| Holden WB | |
| Manufacturer: | Holden (General Motors) |
| Production: | April 1980–1985 |
| Assembly: | Elizabeth, South Australia Dandenong, Victoria |
| Predecessor: | Holden HZ |
| Successor: | Holden Rodeo Holden Utility (VG) Holden Shuttle (panel van) Holden One Tonner (One Tonner) |
| Class: | Full-size |
| Body Style: | 2-door cab chassis 2-door coupe utility 2-door panel van |
| Engine: | 3.3 L Holden '202' I6 4.2 L Holden '253' V8 5.0 L Holden '308' V8 |
| Transmission: | 3-speed manual 4-speed manual 3-speed automatic |
| Wheelbase: | Cab chassis: 30581NaN1 Utility/van: 28951NaN1 |
| Length: | Cab chassis: 49901NaN1 Utility/van: 49401NaN1 |
| Width: | 18871NaN1 |
| Height: | Cab chassis: 14201NaN1 Utility: 13951NaN1 Van: 16031NaN1 |
| Related: | Statesman WB Holden One Tonner |
The Holden WB series is an automobile which was produced by Holden in Australia from 1980 to 1985. It is a facelifted version of the Holden HZ series, which it replaced. Unlike the HZ and every other full size Holden series before it, the Holden WB was only offered in commercial vehicle bodystyles with no sedan or wagon passenger car variants. The long-wheelbase WB series models were marketed under the separate Statesman marque, absent of all Holden branding.
The Holden WB series was released in April 1980, the range consisting of two coupe utility models, a panel van and a cab chassis truck.[1] The Kingswood panel van, Sandman utility and Sandman panel van models were not carried over from the HZ commercial range. The WB range therefore consisted of:
The Kingswood utility featured a black grate style grille and rectangular headlights, unlike the more basic models which shared a divided grille with circular headlights.[2] In August 1980, the base models received an update which gave them the same frontal treatment as the Kingswood utility.[1]
Plans to produce sedan and wagon versions of the Holden WB reached an advanced stage but ultimately were not pursued.[3] These variants would have supplemented the new Holden Commodore models in the family car market.[3]
See main article: Statesman (automobile).
The Statesman WB range of long-wheelbase luxury sedans, developed by General Motors-Holden’s in parallel with the Holden WB series, was released in May 1980.[1] Like their Statesman HZ predecessors, the two models in the Statesman WB range, the de Ville and the Caprice, were marketed as "Statesman" rather than as "Holden".[4]
A 3.3-litre inline six cylinder engine was standard equipment and a 4.2-litre V8 was offered as an option.[1] The 5.0-litre V8 option was not carried over from the HZ range, yet was available by special request which was popular with Kingswood model buyers.
The WB series was discontinued in early 1985. Production of the Holden WB and related Statesman WB models totalled 60,231 vehicles.[1] No replacement for the Holden WB was offered initially,[5] bringing to an end a continuous 34-year run of light commercial models based on Holden passenger cars. The gap left by the WB series was then filled by imported and rebadged Isuzu models. This market segment would however be directly contested by Holden again from 1990 when the VN Commodore-based VG Utility was released.[5]