Fuel Economy Issues Make New Holden Monaro Program "Highly Unlikely", Says Lutz

[Caleb02]

Originally Posted by JoeT

New Holden Monaro On The Back Burner, Says Lutz

Joshua Dowling
20 March 2008
www.smh.com.au

The vice president of General Motors, Bob Lutz, who is also in charge of future models, said it was "highly unlikely" there would be a new version of the Monaro despite Holden unveiling a concept car at the recent Melbourne motor show.

He confirmed it had been pushed down the queue so General Motors could invest more resources in developing economy cars.

"The coupe has had a sensational reaction ... but that is one of those projects that's got to be put on the back burner while we wrestle with this whole fuel economy issue."

MIMS: Monaro's Back! Holden Coupe 60 Unvealed!
New Holden Monaro Program Depends On Exports - New Pontiac GTO?

Holden Coupe 60

looks like a bmw 3 series or a toyota sciion tc..

[jcgable]

[Monaro]

Originally Posted by Caleb02

looks like a bmw 3 series or a toyota sciion tc..

Yes...but if you look closer... it doesn't

[tholland]

Originally Posted by Monaro

Yes...but if you look closer... it doesn't

nice.

[mang01]

Originally Posted by dratnol

What would the volume be for Australia and the Middle East (I guess Europe too)? Does the factory currently have the capacity to produce the Monaro/Coupe 60 along with the other Zetas?

The last coupe was signed off on low volume tooling for 7500 units, for Oz and NZ only, the export orders only came later an somehow they managed to keep the tooling going long enough to make around 50K in total in the end. The following figures are not the final tally but obviously a few more were sold (12,000 2006 GTOs)

HOLDEN MONARO CV8 & CV6 – DOMESTIC AND EXPORT Stats
Australia: Holden Monaro Launched: October 2001 Retail sales to June 2005: 11,119
New Zealand: Holden Monaro Launched: February 2002 Wholesale to June 2005: 989
Middle East: Chevrolet SS Lumina Coupe (LHD) Launched: February 2003 Wholesale to June 2005: 837
United States: Pontiac GTO (LHD) Launched: December 2003 Wholesale to June 2005: 25,515
United Kingdom: Vauxhall Monaro (RHD) Launched: March 2004 Wholesale to May 2005: 663
Source: Monaro Car Club of WA August 2005 newsletter Total = 39,123

[dratnol]

Originally Posted by mang01

The last coupe was signed off on low volume tooling for 7500 units, for Oz and NZ only, the export orders only came later an somehow they managed to keep the tooling going long enough to make around 50K in total in the end. The following figures are not the final tally but obviously a few more were sold (12,000 2006 GTOs)

HOLDEN MONARO CV8 & CV6 – DOMESTIC AND EXPORT Stats
Australia: Holden Monaro Launched: October 2001 Retail sales to June 2005: 11,119
New Zealand: Holden Monaro Launched: February 2002 Wholesale to June 2005: 989
Middle East: Chevrolet SS Lumina Coupe (LHD) Launched: February 2003 Wholesale to June 2005: 837
United States: Pontiac GTO (LHD) Launched: December 2003 Wholesale to June 2005: 25,515
United Kingdom: Vauxhall Monaro (RHD) Launched: March 2004 Wholesale to May 2005: 663
Source: Monaro Car Club of WA August 2005 newsletter Total = 39,123

Thanks Mang01! I wasn't sure of the total numbers. If the trend above holds true (and you subtract the US numbers), I don't think there is enough demand to make the project feasible at this point. It is a cool car none the less.

[dratnol]

Originally Posted by Tony's BlkGTP

Is there a problem with having luxury with your performance? I don't care to have all performance with no luxury amentities. If that's the case, I could settle for Chevrolet products. Yes, the whole line has been blurred with Cadillac going high in the performance areana, but I can't afford a Cadillac for now and I don't want a Buick. To me, Pontiac represents performance, but why can't they have some luxury features for the customers that want it.

The line blurring is part of GM's current problem. By offering luxury cars, Pontiac is now stepping into Buick's turf. Each brand or division needs to have a clear market strategy. When divisions start to overlap, you cannibalize your own sales and devalue the brands. If this car is going to be luxury, it should be a Buick. If it is going to be performance only, drop some of the luxury items and make it a Pontiac.

[MisterMe]

Originally Posted by dratnol

The line blurring is part of GM's current problem.

No.

Originally Posted by dratnol

By offering luxury cars, Pontiac is now stepping into Buick's turf.

No, it is not. With Pontiac and Buick under the same management within GM, there is no danger of this happening.

Originally Posted by dratnol

Each brand or division needs to have a clear market strategy. When divisions start to overlap, you cannibalize your own sales and devalue the brands.

Agreed.

Originally Posted by dratnol

If this car is going to be luxury, it should be a Buick. If it is going to be performance only, drop some of the luxury items and make it a Pontiac.

You have very limited definitions of luxury and performance. I come at this from the opposite direction. Pontiac cars should not be less luxurious that their comparable Chevrolet cousins. In the case of Pontiac's G8 captive import, it is less luxurious than the Chevrolet Impala or the Pontiac G6, for that matter. Tony's BlkGTP is correct. You can have luxury and performance. Historically, the two have gone hand-in-hand. Among the things NASCAR racers did to improve performance was to swap out their Ford and Chevy engines for Cadillac and Lincoln power plants. BMW and Mercedez-Benz [to a lesser degree] were not luxury vehicles, but they leveraged their performance image into luxury status.

True luxury cars are about status. A 50 year-year old Rolls-Royce may have many deficiencies compared to a 2008 Lexus but it is something that a Lexus can never be--a Rolls-Royce. In a like manner, whatever Pontiac's attractions, it is not Cadillac. GM has done a wonderful job of creating brand images for Cadillac and Buick that are true to their histories.

Much of the criticisms of the G8 have centered around its lack of XM satellite radio; factory-installed satellite navigation; heads-up display; paddle shifters; manual transmissions; and, among the first 888 to hit our shores, an available sun roof. Pontiac cannot be the brand that doesn't have the amenities that buyers want. Note that several of the features among those missing are performance features, not luxury features per se. However, all are currently available on other Pontiacs. If they were available on the G8, there would be no danger of buyers confusing the G8 with Buick or Cadillac.

[Col Klink]

Originally Posted by MonaroSS

I say make this the first GM Muscle Car that only offers diesels.

Base 2.9 TD V6

GTS 4.5 TD V8

Well I agree about the 2.9TD V6 - but only to average mileage up, LS3 6.2 for GTS. Lutz & GM just don't seem to know about playing with blocks, well that's the impression they are giving. The car (apart from the lack of a B pillar) looks ready to go - especially as it is on the exact same wheelbase/drivetrain as the Commodore/G8.

If I remember they claimed to have done the Monaro for $22m - if they could make a case for that then surely with better export prospects they can do this beast - hell make it the show pony for the diesel for Holden/Pontiac & Chevrolet (Middle East).