View source for Chevrolet Constantia

{{Short description|Car sold in South Africa from 1969–1978}}
[[File:1972 Chevrolet AQ Constantia.jpg|thumb|Chevrolet Constantia AQ Series]]
The '''Chevrolet Constantia''' is an automobile which was marketed by [[Chevrolet]] in [[South Africa]] from 1969 to 1978.
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== First series ==
[[File:Holden HK Brougham 1968-1969 02.jpg|thumb|The first series Chevrolet Constantia was based on the Australian [[Holden Brougham]] (pictured)]]The first series [[Chevrolet]] Constantia went on sale in May 1969, along with the lower priced [[Holden HK#South Africa|Kommando]].<ref>{{cite magazine |editor-last=Emslie |editor-first=Robin |date=September 1969 |title=Trends |magazine=Motoring Mirror |location=Cape Town, South Africa |publisher=Motorpress |volume=7 |number=5 |page=17}}</ref> It was based on the Australian [[Holden Brougham]] four-door sedan, but featured a unique frontal treatment. The styling changes were undertaken in [[General Motors]]' [[Port Elizabeth]] studios in South Africa <ref name=OutOfAfrica>Out of Africa, Australian Muscle Car, Issue 33, pages 82-87</ref> and the model was locally produced.<ref name= Observers>Chevrolet Constantia, The Observers Book of Automobiles, Sixteen Edition, 1970, page 40</ref> The Constantia was offered with a 4.1 litre six and a 5.0 litre V8.<ref name=moby302>{{cite web | url = http://moby302.co.za/general_motors/chevrolet.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101230215613/http://moby302.co.za/general_motors/chevrolet.html | archive-date = 2010-12-30 | title = General Motors - Chevrolet in South Africa 1962 - 1979 Timeline | work = Moby's Site }}</ref> 843 were sold in 1969 followed by 750 in 1970 and 800 in 1971.<ref name=Hamilton>{{cite journal |last=Hamilton |first=Douglas |date=January–February 2006 |title=1970 Holden HT Brougham |journal=Restored Cars | location = Newstead, Victoria, Australia | number = 174 |pages=26–28}}</ref>

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== AQ series ==
[[File:Chevrolet 1972-75 Constantia Six, AQ-Series. ap.4.18 2.jpg|thumb|Chevrolet Constantia AQ Series rear view]]
The AQ series Constantia was introduced in 1972 and was based on another Australian design, the [[Statesman HQ]].<ref name=RestoredCars191>{{cite journal | title = When is a Holden not a Holden? | location = Newstead, Victoria, Australia | journal = Restored Cars | number = 191 | date = November–December 2008 | pages = 32–35 }}</ref> Again, frontal styling was different from the Australian model, this time featuring a unique grille based on the 1970 Chevrolet Malibu.<ref name=OutOfAfrica/> The restyling work was a joint effort undertaken in Australia.<ref name=OutOfAfrica/> The AQ Series Constantia was offered with a 4.1-litre six and a 5.0-litre V8.<ref name=moby302/>  Wheel covers came from the 1971-72 North American Chevelle Malibu.
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== AJ series ==
The revised AJ series Constantia was marketed in South Africa from 1975 to 1978.<ref name=RestoredCars191/> It was offered as a four-door sedan, based on the [[Statesman HJ]]<ref name=RestoredCars191/> and as a five-door wagon,<ref name=RestoredCars191/> based on the [[Holden HJ]] wagon. The AJ Series was offered with a 4.1-litre six and a 5.0-litre V8.<ref name=moby302/> A more luxurious version was sold as the [[Chevrolet Caprice#South Africa|Chevrolet Caprice Classic]].

==Sales==
These are the South African official sales numbers.<ref name=RestoredCars191/>
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!1969
!1970
!1971
!1972
!1973
!1974
!1975
!1976
!1977
!1978
|-
!1st series
|align="right"|843
|align="right"|750
|align="right"|800
|align="right"|?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!AQ
|
|
|
|align="right"|?
|align="right"|1919
|align="right"|1167
|align="right"|?
|
|
|
|-
!AJ
|
|
|
|
|
|
|align="right"|?
|align="right"|1149
|align="right"|690
|align="right"|173
|-
!Caprice Classic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|align="right"|135
|align="right"|306
|align="right"|197
|align="right"|222
|-
|}
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== References ==
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== External links ==
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* [http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2731246049_030c3b3e2d.jpg 1971 Chevrolet Constantia brochure cover at www.flickr.com]
* [https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3239/2725850989_b2a76ecae6_z.jpg?zz=1 Chevrolet Constantia (AQ) brochure cover at www.flickr.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071101102114/http://www.moby302.co.za/brochures/1976_chevrolet/constantia_aj.html 1976 Chevrolet Constantia (AJ) brochure (thumbnails only), www.moby302.co.za, as archive at web.archive.org]

{{Early Chevrolet cars}}
{{Chevrolet vehicles}}

[[Category:Chevrolet vehicles|Constantia]]
[[Category:Cars of South Africa]]
[[Category:Cars introduced in 1969]]
[[Category:1970s cars]]