Will the Holden brand survive?

[ozrunner]

Originally Posted by csv8

ozrunner replacement could be a Buick or Malibu.

But are they made in RHD ?

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by ozrunner

But are they made in RHD ?

Nope so we will get the Daewoo Tosca, sorry Holden Epica

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

Holden won’t be going anywhere. To kill it off and introduce Chev would cost a bucket load, the ROI wouldn’t be there.

I can imagine all those ‘patriots’ with the southern cross tattoos and stickers on their Chev badged Commodores kicking up a stink.

It's more GM's style to kill it off rather than re-brand.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by csv8

ozrunner replacement could be a Buick or Malibu.

If the ZB keeps selling in such poor numbers I doubt GM would even bother replacing it.

[Rob 351]

I’m not sure if this affects Australian ZB’s but in NZ they already have a recall on them.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/new...over-seatbelts


ROB MAETZIG / STUFF
Worries over the rear left and right seatbelts of the ZB Commodore lead to recall notice.
Fears that safety belts could fail in the brand new Holden ZB Commodore has led to the issuing of an urgent recall.

The Motor Industry Association says it has identified a condition where the rear left and right seatbelts may not have been installed correctly.

This may have happened when the vehicle was manufactured.

If the vehicle is in a collision the seatbelts may not operate as designed, and could lead to serious injury.

READ MORE
* ZB Commodore lets tech talk
* How Holden has tuned the European ZB Commodore for local roads
* The Toyota Prado flollops
​* Legacy is the new Commodore

The MIA says the rear centre seat belt is not affected.

It's urging people to contact their local Holden dealers to deal with the issue.

[DFB FGXR6]

https://www.caradvice.com.au/641291/...olorado-video/

WOW!

Holden are saved! A ginger man with a beard is chased by a mountain goat.

Geez, the amount of crap Ford copped over the years because of it questionable marking prowess and this is all Holden have got!

[eb2fairmont]

It’s half the problem chasing hipsters.

[Sprint XR8]

A bearded man chasing sheep in the hills wouldn't have made it past the New Zealand censors.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

https://www.caradvice.com.au/641291/...olorado-video/

WOW!

Holden are saved! A ginger man with a beard is chased by a mountain goat.

Geez, the amount of crap Ford copped over the years because of it questionable marking prowess and this is all Holden have got!

Yeah, all I can say is ..."Now who's the goat?"

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by Sprint XR8

A bearded man chasing sheep in the hills wouldn't have made it past the New Zealand censors.

Now, now, enough of those suggestive comments.

[DJR-351]

Am guessing no matter what Holden do or try they are going to get slammed......

[jpd80]

You can only get slammed so much before it starts to wear off.
Most would be overwhelmed by recent events but then become
pretty numb by the time the first lot are turned at dealer fleets

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

https://www.caradvice.com.au/641291/...olorado-video/

WOW!

Holden are saved! A ginger man with a beard is chased by a mountain goat.

Geez, the amount of crap Ford copped over the years because of it questionable marking prowess and this is all Holden have got!

This is more like it . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j-qy1s1RIM from Ford and Chevrolet about 30 years ago.

Colorado should save it's back end for carrying oil cans around . Some are devouring 3-4 litres of oil per 1000 kms going by disgruntled owners .

[jpd80]

The goat in the back of the Colorado reminds me of the FX4 Ad.....

I like Ranger's new ad, subliminal message to Holden?

Oh, I've been shaking
I love it when you go crazy
You take all my inhibitions
Baby, there's nothing Holden me back

[Maka]

G.o.a.t = greatest of all time, hard to equate Holden with that atm from that ad jpd80. They should've used a sheep because the few people who buy them atm are maybe lol?

cheers, Maka

[ozrunner]

Originally Posted by Maka

G.o.a.t = greatest of all time, hard to equate Holden with that atm ....

Why as surely that's Whincup in the back

[roddy1960]

On WIN News tonight ...Fifty former Ford workers get jobs at HSV to build right hand drive Camaro's . Apparently 700 parts required and 60 hours per car and full production expected by July this year . Bloke interviewed from HSV said that it becomes Australia's product due to HSV's technical engineering and fabrication . On the story they said that the Opel based Commodore is down 52% on sales for March compared to March 2017 for the real Commodore .

So , although not outright Holden , it might help with a bit of brand association for them . Interesting times .

[jpd80]

How ironic but good to see some fabrication/assembly jobs returning.
I read that they were aiming for about 1,000 cars a year, baby steps but still >80/month.

[lra]

Goats ! !
Obviously not as good for towing a trailerload of rocks as a ginger beard in a Colorado. Funny ? Not !

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by jpd80

How ironic but good to see some fabrication/assembly jobs returning.
I read that they were aiming for about 1,000 cars a year, baby steps but still >80/month.

I know Tickford are tweaking the Mustang but wouldn't it be great if a ratified crowd something like the old FPV /Prodrive could get hold of a few of the 5.2 litre flat plane crank motors from the GT350 and Ford Australia had responsibility to build a limited number of 350 spec units here . That'd up the anty straight away for HSV and Camaro .

I suppose all sorts of reasons why that can't happen but if remotely possible some could be assembled here for other RHD markets as ordered in the Southern Hemisphere such as New Zealand ,other South Pacific nations and maybe even African markets. We do know a thing or two about putting some special Fords together after all ...

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

On WIN News tonight ...Fifty former Ford workers get jobs at HSV to build right hand drive Camaro's . Apparently 700 parts required and 60 hours per car and full production expected by July this year . Bloke interviewed from HSV said that it becomes Australia's product due to HSV's technical engineering and fabrication . On the story they said that the Opel based Commodore is down 52% on sales for March compared to March 2017 for the real Commodore .

So , although not outright Holden , it might help with a bit of brand association for them . Interesting times .

How can it have any brand association for them when it's a Chevrolet, and not a Holden or a HSV?

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

I know Tickford are tweaking the Mustang but wouldn't it be great if a ratified crowd something like the old FPV /Prodrive could get hold of a few of the 5.2 litre flat plane crank motors from the GT350 and Ford Australia had responsibility to build a limited number of 350 spec units here . That'd up the anty straight away for HSV and Camaro .

I suppose all sorts of reasons why that can't happen but if remotely possible some could be assembled here for other RHD markets as ordered in the Southern Hemisphere such as New Zealand ,other South Pacific nations and maybe even African markets. We do know a thing or two about putting some special Fords together after all ...

How about this,
Prodrive hand build our engines here and sends them to the USA to go in our GT350s
the RHD GT350s get built down the Flat Rock assembly line and then come back to us..
A bit convoluted but it might avoid the "clog" that's caused by limited hand built US engines
and the issue of dummy engines being put into cars that then have to be replaced....

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by jpd80

How about this,
Prodrive hand build our engines here and sends them to the USA to go in our GT350s
that get built down the Flat Rock assembly line and then come back to us..
A bit convoluted but it might avoid the "clog" that's caused by limited hand built US engines...

Complete woftam. They just need to hire new engine builders and run an extra shift on their engine build line.

Or do the smart thing and plan for extra export numbers before they go into production, which they have the chance to do with the GT500. Only recently one of the Ford media people did not rule out the GT500 coming here when asked if it would. Said something along the lines of we are hoping or some such. They didn't rule it out.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Complete woftam. They just need to hire new engine builders and run an extra shift on their engine build line.

They will not lift a finger to increase hand built production line.

Or do the smart thing and plan for extra export numbers before they go into production, which they have the chance to do with the GT500. Only recently one of the Ford media people did not rule out the GT500 coming here when asked if it would. Said something along the lines of we are hoping or some such. They didn't rule it out.

Not the way i heard it, more like don't get your hopes up........

LHD Production at Flat Rock had dropped away to about 7,000/mth but
there's no interest in increasing RHD production, why is that?
Maybe UK has its fill of Mustangs and its down to us as the major RHD market...

[jpd80]

A better, easier way to achieve something different could be progressed more
quickly by using the higher spec Bullitt engine in a regular Premium GT fitted
with PP2 with stiffer suspension and big tyres in manual and auto.

[Sprintey]

Good original article for this thread.
When I saw on TV the rainbow coloured Colorado ad I considered that either the world had phase shifted so quickly I didn't notice, or that Holden had gone insane. Probably the latter.

Both Ford and Holden in this country have made the cardinal sin of trying to tell their core buyer group what to buy, and also how to be. When one of the latest german execs for GM got here the interview was all about 'educating' the buyer to FWD and that they would 'have to adapt'. Buyers have left in droves, current sales of ZB are no surprise whatsoever. The article mentioned higher Mercedes sales per dealership - of course, their volume selling sedan is RWD which certainly helps. Ford were no better, having all but given up advertising their Falcon around 2007 and its demise was off a much smaller base. Mustang is the saving grace (2 extra doors and a wagon, please). And amongst the great Ranger and Mustang sales, watch them strategically retreat with Fiesta and Mondeo...

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

How can it have any brand association for them when it's a Chevrolet, and not a Holden or a HSV?

Because most people know that Holden is an arm of GM as is Chevrolet and a few others and they'd be linked by that .

[DFB FGXR6]

Well the price slashing has begun.

Plastered over the front, back and inside pages of the Herald Sun with "HOLDEN DEMO CLEARANCE".

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Well the price slashing has begun.

Plastered over the front, back and inside pages of the Herald Sun with "HOLDEN DEMO CLEARANCE".

Astra demo from $19,990

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Astra demo from $19,990

And its not the base model either. Its the R+ / LS+ second tier specification with an auto. Yes, a 2017 build, presumably registered in December, but it is effectively slash and burn pricing.