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Holden boss Dave Buttner steps down after the company posts its lowest sales since 19

12K views 74 replies 27 participants last post by  Amatressa 
#1 ·
Holden boss Dave Buttner has stepped down as chairman and managing director after just 16 months in the job – one of the shortest tenures in the company’s 71-year history – following the lowest sales since the company was formed in 1948.

The former Toyota executive had come out of retirement to become only the second Australian boss to run Holden after it had been led for 25 years by foreign executives. Mr Buttner had vowed to turn Holden around after the shutdown of Australian car manufacturing in October 2017.

But Holden – which had 50 per cent of the entire car market in the 1950s, and was last Australia’s top-selling brand in 2002 – has struggled to stay inside the Top 10 sellers list over the past two years.

Full article here: https://www.caradvice.com.au/811317...he-company-posts-its-lowest-sales-since-1948/
 
#3 ·
He said he only went to Holden as he thought it was worth saving. I guess he doesnt think so now.
 
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#5 ·
I hope his health is OK, gotta give him some kudos for trying to save Holden.

That said, Holden has been dead man walking since Head Office kicked out Hanenberger and culled engineering pre the VE release.

The brand itself won't survive 2020, do they need to name a "permanent" replacement?
 
#11 ·
Best wishes for Butner's personal situation, whatever it is? At least he appeared to give it a go.

However its hard to ignore those company results, imo. Holden sales keep descending, no respite! You'd hope it would have tapered off by now. Worst result since 1948 inception, really? It's a dead brand walking... no, crawling.

I note the once dirisible Kia brand now outsells Ford (!) including its wonderfully successful Ranger. This despite Kia offering no Ute/Pickup, in a Pickup-dominated market.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Holden will bounce back. Just need to have someone come in and focus on what makes Holden special - its history, its an Australian brand and its locally tuned vehicles.

Really the product that is letting the whole side down is Equinox, if that was selling CRV, Xtrail, Forester or Outlander numbers Holden would be fine with where the other cars are at.

They do need to focus on volume, the ute market at the bottom is crying out for a cheap 4 cylinder petrol tradie-special colorado cab chassis, at the top end there would be a stampede for a V8 Colorado.
 
#15 ·
Holden will bounce back. Just need to have someone come in and focus on what makes Holden special - its history, its an Australian brand and its locally tuned vehicles.
Definitively what now does make Holden 'special'?

For mine, in marketplace perception it appears to be an utterly fading 'loser' brand, and with loser resale on almost everything bar Colorado. Other brands tune for local. Let's face it, Holden's brand equity value is past-tense, shot to hell.

To the average punter, which brand do you reckon currently carries less baggage in social-stigma (read; buyers ego) - Holden, or say made-in-China MG?
 
#25 ·
I don't share your optimism Mik. Since the closure, I know of only one person who has bought a Holden. He bought an Astra LTZ to replace his Epica. He loves it by the way.

The whole Australian market is stuffed though. Not so long ago Australians bought cars that had power, handled well and were fun to drive. Now we care more about Apple Car Play. I rented a Peugeot 2008 a few weeks ago. Nice enough car, but physics mean that anything more than moderate speeds had the car falling over itself in corners. I haven't driven a high riding car that handles any better than a 1995 Toyota Corolla, and they are usually less fun.

But who cares anyway ? Victorian rural speed limits will soon be 80 km/h, and residential speed limits will be 30 km/h. Doesn't matter if your car can't go round corners then. We can just build cars and speed limits that means that the idiot behind the wheel doesn't have to disrupt their online social life with annoying things like concentrating on the road.
 
#26 ·
If Australians dont want German Holdens, are they really going to buy Chinese built Cadillac's and Buick's?
 
#27 ·
The twitters confirmed for me that website has been around since 2005 and is owned by a wholesale domain entity. Its nothing.

With respect to the future of the brand, I think the most damaging thing is an absence of communication of their plan.

I assume they have one, contrary to any evidence.
 
#28 ·
Top 12 brands in November 2019*

Toyota 16,960 down 7.2 per cent
Hyundai 6830 down 13.2 per cent
Mitsubishi 6825 down 1.8 per cent
Mazda 6170 down 30.7 per cent
Kia 5140 up 10.7 per cent
Ford 4995 down 10.0 per cent
Nissan 4270 down 19.8 per cent
Volkswagen 3920 down 16.8 per cent
Honda 3285 down 12.0 per cent
Subaru 3140 down 19.9 per cent
Holden 2665 down 48 per cent
Isuzu 2160 down 9.5 per cent


Top 12 selling cars in November 2019*

Toyota HiLux 3685 down 21.0 per cent
Ford Ranger 3490 up 0.6 per cent
Mitsubishi Triton 3065 up 27 per cent
Hyundai i30 2340 down 1.6 per cent
Toyota RAV4 2315 up 19.6 per cent
Toyota Corolla 2230 down 16.0 per cent
Toyota Camry 2000 up 54.6 per cent
Nissan X-Trail 1880 down 3.0 per cent
Mazda CX-5 1735 down 13 per cent
Kia Cerato 1640 up 21.3 per cent
Mitsubishi Outlander 1525 up 52.6 per cent
Hyundai Tucson 1445 down 11.0 per cent
EDManual is offline Report Post
 
#30 ·
There's a big push to clear the remaining ZB stocks. Don't be surprised to see the December number being above average and for there to be exceptional deals in the marketplace in the early months of 2020.

I don't believe Holden has a plan, other than downsizing their overheads here in Australia and bringing their cost structure in line with their peers. I think their target next year is still going to be around the 40,000 unit mark. They have no new models in the works other than Corvette, which is still quite some time away from arriving, maybe in 2021 if we're lucky.

It wouldn't surprise me if future products were sourced from China.
 
#34 · (Edited)
I suspect a Chinese Buick will be the next Commodore and possibly another Buick for an Astra replacement. The Chinese Buicks are getting pretty bloody good.Volvo is sourcing their XC40 from there for the Australian market, consumers will get slowly used to it if there is a value story, it wont work if you are charging German Commodore money.

Regardless Holden needs a broader range, the other brands are have close to double the models that Holden offer now. Id bring back the Spark, those cars are a good hedge for a slowing economy. New baby Trailblazer and Bolt look pretty likely for Australia.

I see a bright future for Holden. I have lived through the rumours around Mitsubishi and Ford leaving Australia. The key difference now is the massive GM investments in VSS platforms across all lines that are designed to be dirt cheap for RHD and the big investment by GM in EVs that could be a huge turning point for vehicle markets everywhere.

The dealers need volume and buyers need reassurance. It would be good to have Mark Reuss or Mary Barra giving a statement of GM commitment to Australia and with a concrete example of a new or replacement model coming to Australia (excluding Corvette). Buyers need to hear it to give them the excuse to go ahead with a purchase or put Holden on the shopping list.
 
#31 ·
This is GM setting itself up for more failure as GM have no idea when it comes to Australia. The market is shrinking and people are heading to public transport and they are killing off Holden and if they think cadillac is going to rescue them they are dreaming. GM is dead in Australia. Not just Holden.
 
#36 ·
Countless other manufacturers have no problem investing in and selling RHD vehicles in Australia, why is it a problem for GM?

I think we all know the answer.
 
#46 ·
When all the $$$ got channeled to China, Australia became insignificant and a burden, they are not even trying.
EU, Australia, US, Canada (closing plants?), lessons they refuse to learn. GM took all these markets for granted.
The commies are bitches and they will suck you dry for your technology and talent then dump you to the curb once they got a decent grip on things.
Short term profit for long term demise ! YAAAY might dollar !
 
#66 · (Edited)
I think Holden are a little lazy with the money they make off Colorado. That does not help dealers though as they need the volume.

I would love to see Holden take some risks with product and to keep nameplates going. Holden Spark was my personal forgotten hero - its just the kind of car Holden needed to get buyers in the door, or to keep mum and dad with Holden when they needed a new second car or buy a first car for their son and daughter. It was also healthy for the dealer forecourt to have some bright coloured cars that attracted a much different buyer to the typical Commodore or Colorado owner.

Spark was selling well even with a 3 year warranty against Kias 7 year and Mitsubishis 5 year, it was also the pick of the segment. Holden brings out 5 year warranty and.... drops Spark.




Spark continues in NZ, I know there is no money in this type of car. But Holden shouldnt be afraid to take on the Koreans and the Japanese at their own game, shows confidence which Holden needs right now.

Maybe bring out the CrossSpark SUV version that way they can charge more for it.
 

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#71 · (Edited)
Very sad to see Holden in such a sorry ole state, lowest sales ever FWD Insignia led to new lows, and the boss falls on his sword who was going to be Holden's great saviour when he arrived.

Looking at the current line-up the future does not look good, l personally would not buy anything thats on offer nothing appeals to me personally one little bit, maybe the Aussie car buyers feel the same way, that said Holden have made some absolutely fantastic cars in the past they just seem to have lost thier mojo, it's all about product.


Good luck to Holden, and l hope the boss finds another job.
 
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