Look Out Toyota! Holden To Launch Small Car Attack In 2009

[JoeT]

Holden To Launch Small Car Attack In 2009

Joe Kenwright
8 July 2008
www.carpoint.com.au

Holden's switch to Korean small cars will make sense by early 2009.

Holden's current two-tier small car range based on the Viva and Astra models has never made much sense -- but it soon will! Due for preview at the Paris motor show later this year are new Korean-built replacements for both the current Viva and Euro-sourced Astra.

Just as the local Holden Captiva range is made up of entry models shared with Chevrolet and a premium Captiva Maxx, which is sent to Europe badged as an Opel, Holden insiders have revealed the company will market two levels of GM's new global small car.

A more stylish, safer and better-equipped version of the Viva will define a slick new entry point for Holden's small car range and take the battle to the Toyota Corolla. And for the first time, it will be totally styled by an Australian 'schooled' Holden Design team. Much of the engineering fine-tuning will also have been completed in Australia -- as was the case with the Captiva.

Because this new entry level Viva will be marketed across the globe as a Chevrolet, Holden will be able to present the new model with family styling links to the Captiva and new Colorado light commercials with little investment in appearance changes.

The shared economies of scale with Chevrolet should therefore allow Holden to maintain the current Viva's sharp pricing despite a dramatic improvement in almost every area.

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Holden's Small Cars Supply Restrained

Mike Sinclair
8 July 2008
www.carpoint.com.au

Holden's sales boss says he could sell more Barinas et al, if he could get them.

Despite dominant opposition from Toyota, Holden Executive Director Sales, Marketing and After Sales, Alan Batey, says the local hero brand could sell more small cars -- if they could get them.

In answering the Carsales Network's questioning on whether Holden could hope to peg back the Toyota juggernaut, the Lion brand's sales boss revealed it was struggling with supply issues on its (largely Korean sourced) light and small car ranges.

"Obviously, the market's changed a lot, they've [Toyota] got a lot of benefits right now. They've had very, very good availability, on small cars particularly, the very strong Aussie dollar has given them a trading position they haven't seen for many a year, so everything's pointing their way right now.

"I think we've been around long enough to know that things change... Things turn. We're actually very pleased with where we are -- we've got a lot of activity now in the second half of the year, so I think you're going to see us come back somewhat.

"We've also suffered from availability, particularly on small cars -- we just can't get enough to be honest with you. Barina's been doing about 1000 units a month, [but] we could really be doing 1300-1400. We just haven't been able to get the production requirements..."

Batey says the supply issue has hit all of Holden's Korean-sourced products, and Astra too has been affected, he says. He claims the perception that GM's ex-Daewoo based products have not been well accepted by the buying public is wrong.

"No, absolutely not... If you talk to any Holden dealer about Barina, he'll tell you 'I haven't got enough.' Availability is the issue... The [other] big challenge for us is our Astra product comes from Europe, so we've got a five-month lead time on it..."

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Australian & New Zealand June 2008 Sales Results: Corolla & HiLux Beat Commodore

[ZvetteGuy]

Attack of the MicroMachines... Look out Hotwheels... the Micros are coming... the Micros are coming!!!

[K Dawg ONE]

oOoO....Optra's (blah) and Astra's (yawn)

[K Dawg ONE]

BTW, whats the red coupe in the middle of the second pic?Astra 2 door coupe?

[paul8488]

So now when a cars sales are low we say that it is supply constrained? Got it.

[driverblogger]

Originally Posted by K Dawg ONE

BTW, whats the red coupe in the middle of the second pic?Astra 2 door coupe?

Isn't that the Astra convertible?

[chinamonty]

Why would they need to Holden-ize the Viva. If it already a Chevy then leave it as one.

[Ssom]

I certainly hope Holden don't screw this up. The Astra is a good car, the Viva is a bad one, the next Viva needs to be at least able to draw someone moderately interested in cars away from a Focus, while picking up Corolla buyers at the lower end. A Korean assembled Astra that looks exactly the same as the Opel version and a Optra/Lacetti would be a good tactic (Seeing as the next versions of each will share Delta).

The biggest issue is what to call it, I'd say Astra and Astra Maxx myself.

[steve333]

GMDAT has produced nothing but ****. Suzuki Forenza, Reno, etc, the Aveo. Yeh they are selling OK but they are still ****.
Why on earth are they even touching the next Cobalt, Barina, Viva, or whatever? Did they suddenly get competent? Are they going to use interior materials that dont smell like a toxic dump?
I'm starting to get pessimistic about the next batch of small GM cars if they are anything remotely like the GMDAT Trash we have now.

[Aych Es Vee]

you know what would be better?
A Torana
hehe

[jgill16]

I VE SEEN THE MOVIE VANTAGE POINT W/ DENNIS QUAID NOT BAD OF A MOVIE, BUT DENNIS QUAID WAS DRIVING A SATURN ASTRA BUT A EUROPEAN VERISON. IN THE CAR CHASE SCENE THAT WAS PRETTY FAST CAR AND THE MOVIE MADE THE CAR LOOK HOTT. I KNOW IF THEY MAKE IT, PEOPLE WILL BUY THEM. lol

[slowinthefastlane]

Originally Posted by K Dawg ONE

BTW, whats the red coupe in the middle of the second pic?Astra 2 door coupe?

It's the Astra TwinTop:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/2060321....intop-in-depth

A folding hard top convertible, similar to the VW Eos (and much smaller than the G6 Convertible). It's a pretty sweet ride that we don't get in North America. It starts at about 18,000 pounds in the UK (about $35k USD), so it's a bit more than Americans are used to paying for a compact.

I was hoping that Saturn would be importing the entire Astra line, including the TwinTop. I would have bought one for sure.

[GMusa]

kinda off topic.. but speaking of small cars.. Saturn needs a Astra RL!! say with the turbo-4 from solstice!

[spidge]

Originally Posted by jgill16

I VE SEEN THE MOVIE VANTAGE POINT W/ DENNIS QUAID NOT BAD OF A MOVIE, BUT DENNIS QUAID WAS DRIVING A SATURN ASTRA BUT A EUROPEAN VERISON. IN THE CAR CHASE SCENE THAT WAS PRETTY FAST CAR AND THE MOVIE MADE THE CAR LOOK HOTT. I KNOW IF THEY MAKE IT, PEOPLE WILL BUY THEM. lol

They use the Astra as a police car in London.

[spidge]

Originally Posted by Aych Es Vee

you know what would be better?
A Torana
hehe

Agreed.

Unfortunately, a small RWD sedan will probably have less global appeal than a FWD one.