'Inferior' Holden Daewoo Sourcing Policy A Failure, Says Ford Australia

[samkung]

Maybe its time to import cars from America, since the Aussie dollar is rising so quickly against the USD

[BBDOS CV8]

Talk about selective spinning of figures:

this article's figures really show a new version of the Mazda 2 increased it's sales at the expense of most other cars:

Yaris -4.8% to 20.5% almost 25% drop
Mazda2 +6.0 to 11.8% (almost doubled)
Getz -1.6 to 11.2% ~10% down
Jazz +0.5 to 10.7% ~5% up
Barina -4.2 to 9.6% ~30% down
Swift -1.5 to 9.3% ~ 15% down
Rio +1.6 to 7.4% ~20% up
Fiesta +0.3 to 6.3% ~5% up
Colt +0.3 to 2.8% ~10% up
Accent, -3.3 to 0.8 per cent.(Real biggest loser, ~ 75% sales volume gone)

[Psionic Wibbly]

Same old story: Holden and Ford engaged in a fratricidal fight unto death while Toyota stomps all over them.

[YupYupYup]

I agree that the Barina/ Aveo is not a great car...Never said it was. I just do not like this guy spinning a story when his own product is doing even worse! Ford needs to clean up its own act before talking trash about the competition. I do not know about Australia, but in NA they are in a lot worse shape product-wise than GM.

MAyeb it is time to start importing cars from the U.S. The lower dollar is really going to start hurting other countries that relied on a strong American dollar for so long...Canadian manufacturers are alreay in the ****ter right now...Many are packing up and heading south. The others will be too, because most countries are not as efficient because they relied for so long on currency rates instead. Not a good sign for the rest of the world that imports so much to the U.S.

[aball]

Originally Posted by BBDOS CV8

Yaris -4.8% to 20.5% almost 25% drop
Mazda2 +6.0 to 11.8% (almost doubled)
Getz -1.6 to 11.2% ~10% down
Jazz +0.5 to 10.7% ~5% up
Barina -4.2 to 9.6% ~30% down
Swift -1.5 to 9.3% ~ 15% down
Rio +1.6 to 7.4% ~20% up
Fiesta +0.3 to 6.3% ~5% up
Colt +0.3 to 2.8% ~10% up
Accent, -3.3 to 0.8 per cent.(Real biggest loser, ~ 75% sales volume gone)

Of course we can get statistics to tell us almost anything we like, but the Yaris, 2 and Jazz are all at the more expensive end of the light car market. The success of the Mazda also shows that people do want some styling and/or dynamic pizzaz from a light car.

Please don't get me ranting about Barina either. I know the current model is "only a stop-gap" until 2009/10, but that's long enough for it's pitiful crash results, daggy styling and horse-and-cart dynamics to do damage to Holden's already fragile reputation.

[GMFAN85]

For the Daewoo naysayers out there, you do realize that this is just a temporary deal. GM won't be selling rebadged 10 year old Korean cars forever. GM bought Daewoo in order to cover it's compact and sub-compact car segments. Although Daewoo isn't known for building great cars, it still could produce a better/ cheaper compact and subcompact car better then GMNA ever could've by itself. Once the current Daewoo models phase out, you'll see Daewoo become more of a design and engineering center for GM global. They're already designing and engineering small cars for whatever brand that needs them. Examples of the progress would be the Chevrolet WTCC, the beat, groove, and trax, and T2x concepts.


And even if GM is just selling rebadged Daewoos, don't forget that without Daewoo, GM wouldn't be growing overseas at a tremendous rate and they would still be without an affordable subcompact car in North America, that if my memory serves me correctly, still sells at competitive numbers against the foreign competition.

Don't let one negative article sway your opinion so fast. Consider the benefits that came from the ownership of Daewoo before letting the negatives affect your opinion.


On the Ford Australia president, he clearly is just trying to make people believe that his company isn't much worse off then Holden is. I'm sure if Ford bought Daewoo instead of GM, he would think differently.

[ericmvest]

Originally Posted by JoeT

Ford: Korean Barina 'Inferior'

Marton Pettendy
14 March 2008
www.goauto.com.au

New Ford Australia president Bill Osborne says GM Holden's Korean sourcing policy has failed because it underestimates the importance of product appeal in the small car market.

I do not know if Mr. Osborne's statement has elements of truth in it or not, but it is never smart to bad mouth your competition like this. This behavior makes Mr. Osborne and Ford Motor Company look bad.

[ericmvest]

Originally Posted by GMFAN85

For the Daewoo naysayers out there, you do realize that this is just a temporary deal. GM won't be selling rebadged 10 year old Korean cars forever. GM bought Daewoo in order to cover it's compact and sub-compact car segments. Although Daewoo isn't known for building great cars, it still could produce a better/ cheaper compact and subcompact car better then GMNA ever could've by itself. Once the current Daewoo models phase out, you'll see Daewoo become more of a design and engineering center for GM global. They're already designing and engineering small cars for whatever brand that needs them. Examples of the progress would be the Chevrolet WTCC, the beat, groove, and trax, and T2x concepts.

And even if GM is just selling rebadged Daewoos, don't forget that without Daewoo, GM wouldn't be growing overseas at a tremendous rate and they would still be without an affordable subcompact car in North America, that if my memory serves me correctly, still sells at competitive numbers against the foreign competition.

Don't let one negative article sway your opinion so fast. Consider the benefits that came from the ownership of Daewoo before letting the negatives affect your opinion.

On the Ford Australia president, he clearly is just trying to make people believe that his company isn't much worse off then Holden is. I'm sure if Ford bought Daewoo instead of GM, he would think differently.

I agree with your post. DAT (Daewoo), with General Motors help, will get better and better. Korean engineers must be capible. Hyundai's latest products, like the Sonata, look creditable. Also, DAT's products are already selling well in developing countries and Europe. If DAT's cars were poor they would not be increasing sales in 1st World countries with high standards like Germany.

[mikmak]

Originally Posted by GMFAN85

Don't let one negative article sway your opinion so fast. Consider the benefits that came from the ownership of Daewoo before letting the negatives affect your opinion.

Their opinions have been like this from the start. The article is simply acting as a catalyst to get back on the soap box

I'm glad Holden bought GMDAT. That's right! Glad I tells ya! They are turning the company around and getting better regional share in return. The current generation probably aren't something I would buy, but it doesn't mean it was a bad decision. Selling cars is a business and according to the facts, Holdens decision has been more sound than Ford Oz. So the Mondeo can't get supplies in; who's in charge of the logistics management? Peewee Herman? The local baker?
Of course I want Ford to be successful; I even appreciate the tidy glasshouse on the FG. But facts is facts. From a business point of view, GMDAT was the best decision they could make and further benefit will come in due time. In the mean time, Holden will enjoy the convenience of having their light car, SUV, and affordable compact manufacturer just on the other side of the South China Sea. (I could be wrong, I didn't check the map) Maybe in the future, there will be some benefit to manufacturing Focus in Oz. Maybe in the future, living costs in oz will sky rocket and Ford wont be able to support local manufacture. I'm no seer, I just see what I see.....no wait. I can't see what will happen 3 years from now, but I can see what is happening right now. Holden has the best selling car in Australia, plus some decent also rans, maintaining its 2nd place market share. I don't "see" that changing anytime soon, and I certainly don't "see" the inferior interior of their smallest cheapest cars having anymore effect than as a primer for internet rambling.

[YupYupYup]

GMFAN85, you are exactly right. Good commentary.

GM buying Daewoo was very strategic and to fill holes...A year or two more and we will see some good product that comes from GM's global leadership.

You can't much complain about a car that only sells for around $10,000 in the U.S., or slightly higher in Canada. I don't know what they go for in Australia. Anyone car to tell us from Australia?

[mikmak]

Between 13500 ish and 17000


A bargain, but you get what you pay for.

[Rocket 88]

My only problem with the current Daewoo products is that it reinforces many folks belief that GM is not committed to building world class small cars. Many GM products have been greatly improved, but when people buy Aveos because they're great cars is when GM will be best off.

I think its a little early to call the policy a failure. It has a lot of potential.

[gardnet1]

The gloves are off and it will be hard for Holden to comeback on that slam, especially with the new Fiesta (Verve) on-deck for 2009.

[t-rex]

Overall though I believe it was smart of GM to buy Daewoo. Even if the interim products are a little soggy, they've been instrumental in establishing the Chevrolet name in many new global markets, and strengthened GM's position in some others. Two Daewoovolets top the sales charts in Venezuela every month (Aveo's the #1 seller there for a while now).

I never thought Daewoo was an incapable company. It's fairly new at designing cars from scratch, and its products weren't bad for an up-and-comer. The Captiva and Antara are quite capable, in fact very appealing, vehicles. With all GM's global design centres working now working from the same page, I'm confident the next generation of products designed by the Koreans will be excellent products.

I just hope Daewoo engineers, no doubt probably being helped by Europeans and Suzuki, pay close attention to the Honda Fit, Mazda2 and new Ford Fiesta. They can't simply match these cars, they'll have to beat them.

[avdberg]

Can anybody explain to me why they cannot sell both the Aveo and the Corsa?
After all in Europe GM sell both cars too.
And to make one thing clear: in every comparison with comparable cars the Aveo is considered to be the worst. It is a car for people that are not at all interested in cars.
The Corsa plays in another league.