The world is digital; the theme is Australia; the cars are absolutely amazing. In case you can’t tell, I’m waiting for the September 27th release of Forza Horizon three like an underprivileged kid who’s been adopted by the wealthy. Is my enthusiasm and anxiousness for the game outright insane? It is just another car game, so maybe, but I don’t care – I’m flat out excited, and if you’re a gamer I’m sure you understand. This is now the second week of Forza Garage, and Turn 10 has finally given us even more cars to drool over in anticipation of Horizon 3.

This week, the main icon cars announced stick true to the Australian roots. So, again, you can expect to see a good number of Holden models on the list. But, that isn’t all. Among the Holdens, you’ll find cars like the 1997 Lamborghini Diablo SV and the 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra. There’s even a 1956 Ford F100 and a 1970 AMC Rebel – also called “The Machine.” That’s not all, but the man who signs my paycheck won’t let me talk about games all day, so we’ll talk about the rest a little later.

With that said, let’s take a look at the three highlights of this week’s announcement. Prepare to get excited!

Keep reading for the rest of the story.

1951 Holden 50-2106 FX Ute

Yup, the first one on the list is a classic, but it’s here for a good reason. When Holden first unleashed its first Australian car, the 48-125 Holden Sedan, that was all the brand had. In fact, it took another two years before the brand dropped another model. When it finally happened, however, it was this workhorse – the 1951 FX Ute. Don’t ask me why it earned the nickname FX (It’s still heavily debated to this day by purists) but that didn’t matter to the working man because this baby was as durable and versatile as they get. It came with just 60 horsepower, which doesn’t seem like much, but that didn’t matter once it got put to work in the fields or the job site. Either way, say hello to the 1951 Holden 50-2106 FX.

1974 Holden Sandman HQ Panel Van

When the words “panel van” pop in your mind, you’re probably thinking about those creepy molester vans with no side windows and plywood blocking of the view through the rear doors. That might be what those words mean in America, but in Australia, it was the name of these funky looking Utes with what is essentially a topper on the back. To those of us here in America, it looks more like something you would find in a funeral convoy, but in the outback, these things were pretty popular. If, after looking at the image above, you think it looks familiar, it should. Mel Gibson drove one in the original Mad Max. Anyway, these things weren’t exactly built to be powerful monsters, but they were often outfitted with crazy looking murals. If you ever find yourself in one, you might want to avoid shining a black light, though – these things were pretty popular with teens way back when. I won’t say it here, but you can probably guess why.

2016 HSV GTS Maloo

OK, so by now you realize that the Ute is a pretty big deal down under, but this specific model isn’t about being a utility vehicle. In fact, you could probably call this thing one of the best Holden models ever, and few people would argue with you (unless they like to argue, that is.) So what makes this thing so special? I’m glad you asked. This baby doesn’t only look mean on the outside – it is mean. To go along with that aggressive body kit and wild styling, this baby has a 6.2-liter, supercharged, V-8 crammed under its little hood. It isn’t just engine and supercharger, though.

Holden did the deed right by upgrading the chassis, suspension, and brake system to make this car a thing of dreams. To put it mildly, the GTS Maloo is often referred to as the Ferrari of Utes, and there’s a damn good reason. This thing is FAST. That 6.2-liter is good for 576 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual, or a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. 60 mph comes in about 4.5 seconds and top speed registers somewhere around 188 mph. Check out our review and some real-world pictures here.

Conclusion

As much as I would love to sit here and break down each and every one of the new cars announced this week, the boss man has walked by my desk three different times now with a troubled look on his face. So, I should probably sign off pretty quickly. If you’re interested in checking out the rest of the cars announced this week, along with the full list that has been announced to date, you can check out the week two post at Forza’s Garage. Check back with us soon; I’ll be anxiously waiting to bring you next week’s reveal as soon as I can. Take care.