An exhibition has opened in Canberra to tell the story of one of the icons of Australian manufacturing. Rear vision: the Holden collection is a free exhibition at the National Archives of Australia, following the growth of Holden from its humble beginnings as a 19th-century saddlery to a maker of horse-drawn buggies and Melbourne tram bodies, then eventually becoming a leader in the automotive industry with global influence. Supplied Credit: CarExpertSupplied Credit: CarExpertAlong with an original 1948 Holden 48-215, the exhibition features a detailed Lego model and the first engine manufactured by Holden – an air-cooled four-cylinder built in 1940 for aircraft. Free to attend and running until October 11, 2026, Rear vision: the Holden collection is open daily between 9:00am and 5:00pm at the National Archives of Australia in Parkes, ACT. Supplied Credit: CarExpertBe the first to know: Add 7NEWS as your preferred news source on GoogleMORE: Old Holden factory being transformed into Australia Post ‘parcel super hub’