No merging of Holden & Chevrolet brands, say Devereux
Haitham Razagui
15 June 2012
www.goauto.com.au
GM committed to Holden brand, seeking ‘smart’ ways to avoid convergence with Chevy15 June 2012
Holden is releasing three models that feature a Chevrolet style dual-port grille this year, but the company’s chairman and CEO Mike Devereux suggests this is not indicative of a convergence between the brands said that Holden and Chevrolet will maintain their own brand identities.
He added that there is no way General Motors will walk away from the Holden brand in favour of the now global Chevrolet, despite the “obvious marketing efficiencies that lend themselves to having one brand”.
The just-launched Colorado one-tonne ute, the related Colorado 7 SUV that will arrive in December and Volt range-extender EV all feature the Chevy grille design, with the iconic US brand’s bow tie emerging from the edges of the Holden badge on the latter.
Holden says re-tooling for a separate Volt grille design is not cost-effective as it will be a low-volume niche product, but this argument does not stand for the Colorado, which is expected to become the brand’s third best selling product.
Things look set to return to normal in 2013 when the Trax compact SUV arrives with a specific Holden grille design and Mr Devereux also confirmed next year’s Malibu mid-size sedan will also have a “Holden face”.
In an exclusive interview with GoAuto at the Colorado launch, Mr Devereux reasoned that the dual-port grille “looks great” on the Colorado due to the sheer size of the opening.
“From a Colorado standpoint, I think it looks better with this face on the truck. It is a pretty big front-end, so having one huge front grille on a truck this big, I am not sure it works.”
The global nature of the Chevrolet product line-up that Holden cherry-picks from for Australia and New Zealand means compromises must be made, but Mr Devereux suggested that “smart” solutions are in the works.
“Chevrolet is obviously going to dominate the styling exercise,” he said. “I think there are smart ways – which I can’t tell you right now – that we are solving that conundrum going forward.”
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Haitham Razagui
15 June 2012
www.goauto.com.au
GM committed to Holden brand, seeking ‘smart’ ways to avoid convergence with Chevy15 June 2012
Holden is releasing three models that feature a Chevrolet style dual-port grille this year, but the company’s chairman and CEO Mike Devereux suggests this is not indicative of a convergence between the brands said that Holden and Chevrolet will maintain their own brand identities.
He added that there is no way General Motors will walk away from the Holden brand in favour of the now global Chevrolet, despite the “obvious marketing efficiencies that lend themselves to having one brand”.
The just-launched Colorado one-tonne ute, the related Colorado 7 SUV that will arrive in December and Volt range-extender EV all feature the Chevy grille design, with the iconic US brand’s bow tie emerging from the edges of the Holden badge on the latter.
Holden says re-tooling for a separate Volt grille design is not cost-effective as it will be a low-volume niche product, but this argument does not stand for the Colorado, which is expected to become the brand’s third best selling product.
Things look set to return to normal in 2013 when the Trax compact SUV arrives with a specific Holden grille design and Mr Devereux also confirmed next year’s Malibu mid-size sedan will also have a “Holden face”.
In an exclusive interview with GoAuto at the Colorado launch, Mr Devereux reasoned that the dual-port grille “looks great” on the Colorado due to the sheer size of the opening.
“From a Colorado standpoint, I think it looks better with this face on the truck. It is a pretty big front-end, so having one huge front grille on a truck this big, I am not sure it works.”
The global nature of the Chevrolet product line-up that Holden cherry-picks from for Australia and New Zealand means compromises must be made, but Mr Devereux suggested that “smart” solutions are in the works.
“Chevrolet is obviously going to dominate the styling exercise,” he said. “I think there are smart ways – which I can’t tell you right now – that we are solving that conundrum going forward.”
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