{"id":3015,"date":"2026-04-03T03:42:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T03:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/australianholden.com\/?page_id=3015"},"modified":"2026-04-14T05:36:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T05:36:14","slug":"when-the-holden-vh-commodore-was-released-australia-in-1981","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/australianholden.com\/index.php\/australian-holden\/commodores\/vh-commodore\/when-the-holden-vh-commodore-was-released-australia-in-1981\/","title":{"rendered":"When the Holden VH Commodore was released &#8211; Australia in 1981"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/australianholden.com\/index.php\/australian-holden\/commodores\/\">Commodore Home<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/australianholden.com\/index.php\/australian-holden\/commodores\/vh-commodore\/\">VH Commodore<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cost of a new Holden VH Commodore<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Base sedan models started at approximately&nbsp;$8,600\u2013$8,800 <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The VH featured&nbsp;slight styling updates with revised grille and tail lights, improved interiors, enhanced suspension, and mechanical refinements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It maintained&nbsp;the Commodore\u2019s reputation as a reliable, practical, mid-size family car with improved handling and comfort<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Average wage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Average weekly wage: about&nbsp;$190\u2013$195<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Average annual wage: roughly&nbsp;$9,880\u2013$10,140<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Average house price<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Around&nbsp;$48,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Price of petrol<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>About&nbsp;55 cents per litre<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prime Minister<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Malcolm Fraser (Liberal Party)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Population of Australia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>About&nbsp;14.9 million people<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Top-grossing movie<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Raiders of the Lost Ark, Chariots of Fire<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Top song<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Physical&nbsp;by&nbsp;Olivia Newton-John&nbsp;topped Australian charts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significant world event<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Global recession fears and oil price concerns shaped economic policies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Technological innovation and cultural trends influenced consumer behaviour<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Popular TV \/ radio in Australia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Countdown, The Don Lane Show, Homicide, and Neighbours (early development)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FM radio strongly influenced pop and rock music culture<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significant Australian news story<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Economic policy, rising car ownership, and suburban expansion dominated headlines<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Interesting comparisons<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The VH Commodore cost roughly&nbsp;0.9\u20130.95 years\u2019 average wages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The average house cost about&nbsp;4.5\u20135 years\u2019 wages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Filling a ~60L tank cost roughly&nbsp;$33 AUD<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A week\u2019s wages could buy roughly&nbsp;345\u2013350 litres of petrol<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Commodore Home VH Commodore Cost of a new Holden VH Commodore Average wage Average house price Price of petrol Prime Minister Population of Australia Top-grossing movie Top song Significant world event Popular TV \/ radio in Australia Significant Australian news story Interesting comparisons<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3467,"parent":47,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3015","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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