Available in a
Coupe model which was released in July of 1971 and had a production run of 13,782 until 1974, and a non-Monaro four-door
GTS model in 1973 and 1974, The
HQ Monaro was a big step up from the previous model; the already ahead-of-it's-time
HG. With an overarching slanted front and a
blacked out grille, it was the first truly mean looking
Australian
sports car, beating out the
Ford XA Falcon by a year or so. The rear of the car, with taillights embedded in the rounded
bumper bar was sourced straight from the
Pontiac GTO, a design that spanned the entire HQ range. At over 4.5 metres long and almost two metres wide, this fairly big two door was available as a standard coupe with a choice of a six or eight cylinder engine, an improved
LS (
Luxury and
Sport) model, the Monaro GTS, and the Monaro GTS 350, with a 5.7 litre
Chevrolet V8.
In 1973 the Monaro GTS received some styling modifications, to keep it on a level with the new GTS
sedan, and the range had a full range of
engine choices: (All engines had two valves per cylinder) The 173ci
straight six Monaro standard, the 202ci straight six LS standard (optional in Monaro), the 253ci V8
GTS standard (optional in the Monaro and LS models), the 308ci option for all models, and the 350ci V8 - available only for the LS or the GTS. The GTS versions came equipped with a choice of an
Australian made
Munchie four speed manual
gearbox or the
Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic transmission. At the time of production, the Monaro went for (Aust) $3120 for the standard Monaro with a 2850cc straight six & 3speed manual, the LS with a 3300cc 3 speed six for $3570, the 4 speed 4.2 litre V8
GTS for $3720, and the GTS 350 for $4630. Now, a 308ci GTS with
air conditioning,
power steering and 45,000kms on the clock will go for about eighteen grand or so.
An HQ Monaro LS was featured at the start of the film
Mad Max, where it was driven by the
Nightrider.