GM Inside News Forum banner

Confirmed: GM kills off the rear-drive V8 (Holden)

42K views 275 replies 71 participants last post by  Z284ever 
#1 ·
Confirmed: GM kills off the rear-drive V8
Motoring
By Marton Pettendy & Todd Hallenbeck
Friday, 14 November 2014

New Camaro won't be sold in Australia and there won't be an imported replacement for Holden's export Commodore

Any prospects of Holden offering a rear-wheel drive V8 model in Australia after it axes Commodore production in 2017 now appear unlikely, following confirmation that GM will not produce a right-hand drive version of the next Camaro or a replacement for Holden's export Commodore, the Chevrolet SS.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity at the SEMA aftermarket show in Las Vegas last week, a senior GM executive told motoring.com.au that – like the latest C7 Corvette – the new 2016 Camaro will remain a left-hand drive model.

The GM executive said the RHD Camaro program has not been cancelled, but is now "highly unlikely", all but eliminating any hope of it becoming a direct rival for Ford's new Mustang in Australia.

Similarly, the well-placed GM exec said there was no plan to produce a replacement for the Chevy SS after imports ceased from Australia at the end of 2017, which would leave Chevrolet without a large RWD sedan in US showrooms.

More importantly for Australians, the lack of a Chevy SS replacement means Holden will cease to offer any RWD V8 sedan in Australia – despite the fact V8s currently comprise a sizeable 37 per cent of Commodore sales.

Holden had been tipped to continue to sell a V8 RWD sedan beyond the current Commodore's demise in 2017 in the form of an imported replacement for the Chevy SS, built in the US.

Earlier, former Holden chief and now GM North America president Mark Reuss had courted a 'Zeta legacy' plan in which Holden would continue to build the 'Holden SS' in Adelaide and sell it alongside the imported Commodore, which may or may not continue the Commodore name.

As we've reported, Holden will produce the VF Commodore – which will be facelifted for MY16 by this time next year, when the SS should be fitted with HSV's upgraded 6.2-litre LS3 V8 — until late 2017 and expects to continue selling vehicles into 2018.

*Full Article at Link
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Well this is a depressing article.

What happened to the plans to make the Camaro a more global car? Isn't RHD necessary for that plan to be taken seriously?

I'm still holding out some hope there will be a future rwd sedan offered by Chevrolet, Holden (and Buick). There was a strong rumor not long ago that the Impala and SS would merge into one rwd sedan after 2017. Though that would wind up being a somewhat specialty/niche car. With (apparently) the next-gen Malibu moving up in size, I would think the future plan could be for the Malibu to take up some of the market the current Impala holds.

Sounds like GM's future product plan - "If you want a rwd sedan, you'll have to buy a $50-60k+ Cadillac." :rant:
 
#8 ·
Stupid for killing the Platform, and a driving configuration (RWD) that is still selling better then most other cars, and platforms down under. GM is stupid, Move the Malibu up in size a little, then the new Impala should be combined with the SS, moved to Alpha Plus/Omega then sent down under in RWD/AWD form as the Commodore. I really wished they could separate the new Impala sales from old w-body to actually prove the fact the new Impala is not doing that well at all. I really feel the XTS, Impala, and Lacrosse should all be on some form of Alpha, or Omega in both RWD/AWD forms to validate the price they are selling them for. Chrysler gets it why can't GM, I don't want a Caddy to get RWD, like most didn't want a Chevy instead of a Pontiac.
 
#9 ·
Well this isn't sad, depressing, or a surprise at all. I love GM but them announcing that they decided to offer the new Camaro in RHD would have been a more of a shocker.

On that note, this makes me wonder why they even embarrassed themselves with the Chevrolet SS. Should have took that little bit of money spent on that car and injected it into getting its 8 speed auto across the board sooner.

Whatever though. Meanwhile over at Dodge and Ford...
 
#12 ·
That's why I'm hoping that the mysterious "executive" is either feeding false/misleading information, or is really at a much lower level and doesn't know all that much.

Seems like the good reliable "rumors" surface during the NAIAS, and I'll see what comes out then. If Chevrolet does announce a RHD Camaro in January, then this whole article is voided out.
 
#32 ·
It is probably a cost savings thing, when you figure that 65% - 66% of the world drives on the right side of the road (i.e. left hand drive) it is pretty easy to see if you are going to make a so called "global" platform which basket you are going to put your eggs in.
That's a hard-headed business decision from a US car maker - but it's a farce to call yourself "global" if you don't do RHD when virtually every other global car maker does do RHD, even the other US car makers do RHD - Ford, Jeep, Chrysler, Tesla.
 
#30 ·
Totally not shocked. Did anyone really think GM wasn't going to be screwing Holden? Has GM ever seemed to have a real commitment to the SS or Caprice?

From a business standpoint it's understandable. From a car enthusiast standpoing it's lame.
 
#33 ·
i really do not understand why not have a alpha model for that market. i just like their comodore, its their halo car and volume car at the same time. people can get a v6 with hub caps or a loaded up v8 super car. they come to see the top model and leave with a base. i like that
 
  • Like
Reactions: KingElvis
#46 ·
Meanwhile Merc and BMW will sell me virtually anything they make, in any colour/interior combo with any driveline......

No wonder then, that they are up 30% and 20% resepectively year on year - as is Jaguar and Chryler.

THey don't sell many cars in some configs - but you can be sure they make money on every one. Ford has lost 1/3-1/4 of sales volume, Holden is going to do the same.

Even if they allowed LHD cars for new registrations it will make an infintessimal difference. I reckon longterm Mustang and Camaro sales will hover between 500-1000 sales here. That's if they are very, very good cars at what they do and value.

Australia is not like America where a guy might have a SUV for family hauling, a truck and a pony car. That's the role a 4-door six or eight with towing capability did. If you wanted fast, you bought a HSV or FPV.
 
#50 ·
This is the confounding part for rest of world markets.
Buick (USA) and Opel-Vauxhall (the RHDs) should be joined at the hip and closely associated with Holden. An extension of premium RWD products made available for Europe and ROW by extension. So sad there still seems to be no plan on this going forward. If Holden simply rebadges Vauxhalls in Australia, they will not halt the trend away from the brand. Holden needs a Torana/Commodore combo that repositions the larger VF/Statesman buyers back into smaller more efficient RWDs and unless they start, thos buyers will evaporate...
 
#48 ·
Very sales=few reasons to attempt it. I don't like it from a fan perspective but it makes sense from a business perspective.
Holden's product mix was unique, not American, not European, vaguely in between but very much suited to local demand.

It was obvious upfront to many that if GM ended Holden manufacturing, then they might as well pull out of Australia altogether - but a better option might have been to sell Holden to the China or India, just like Ford sold JLR and Volvo - but not like GM sold Saab.
 
#49 ·
All this talk of volumes is why the GMNA run operation will always fail and never be a global company

BMW Mercedes Jaguar ect all do RHD and LHD Models, share components and actively chase small volume markets to build the brand

Seriously I hope they go Bankrupt again they deserve it
 
#114 ·
BMW Mercedes Jaguar ect all do RHD and LHD Models, share components and actively chase small volume markets to build the brand
And you think GM could get the same prices for a Camaro as these makers do for even lowest price products?
 
#53 ·
I would take the story with a grain of salt.... a very tiny grain of salt......actually, invisible grains.

First of all, a "high placed GM executive" wouldn't reveal to any press member future product plans off the record. I've been going to press events for at least 12 years, and it simply doesn't happen at events like this. Bob Lutz used to let things out, and John Coletti (SVT) used to drop hits as subtle as an atomic bomb. If a "High placed executive" (doesn't matter if it's GM, Ford, Chrysler, or any other maker) makes a comment with that big of ramifications at any auto show, it's on record with their name attached. Period.

Second, it's very easy for GM (or any other maker) to pinpoint who an executive is who speaks off the record at a car show. There's typically no more than 2 or 3 on site during an entire show. That makes tracking down who said what child's play.

Anyone who's gone to these events know that the amount of anything you get off the record is in direct proportion to how long they've known you and how much they trust that you won't post things in the press. In short, anyone on here who has know a key automotive person for a long time, and proven they can keep their mouth shut will likely know a bit more than someone who makes their living breaking big stories that gain readers for the company and bigger paychecks for them.

And notice, I didn't even get into what I think of their proclamations of no Camaro and no RWD sedan for Holden.

1) Holden has NOT decided their final lineup. They're almost done, but they aren't yet. Anyone who says they have isn't being truthful.

2) Making a LHD vehicle RHD is extremely straightforward and cheap if the platform and systems were engineered for both from day one (as Alpha was). For god sakes, you have small private shops in Australia that convert drive sides on vehicles that weren't designed for it. The so called "program" to convert drive sides is nothing more than an approval to manufacture Camaros (or other potential Alpha cars) that way, meaning the approval of OEM items to make the things.

3) I'm not buying the idea that GM isn't selling the Camaro globally. I'll put money on next gen Camaros on sale in Europe. I can easily see where GM would hold off a bit to see how Mustang does in Australia (typical General Motors "modus operendi"...wait and see how the other guys do first). But being that barely more than placing parts orders is all it would take to make RHD Camaros, GM could easily and quickly jump into the market if they decide.

4) Holden is putting together their portfolio. General Motors is largely run by a former Holden CEO who (among other things) convinced GM's board:

*Not to sell off Holden during bankruptcy.
*Pushed for the Pontiac ST truck, then was the driving force in trying to get the thing here as an El Camino
*Nearly singlehandedly got the Impala SS here despite the fact that former GM CEO Dan Akerson killed plans of importing any Holdens back when Bob Lutz was still at GM......The current Impala SS was initially supposed to be a larger, civilian Chevrolet Caprice performance sedan (alongside a police version). Former GM CEO Dan Akerson killed the civilian Caprice "SS". The Impala SS is largely Reuss selling GM's board on the marketing merits of selling the vehicle, even if it lost a little money.....while Dan Akerson wasn't exactly supportive.

If Buick or Chevrolet make a RWD sedan based on Alpha (which is still extremely likely) no doubt whatsoever, if Holden wants it to sell in Australia, Holden will get it.

Give things till the middle of next year and the dust settles before we start condemning Holden and tarring and feathering General Motors.
 
#62 ·
I keep reading all these comments about low sales, but isn't the updated Commie like the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd best selling car in AUS since the last Update. The seems to me to be somewhat of a sales success then flop.
 
#65 ·
PHAT-JAY said:
I keep reading all these comments about low sales, but isn't the updated Commie like the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd best selling car in AUS since the last Update. The seems to me to be somewhat of a sales success then flop.
If you look at the top 5 or 8 selling cars in Australia, you'll see one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb, and that's the Commodore. Everything else as I recall is almost exclusively small FWD vehicles.

Also, consider that the Holden is likely also selling Commodores to Falcon buyers, as Falcon is selling only in the low to mid 3 digits monthly range. In short, that's the entire market for large cars in Australia.

So, you're right, the numbers look good for Commodore sales. The numbers look even better when you realize that if low fuel prices spark more interest in and more orders for Chevrolet's SS sedan, that's going to spark sales even more. But the general direction of things in their market show that without the volume of the US or China market to support it, there's no future for RWD large sedan in Australia.....and it's a shame too. I loved the rear drive Australian Ford and Holden sedans (and coupes) physical indestructability next to cars made elsewhere.

Maybe it's time to find a GTO where the engine skid plate (yes, they had a protective skid plate) hasn't been discarded!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top