Holden Barina Decision Looms - Opel Or Daewoo?

[JoeT]

Barina Decision Looms

Byron Mathioudakis
22 January 2008
www.goauto.com.au

Holden contemplates cheap versus chic for its next beep-beep baby.

GM Holden is believed to be on the brink of deciding which way to go for the look of its next Barina – Europe or Asia.

GoAuto has learned that the light-car priceleader’s fate will fall on newly appointed managing director and CEO, Mark Reuss.

“It’s still under consideration,” admitted outgoing Holden boss Chris Gubbey.

But, while a decision is expected within the next few weeks, Australia will have to wait until 2009 at the earliest to see the next all-new Barina (although a facelifted version of today’s car is coming mid-year).

Nevertheless, General Motors is working at full speed to have the next Opel/Vauxhall Corsa/Chevrolet Aveo/Holden Barina ready as soon as possible.

“It’s going to be (here) sooner than you think,” Mr Reuss revealed.

Click here to continue article

Ford Attacks Holden's Korean Strategy (October 2006)
Holden Considers Dumping Daewoo Built Barina For Opel Corsa (September 2006)

[jbernie]

Guess it is time to get out the crystal ball for the foreign exchange markets. Daewoo probably has the lead when it comes to pricing, Opel will most likely have it for style/design.

[paul8488]

The current Daewoo-sourced car (or any of the other Daewoo models, for that matter) haven't caught on at all in Australia, so maybe it's worth trying to go for the more reputable and likely-to-be better equipped but pricier Opel-sourced version next time. Australians clearly aren't looking for the cheapest Holden possible.

[Rick_VT]

I think the Barina made the top 20 in total sales in 2007 didnt it?? i know it did much better than the s**tbox viva, i think Holden should keep the Daweoo sourced one as price leader and then put the Euro one in the price place of the viva, not like the euro Barina would sell less than the viva does now, some want a price leader for a cheap run around some want a bit of euro chic, so might as well give them both

[t-rex]

Perhaps Holden should have kept the Corsa around as the Barina, given the rock-solid reputation of the Barina name, and introduced the Daewoos underneath it as the Holden Aveo.

[paul8488]

No man, it was quite the dud... in December it hit 948.

30. Holden Barina - 948
Australian & New Zealand December 2007 Sales Results: Record 1 Million Sold In 2007!

What I find odd is that the Suzuki Swift was barely ahead... it was at 961 in December... the Swift has to be the most unfairly underappreciated car currently made.

[nadepalma]

At the end of the article, it also mentions we will see a "facelifted" version of the Barina in the coming weeks with interior touch ups and a new front/rear look.

I wonder if this update is also planned for Chevrolet Aveo's sold around the world?

See page six on the link above for more..

Originally Posted by paul8488

The current Daewoo-sourced car (or any of the other Daewoo models, for that matter) haven't caught on at all in Australia, so maybe it's worth trying to go for the more reputable and likely-to-be better equipped but pricier Opel-sourced version next time. Australians clearly aren't looking for the cheapest Holden possible.

That's probably the case, but I think that the next generation of models will probably fix that. The current crop are all GMDAT rehashes -- but the next versions will all undoubtedly be better. Regardless if the future Barina is "Opel-Sourced" or "Korean-Sourced" it still will ultimately be developed in South Korean by a team of engineers from all over the GM Empire, according to the article.

[SierraGS]

Originally Posted by paul8488

The current Daewoo-sourced car (or any of the other Daewoo models, for that matter) haven't caught on at all in Australia, so maybe it's worth trying to go for the more reputable and likely-to-be better equipped but pricier Opel-sourced version next time. Australians clearly aren't looking for the cheapest Holden possible.

Why not build the Opel (Corsa) in GMDAT plants?

It is a more appealing design and would sell well in the rest of Asia.

The Corsa is a 3D and 5D design compared to the (primarily) 4D Daewoo, yes Daewoo makes a 5D and a 3D (old model) so GM could drop the 5D Daewoo and make both in the same plant and finally put the superior Corsa powertrains in the Daewoo.

[The Law]

make the Daewoo City version, and sell Opel as normal one.

[Ssom]

I'd be in favour of having the Daewoo as a moron/tightwad chaser and the Opel as a discerning-customer chaser.

[Cassie]

Originally Posted by paul8488

What I find odd is that the Suzuki Swift was barely ahead... it was at 961 in December... the Swift has to be the most unfairly underappreciated car currently made.

I totally agree, I think the Swift has always been an underdog and it's a shame... I miss my old Swift GTI to death, what a great car. This one isn't mine...but it looks just like it!

[VB3.3]

Drop the Viva, because I honestly don't know what purpose it has, keep Daewoo as the Barina and bring out the Opel as a Holden Corsa.

The Barina nameplate now means budget anyway, so there is no point in chopping and changing, I imagine it owuld be harder to build up a brands perception than to take it down market.

[aball]

Originally Posted by VB3.3

Drop the Viva, because I honestly don't know what purpose it has, keep Daewoo as the Barina and bring out the Opel as a Holden Corsa.

I agree with replacing the Viva with the Corsa. Unfortunately Corsa Special Vehicles, a HSV annoying builder of hot Commodores owns the "Corsa" name in Australia. Maybe Aveo for the Daewoo and Barina for the Opel.

I'll have a HSV VXR/OPC Corsa while we're at it thanks

[BBDOS CV8]

The last Corsa sold here as a Barina was $17,500 car - in base, SOHC, 1400cc form with rubber mats and a radio, not even a CD player. It had 2 airbags and no niceties like pyro-fasteners or active head restraints. Without those it was a 2-3 star car. The dealer made $500 on every car sold at RRP - no wiggle room to deal and any warranty work (where dealer pays labour) - bang, profit gone. Whereas with the current $13995 car the dealer makes $2K, enough to provide some wiggle room. And like it or not, GMDATs have lower warranty costs than Opels.

If Holden wanted something like the extra pair of side airbags and pyro fasteners, active restraints that brought the Corsa up to 4 stars in NCAP, Opel would only provide them as part of an options pack worth to Holden another $2000+. Even going by the Yaris of the time, which was $17,000 that was way overpriced - Astra territory.

That's why it went. Plus as a CDX 1800 it was sorta OK but pricey. As a 1400 CD it was almost the worst car in the class, and almost the dearest. The current Barina sells at 1,000 a month consistently - that's all they can source. If they could get more, they'd sell more. At that rate it outsells the old Corsa by between 5 and 10:1. The only time the old XC model sold at a reasonable rate was when Holden sold 2 years' stock @ $2000-off on runout. Then they sold about 6000 in six months. People were then complaining because they were getting superceded 2004-build cars in 2006.

Where Holden was with the Corsa is where Ford is with the Fiesta - (except the Fiesta is probably a better car). OK car, too expensive - no sales.

[Black AH CDX]

Its not a choice between an Opel car and a Daewoo car. The next gen will be a replaceement for the current Corsa D and the Current Barina/Aveo. There will be 2 versions, one Opel, on GMDAT/Chevy just like there is currently with the Captiva/Captiva MaXX. All the story is saying is that Holden needs to choose between the Opel Styled car or the GMDAT styled car.