Will the Holden brand survive?

[anobserver]

What happens in supercars?

What will hsv modify?

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Was just a matter of time.

I wonder how much money GM wasted making the C8 Corvette in RHD?

I was surprised to see they even shut down Lang Lang and the design studio considering they were doing work on a range of GM products that are not dependant on which side of the car the steering wheel was on.

I think they will just “can” that RHD Corvette , and they’ll just pull up stumps on all sales.

[Polyal]

Regardless of how you cut it is still a sad event.

While there are not many commodores I'd particularly want to own I do tip my hat to the company for trying to give the locals what they wanted. Business cases aside they listened to their core better than Ford ever did and ultimately both companies have followed the same path so the debate about who exited better doesnt really matter.

If it wasnt such a HF we should look at switching to LHD, the EV movement may assist that perhaps.

[Big_Daz]

Was always a "when" not an "if" the brand would be shut down.. Holden really died when they stopped making Commodores, much like Ford AU died when the Falcon stopped...

Based on what I have read the employees that aren't being made redundant are the ones who will look after servicing/etc on current vehicles for (up to) 10 years...

Will be interesting to see how I'll get my Redline Serviced moving forward.. Assuming there will be certain dealers that will keep a "Holden" service phone number and people trained in the servicing...

[cheap]

Fire Sale on in-stock local product.

FWIW list of countries with LHD, some with very big populations, fully opens the door for the Japanese and Korean manufacturers.

Australia
Channel Islands
Japan
Hong Kong
India
Isle of Man
Ireland
Jamaica
Kenya
Malta
Malaysia
Nepal
New Zealand
South Africa
Singapore
Thailand
United Kingdom
Indonesia
Macau
Pakistan
Cyprus

[jphanna]

well its clear there will be Fire sale soon. even though the current product is not really a Holden, it has the badge on it.

you recon the prices will be up, or dirt cheap on remaining cars?

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Big_Daz

Was always a "when" not an "if" the brand would be shut down.. Holden really died when they stopped making Commodores, much like Ford AU died when the Falcon stopped...

Based on what I have read the employees that aren't being made redundant are the ones who will look after servicing/etc on current vehicles for (up to) 10 years...

Will be interesting to see how I'll get my Redline Serviced moving forward.. Assuming there will be certain dealers that will keep a "Holden" service phone number and people trained in the servicing...

An SS? For the most part she ain't that complicated, thats a good thing!

You can take it to most mechanics now and get general works done I would think?

[rods falcon]

I reckon the prices will be cheap, the market has already shown there was diminishing demand for the brand.

[5thFordWA]

Maybe there will be a re-branding to Vauxhall, with the RHD vehicles still flowing from the UK. Same for Ford, we may see more Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo (or have they just stopped Mondeo?), the UK built stuff. But still tough competing with the Asian range of RHD vehicles.

My only beef with the news article is the claim that it costs the same to develop a RHD car for only 25% of the market. I say rubbish, 90% of the car is the same.

Having worked in many levels of the car industry in Australia, it does make me feel sad, and somewhat angry, that these decisions were made by our government. Yes, there is an economic argument that we have to stand on our own feet, without subsidies, but we would be about the only country in the world doing that. Oh well.

Cheers.

[Big_Daz]

Originally Posted by Polyal

An SS? For the most part she ain't that complicated, thats a good thing!

You can take it to most mechanics now and get general works done I would think?

Yep its an SSV Redline.. There are a few really good places that specialise in LS Powered Commodores that could do it no drama's I just use Holden because its capped price and Courtesy Car's are a great help... I'm due in a month or so for its next service so will be asking as much as I can then..

[Swordie]

News

"Holden to 'retire' its car brand across Australia and New Zealand by 2021"

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-...ralia/11972092

[robertjp]

Watching press conference, glad it's them but real tough.

[Sprintey]

Just like to say well done Ford for keeping engineering here and developing things like Ranger and products for India/China. And I think the testing ground remains.

Who knows, it may get so crazy with the supply chain and market in China with this Coronavirus that Ford consider making things here again?

[Franco Cozzo]

Selling clapped out VSII Caprice with HSV 185i engine package, $150K

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Just like to say well done Ford for keeping engineering here and developing things like Ranger and products for India/China. And I think the testing ground remains.

Who knows, it may get so crazy with the supply chain and market in China with this Coronavirus that Ford consider making things here again?

Highly unlikely, and if anything longer term it puts more spotlight on Fords standing here.

If Ford are dedicated to Australia then in a months or so's time it would be really great if they reinforced their commitment to the region.

Its alot harder for one to stay on their own, and, if they decide its worth while then the stupid freaking marketing people need to leverage the fact alot more.

Wont hold my breath though....

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Selling clapped out VSII Caprice with HSV 185i engine package, $150K

VY Executive wagon, last of the good ecotec iron block V6s, 1 owner 100,000kms, $230K (don't tell mum)

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Highly unlikely, and if anything longer term it puts more spotlight on Fords standing here.

If Ford are dedicated to Australia then in a months or so's time it would be really great if they reinforced their commitment to the region.

Its alot harder for one to stay on their own, and, if they decide its worth while then the stupid freaking marketing people need to leverage the fact alot more.

Wont hold my breath though....

Would be difficult for them to come out and say that when realistically Ford cannot guarantee this. I assume (and those more informed can correct me) that engineering at Ford in AU, like any other region with that capability, must bid internally for that piece of work. You don't generally have engineers sitting on bench waiting for work, you must keep the pipeline running to justify the headcount.

Toyota AU are looking to expand their PP&D (product development) team in the coming year so hopefully they will pick up some of the engineers.

[BENT_8]

Holden died when the final Commodore rolled off the Elizabeth production line, this is nothing more than tying up the loose ends of the dealerships and unnecessary local engineering.
Anything sold in Australia under the Holden brand recently has had the same emotional attachment to the diehards as any other import of any other brand.
Holden was only ever a clever marketing strategy by GM to sell inferior product to brainwashed Aussies and they swallowed it hook, line and sinker for decades.

[Mechan1k]

We now officially know the answer

/thread

[russellw]

Does it now mean it will be "football (including wimmen's or other codes); meat pies (including meat substitutes, vegan and Halal options); Kangaroos (including other native species and with acknowledgement of the traditional native hunters) and Opel / Vauxhall / Chevrolet cars"?

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Highly unlikely, and if anything longer term it puts more spotlight on Fords standing here.

If Ford are dedicated to Australia then in a months or so's time it would be really great if they reinforced their commitment to the region.

Its alot harder for one to stay on their own, and, if they decide its worth while then the stupid freaking marketing people need to leverage the fact alot more.

Wont hold my breath though....

Holden going has no relevance to Ford Australia. Absolutely ZERO.

Holden only did little bits and pieces for GM. Ford has basically the whole Ranger/Everest program and it's Ford's shining light along with F series. From what I can recall it's actually a more profitable vehicle than F series is, and it sells in just about every country on the planet. F series doesn't even really move outside North America bar a few countries in limited numbers.

Short term looks good, but who knows what might happen in the medium term. We do it better, and cheaper than what the Yanks can do. And with the aussie dollar at 67c it's cheaper than the US. Things can change overnight though, but Holden going won't have any bearing on it at all, bar maybe Ford pouching some of their redunadant engineers if they have positions available.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by russellw

Does it now mean it will be "football (including wimmen's or other codes); meat pies (including meat substitutes, vegan and Halal options); Kangaroos (including other native species and with acknowledgement of the traditional native hunters) and Opel / Vauxhall / Chevrolet cars"?

Opal and Vauxhall aren't even GM brands anymore. They were offloaded to PSA.

They will continue to sell some of the converted Chevs like Camaro and Silverado that they convert now, but that's a seperate entity from Holden as far as i am aware.

[Citroënbender]

It’s a bit like your grumpy neighbour dying, and their quarter acre block getting carved up for migrant McMansions.

[Mesa]

Noticed a couple of months back that the Holden signage out the front of the local Holden/Mitsubishi dealership had changed. Normally from the main road you could barely see the Mitsubishi signage unless you turned down the adjoining street. The Mitsubishi signage now it takes up more than half of the frontage.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by anobserver

What will hsv modify?

LHD GM's. There's still a market for them, and with no chance of Holden undercutting them with a parallel import, it's actually a good outcome. They'll almost certainly do a Corvette now. You just have to look at the sportscar market's growth in recent years to see it's a no-brainer.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Holden going has no relevance to Ford Australia. Absolutely ZERO.

Holden only did little bits and pieces for GM. Ford has basically the whole Ranger/Everest program and it's Ford's shining light along with F series. From what I can recall it's actually a more profitable vehicle than F series is, and it sells in just about every country on the planet. F series doesn't even really move outside North America bar a few countries in limited numbers.

Short term looks good, but who knows what might happen in the medium term. We do it better, and cheaper than what the Yanks can do. And with the aussie dollar at 67c it's cheaper than the US. Things can change overnight though, but Holden going won't have any bearing on it at all, bar maybe Ford pouching some of their redunadant engineers if they have positions available.

I fully understand that, but the general public have no idea and Ford can do with every little bit of good publicity they can muster.

From what I hear the medium term is not set with Ford, so if they have work in the pipeline for FoA then reassuring the network isnt a bad thing with this news.

As for the dollar ensuring work, Im not sure the bean counters rely on that like that used to but it definitely helps us for the interim but you cant bank on that either.

Saying it has ZERO relevance is a bit of a stretch, the fate of FoA cant surely hinge on Ranger/Everest forever.

[Mesa]

Wonder what this does to the classic car market long term? Will the price of the Holden desirables rise sharply over the next two years before people start to forget who they were and they begin to fall in price? Whats the flow on effect to other marques?

[ratter]

This is bad news for all Australian new car buyers, competition was always a good thing, it gives buyers the choice, having no local brands now means we just get given what others think we will accept.

[marty351]

The bookend is finally in place.
Time to concentrate on developing an all electric tuk tuk for our growing and overpopulated cities.

[Sprintey]

A couple of comments on CA in the Holden thread are quite perceptive, credit to 'Durp' and 'Jake' - they've picked something in the shift of the market that certainly didn't help Holden, with its reliance on the Aussie Commodore:

-"Falcon and commodore in particular were blasted by the media for being low tech, too big, poor fuel economy. Now we drive dual cabs instead...."

-"So true. Bigger and even "lower" tech"

I for one welcome separate chassis and live rear axles (and maybe even drum brakes). In 2020. For top dollar.

The joke really is on us.