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Hyundai overtakes Holden for third in Australian car sales

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#1 ·
Hyundai overtakes Holden for third in Australian car sales
http://www.news.com.au/technology/i...-first-time-ever/story-fnjwucvh-1227508155975

Hyundai overtakes Holden in year-to-date sales for first time ever Motoring
by: Joshua Dowling National Motoring Editor
From: News Corp Australia Network
This story was published: 12 hours agoSeptember 01, 2015 10:00PM

EXCLUSIVE
THE iconic Holden brand has been overtaken by Korean car maker Hyundai in total sales so far this year, and is at risk of falling outside the Top Three for the first time in its 67-year history.

As a sign of our changing taste in cars — and as local vehicle manufacturing prepares to shut down by the end of 2017 — preliminary figures to the end of August show Hyundai ahead of Holden by just 600 new car sales.

It is the first time ever Hyundai has led the former number one in the year-to-date tally.

The two brands have been neck and neck all year, but Hyundai is now likely to bump Holden out of the Top Three in the annual tally.

It will be the first time in Holden’s 67-year history it has been off the podium.



On top ... The Toyota Corolla is still Australia’s top selling car year-to-date. Picture: Thomas Wielecki Source: Supplied


A confidential dealer bulletin obtained by News Corp Australia has revealed Hyundai has dramatically increased its sales targets in Australia for the final four months of the year to compensate for falling demand for new vehicles in China, the world’s biggest market.

“In order to maintain global growth, the challenge has been issued to other countries to offset the issues in China and to search for growth beyond current business plans,” said the confidential bulletin to Hyundai dealers.

Hyundai has revived the heavily discounted price of $19,990 drive-away for its i30 hatchback — about $5000 off full price.

When Hyundai offered the same car at that price in June, it instantly became Australia’s top seller for the month. But sales halved in the two months when the $19,990 drive-away price vanished.

A Hyundai spokesman declined to comment until official sales figures for August are released on Thursday.


But the August figures exchanged between Australia’s Top 15 car brands show the Toyota Corolla has increased its lead as the top-selling car so far this year, ahead of the Mazda3.

August is customarily a tough month for new-car sales as buyers cash in on end-of-financial year deals in June that sometimes push deliveries to July.

Market leader Toyota was down by 7.2 per cent, as were Holden (down 8.9 per cent) and Ford, which was down a staggering 22.5 per cent off a low base.

But Japanese import brands Mazda, Honda, Subaru, Mitsubishi and Suzuki posted strong growth, likely driven by low prices enabled by favourable exchange rates with the Yen, which industry pundits claim has been artificially devalued to boost Japanese exports.
 
#3 ·
Not that it's entirely on topic, but I was just thinking:

Since the large sedan market in Australia is essentially on its way out with the Falcon and Commodore, will Toyota keep selling (begin importing, it would seem) its alternative, the Aurion? The Aurion benefits from having been sold in various other markets over the years and, since it's just a barely redone Camry, is cheap to design. I guess it matters heavily on how well the Aurion sells and I don't have that information. Otherwise they can just add the V-6 option and some other aspects to the Camry in such markets and drop the Aurion entirely. It'll also perhaps be hinged partially on what the next flagship Holden is like, or Ford - which was rumored to be essentially a Taurus, and we've heard not much on the matter since then.
 
#7 ·
The Aurion has never been a big seller. The main reason has been that for a large car in Australia, it is wrong wheel drive. The Avalon before it had the same problem, but had the added hurdle of being dog ugly. Mitsubishi faced the same challenges with the Verada/Magna and could never get past number 3.
 
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#5 ·
Hyundai needs to get a Commodore-priced RWD sedan to the Australian market NOW. There's so much to be said for momentum in the car industry, and they're foolish not to try and eat the cake that Holden and Ford have left on the table. Not sure how they can make it work, but they would be smart to take some of their rebate money and toss it on a Genesis sedan for Australia and make the most of the goodwill and impetus their brand has right now.
 
#21 ·
If they could produce a version of the Genesis with more focus on 30-somethings than 70-somethings, I reckon they could have a winner. A Genesis with an SV6/Calais level of trim, priced in the high $30K range, along with a decent marketing campaign could be good for maybe 10-15K cars a year.

From a marketing perspective, I would forget V8Supercars - since it went to Foxtel it has no public profile at all.
 
#9 ·
Old product and nothing exactly exciting to bring people into the showroom at the moment.

The writing has been on the wall for some time and it's all been expected by Holden head office for some time. I believe their sales target is set to drop by another 20% next year I.e. Circa 80,000 units annually.

Things will not start to improve until at least end of 2016 or early 2017, and that's providing that the new product coming is any good and can be sold for a reasonable price.

Everyone else is pushing upmarket and Holden is just left to sell old stale cars until they finally get themselves together, but it's going to be another 12 to 18 months before that happens......
 
#39 ·
Everyone else is pushing upmarket and Holden is just left to sell old stale cars until they finally get themselves together, but it's going to be another 12 to 18 months before that happens......
Sadly we have been hearing this line from the Holden Mushroom Factory for far too long and buyers have walked! :(
 
#19 ·
“In order to maintain global growth, the challenge has been issued to other countries to offset the issues in China and to search for growth beyond current business plans,” said the confidential bulletin to Hyundai dealers.
There's the Hyundai way of doing business, and then there's the GM way:

"We rock in China, screw everywhere else."
Reminds me of the story of the dog with a bone in his mouth, looking into the water. He drops the bone to get the one in the reflection, and ends up with none. The China bone is a pretty big one, but as the auto market there cools, I think the small Australia bone would actually be tasty right about now.
 
#20 ·
Everyone who has commented on this thread is correct. The Australian buying public has moved on from Holden. And GM has clearly also moved on from Holden, based on the range they will be allowed to sell.

Clearly however in the eyes of the non-US based auto manufacturing industry Australia is worth worrying about because there are more models on sale from more manufacturers than there are in the US. Not bad for a country 'hampered' by the availability of RHD vehicles.

But a quick look at what Holden is allowed to offer shows that they have one class leading product, and a bunch of serious also-rans. If Holden could source a decent Mazda 3 competitor, or an SUV that could run with the RAV4/CRV/CX5, maybe they would have a chance.

But make no mistake, Australia's love affair with Holden will end because manufacturing ended, not the other way around.
 
#23 ·
Everyone who has commented on this thread is correct. The Australian buying public has moved on from Holden. And GM has clearly also moved on from Holden, based on the range they will be allowed to sell.

Clearly however in the eyes of the non-US based auto manufacturing industry Australia is worth worrying about because there are more models on sale from more manufacturers than there are in the US. Not bad for a country 'hampered' by the availability of RHD vehicles.

But a quick look at what Holden is allowed to offer shows that they have one class leading product, and a bunch of serious also-rans. If Holden could source a decent Mazda 3 competitor, or an SUV that could run with the RAV4/CRV/CX5, maybe they would have a chance.

But make no mistake, Australia's love affair with Holden will end because manufacturing ended, not the other way around.
This

Before the closure announcement there were still detractors there always was

But now there are still those guys plus a whole heap of disgruntled fans and their kids and their grandkids

Anything that happens now is too little too late

GM screwed Holden not Australians
 
#24 ·
Toyota's Crown has a good reputation here, although most of the people who actually bought one new in the 80's are now probably dead...

From what I understand, the current model shares its platform with the Lexus GS. I could totally see a less Japanese version do well, and Lexus has a great reputation here. Even more, I could see a Toyota version of the IS doing well here. A few people imported the original Altezza and it has a good reputation amongst the younger JDM scene. The guys who might be interested in an affordable mainstream RWD in a few years.
 
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#25 ·
Indeed, the Crown and GS share a platform. The car itself would definitely need to be set up for sportier dynamics, but given the great reviews of the GS that also uses the same platform that's clearly possible. True, we probably wouldn't see a manual option. The Crown already has 2.5L and hybrid options available should they want to offer such things in the Australian version. The V-6 would be a more volume engine, and if we're talking about a Crown TRD of sorts, TRD supercharging is always an option. If Jaguar can get 380 horsepower from their 3.0L V-6, that's the equivalent of about 440 horsepower from a supercharged 3.5L. Suddenly things get more interesting. So yes I do there multiple companies could use various options at their disposal to pick up to fill the void without excessive cost, but it's also highly unlikely that we'll see such a thing.....

Speaking of a "Toyota IS", are you thinking of the Mark X? That's another option too IMO.

 
#26 ·
I was talking about the Lexus IS range. The first gen IS was sold in Japan as the Toyota Altezza and came with the 2JZ motor. My daughters boyfriend has an IS300 (first gen) and his Dad has a newer ISF. The ISF is a beast. I was looking at an IS250 for her for a first car but it is a bit big I think.

The Mark X seems to be a bit too Japanese domestic from what I can tell. I don't think it is related to any Lexus model.
 
#29 ·
Everytime I see TRD I always think it's missing a U, A mate and I nearly got kicked off the toyota stand many years ago sat the sydney motorshow because of the crap my mate gave them after they told him how much power it had. Mind you my mate had just finishing superchanging his XYGT and thought anything under 450kw at the wheels was piss week.
Driven Lots of Hyundai's and Kia's in the last 12 months and they are coming on leaps and bounds all they need to do is get their suspension tuning for local conditions down pat and they are nearly there. Definately going to entrenched in the top 3 for many years to come and I wouldnt be surprised if they knock off mazda for 2nd.
 
#30 ·
If mazda don't play their pricing cards right, Hyundai is going to steal their cake. I agree that if they tighten up suspension in their regular products, they should do well despite a lack of steering feel in everything bar the latest Veloster.

I'm hoping the Genesis Coupe will magically appear next year. The 3.8 V6 in the land barge version in rather impressive.

As for "this is only 1/85th of the market", that may be true but it's the last bastion of our Australian built RWD culture so please show some respect and not troll this 1/85th of the forum. Your comment added 0 to the discussion.
 
#37 ·
Bottom line...

Neither Holden, NOR THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC, ever gave a rat's tuchus for any Holden product except the Kingswood/Commodore. Just like the Americans, it treated every other product in the lineup like the red-headed stepchildren they were. The whole Daewoo fiasco was evidence of Holden's complete disinterest in anything but its standard-bearer.

Serves Holden right for putting all its eggs in the Commodore basket.

Then again, Ford have always seemed to put effort into its sub-Falcon products and it doesn't seem to have done them much good. Kiwis, on the other hand...
 
#38 ·
Damned if they do and damned if they don't

Holden has not always relied on one line it had Torana as well as Gemini manufactured here which was replaced by the truly horrid J car and forgettable FWD Gemini breifly

Prior to the cost cutting Mooney years Holden had more than 1 car manufactured - sure it was one platfrom but spawned many different variations and would have continued to if allowed

VE Program included 3 wheelbases AWD and RWD Ute, Crewcab, SUV torana sized, commodore sized and Caprice sized

All of that would have sufficed to give volume and variation to the plant

There was very little point in making Cruze here but i'm glad they did for a short time it was light years ahead of any other cruze made anywhere on the planet in terms of performance

BUt anyway it's all Holdens fault eh :rolleyes:
 
#50 ·
Found this link with some August numbers:

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/23D42549D11E4F0DCA257E970081C3C9

Its position in July was not helped by the continuing decline of its locally made Commodore and Cruze, down 17.8 per cent and 30.2 per cent respectively in July.
Bad enough for the Commodore, which maybe we can understand, but why is the Cruze tanking so badly? What has Holden / GM been doing for the past years? How did they F-up the success they had with the Cruze so royally?

Model: Sales
Toyota Corolla: 3573
Mazda3: 2825
Hyundai i30: 2750
Look at the top 3 vehicles sold in Australia last month. All compact cars. The mishandling of the Commodore has been discussed to death here, but what level of incompetence does it take to allow the Cruze to fall off the earth like that? It's not like they've been working hard adding SUVs either (the Captiva is what, 20 years old now???). Oh, speaking of SUVs:

“With car affordability at record levels, private buyers purchased 6.2 per cent more new vehicles in July 2015, than in July 2014.

“In particular, they purchased 22.2 per cent more SUVs and 8.8 per cent more light commercial vehicles.”
It's like Holden has been standing there watching the Commodore in the garage burning, not paying any attention to the fact that the rest of the house has caught on fire too.
 
#55 · (Edited)
It's like Holden has been standing there watching the Commodore in the garage burning, not paying any attention to the fact that the rest of the house has caught on fire too.
Holden wasnt standing there, because GM cut their legs off!

Holden was doing fine till GM sent some no-nothings in from Detroit to 'fix' things. Instead they 'fu@kt things.

Mooney was the first, and Jacoby will be the last.........if he doesnt get the a$$ first!

They treated Australians as idiots, and Australians walked away. Simple as that.
 
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#52 ·
But that's what I mean, why did they 'let it get ancient'? GM is over 100 years old, how have they not yet learned that you need to constantly, consistently replace your old models with new ones, and preferably before they reach the end of their popularity on the market? They knew they were pulling production from Australia, and that the Commodore would disappear, and that the brand would suffer. No one had the bright idea to do a proper, timely update of the Cruze, an attractive new face and tail, some new tech, and an upgraded engine? It boggles my mind that one of the 3 biggest automakers in the world can find itself in this situation! Did they wake up September first, see the numbers, and say "Hmm, guess we should have started planning for this sooner?"

If they had their Australia lineup stuffed full with hot new CUVs I'd forgive them, but they don't.

As for blaming GM over Holden, we should be able to use those names interchangeably, I don't understand why GM treats them as an annoying tag-along, they should be an integrated part of their global lineup, or closed down and replaced with a brand they do have an interest in maintaining.
 
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