Holden Epica Diesel On The Way

[JoeT]

Epica Diesel Imminent

Mike Sinclair
4 June 2008
www.carpoint.com.au

Holden will launch a turbodiesel Epica... And soon

Holden will add a turbodiesel variant to its Epica range -- and it will do so soon. While the manufacturer's corporate communications staff will admit little other than the existence of the new model, advertising creative briefs circulated for the car are more enlightening.

To feature a version of the same 2.0-litre common-rail direct-injected four-cylinder that powers the Captiva Turbodiesel, the Epica VCDi is expected to officially debut in July.

Already on sale in key markets in Europe wearing the Chevrolet badge, the VCDi boasts power and torque outputs of 110kW and 320Nm respectively. This matches the Captiva’s powerplant and is well up -- in real world terms -- on the 2.5-litre petrol six-cylinder Epica's rather anemic 115kW/237Nm output.

Unlike its Euro equivalent, it's understood, Holden's Epica will be available with a five-speed automatic gearbox.

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[Baz]

With Diesel prices soaring faster than petrol i don't really see this being a success. Get the Opel Insignia over here or drop a 4 cylinder in the Epica. Really the Epica needs to be phased out asap. It's only costing Holden money at this point in time.

[TKR]

Originally Posted by Baz

Really the Epica needs to be phased out asap. It's only costing Holden money at this point in time.

You know this to be a fact how exactly?
From talking to a local Holden salesperson, the only problen in NZ is lack of stock, especially for the new 6 speed auto version. Maybe Holden Australia have the same problem?

Oh and guess how many issues they are having with the car - nothing of significance which is more than can be said for the last (ZC) Vectra.

[Ssom]

I highly doubt that lack of supply is behind them selling only 43 Epicas in Australia last month, that's a "Why bother?" kind of figure.


Seems that Korea isn't exactly an efficient place to source from if Holden NZ could only secure 450 Epicas last year, while Ford can source the 3 or 4 times the amount of Mondeos from Belgium before reaching supply difficulties. Let me guess, the reason Barina sales were half that of Fiesta sales in NZ last year (742 Fiestas, 381 Barinas) and only a smidgen more than the hellishly expensive (And internationally in demand) Peugeot 207 (302 sales) were also "Suppy difficulties" and don't even get me started on the Viva losing 1000 sales from it's 1500-odd in 2006.

Face it, the Epica has been a dud seller, people who want a Camry will buy a Camry.

[rsinsel]

Originally Posted by Baz

With Diesel prices soaring faster than petrol i don't really see this being a success. Get the Opel Insignia over here or drop a 4 cylinder in the Epica. Really the Epica needs to be phased out asap. It's only costing Holden money at this point in time.

I suppose it may be the mileage increase that the diesel gets.

[mikmak]

My local area must be the only dealer shifting them then. I see almost as many Epicas daily than I do Camrys. Seriously! Whilst I agree that the I6 is deviously underpowered (no matter what the ad says), putting a 4-cyl seems like a pretty expensive exercise so late in the piece.

Also, as I have said before about the earlier supposed Mondeo supply problems, which appear to be getting better; if Holden and Daewoo can't get their **** together logistically, they have no one to blame but themselves.


I would be interested to find out how they are selling in their DM and immediate region. I would hope that local sales are astronomically good if we are getting bugger all.

[Rick_VT]

Seems like Holdens big gamble on the Korean product is really not paying of, but what choice did they have, the Euro Barina and old Vectra were just way to expensive, at least these Korean cars are selling at a profit, they seriously need to get the new versions but will anyone care even if they are great since people seemed tobe turned of on the ones they have now.

Time to ditch the inline motors to, there just way to underpowered, i reckon a better choice would be the 2.2Ltr 4 cylinder and the 2.8 V6 with the new diesel to, might help sales but until they get a heavily updated car this will still sell poorly

[Baz]

All I'm saying is the Epica is barely moving off the lots. 43 sales in a month isn't good from a car which is supposed to go up against the mondeo, camry etc.

[BBDOS CV8]

Person I know with the CDXi Epica is still perfectly happy with it - averaging <9l/100km in light urban driving. Nothing's broken, fallen off and it hasn't been back to the dealers since the 1,000km service as of last weekend and she's had it more than six months.

The diesel Epica will get 15-20% better economy than the petrol version and fuel is a little over 10% dearer. So you'll still save 5-10% on filling. More than the saving on running a Camry over a Commodore. And if the Captiva is any guide the oiler will be a $1000 option.

Looks like a slam dunk to me, if they're selling more Mondeo diesels than petrol, at an $8K premium over the cheapest petrol version. And the diesel Mondeo is reportedly not much more economical - it just goes better than the portly benzole model.

As the Epcia is already a 4-star ANCAP car, the next version which is sold with ESC elsewhere should take it to 4.5 stars. That deals with the other major deficiency compared to the low-end class competition.

[derrado]

If a diesel were released a while ago, Holden might have had an advantage. But this segment has already seen/sees currently diesel versions of the Mazda6, Mondeo, Jetta and Sonata.

It may perk up sales a little bit, though, but I wouldn't expect a huge shift. Captiva sales picked up with the diesel but that's a crossover.

[BBDOS CV8]

This is true - I haven't read any tests of the diesel Sonata, but petrol models sells in a relative trickle anyhow. The others all have a big option price for the oiler, that means it takes years to recoup - like the Astra diesel. People are still buying a high proportion of Mondeo diesels according to Ford.

There's not really anything 'wrong' with the Epica in the first place: it's a decent drive, comfortable and compares very nicely with others in the market for equipment and more than competitive on price.

[Ssom]

One area I suppose the new Epica diesel could do well is the Taxi market.


Wellington Combined Taxis, for example (A 500-strong fleet) have recently bought out a policy that any replacement vehicles in their fleet must be either Hybrid, Diesel or LPG powered, this means it's goodbye Aurion and Maxima (Former darlings of this particular company) and hello LPG Falcadores, Diesel Sonatas/Octavias/Mondeos and of course the Prius. You can already see a lot of Diesel Sonatas on the fleet.


I wouldn't be surprised if most cab companies in Australia/NZ follow this route in the next 5 years. Image killer yes, but then the Epica never really had much of one to begin with.

[paul8488]

You guys have some real faith in the Epica! When the Mondeo was selling at around 200 units a month at first everyone was slamming it... and now we're defending 43 units of Epica in one month?!? Yikes!

Again, I really like the Epica, but I just don't see how anyone can stick up for the poor car in Australia. Glad Holden has fans like you! You all need to go out and buy an Epica this month! Lets get it up over 50 units in June!

[Ssom]

Originally Posted by BBDOS CV8

There's not really anything 'wrong' with the Epica in the first place: it's a decent drive, comfortable and compares very nicely with others in the market for equipment and more than competitive on price.

Problem is that it doesn't matter if there isn't anything wrong with a car in this segment, as there are plenty of cars (Mondeo, Mazda6, Legacy, Accord Euro) that have a lot 'right' with them for a small premium. The Camry being the exception, but it's trading on its name, local manufacture and the fact it gained a foothold back when mid-sizers were mostly crap.

[BBDOS CV8]

Originally Posted by paul8488

You guys have some real faith in the Epica! When the Mondeo was selling at around 200 units a month at first everyone was slamming it... and now we're defending 43 units of Epica in one month?!? Yikes!

Again, I really like the Epica, but I just don't see how anyone can stick up for the poor car in Australia. Glad Holden has fans like you! You all need to go out and buy an Epica this month! Lets get it up over 50 units in June!

Mondeos' cracked 500 twice IIRC. Not including the first month when it was limited supply it's basically probably averaged at 300-350 a month. Currently it's selling 40% diesel - Ford initially believed it would be 20%.We'll see in a month or two if demand is sustained past the end of the current sale.

Which puts it lineball saleswise with the Epica, which until this month sold in the 3-400 range on average. I think Epica sold 600+ one month but that was probably a large fleet order. Mazda 6s usually sell about 500/month. The Kia/Hyundai twins sell about 500/month.

I don't mind people not liking the Epica, but some are just continually going overboard and trotting out the same old Korean crap lines which really don't apply. It isn't great - but it's not as terrible as painted. it is mediocre in many respects but this is a case of 'feel the width - don't mind the quality' when considering the price vs content. And there is nothing better right here, right now to sell for Holden - what do they do, just give up the segment? If they sell 3,000 annually and make $2,500 a car whcih is probably conservative that's $7.5m of business that didn't go to competitors.

If the dollar keeps growing against the Euro maybe there's a chance for the Insignia - if Opel don't muff it.