Will the Holden brand survive?

[roddy1960]

Well , not directly Holden but ........

Near enough for me with HSV ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERbHsTPExK4 ..Mustang competitor at last in RHD..

Deepest apologies if someone else has already posted this look at the Camaro but I didn't look back more than a page or two of the posts but if it hasn't it's an interesting look at a handsome car . Sounds epic , like the Mustang .

[stefcio007]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Have you seen what Mazda is doing with the SyActiv-X and beyond? It's like a merging of petrol and diesel engines. They do a 30% efficiency improvement with each generation. Their execs point out that they look at well to wheel emissions, and they argue these motors are cleaner than most electric.

There's future in ICE if we switch this way and use biofuels, including algal based.

I haven’t, thanks. Sounds good but what if diesel powered cars get banned because of the whole diesel gate scandal?

They might be cleaner but electric cars shift pollution away from where the energy is being consumed and to where it is being produced. It may not be cleaner overall but it will be cleaner where the cars are being driven so that might be seen as a bigger benefit.

That reminds me of when Toyota first brought out the Prius and the Fiesta still had better fuel economy than it.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

Well , not directly Holden but ........

Near enough for me with HSV ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERbHsTPExK4 ..Mustang competitor at last in RHD..

Deepest apologies if someone else has already posted this look at the Camaro but I didn't look back more than a page or two of the posts but if it hasn't it's an interesting look at a handsome car . Sounds epic , like the Mustang .

Yeah Roddy, finally we have the pigeon pair competing...well, sorta
The 2SS costs $86K but GM buyers get a great package plus HSV backing.
The '19 Mustang is also great, Bullitt Mustang is awesome...

[jpd80]

The way GM is cutting off its own limbs in North America, I think they couldn't
care less about an obscure RHD market on the other side of the world....

All the heavy lifting will have to be done by HSV with RHD conversions of cars and trucks.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by jpd80

The way GM is cutting off its own limbs in North America, I think they couldn't
care less about an obscure RHD market on the other side of the world....

All the heavy lifting will have to be done by HSV with RHD conversions of cars and trucks.

^^^^^^^^^^Plus one to this.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[danzvtil]

I’m astounded at everyone crucifying GM in the us for cutting 15k jobs. They’re cutting their cloth as any business should, and actually doing the other 165k workers a favour.

[EgoFG]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

I’m astounded at everyone crucifying GM in the us for cutting 15k jobs. They’re cutting their cloth as any business should, and actually doing the other 165k workers a favour.

Wish I was on $165k

[ebv8]

if GM was no longer selling cars to AU would anyone care?
Walkinshaw could still import trucks and sports cars like they do now but what else is there?
Colorado maybe but that hole would be filled by any of the other thai utes sold here

we have too many choices for new cars now so unless they make something alot better than something else then Aus doesn't need them

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by EgoFG

Wish I was on $165k

165,000 workers

Not workers on $165,000 per annum

[hayseed]

https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/...trackLink=SMH0

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by ebv8

if GM was no longer selling cars to AU would anyone care?

I'm sure the guys working in Holden dealerships would care.

Dr Terry

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by hayseed

https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/...trackLink=SMH0

With GM pulling the plug on most of their sedans it's just a matter of time before the Commodore is killed off. Probably wait until 2023 when the contract with PSA finishes.

GM won't bother replacing something selling 500 odd a month.

Further cost cutting for Holden now, their Onstar system which was being promised to buyers next year has been pushed back a few years. It will quietly be axed by then no doubt.

https://www.goauto.com.au/news/holde...-30/76667.html

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

With GM pulling the plug on most of their sedans it's just a matter of time before the Commodore is killed off. Probably wait until 2023 when the contract with PSA finishes.

GM won't bother replacing something selling 500 odd a month.

Further cost cutting for Holden now, their Onstar system which was being promised to buyers next year has been pushed back a few years. It will quietly be axed by then no doubt.

https://www.goauto.com.au/news/holde...-30/76667.html

Lol didn't some Caprices come with something similar over 10 years ago??



Holden dealers are hurting so bad at the moment. Nothing is working for them.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Smoke Pursuit

Lol didn't some Caprices come with something similar over 10 years ago??



Holden dealers are hurting so bad at the moment. Nothing is working for them.

Yeah they did for a few years. Then Holden dropped it.

History repeating itself. They never learn.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

I’m astounded at everyone crucifying GM in the us for cutting 15k jobs. They’re cutting their cloth as any business should, and actually doing the other 165k workers a favour.

and Ford let their cars slide even worse but they had an agenda to move that
production space to Ranger, Aviator and more Utilities, so they get a pass in
my books because no one loses their jobs.


I've been following GM and Ford in the US for years and from my observations,
this has been a long time coming and completely engineered by GM.

First we have to go back to late 2014 when GM NA first introduced its upgraded
Cruze, Malibu and Impala but not wanting to kill the resale value of the new cars,
GM kept the superseded versions going to fleets as classics and limiteds but
as you could imagine, this bombed terribly and GM was stuck with loads of
unsold crap they basically quick saled off....

Not long after that, GM got religion of retail sales and sliced off almost all of its
daily rental fleet sales business....the down side of that brainiac move was to kill
all third shifts in at least four plants, further decline in sales was due to GM's
cars being less attractive to buyers than newer better vehicles at Toyota and Honda.

It's totally inept management that now sees them with at least five car plants
on one shift and them choosing to shutter at least four of them about the time
it and the UAW will begin negotiating the next labor contract..how coincidental.
GMNA still has more plants it could cull but isn't quite there yet....

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Smoke Pursuit

Lol didn't some Caprices come with something similar over 10 years ago??



Holden dealers are hurting so bad at the moment. Nothing is working for them.

It was called Holden Assist from memory.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by ebv8

if GM was no longer selling cars to AU would anyone care?
Walkinshaw could still import trucks and sports cars like they do now but what else is there?
Colorado maybe but that hole would be filled by any of the other thai utes sold here

we have too many choices for new cars now so unless they make something alot better than something else then Aus doesn't need them

How about they make a car that's available in RWD as sedan, ute, wagon and LWB, that is based here and employs locals and enables downstream enterprises to exist, with exciting engines and handling at a price most families can afford? oh wait

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Yeah they did for a few years. Then Holden dropped it.

History repeating itself. They never learn.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1

https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketi...europe-155399/

[Sprintey]

I kept looking for an answer to my question on why the execs including Mary Barra are rushing headlong into electric/driverless, and this was really good:

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...u-need-to-know

[buggerlugs]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-...r-mps/10665086

Even the Pollies don't want them....................

[Brazen]

I know the SA Government has started replacing their V8 Caprices with Camry SL Hybrids.

Probably a sensible move, good on fuel, cheap and roomy. A lot cheaper than spending 100k on BMW or Merc sedans.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-...r-mps/10665086

Even the Pollies don't want them....................

Snouts in the trough. At least Labor is backing manufacturers who still do r&d here. Libs dgaf though.

[bungarra]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Snouts in the trough. At least Labor is backing manufacturers who still do r&d here. Libs dgaf though.

Funnily enough Bill Shorten has always driven a BMW even as a union rep. Most of the Labor and Liberal MP's drive Eurolux vehicles, the odd one or two by Toyota or Mazda

[Sprint XR8]

Opel will halve production at Ruesselsheim plant, report says

BERLIN -- Opel will adjust production volume at its Ruesselsheim plant in Germany this year, it said on Thursday.

Opel did not say how much it will reduce output but the Mainzer Allgemeine newspaper reported that output will be halved to 68,000 vehicles from 123,000. The paper cited union sources.

"Opel continuously adjusts production. We want to further improve the capacity utilization of our plants. This of course also applies to Ruesselsheim," an Opel spokesman said, adding that the company does not publicly comment on details of its internal plans.

Opel builds its Insignia midsize car and Zafira minivan in Ruesselsheim, according to the Automotive News Europe assembly plant map.

Zafira sales in Europe fell 39 percent to 29,220 last year, according to JATO Dynamics market researchers, as customers switch to crossovers such as the brand's Grandland X, whose 2018 sales were 74,299. The Grandland X is built in PSA's plant in Sochaux, France. Insignia sales dropped 6.8 percent to 67,053.

https://europe.autonews.com/automake...nt-report-says

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Sprint XR8

https://europe.autonews.com/automake...nt-report-says

That is a BIG cut

[mike_nofx]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

How about they make a car that's available in RWD as sedan, ute, wagon and LWB, that is based here and employs locals and enables downstream enterprises to exist, with exciting engines and handling at a price most families can afford? oh wait

Just a few days ago I was driving my Aussie built Commodore through a quiet street, I happened to be following another Commodore, and there was even one right behind me! And parked along the street and in people’s driveways were more Falcons and commodores. It’s amazing how many are around when you take note. It’s still hard to believe that cars which were/are such a staple part of our roads, will no longer ever be produced.

[stefcio007]

Still surviving? Maybe that's why nobody is buying the new cars? haha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLJ13ulyLjk

(sorry if this video could technically be against the rules)

[bathurst77]

Another way of looking at it.
As long as GM sells RHD cars in Australia it will be called Holden
Its expensive to engineer and build a car as RHD when most of the world is LHD
A Holden badge only costs couple of bucks per car and even it means only a handful more sales a year compared to a chev badge, why not?

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by stefcio007

Still surviving? Maybe that's why nobody is buying the new cars? haha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLJ13ulyLjk

(sorry if this video could technically be against the rules)

Holden Nova = Toyota Corolla

[stefcio007]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Holden Nova = Toyota Corolla

So Holdens were re-badges back then too? we’ve come full circle :P