Oh My, Don't you post alot
Posted 18 December 2013 - 04:42 PM
obviously Holden in Aus is closing down, but are we going to have chevs exported from the US by GM to us as a replacement?
Yes, the manufacturing plant will close down but it was mentioned Holden will take on an import/sales role.
If GM are nice about it they may rebadge the cars and no doubt charge us for this little feature.
The US stands to benefit by closing Holden, from the link above, GM is now investing more in their US plants which means more jobs for Americans.
s
Oh My, Don't you post alot
Posted 18 December 2013 - 06:00 PM
_threeblindmice_
Posted 18 December 2013 - 06:26 PM
Oh My, Don't you post alot
Posted 18 December 2013 - 06:31 PM
no,no....THIS is the REAL ( 4 door ) 150 list!
Pops
Posted 18 December 2013 - 06:32 PM
I get the Holden newsletter and this came today
Dear Barry,
As a valued Holden customer I wanted to personally contact you regarding the recent announcement that Holden will cease manufacturing in Australia in 2017. At this time all Holden vehicles will become fully imported.
It has not been an easy time for Holden. I can honestly tell you that we considered every possible option in an effort to retain our Commodore and Cruze manufacturing operations in Australia. But in reality, it just didn’t add up.
As with every test we’ve faced during our 100-plus-year history, we are determined to rise to the challenge and hold our position as the iconic automotive brand in Australia.
So in short, I’m telling you that the Holden brand is here to stay.
For you as a Holden customer nothing changes. Servicing and the availability of parts are all unaffected by this announcement, as are our warranty and roadside assistance programs. Together with our network of over 230 dealers nationwide, we will continue to provide you with exceptional service and support.
Our range of vehicles will be built via world-class platforms that leverage the scale and expertise of GM’s global product team, just as many of our popular models are now. The local Holden Design Centre that has created and influenced so many famous Australian cars will continue to play a major role in the design of Holden vehicles sold in Australia as well as vehicles destined for all corners of the globe.
Our rich history remains in the heart and soul of every Holden produced now and in the future. We’re known for cars that are exciting to drive, at the forefront of technology and that offer great value. All supported by a dealer network that provides excellent service. This is what we do best and this will not change.
We remain focused on securing a bright future for our brand and our customers in Australia.
Holden is here to stay and I thank you for your ongoing support.
If you require further information, please contact your Holden Dealer or Customer Care on 1800 033 349.
Mike Devereux
Chairman and Managing Director
Make of that what you want
Barry
_threeblindmice_
Posted 18 December 2013 - 07:00 PM
Forum Fan
Posted 18 December 2013 - 09:55 PM
_Lazarus_
Posted 18 December 2013 - 10:05 PM
Shame Brocky isn't still around....
He'd know what to do.
CABIN ENGINE CONTROLS GALORE
Posted 18 December 2013 - 10:19 PM
so who can replace Brocky?
_Lazarus_
Posted 18 December 2013 - 10:28 PM
We need a benign dictator.
Who drives an A9X.
Forum Fixture
Posted 19 December 2013 - 12:17 AM
Scrivet Counter
Posted 19 December 2013 - 06:42 AM
So what happens to HSV? Do we start getting in soup'd up Barinas, Astras & volts? Will they now just be known as SV?
Cheers, Nig.
HSV. Holden Sluggish Vehicles.
Oh My, Don't you post alot
Posted 19 December 2013 - 06:43 AM
Shame Brocky isn't still around....
He'd know what to do.
A polariser in each car to save GM-H. It will draw customers with its magnetic pull.
Edit: Damn I was beaten to it!
s
Edited by StephenSLR, 19 December 2013 - 06:44 AM.
Forum Member
Posted 19 December 2013 - 07:05 AM
Alternatively
Hardly Special Vehicles
_LXSS350_
Posted 19 December 2013 - 11:43 AM
US Commodore export numbers could be less than 2000 per annum
Chevrolet has revealed only 900 SS models will be shipped initially from Australia for the December on-sale.
The company’s marketing manager for performance cars that include the Chevrolet SS, Corvette and Camaro, John Fitzpatrick, agreed 1700-2000 SS sales would be sufficient to deem the model a success when asked by Edmunds.com.
“If you look at [the SS’s] competitors, it’s going up against the Dodge Charger SRT8, the Chrysler 300 SRT8 and the Ford Taurus SHO,” he told Edmunds. “If you look at how many cars are in that segment, it is only about 3,000-5,000 cars for the entire calendar year.
Chevrolet SS sports sedan will carry a sticker price of US$44,470 including shipping. The price is below that of the two main competitors in the small market for nonluxury, rear-wheel-drive performance sedans: the Chrysler 300 SRT ($47,240) and the Dodge Charger SRT ($45,270 for the Super Bee trim level). Both prices include shipping.
It will come in just one model. The only options will be a sunroof ($900) and a full-sized spare tire ($500).
Standard equipment will include: Brembo front brakes, forged aluminum wheels with performance Bridgestone tires, Chevy's MyLink infotainment system, color head-up display with color instrument panel, heated and ventilated memory seats, side blind zone alert and lane-departure warning and Bose audio system with one year of free SiriusXM radio.
The car will be powered by a 6.2-liter V-8 producing 415 hp and 415 pounds-feet of torque and will travel 0 to 60 mph in about five seconds, GM says.
November Sales Highlights (vs. 2012)
- Chevrolet sales were up 13 percent and retail deliveries were up 20 percent.
- Sales of Chevrolet cars increased 19 percent, with Malibu up 41 percent, Volt up 26 percent, Impala up 20 percent and Camaro up 14 percent. Retail deliveries of the Cruze were up 39 percent and Impala more than doubled.
- The Chevrolet Cruze, Equinox and Volt had their best November sales ever.
- Sales of the Chevrolet Tahoe were up 23 percent, the Traverse was up 21 percent and the Silverado was up 12 percent.
- GMC sales were up 20 percent, with the Sierra up 22 percent and the Acadia crossover up 108 percent, which keeps it on track for its best year ever.
- Small business sales were up 38 percent, including a 76-percent increase in pickup deliveries. Commercial fleet deliveries increased 18 percent.
- Buick deliveries increased 13 percent and the brand is on track for its best year since 2005. November was Buick’s 19th consecutive month of year-over-year retail sales growth.
- Cadillac sales increased 11 percent and retail sales have grown in each of the past 18 months, driven by the success of the new XTS and ATS.
“We feel good about the direction of the economy and our own momentum,” McNeil said. “The economy is creating jobs and household wealth. Energy costs are dropping and credit is available and affordable. All of this bodes well for future growth.”
Considering the SS is going to be around $8k cheaper than the equivalent dunny here and in at least 1500 Chevy dealerships within a 300m population its interesting that GM has an expectation of 1700-2000 units pa, that would make the dunny a very niche market product. The Camaro for the moment is still on the same zeta platform as the dunnydore, but Camaro being a 2 door sports is definitely a niche market product, but even that fat overweight tub of lard is doing 85,000 sales pa. With the obsolescence of the zeta for the vy dunny now having a known date and the switch to alfa for the Camaro imminent in late 2014 year, GM couldn't have timed the runout and closure much better
FYI the other GM very high niche model the vette does around 13-14,000 pa. Considering the dunny was/is Holden's main product and designed to be Holden's volume seller the numbers put on it by GM (in their far far bigger market selling much cheaper than here at home) makes interesting reading.
However GM should know what sells and they know the zeta platform backwards, so they must think that this is where dunnydore sits in the scheme of desirability and market demand (for such vehicle specs). I must say even though no dunny is my cuppa-tea I still expected quite a bit more in that big market, remembering its being sold by the No1 brand in the USA. Also its not like Holden is flat-out and overachieving.
Interesting to look at what GM does volume sell in the usa in cars (we all know that bloody big pick-ups and black suvs with 24" rims sell as well as jam/scones and a fresh pot of tea in London do)
Edited by LXSS350, 19 December 2013 - 11:54 AM.
Oh My, Don't you post alot
Posted 19 December 2013 - 12:46 PM
Edited by hanra, 19 December 2013 - 12:47 PM.
Technical + Numbers Guru + Moderator
Posted 19 December 2013 - 01:01 PM
Considering the SS is going to be around $8k cheaper than the equivalent dunny here and in at least 1500 Chevy dealerships within a 300m population its interesting that GM has an expectation of 1700-2000 units pa, that would make the dunny a very niche market product. The Camaro for the moment is still on the same zeta platform as the dunnydore, but Camaro being a 2 door sports is definitely a niche market product, but even that fat overweight tub of lard is doing 85,000 sales pa. With the obsolescence of the zeta for the vy dunny now having a known date and the switch to alfa for the Camaro imminent in late 2014 year, GM couldn't have timed the runout and closure much better
FYI the other GM very high niche model the vette does around 13-14,000 pa. Considering the dunny was/is Holden's main product and designed to be Holden's volume seller the numbers put on it by GM (in their far far bigger market selling much cheaper than here at home) makes interesting reading.
However GM should know what sells and they know the zeta platform backwards, so they must think that this is where dunnydore sits in the scheme of desirability and market demand (for such vehicle specs). I must say even though no dunny is my cuppa-tea I still expected quite a bit more in that big market, remembering its being sold by the No1 brand in the USA. Also its not like Holden is flat-out and overachieving.
Interesting to look at what GM does volume sell in the usa in cars (we all know that bloody big pick-ups and black suvs with 24" rims sell as well as jam/scones and a fresh pot of tea in London do)
They always said that the SS was going to be a niche product & the development costs were miniscule anyway.
The Caprice PPV is where the money is, they sell in much larger volume.
We also recouped a lot of development $$ with Camaro sales, again higher sales volume than the SS.
Dr Terry
_LXSS350_
Posted 19 December 2013 - 02:15 PM
They always said that the SS was going to be a niche product & the development costs were miniscule anyway.
The Caprice PPV is where the money is, they sell in much larger volume.
We also recouped a lot of development $$ with Camaro sales, again higher sales volume than the SS.
Dr Terry
Dr Terry
This really puts the REALITY back into what the market wants to buy. Wtf was Holden thinking when by their own admission this is the best car they have ever made, and yet even in the worlds biggest car market of 300 million people (selling for retail prices that Australian customers could only dream about) ........ yet its still a very niche $45k market product. Its clear from these sorts of numbers that no market in the world is interested in buying (in any sort of volume) such a big sedan. It might be Holden's space shuttle moment but the world car market is clearly saying it would have sold 10yrs ago but the market has well and truly moved on.
Be interesting what happens with the lwb zeta packaging with the ppv because with GM closing down Holden the cat has been put amongst the pigeons. US police requirements commitments on big orders means they would be getting itchy palms when the future of the platform has been declared and already decided.
Going to be very interesting what GM sends down here and what becomes the main income earner and volume seller. You could take very short odds that it will not be a large family sedan. Any GM large sedan that does come here for sale will be positioned as a limited very niche part of the total sales.
GM knows if it can't sell a big whale for much cheaper in the worlds biggest car market (who's theme is "Big is Best"), then its a total waste to push the wheelbarrow up a mountain by trying to do the impossible down here.
The Japanese might have used Kamikazi in WW2 but either GM always wanted to clean house or Holden wanted to commit business suicide by continuing to produce the failing dunnydore. Customers in their 10's of thousands yearly have deserted the dunny into smaller cars . Nobody who has been running any business could continue ignoring the bloodbath on the declining sales and obvious market all heading 180 degrees away from what they intended to release with the new VY.
Perhaps all these years I went the wrong way I should have been going against the market not trying to get my business to fit into the market demand. Holden might have been onto something ground-breaking that had never tried in the mass market Auto business?
Edited by LXSS350, 19 December 2013 - 02:25 PM.
Oh My, Don't you post alot
Posted 19 December 2013 - 06:04 PM
LXSS350
Interesting points you have made.
However I think you are making a mistake by seperating GM from Holden.
Why would GMH develop a car that has many alternatives available already?
GMH were tasked with developing the specific platform of size and rear wheel drive.
That was in a press release some years ago. We have the expertise in that area.
Im sure GMH didnt make that decision alone.
As the world economy recovers and is analysed more from hindsight than foresight, there will be casualties everywhere.
Perhaps our leaders could have done things better, perhaps GM executives could have done things better.
As Australians Im sure we could have done things better as well by supporting local. But realistically most people are only interested in the bottom line.
Perhaps even in the next couple of years there could be some significant event that will alter events yet again.
But alas, no one truly has a crystal ball. And many people become experts using hindsight.
Oh My, Don't you post alot
Posted 19 December 2013 - 06:21 PM
As Australians Im sure we could have done things better as well by supporting local..
How many here check labels and only buy Aus. products?
I'll be first to admit as much as I'd like to, I don't. If I only shopped for 100% Aus. ingredients, etc. my range would be severely reduced, not even the Commodore was 100% Aus. parts.
s
Oh My, Don't you post alot
Posted 19 December 2013 - 07:21 PM
Very few of us do it.
My preference has always been to own Holden.
Circumstances do not always prevail to allow this to happen.
I will buy Australian when I can. But cost does become a factor. At times I have lots of money, other times very little.
Big fan of Dick Smith products.
I really believe that our government departments should be buying Australian at every opportunity.
Dont know whether it still happens, but some govt tender documents I saw years ago specified minimum % of Australian content.
With govt vehicles years ago, when they sold them at around 40000k they broke even and even made profit from the sale.
Again things have probably changed.
I think our tariff system probably needs an overhaul to level our playing field not only auto wise but agriculture as well.
We will always have dramas though as globally we are a very small market.
When you consider that the population of New York City is close to our whole country it shows how insignificant we are globally.
Forum Member
Posted 19 December 2013 - 07:59 PM
I think with the benefit of hindsight Holden would have gone a size smaller with Commodore, that is a no brainer really - lets face volume sales for sedans are the 3 series/C class segment/Mazda 6/Liberty/Accord/Camry - and we all know there are bigger volumes again are in the smaller size hatches or SUV of pretty much any size.
But those things were never an option for Holden. Holden is/was part of a massive international company. When Holden got the gong as the global centre of excellence within GM for large/volume/rwd (Zeta) it was entirely logical - GM was going down a path of identifying centres of excellence and not duplicating platforms all around the world - lets face it Holden does large/rwd/volume better than anywhere else in the GM world. Holden has no history in SUV, fwd hatch etc and was not going to get the gong as the centre of excellence for any other product.
If Holden didn't do zeta it would have closed up earlier - they didn't have other options.
Edited by MARKL, 19 December 2013 - 08:03 PM.
Shit a brick
_Lazarus_
Posted 19 December 2013 - 08:16 PM
You mean you actually read the emergency toilet paper ?
And how come no-one puts their name to the article ?
First they say it is Labor's fault Holden collapsed for floating the dollar, and then they say that it was the right thing to do....
Forum Member
Posted 19 December 2013 - 08:36 PM
An incredibly ignorant article that ignore the fundamental restructuring of the Australian economy that occurred under Hawke and Keating. With Button they produced a plan for Australian manufacturing that revitalised the sector and produced an internationally competitive manufacturing sector for the first time. In the 70's and early 80's the concept of Holden or Ford exporting Commodore or Falcon to the US was not even a pipe dream let alone the idea that an American icon such as Camaro would be engineered here.
The issue was subsequent governments for not following through and updating the plan but instead riding the easy coat tails of the mining boom.
Edited by MARKL, 19 December 2013 - 08:37 PM.
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