Only one choice

[Dr Terry]

GMH only had one product line until the small car range was introduced. So really they had never actually given the large car range a name until Commodore came along. Much the same as Ford with the Model T.

There are many car companies like this. Most car manufacturers began by building just one model line & that's what they were known for. The USA pre-WWII, was a good example, a Ford was a Ford,a Chev was a Chev & a Dodge was a Dodge & so on. That all there was, there was no '2nd model line'.

Even in the 60s & 70s in Australia, if you said that you owned a Holden or a Ford it was naturally assumed that you were referring to your Kingswood or Falcon, not your Torana or your Cortina, unless you elaborated.

I think they first deviated from this with the Corvette & the Thunderbird, prior to that time there was only one Ford & one Chev. Often if they did want to release a 2nd model line, they usually created a new brand, e.g. Mercury, Edsel etc. By the time you got to the 60s & 70s each manufacturer had many car lines. Look at Chev:- Nova, Chevelle, Corvair, Camaro, Monte Carlo, Biscayne/Impala/Caprice etc. (full size), Pick-Ups, Suburban etc. etc.

Dr Terry

[HK1837]

It could also be to reduce liabilty.
The large cars still remained as a straight Holden or Statesman when Commodore arrived. Commodore appears in initial documentation as "Holden Commodore" but the Holden stayed and Torana stayed as did Gemini. In many places the "Holden Sunbird" is also referred to. Never been able to fathom the reason for this, would love to see the internal memo as to why it was necessary to put Holden in front of Commodore and Sunbird but not Gemini and Torana. Maybe it was a simple matter of a change in direction first appearing where "Holden" was intended to change from a car line to a brand as they had to know by then that the upcoming WB was Holden commercials only?

[wbute]

Probably. Could have just been different crews of people writing the documents too.

[HK1837]

Trouble is technically and legally it ain't.

[Innuendo]

GMC = General Motors Corporation

There is nothing more to it.

[Innuendo]

Just to add to the story.

In 1900 a company called Grabowsky Motor Vehicle Company kicked off but traded as Rapid Motor Company. Never as GMC.
In 1909 this company was acquired by General Motors.
1n 1912 GM trade marked the name GMC and that same year the first ever truck was badged and sold as GMC.

Yellow coach acquisition didn't happen until 1925.

As I already stated GMC = General Motors Corporation

[HK1837]

I read the same stuff except for the Corporation bit which i'm almost certain is wrong as General Motors Corporation didn't exist until 1916 (October 13 to be exact) and the GMC Truck name or brand was used in 1912.

[HK1837]

Although General Motors Company was formed in 1911 by WIlliam Durant and Louis Chevrolet. Hence my original guess ie General Motors Company Truck.

[Innuendo]

It was never known as "General Motors Company Truck" is was General Motors Truck Company (GMTC)
But I tend to agree it was General Motors Company = GMC in the very beginning. When the company became incorporated the GMC meaning simply changed. My information is straight out of "100 years of GMC" put out by General Motors. Mistakes are just as likely as in any of Holden's literature. I also doubt the original intention was solely for truck naming. Although by this time of the GMC Trade Mark they had plenty of names to choose from. This period of time was certainly tumultuous for William Durant and what was his idea for naming at one point could well have been changed by others (quite likely infact) when he was first ousted from the company.

Finding a copy or record of the original Trade Mark and/or Patent should have a clear answer.
I don't know that I care enough to go searching...

[wbute]

What's a Ford Jeep then? Maybe it's a Willies Jeep? Both exactly the same except a round front cross member on one and the Ford F on lots of bolt heads on the Ford. Actually..... Jeep was made by Willies so there is an example of the branded vehicle outliving the parent companies name. So maybe I have convinced myself that HSV could possibly be not a Holden. No reason for them to fold up just because Holden has bailed. Hmmm. Thinking out loud.