, in forty years time we might be kicking ourselves for not keeping a wagon in the shed.
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