Holden’s bold plan to ‘de-bogan’ its image, appeal more to Chinese and Indian buyers

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by MethodX

Details.... in the end it comes down to product.
Ford need some exciting cars that sell besides Ranger...

Just call it GMH... as long as the product is good.

Fords product is actually ok. Ranger and Mustang are currently best sellers in their class. The Focus, Mondeo and Everest are all award winning. They have the RS Focus on the way. Ford has work to do marketing their small range but at least they have something to work with.

The problem with Holden is outside of the Commodore I cant think of anything off the top of my head that has been near the top of its class or won anything in the last 20 years. Its selling cars purely off the Aussie image which will be gone soon.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...257F5C001862A1

From the article -
"FORMER top-level Telstra manager Peter Jamieson has joined GM Holden as executive director of ‘customer experience’ in a move that sees the car-maker increase its focus on customer service as it transitions to a national sales company next year with the closure of its Australian manufacturing operations."




OMG
I would hardly think the Telstra 'customer experience' is something to benchmark!

Hmm.. americans purposely putting incompetent staff behind the wheel. Kind of like 2008 when all of a sudden Geoff Polites gets shipped off and some random black american dude (osbourne?) is suddenly CEO of Ford Australia. Clueless about the Australian market, he soon left and Ford lost its direction and we know how it all ended.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

Fords product is actually ok. Ranger and Mustang are currently best sellers in their class. The Focus, Mondeo and Everest are all award winning. They have the RS Focus on the way. Ford has work to do marketing their small range but at least they have something to work with.

The problem with Holden is outside of the Commodore I cant think of anything off the top of my head that has been near the top of its class or won anything in the last 20 years. Its selling cars purely off the Aussie image which will be gone soon.

New astra and insignia vxr

Mondeo has practically always been invisible, despite the later ones being decent carfs.

[Qwerty321]

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

So you're not a bogan ?

Is it possible to be both brown and bogan

Growing up my idol was Greg Murphy and my all time favorite car was a VE Maloo. Now my dream car is a XB Falcon GT Sedan (Which I want to tastefully mod so that it has a blower), so yea, don't know what that says about me

Originally Posted by MethodX

New astra and insignia vxr

Mondeo has practically always been invisible, despite the later ones being decent carfs.

Yea but Insignia VXR and Astra aren't worth the price. If you're buying foreign, there are many better cars for the same price than a rebadged Opel.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Qwerty321

Is it possible to be both brown and bogan

Growing up my idol was Greg Murphy and my all time favorite car was a VE Maloo. Now my dream car is a XB Falcon GT Sedan (Which I want to tastefully mod so that it has a blower), so yea, don't know what that says about me



Yea but Insignia VXR and Astra aren't worth the price. If you're buying foreign, there are many better cars for the same price than a rebadged Opel.

Matter or perspective.... Opel's sales have been growing steadily in Europe, so they must be doing something right.

VeeWhee is a working class bogan car in Europe.... here its a pinky in the air brand.

[The Snout]

Holden's best days in this country are done. They really have nothing appealing in their line up and they are about to cut off the locally made 'Aussie' loyalty angle.

Whatever they do they need to take a page from Hyundai or Kia and that is any transformation will need to be a long term process of improvement. There's no quick fix to the stink.

Same can be said of Ford. Ford has some good cars and has a head start plus can leverage off the name overseas (though that isn't helping much). But the customer service problems and image problems, it's not something a few "Ford - We're moving with you" ads are going to fix. They need a culture change. IMO.

[Express]

A car enthusiast may see Ford has an advantage because it has some great cars out in the market place but the average A to B consumer doesn’t see it which puts Ford in the same boat as Holden or even worse.

Marketing focused on changing perceptions will be the key.

[Falcman0o7]

Who wants to go rip some hellys bras?!

[marty351]

Can't bruh, still retread in mi skiddies

[fps_grandma]

Holden appealing more to Chinese?
The last time my parents had a Holden was the Holden Astra/Nissan Pulsar Button plan rebadge speciale. Engine decided to give up the ghost after over 15 years.
Here's an idea, maybe GM Holden could strike a deal with Toyota Motor Corporation and rebadge the Toyota Corolla as a Holden Nova or something of that ilk LOL.
Unless it turns into the rebadge 86/BRZ wonder duo where most sales go to the 86 anyway.

GM Holden could always flog off the Captiva to some mug who wants an SUV like everyone else but still thinks every Holden in its lineup is true blue Aussie.
Meanwhile Chevy badges on Holden cars continue to amuse me. Chev Chev Chev.

I bought a Ford Falcon because one of so many reasons are you don't see this anywhere around the world and it's a relatively simple rear drive sedan, another automotive unicorn.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by fps_grandma

Holden appealing more to Chinese?
The last time my parents had a Holden was the Holden Astra/Nissan Pulsar Button plan rebadge speciale. Engine decided to give up the ghost after over 15 years.
Here's an idea, maybe GM Holden could strike a deal with Toyota Motor Corporation and rebadge the Toyota Corolla as a Holden Nova or something of that ilk LOL.
Unless it turns into the rebadge 86/BRZ wonder duo where most sales go to the 86 anyway.

GM Holden could always flog off the Captiva to some mug who wants an SUV like everyone else but still thinks every Holden in its lineup is true blue Aussie.
Meanwhile Chevy badges on Holden cars continue to amuse me. Chev Chev Chev.

I bought a Ford Falcon because one of so many reasons are you don't see this anywhere around the world and it's a relatively simple rear drive sedan, another automotive unicorn.

again with the Chevrolet badges.... man.
Do mustang bits on a cheap compact sedan amuse you? that's basically what the GT and phase 3 were.

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by tempted

Don't waste your time, some people are just too thick.

Bringing up Chev badges is a tired old cliche some people cling to because they don't have any legitimate argument to bring up. Much like those who call the Cruze a Daewoo even though it comes down the same production line as the Commodore and the Daewoo name has been defunct for almost a decade.

the cruze is one miserable car

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

the cruze is one miserable car

Hoping the next cruze will be a step up... it will have to be if GM wants to be in the game.

Have the Thai built Focus been good quality wise?

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by new2ford

"Holden Vindaloo" has a nice ring to it as a model name.

You could drive it home, warn it up and eat it

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by tempted

Sri-V with the 1.6 turbo is far from miserable. I can think of plenty of worse cars that receive praise.

Just because there are worse cars doesn't mean it's a good car. But they are as bad as a Camry for wanting to drive one 😵🔫

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by MethodX

Hoping the next cruze will be a step up... it will have to be if GM wants to be in the game.



Have the Thai built Focus been good quality wise?

I think besides that silly power drive transmission they have been good. The focus is a great steerer but underpowered

[skoobysGT]

I'm Asian and would not be caught dead in a Camry.

[irish2]

I am a bogan. Besides a 300C SRT what is left for me?

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by MethodX

Hoping the next cruze will be a step up... it will have to be if GM wants to be in the game.

Have the Thai built Focus been good quality wise?

no better or worse than Hilux, Ranger, Everest, BT50, Triton, Colarado, Honda, etc......

[Express]

Originally Posted by new2ford

"Holden Vindaloo" has a nice ring to it as a model name.

That'd give me the ****s

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by fps_grandma

I bought a Ford Falcon because one of so many reasons are you don't see this anywhere around the world and it's a relatively simple rear drive sedan, another automotive unicorn.

I'm with you on that. On a global scale, Falcon and Territory are incredibly unique, distinct and different (far less common than a BMW 3 or a Focus for example), and then add in they have been evolved for our automotive landscape over half a century, they really are a megafauna all of our own. Utes even more so.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by tempted

I agree it's ridiculous.

I have all my teeth, don't have a mullet, don't wear flannellete shirts, am educated, don't drink, smoke or do drugs, don't do burnouts and don't have any other characteristics that would class me as a bogan, yet somehow driving a Commodore or Falcon makes me a bogan???

Spot on, same here. I like maintaining older Falcons in immaculate factory condition, so I'm an anorak and a university educated bogan at the same time. Ah, Australia, where else can you combine such diverse interests?

[Syndrome]

Easy solution to get rid of the bogan image - get rid of this from all of their cars.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Easy solution to get rid of the bogan image - get rid of this from all of their cars.

image

Just restyle it.... go back to the old version.
Or have GMH on a blue and white badge....

[danzvtil]

My work has had an Insignia VXR all week on loan to try to get the boss to trade the sales managers VE SS, you cant say theyre not trying.
I asked the Holden fleet manager how business was, he said tough, we cant give holdens away at the moment.

[superyob]

Originally Posted by MethodX

again with the Chevrolet badges.... man.
Do mustang bits on a cheap compact sedan amuse you? that's basically what the GT and phase 3 were.

Putting Chevrolet badges on a Commodore really is silly. They bear no relation to each other except for a common engine on the odd occasion. Imagine the sniggers if Mercury badges were put on Falcons...

[FalconXV]

This will win them over.

[Kingsley]

Originally Posted by MethodX

Just restyle it.... go back to the old version.
Or have GMH on a blue and white badge....

I wouldn't be surprised if the Holden moniker disappears altogether after 2018 for another GM name replaces it. They've already tried to re-introduce the Vaxhaull name plate without too much success. Then there was the case recently of visiting GM execs that were taking photo's of Commodores with different GM brand badges and showing management in Detroit in an attempt to dilute the Holden name. Someone over there must be must be thinking seriously about it.

[Falcman0o7]

Originally Posted by FalconXV

image

This will win them over.

PMSL! Thats awesome

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by tempted

That's a pretty stupid thing to say. Why tarnish the entire brand because of a handful of bogans? There are bogans in Fords too, do we get rid of the Ford badge as well?

But ford bogans are the good ones apparently.