Holden To Follow Ford With A Locally Built Small Car? Alpha Torana Maybe?

[JoeT]

Holden Eyes Second Model

Mike Sinclair
22 May 2008
www.carpoint.com.au

Holden could follow Ford's lead and build a second model range Down Under.

GM Asia Pacific chief, Nick Reilly, has confirmed Holden will look to build another model range alongside Commodore in Australia.

While Reilly's news that turbodiesel and hybrid versions of Holden's large car are on the way might have received the widest coverage (more here), the GM Group Vice President and President GM Asia Pacific also discussed the likelihood of the carmaker adding to its production portfolio during a media briefing earlier this week.

According to Reilly, while it's early days (especially for the G8 in the USA), demand in Holden's export markets for the Commodore and its derivatives is likely to remain strong. This should cement production of the car here for the medium term.

He suggests, however, the manifest change in the Australian car market may dictate Holden builds a smaller car Down Under.

"[Due to the segmentation changes] We're certainly looking at offering a different portfolio [of models] -- which we've already started to do," Reilly explained.

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Hot Dollar Won’t Stop Holden Exports

Australian Car Advice
21 May 2008
www.caradvice.com.au

With half its annual production now going overseas GM Holden has said that the high value of the Australian dollar won’t affect those sales.

Speaking in Melbourne to a media briefing General Motors Group vice president and president GM Asia Pacific, Mr Nick Reilly, said that despite predictions the Australian dollar could achieve parity with the US dollar, this would not affect the export programs in the immediate future.

Mr Reilly said it was unlikely that the countries taking product from Australia would change that source of supply because of the high costs in setting up similar production elsewhere.

“If you’ve got product that you only make here and it’s wanted in markets around the world then it’s very unlikely that those markets are going to invest in making that product,” he said.

However, Mr Reilly did say that if the Australian dollar continued to strengthen then it was possible that the volume of exports would decline because of the higher prices.

“What I can say is that it’s a good program, even at today’s exchange rates, but if the Aussie dollar goes up by 25 per cent, then I can’t tell you what we might have to do.”

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Ford To Build The Focus In Australia!

2009 Opel Insignia

[VB3.3]

Well they tried Vectra as CKD and that didn't go so well, I know the market has changed alot since 98/99 but I don't think they will try that again. Could this mean the door is ajar for the Torana?

[redTT]

Yay a Torana!!!

[SpaceCowboy]

Didn't the asian economic crisis of the time do the most damage to locally produced Vectras?

Times are very different now however and if large cars aren't the answer then perhaps mid-sizers are.

I'd give my left nut for it to be something RWD, but that could all be a pipe dream, I get this hideous feeling that it'll more likely be a Daewoo variant on the new insignia (a platform partner) that isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just that a new Torana would be a much better thing!

[mikmak]

Originally Posted by VB3.3

Well they tried Vectra as CKD and that didn't go so well, I know the market has changed alot since 98/99 but I don't think they will try that again. Could this mean the door is ajar for the Torana?

I know I have mentioned this before, but there was some guy in a press release around the Holden 50th anniversary (1998) say of the Vectra; "in ten years everyone will be driving cars of this size". PR man being accurate? Satan best fetch a Drizabone and a cup of hot milo. There's a change a comin'

[Baz]

Sounds good. Hopefully it can boost Holden's sales and RWD would be great but i can't see that happening

[paul8488]

With fuel getting more expensive I just can't grasp why if there's a business case for a Commodore there can't be one for a smaller RWD platform. Maybe Holden is scared that they'll encourage people to downsize which would harm Commodore sales. Still, I'd think that every market that has the Commodore would welcome a smaller, cheaper, more efficient Alpha-based vehicle or vehicles.

[redTT]

Is it really the case of people wanting to downgrade to a smaller car or people moving to a more economical car. How about a more efficient hybrid, diesel, lpg large RWD commodore?

[Stéphane Dumas]

Originally Posted by paul8488

With fuel getting more expensive I just can't grasp why if there's a business case for a Commodore there can't be one for a smaller RWD platform. Maybe Holden is scared that they'll encourage people to downsize which would harm Commodore sales. Still, I'd think that every market that has the Commodore would welcome a smaller, cheaper, more efficient Alpha-based vehicle or vehicles.

maybe this smaller Alpha RWD platform could be also spin-off some others models for the export markets (new upcoming Chevy coming from example)

[Aych Es Vee]

Originally Posted by redTT

Is it really the case of people wanting to downgrade to a smaller car or people moving to a more economical car. How about a more efficient hybrid, diesel, lpg large RWD commodore?

I really doubt its that people just want smaller cars.
Its definitly because they want more economical cars, AND large car prices are getting out of range.

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by Stéphane Dumas

maybe this smaller Alpha RWD platform could be also spin-off some others models for the export markets

Exactly. I could see this car in Australia as a Torana, in the Middle East as a Chevrolet (alongside the Caprice), in Asia as a Buick and/or Daewoo, in the US as a BTS and a G6 replacement, and in Europe as an upmarket Opel 3-series killer.

It would fit in very well, I think, with the direction Opel is taking. Maybe they could even do a coupe and sedan pair... basically a new RWD Calibra and a sedan equivalent.

[RedVee8]

^^^ mmmmmmm RWD Calibra mmmmmmm

[mang01]

Originally Posted by paul8488

Maybe Holden is scared that they'll encourage people to downsize which would harm Commodore sales. Still, I'd think that every market that has the Commodore would welcome a smaller, cheaper, more efficient Alpha-based vehicle or vehicles.

Think "Torana" you think "smaller Holden RWD 4 or 2 door sportyish sedan (maybe and a hatchback coupe)". I think with the Commodore now being as big as any big Holden has ever been there's room for one the size of LH/LZ/UC again (probably slightly bigger than that since it's gotta crash extremely well these days). The two did not really cannabalise each other in the 70's - except maybe GTR & XU1 stole the Monaro's limelight (and supposedly we won't get another of those anyway, RATS!) - and I don't see it will now. And even if some Commodore prospects decided to go a size smaller it's better for Holden to pick up the business than say Toyota with the Aurion (Camry V6) and Honda with the Yank-style Accord V6. And also then the whole racing Torana giant-killer 6s stuff could start all over again!
Same applies wherever it's sold in the world, I suggest. Chevrolet Monza anyone?

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by Stéphane Dumas

maybe this smaller Alpha RWD platform could be also spin-off some others models for the export markets (new upcoming Chevy coming from example)

Uhh.. no.. Chevy has enough cars in its stable. This should be exported as the next G6. This is exactly what Pontiac needs right now to be different from Chevy, Saturn and Buick. It would be a great addition to the brand.

[jaywestfall]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

Uhh.. no.. Chevy has enough cars in its stable. This should be exported as the next G6. This is exactly what Pontiac needs right now to be different from Chevy, Saturn and Buick. It would be a great addition to the brand.

Exactly, it will also go a long way to finally vetting out exactly what the commitment of GM is concerning the long term existence of the Pontiac nameplate.

Bring it on!