Following a successful period during the early 1970s when the Holden Torana GTR XU-1 won multiple Australian Rally Championships in the hands of Colin Bond and Peter Lang, the factory effort changed direction to the Gemini by the close of the decade.
Introduced in 1975 by Holden based on Isuzu’s version sold in Japan, the Gemini proved a popular small model for the local arm of General Motors for close to 10 years and it was never far away from motorsport involvement.
Starting with a one-make category based at Calder Park, then multiple Bathurst 1000 campaigns in the lower classes, it was soon used as a base for rallying and even competed in Australia as an Isuzu by Japanese competitors of the Southern Cross.
Leading rally driver Wayne Bell donned the Holden Dealer Team colours alongside co-driver Dave Boddy in a Gemini. Generally underpowered compared to the opposition Nissan Stanzas and Ford Escorts, but Bell ragged the Gemini to third place in the 1978 Southern Cross Rally.
Unfortunately, Bell’s giant killing performances did not lead to an Australian Rally Championship as the turbo Gemini struggled with lag, but the twin cam engine proved a solid performer for a brief time before the regulations changed.
Bell emerged as one of Australia’s leading drivers in the Gemini matching the likes of Datsun duo George Fury and Ross Dunkerton, Colin Bond and Greg Carr of Ford in what was the Holden Dealer Team’s sole entry.
Of course, Bell went on to build a formidable resume including running second in the Repco Round Australia Trial and launching Hyundai into the world of rallying by first involvement locally before transitioning to the World Rally Championship where he finished a best of fourth in Formula 2 piloting the Coupe in Portugal.
Holden did not re-enter the rallying landscape albeit a pair of 1990s Round Australia Trials and some Australasian Safaris.
In New Zealand, Greg Murphy led an AP4 Holden Barina team back in 2017.