Hanenberger's hot farewell present

IT won’t be hard to spot retiring Holden chairman and managing director Peter Hanenberger around his home town of Weisbaden, Germany. He’ll be the bloke driving the black Monaro.

As a farewell gift from Holden, Hanenberger received the one-off special from his former workforce to take with him back to Germany.

The vehicle, as prepared to Mr Hanenberger’s requested specifications, includes left-hand drive configuration with a Pontiac GTO LS1 engine matched to the GTO six-speed manual transmission.

Also fitted is an Australian-spec exhaust to meet German noise emission requirements and an HSV premium brake package and alloy fuel filler cover.

Interior features include specific chamois coloured leather, similar to the optional ochre interior treatment in Adventra LX8, and satellite navigation.

Mr Hanenberger sampled the car at the Lang Lang proving ground last Wednesday – where this picture was taken – before it was packaged for shipping to Germany.

Mr Hanenberger, 61, completed his 45-year career with GM, including the last four as chairman and managing director of Holden Australia, last Friday.

It was Hanenberger’s second stint at Holden. First time round he earned the nickname ‘Handlingberger’ for his key role in developing Radial Tuned Suspension in the 1970s.

Before his second Holden tenure, Mr Hanenberger was a GM vice president and group executive of the Opel technical development centre in Ruesselsheim, Germany.

Beginning his career in 1958 at Opel, GM's German subsidiary, in vehicle testing and development, he moved up the ranks to several key engineering posts.

Denny Mooney, 46, executive director of vehicle integration for GM North America engineering, succeeds Mr Hanenberger as Holden chairman and managing director.

Reporting to Fritz Henderson, GM group vice president and president of GM Asia Pacific, Mr Mooney will formerly assume his position effective January 1, 2004.