Commodore to be built overseas after 2014

Kryton · 03-11-2011, 06:20 AM

Heard on the radio early this morning that Fishermans bend is to be shut and the Commodore to be fully designed and imported and tweeked for local use after the 2014 model.
Im sure there will be news bullitens later on.

Jim Goose · 03-11-2011, 06:39 AM

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-0...erseas/3616190

Quote:

Holden Commodore design to go overseas

Posted November 03, 2011 06:32:22
An Australian engineers peak group says the Commodore's design and engineering operations may be heading overseas. Photo: An Australian engineers peak group says the Commodore's design and engineering operations may be heading overseas. (Giulio Saggin: ABC News)
Map: Australia

The peak group representing Australian engineers says the Holden Commodore may no longer be designed in Australia.

The Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers believes Holden is close to a decision on sending its engineering operations for the Commodore offshore.

It says such a move could cost 350 jobs at Holden's Fishermen's Bend site in Port Melbourne.

The association's chief executive Chris Walton says it would be a sad day if the iconic car was designed overseas.

"At this stage they look like they're going to be removing the design and engineering overseas - we don't know where - and replace it with a medium front-wheel drive car," he said.

"That means the end of the best selling car for over 15 years, which is very much loved by the Australian community.

"Australians want an Australian car that is engineered here and it is a disaster, we think, if this decision goes forward."

The association says Holden has not yet signed off on the move and is calling on state and federal governments to ensure it does not go ahead.

A spokeswoman for Holden says no decision has been made and any changes will not take place for several years.

Just the design team..... front wheel drive commo??? oh dear

Kryton · 03-11-2011, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-0...erseas/3616190

Just the design team..... front wheel drive commo??? oh dear

A medium sized front wheel drive car - its called the Cruze.

kiwimark · 03-11-2011, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davway

A medium sized front wheel drive car - its called the Cruze.

Not the Malibu? the reason i say this is the Cruise is already hear..

mrghia · 03-11-2011, 07:04 AM

It make a change from all the reports about ford going FWD. If any of it is true ford could be the only large RWD car on the market in a couple of years.

Ford17 · 03-11-2011, 07:26 AM

Well, they can't keep making a loss on every Commodore they sell; particularly if that no longer guarantees the all important (to Holden) no.1 sales position.

I always suspected coding the 'all new' Commodore the VE, after they had already been through the whole V series codes (VB to VZ), was an inside signal that it would be the last model Commodore.

Resurrection · 03-11-2011, 07:32 AM

There is no truth to this story. Holden are currently working on the MY14 Commodore facelift and the work is being done locally. What is not clear is what is the decision for the VE replacement due in MY17.

au2000 · 03-11-2011, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resurrection

There is no truth to this story. Holden are currently working on the MY14 Commodore facelift and the work is being done locally. What is not clear is what is the decision for the VE replacement due in MY17.

the reports on the news are that the 2014 will be the last aussie commodore... & that the engineering will be from o/s after that

so the real question now is how drive will twist this into a holden positive & still find a way to have a dig at the falcon.. they will probably write ....

"" holden has decided to follow on with a fwd replacement for the commodore following a trend set by ford who dumped their rwd falcon long ago !!""

either way it's a shame if they are seriously conidering the move, if both ford & holden do this not just for the loss of jobs, but the quality of the cars too,

still it seems wierd that after 1 model cycle (ve series) being the first aussie commodore ever that with shuch an investment locally holden would pull the pin so quickly, unless of course this is a money grabbing stunt to get more from the governments..

mrghia · 03-11-2011, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by au2000

"" holden has decided to follow on with a fwd replacement for the commodore following a trend set by ford who dumped their rwd falcon long ago !!""

They have just used this for there headline lol

**Professor Farnsworth** · 03-11-2011, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resurrection

There is no truth to this story. Holden are currently working on the MY14 Commodore facelift and the work is being done locally. What is not clear is what is the decision for the VE replacement due in MY17.

watch the video posted, they said the MY14 would be the last aussie design. So you just re-iterated what they said but claimed they're lying.

Gobes32 · 03-11-2011, 07:16 AM

Holden must want another handout from the government......

mik · 03-11-2011, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gobes32

Holden must want another handout from the government......

heheh i was thinking the same thing soon as i saw it.

new2ford · 03-11-2011, 07:34 AM

The article says design and engineering, not manufacture.

Wasn't the Commodore always basically a German-designed, locally-made Opel Omega until the last model? Why would they set up a local design group just a few years ago only to close it down?

EB# · 03-11-2011, 07:49 AM

Quote:
The association's chief executive Chris Walton says it would be a sad day if the iconic car was designed overseas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by new2ford

....Wasn't the Commodore always basically a German-designed, locally-made Opel Omega until the last model? Why would they set up a local design group just a few years ago only to close it down?

Yes, the Commodore from 1978 to 2006 (VB to VZ) was an overseas designed
car, tweaked by local designers I believe.

OzJavelin · 03-11-2011, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EB92

Yes, the Commodore from 1978 to 2006 (VB to VZ) was an overseas designed car, tweaked by local designers I believe.

That's a bit of an over simplification; bit like saying the X-series Falcon was bacially a Granada. Holden took the Opel design and modified it to the point that at a casual glance it still looked like an Opel but not much interchanges anymore .. especially from VT onwards. I also don't remember Opel 2-and-4 door utes, AWD versions, etc, etc. Holden did a great job with the restrictions of the original design. A typical Australian engineering approch to rolling up the sleeves and getting a job done .. will be sadly missed when we go to a "world-car" mentality.

Nikked · 03-11-2011, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by new2ford

The article says design and engineering, not manufacture.

Wasn't the Commodore always basically a German-designed, locally-made Opel Omega until the last model? Why would they set up a local design group just a few years ago only to close it down?

The commodore was designed here, but used alot of parts from these cars. Commodores are a fair bit wider and londer then Omegas.

It is true though, that the VE was the only 100% australian designed car...just like the XA falcon lol

aquahead2001 · 03-11-2011, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikked

The commodore was designed here, but used alot of parts from these cars. Commodores are a fair bit wider and londer then Omegas.

It is true though, that the VE was the only 100% australian designed car...just like the XA falcon lol

You forget Kimosabe that Peter Brock imported a few Opel Rekord hatchbatch bodies and fitted VC Commodore front panels and a 5.0LV8 into them. Just a bolt on job he said.

Every Falcon from XA has been designed and engineered here in Oztralia. Although the original XA was styled in the USA by a team of Australian and US based designers as we didn't have a design studio until after the XA design was completed.

Yellow_Festiva · 03-11-2011, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by new2ford

The article says design and engineering, not manufacture.

Wasn't the Commodore always basically a German-designed, locally-made Opel Omega until the last model? Why would they set up a local design group just a few years ago only to close it down?

They just interviewed the guy on the radio who designed the first Aussie Commadore. He said pretty much just that. A lot of bits needed to be modified from the Opal for our conditions.

Oh, the guy had an American accent, Leo Bruno or something. Found the accent ironic considering the current topic.

aussie muscle · 03-11-2011, 08:23 AM

Sad that the media is reporting things about holden that holden themselves haven't (officially) decided to do. ford is in the same boat.

Tonz · 03-11-2011, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

Sad that the media is reporting things about holden that holden themselves haven't (officially) decided to do. ford is in the same boat.

Welcome to the real world.
Since when has the media told the truth, sensationalism is the key. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Is not jast the car industry .

Brazen · 03-11-2011, 08:30 AM

say goodbye to v8 and ute sales.

the positive may be that this will spur Ford in keeping Falcon Rwd.

buggo · 03-11-2011, 09:08 AM

Quote:

The association says Holden hasnot yet signed offon themoveand iscalling on state and federal governments to ensure it does not go ahead.

I'd say that they are taking their employees hostage and asking the government for their ransom. 'Don't give us what we want and we'll sack all of them.'

robbo/region15 · 03-11-2011, 09:22 AM

A case of leaking the worst case scenario,then coming out with less of a shock to all involved in the Auto Industry...
It was mentioned earlier in the year though...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-06-2...an-car/2772808

Road_Warrior · 03-11-2011, 09:44 AM

Errm, isnt this article based on the opinion of an engineering association?? I.e. with not a lot of "officialness" about it and probably the same amount of inside knowledge...

Stazza_Brendan · 03-11-2011, 09:47 AM

Surely Holden will release a statement by end of the day to counter this claim if its false.

trippytaka · 03-11-2011, 09:50 AM

My Guess is that it is a union grenade... there seems to be a lot of press releases floating around at the moment from all the different unions. More than I have seen in ages.

My second guess is that unions are trying to flex a bit of muscle after the Qantas action, show solidarity with each other and gain a bit more public support.

A stategic move like this can do a lot for public perception... just a thought from the other side of the media fence.

**cs123** · 03-11-2011, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trippytaka

My Guess is that it is a union grenade... there seems to be a lot of press releases floating around at the moment from all the different unions. More than I have seen in ages.

My second guess is that unions are trying to flex a bit of muscle after the Qantas action, show solidarity with each other and gain a bit more public support.

A stategic move like this can do a lot for public perception... just a thought from the other side of the media fence.

You may be right
http://www.apesma.com.au/

TheSneakiness · 03-11-2011, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trippytaka

My Guess is that it is a union grenade... there seems to be a lot of press releases floating around at the moment from all the different unions. More than I have seen in ages.

My second guess is that unions are trying to flex a bit of muscle after the Qantas action, show solidarity with each other and gain a bit more public support.

A stategic move like this can do a lot for public perception... just a thought from the other side of the media fence.

It IS becoming too expensive to manufacture here, what with all the lazy SOBs on production lines wanting more for less...

**cs123** · 03-11-2011, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rapid_Axe

Blame Joolya. And to more extent Green Bob.

It IS becoming too expensive to manufacture here, what with all the lazy SOBs on production lines wanting more for less...

Can you elaborate please?

Gobes32 · 03-11-2011, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rapid_Axe

It IS becoming too expensive to manufacture here, what with all the lazy SOBs on production lines wanting more for less...

The same ones that have had a 3% pay rise in three years? Or the same people who lost 2/3rds of their workforce to remain competitive but still produce more than half the cars of only 4 years ago? A qualified rigger at fords is on $26 an hour, is that overpaid? What is your idea of a fair wage?

The problem with manufacturing costs in Australia is things like payroll tax, land tax, income tax and soon, carbon tax. There is a tax on bloody everything. And workcover premiums may as well be a tax too.

Also, the safety standards on equipment and processes is much higher in Australia, it costs a lot of money to provide the safety features and services that the auto manufacturers provide their employees.

You don't believe that we in Australia are different? Then check this out......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMOBqRVDOYQ