2004 Holden Torana TT36 - Images, Specifications and Information

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Holden revived a famous Australian nameplate when it took the covers off the Torana TT36 show car at the 2004 Sydney Motorshow. Holden drew on General Motors' global resources to build the hot pink Torana TT36, which is powered by an experimental 375 bhp twin Turbo 3.6 litre Alloytec V6 engine, sports a glass roof and showcases bold directional design themes. Not for production, this mid-sized hatch concept demonstrates the strength and versatility of Holden's design talent to a worldwide audience and emphasises its ability to react swiftly to changing customer demand.

Torana TT36 highlights Holden's rear wheel drive powertrain engineering expertise and the practical benefits to be gained by sharing GM global suspension and chassis components and modular structural systems. The new millennium hot hatch pays homage to Holden's Bathurst-winning icon car of the seventies, the Torana A9X. It is 25 years since the revered V8-powered Torana A9X last conquered Mount Panorama and wrote itself into Australian automotive legend.

The twenty-first century Torana has slingshot performance potential. Its experimental 3.6 litre twin Turbo Alloytec V6, hand-built at Holden's new Port Melbourne engine plant, produces 375 bhp of power, transferred to the tarmac via a heavy-duty six speed manual transmission. Ninety per cent of the 480Nm of torque developed is available from just 1600 rpm and the TT36 shares the power-to-weight advantage that helped its A9X sporting predecessor to drive into the record books at Mt Panorama a quarter of a century ago.

The four-seater showcar is finished in luminous, look-at-me pink − dubbed 'ManGenta' by the trend-spotting stylists who created it − contrasted against a slick new-tech interior in minimalist black and white. A panoramic glass roof extends from the steeply raked windscreen all the way back to the hatch and the TT36 sits on 20-inch, ten-spoke alloys. The project was originally named XP54, reflecting the acronym 'eXperimental Project' and coded 54 in recognition of Holden's so-called Studio 54 design workshop in the outer suburbs of Melbourne.

The Torana TT36 interior is an exercise in black and white contemporary cool, described by Holden's young colour and trim team as 'nu luxury'. Taking inspiration from forecast fashion trends in domestic and industrial design, they gave it smoothly sculptured white leather seats and mirror-gloss finishes in piano black and pearlescent perspex, contrasted with soft-feel textures and black techno-mesh rubber floor covering.

The pink exterior theme is picked up in clever LED lighting effects and a 'retro future' 3D instrument layout that can be customised to the driver's taste. Open the door and a full- length lighting strip integrated into the glass roof radiates a healthy pink glow. Press the backlit central starter button to play twin Turbo engine idle music. Touch the interactive infotainment screen to control myriad functions - phone, CD, SatNav, DVD, address book and other Blue Tooth-compatible features.