Holden Apollo: the Holden-badged Toyota Camry

The Holden Apollo was a badge-engineered Toyota Camry that Holden distributed in Australia from 1989 to 1997. It carried Holden badges and minor cosmetic changes, and it replaced the GM-engineered Holden Camira in the small-car slot of the range.

Holden Apollo at a glance

History of the Holden Apollo

Why Holden sold a Toyota

The Apollo existed because of the United Australian Automobile Industries joint venture between Toyota Australia and Holden, which began in 1987 and led to model sharing between the two makers from August 1989. UAAI was itself a result of the Button car plan, a government policy intended to make the Australian motor industry more efficient and to eliminate import tariffs.

JK and JL: the V20 Camry

The first Apollo, the JK, was released in August 1989 as a compact car based on the V20 Camry. A facelifted JL series followed in August 1991. Between the two there were only minor cosmetic differences from the Toyota: the grille, the lights and the trim.

JM and JP: the XV10 Camry

The Apollo grew into the mid-size class with the JM series of March 1993, based on the larger XV10 Camry, and the updated JP of September 1995. Production took place at Toyota’s Port Melbourne plant until 1994 and then at Altona.

The end

Production stopped in late 1996, although enough cars remained in stock to keep the model on sale until the replacement Holden Vectra arrived in mid-1997. The Apollo thus closed a chapter in which Holden sold a rival’s car under its own name, a practice that had already cost it the Camira.

Design and features

• Camry underneath: the body, engines and running gear came from Toyota, not from Holden.
• Holden badges: the visible differences were limited to the grille, lights and trim.
• Two size classes: compact as the JK and JL, mid-size from the JM onwards.
• Two factories: built at Port Melbourne until 1994, then at Altona.

Holden Apollo versions

• JK (1989–1991): the first Apollo, based on the V20 Camry.
• JL (1991–1993): facelifted V20 with cosmetic changes.
• JM (1993–1995): the move to the wider XV10 Camry.
• JP (1995–1997): the final update, sold until the Vectra arrived.

The Apollo was replaced by the Holden Vectra, another imported car sold under a Holden badge. More cars are in the Holden collection.

Video: Holden Apollo Australian Commercial (1994)

Video by frankmat on YouTube.

Sources

• Holden Apollo, English Wikipedia: series dates, joint venture, production sites