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GM locks in Monza name for Australia

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#1 ·
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/6E16F3AC4CBCA736CA257E51001AFFDA


Holden could have a Monza in its future as Opel trademarks historic name


HOLDEN sister company Opel has applied for Australian trademark registration for the name Monza, potentially opening the door for a Holden model of that name in this market.

If General Motors history is any guide, the moniker could be applied to a two-door sports coupe, most likely a spin-off of GM’s new-generation global large car that GoAuto expects to serve variously as the next Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, Buick Regal and Holden Commodore from about 2017.

GM insiders caution that the company sometimes registers these names to protect them in case they want to use them at some future point, but they are not ruling out the coupe theory either.

According to a document seen by GoAuto, the Monza trademark application appears to be part of an international trademark registration process.

The Monza application was lodged in Australia by Melbourne-based trademark attorneys Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick on behalf of Opel Special Vehicles GmbH of Germany in April last year, about six months after the Monza concept was revealed at Frankfurt.

According to the document, acceptance is due in December this year.

If it eventuates, an Opel-developed Audi A5-style halo model would be a spiritual successor to the Senator-based two-door liftback Opel Monza sold in Europe between 1978 and 1986.

While that old model was rear-wheel drive, the new one would be based on GM’s new E2XX front-/all-wheel-drive large-car architecture to be shared with the imported next-generation Commodore and its Opel and Buick siblings.

These models would also share a common design language and technology drawn from the plug-in hybrid Opel Monza concept car shown at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show.

Up to four related vehicles are expected to make up this large-car range, kicking off with the sedan and station wagon. An SUV has also been confirmed by Opel, and – if our Monza speculation is correct – a coupe will follow.

And if there is a coupe, a cabriolet might also be on the cards. All these vehicles could be expected to go on sale in Australia as Holden switches to en masse Opel sourcing, bring at least a third of its line-up from Europe.

While Holden’s next large car will be imported, the company has already confirmed it plans to carry over the Commodore name when the locally produced rear-drive large sedan is replaced towards the end of 2017.

This means the Monza name is likely to apply to something else, probably a two-door sports machine.

The original Opel Monza – known as the Vauxhall Royale Coupe in Britain – was based on the 1970s equivalent of the Insignia, the Senator, and armed with a choice of four-cylinder and V6 engines.

It went on sale in Germany the same year that Holden launched the first Commodore, the 1978 VB, which was also based on the Senator.

In the 1980s, an Opel Monza made it to Australia where it was fitted with a Holden 5.0-litre V8 engine, bigger brakes and other go-fast bits by Peter Brock’ s HDT special vehicles as a prototype for a potential limited-run HDT conversion coupe. However, the project faltered when it failed to get GM approval.

Opel Special Vehicles (OSV) is an offshoot of GM European subsidiary Adam Opel AG in Russelsheim, Germany, where OSV is responsible for small-volume modified cars such as Opel police vehicles and CNG and LPG variants.

OSV has lodged several previous trademark applications in Australia on behalf of Opel, including Insignia, Corsa and Mokka, and thus the latest development does not mean a Monza-badged car will be some sort of limited-edition special vehicle in an Australian sense.

If a vehicle wearing Monza badges eventuates, it most likely will also appear under Buick badges in both North America and China, alongside the Regal sedan that, like the current generation, is a rebadged Insignia made in Canada and China.

As GoAuto has reported, the Insignia/Regal/Commodore design program is being led by Opel head designer Mark Adams who oversaw the Monza concept project.

GM’s Australian design team, Melbourne-based GM Australia Design, also has a hand in penning the production range, possibly masterminding one of the variants as it did with Cruze hatch.

GM Inside News recently reported that GM North America had trademarked the name Regal Sport Touring, indicating Buick might add the next-gen wagon that, in the current generation, is known in Europe and UK as the Insignia Sports Tourer.

Holden is set to reintroduce the current European-built Insignia to Australia in June, but only in high-performance VXR sedan guise. The Insignia was previously sold here under Opel badges alongside the Astra and Corsa, but only for a year before the brand was dumped locally in 2013.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
#9 · (Edited)
Go to a Holden lot- I'm sure they can show you a Volt made in Michigan in RHD. Look at my avatar, two RHD Cadillacs made in Michigan. The problem is't inability or that it's complicated, the problem is that few bought the RHD Volt or Cadillacs and when GM asked RHD markets for interest (order estimates) for RHD Camaros, the reply was tepid. We are the problem, not GM! If there s enough interest in RHD markets, from the RHD countries' dealer bodies based on real consumer (not Internet fan boy) interest, it will happen.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Meanwhile Ford has deposits on the first 2,000 Mustangs, only a handful are 2.3 Ecoboost,
all the rest are 5.0 V8s. I'm betting that once these start hitting the streets and dealers
eventually get some floor stock, Ford will be able to shift enough volume to forget Falcon.

IMO, Holden hasn't killed Commodore quick enough and that may come back to haunt them
when it's time to finally move on. "Holden Monza" has absolutely no cache in Australia and like
so many other GM initiatives, does not take into account, the value of local identity and names.
 
#34 ·
I'm happy about it maybe it will get GM to get off their ass and make the Camaro RHD (don't hold much hope) in a couple of years time a nice 2nd hand low km Mustang could be a good buy, hopefully we might get the Challenger and Charger which will really give us some choice.
 
#35 ·
On the Mustang

I talk to people who are Ford guys but not really car industry people like us here

When they found out the Mustang was coming they were all excited about a cheap V8 or V6

MOst were saying a V6 was going to be under 40 grand and year i'm all over that

I told them all early on that there was no V6 coming and its a Turbo 4 Eco boost and they laughed at me


Then that's what happened

Those guys aren't laughing anymore they are trying to figure out how they afford the 50 odd grand for the V8

Which they Cant

BBDOS is correct i think they will struggle to sell to the target market who wants the Mustang but wouldn't touch a 4cyl Ecoboost with a ten foot pole
 
#37 ·
Well then sounds like they'll sell a handful at first, and then sales will drop off, and Ford will cancel it for next year, proving GM right. And here I was thinking that GM was the foolish company, but it's clearly Ford. Just unfortunate they're wasting their time on a car no one wants, silly waste of resources.
 
#47 ·
I'm looking forward to looking them over. I'm assuming the Mustang is a bit too big (and exxy?) for the Ecoboost to represent an alternative for the 86/BRZ crew?
 
#50 · (Edited)
and exxy - the Toyota starts in the $20K range I think and the most expensive version of either is less than the EB starting price. Plus, it's a V8-sized four, even if power/torque are similar to a CV6 Monaro. So unfortunately, is weight. In the twisties, stock. it'd be up against it and there are already turbo kits for the BZR/FT twins. A lot easier to turbo a light quick car to bridge the performance gap than make a heavier car respond.

My bet is the EB which in America is viable due to low pricing, as an export is about 10-15% too dear to sell, compare to , for 20% more you get 400HP V8. Like the Monaro, CV6s were nearly $15K less, and sold in a handful, only a couple hundred vs 10,000 Holden badged V8s. On a resale basis alone, it's a tough proposition. There's nothing yu can do to the four except throw Jennifer Hawkins in with the deal to make it as attractive.

Yep you can screw up the boost a bit more, there goes warranty, day-day driveability, fuel economy and longevity.
 
#48 ·
From what I've seen online the ecoboost appears to perform better than most would expect, I'm a V8 guy but I'd still like to drive one to see what they drive like. 310 horsepower is pretty respectable for a 4 cylinder.

 
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#57 ·
Not going to happen. One Ford means we're getting the Fusion/Mondeo and as even Lincoln is not getting RWD, no way is Ford Australia. It's like these 'Alpha SS/Buick GNX' rumours that keep getting regurgitated. Future Buick, like future Holden, is going to be badge-engineered Opel, who have not the vision, stomach or budget and certainly not the cachet to sell such a car. The most exciting thing in the next gen Opels is apparently Onstar. Other than that, they're apparently sticking with Delta II, Epsilon II FWDers. The most exciting thing coming to Australia is an Insginia Coupe, sold as a Monza, Calibra or something else here.
 
#60 · (Edited)
Who said it's a mistake? It's not. It just won't 'save' Ford Australia from market irrelevance. Ford Oz, has one good-selling product that's very relevant to market and at a range of price points; the Ranger. It sells as much as the rest of the Ford model range, combined. About 2000 a month. They're holding 2000 Mustang orders, after two years of positive PR and spin - at least Ford declared it's hand early, and gave something to build market momentum. On the GM side of the fence? Vague promises, then crickets. Even if translates to a solid 2000 cars every year - unlikely - the problem is, that's less than 200 cars a month, or a tenth what the Ranger moves or 5% of their volume. In a year, it's not much extra. And that is selling more than any sports coupe ever in Australian history, open-ended. Very unlikely.

That's the conundrum. It's too late to reverse image damage done of shutting manufacturing - that's a part of it. But also, a sports coupe like Mustang, especially a biggish, expensive, heavy one with limited appeal is not going to significantly arrest the slide, exodus of dealers (which exacerbates the volume issue) or deal with Ford's main problem, which is lack of sales in their mainstream bread and butter models. I doubt an imported halo model with no heritage in Australia is going to significantly impact sales of other cars, any more than the Probe, the Taurus or things like the Cougar V6 coupe.

The Mustang at least has muscle and image on it's side, and does provide Ford an answer to the performance market which Holden will totally lack. So that is good - Ford has a credible car to sell in addition to a hot hatch.

So good on Ford, I hope it sells up a storm. Unfortunately, I fear it will pretty much be a storm in a teacup.
 
#64 ·
I don't think it's permanant just switchable

Unless you're saying Everest has a centre diff like the higher levels ofTriton or Amarok ?

In which case its still usually not all time 4WD (which is basically what the Territory is) but switchable between a few different modes

The Territory would only activate AWD on demand
 
#63 ·
While Mustang is unlikely to be a massive success in Australia I think Ford Aus will do better for having it than they would do without it. It will do a little to generate some foot traffic in dealerships and at least in some small way help repair the brand image in Aus, especially compared to GM who appear to be giving the single finger salute to anyone wanting V8 RWD after the factory closes.
 
#77 ·
Like i said previously, with a boy racer exhaust, the EB reminds me too much of a p-plater in a doof-doof drift Sivia.

Once someone starts making 'over-the-top' ricer body kits for the Mustang, the mature crowd wont want a bar of it.
 
#76 · (Edited)
I think this thread has more twists and turns in than Bells line of road..
but I think essentially the Monza name is just a lock down not related to any specific model - despite Wheels magazine declaring a new Calibra with a Photoshop image no 2 door Insignia appeared this generation and why would they build one next time? For Opel? Monza is as dead as Senator as a name and noone in Europe wants an Opel or possibly any non premium brand coupe anymore. For Buick? Only as a cheaply obtained Riviera which traditionalists would scorn. As a Holden sportscar? See Opel even though noone outside a small coterie of enthusiasts recognize the name from when Brocky tried to get a HDT Monza model project started (because he failed to get Holden onboard).
I think more than discussing Ford and their self deluding Mustang import experiment (yeah I think it's a sideshow which at least should achieve a minor and brief image boost but sadly not much else) we could be working out just what the future of Australian RWD sales will look like because that will be the target GM will or should try to hit.
First off imported car prices should drop (okay I'm assuming the 5% duty disappears). I suspect fleet RWD sedan sales will go to BMW, like the UK uses them for cop cars so BMW will be ready to deal on volume sales. Private buyers will go to Mercedes as they already are with the C class. If GM has a hope to retain any RWD sedan sales it has to bring in Alpha sedans of which there's really only Cadillac. And they'd only ever hope to steal any prospects off MB by appealing to the dare to be different buyer (they can't sell to fleet like BMW and prestige like MB at the same time, where's that Buick RWD sedan when you need it?). Fortunately they are well equipped to do that with their own distinctive styling and given that most Aussies at least have a vague idea of what a Cadillac is, even if the reality of the cars now might surprise them. But like Mustang sales we're talking low volumes.
And so to the V8 RWD sportcar we're promised.. did they say it would be Holden badged or just that Holden would sell it? Kimmie I has two words for you: ATS-V (&/or CTS-V) and the Cadillac section of your local Holden dealer (just like the one they currently have at some for HSV). They might even bring in some of the coupes!
 
#79 ·
Damn right its a great market to get into, but the hoonigan doesnt sound like a ricer 4cyl does it? And thats my point. ;)
 
#84 ·
Reinforces my feelings about Ford's marketing 'gurus'.

History has shown that trying to produce a vehicle serving two distinct demographics will not work. If you market the I4-T to the younger crowd, potential customers for the V8 are going to be put off, not wanting to be associated with that culture.
 
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