USA Falls in Love with the VE

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by coupex

The USA has not fallen in love with the G8.
Sales have been well below the expected 3-4000 mth averaging 1500 mth.
Pontiac are discounting G8's at "employee price to all" to try and clear stock, G8 sedan (SV6) $25500, G8 GT (SS) $27800us.

Correct.. the car hasn't done very well at all in sales relative to the size of their market. 1500 units/m is the equivalent of about 100 units per month here.
The US have not fallen in love with it at all.

[Sprint347]

From speaking with some contacts in the USA I hear the G8 isn't overly popular, like the GTO (CV8) wasn't?

[AusM]

Originally Posted by sfr rob

Don't blame them, it's a great car.
I have my eyes on the new hsv tourer sportswagon.... it's an awesome looking machine, I wonder if they will be sending them abroad as well?

I'm pretty sure the exchange rate has killed off Holden exports for the moment...

[FalconXR6]

Another bloody VE thread!!!

I propose we ban all VE related talk...

[banarcus]

Originally Posted by FalconXR6

Another bloody VE thread!!!

I propose we ban all VE related talk...

Careful mate, your one eyed view, one in which I was earlier accused of having in this thread, may get you into hot water. I agree with you 100% though.

[fordlova8]

Originally Posted by banarcus

Careful mate, your one eyed view, one in which I was earlier accused of having in this thread, may get you into hot water. I agree with you 100% though.

Here Here!

[FTE217]

Yer exactely what a load of ROT !!
I have been going there for over 10yrs on business mixed with attending the SEMA show.
Since release of the Pontiac/commodore I have seen 1 and that was the Pedders promo car at the show. Success ? phhht ! and what the heck are we talking about the POS. Seems the marketing is getting to everyone here as well LOL......

[SM1DY]

Originally Posted by NIK516

great news for holden and GM and i congratulate all the designers and engineers that put the time and effort into the car.

And lets not forget....a BUTTLOAD OF MONEY

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Would you (or anyone else here) know if these sales are added on to the total number of monthly Commodore sales?

Nah mate only cars registered in oz.

Bluedriver- so your saying you only saw 1 in the US? Damm I saw 5 VE stato's in Shanghi.

[Sprint XR8]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Correct.. the car hasn't done very well at all in sales relative to the size of their market. 1500 units/m is the equivalent of about 100 units per month here.
The US have not fallen in love with it at all.

There are over 2700 pontiac dealers in the usa,thats less than one G8 sale per dealer per month.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Nah mate only cars registered in oz.

Bluedriver- so your saying you only saw 1 in the US? Damm I saw 5 VE stato's in Shanghi.

Yep last years 2wk stay end of Oct into Nov only 1....look they got to be out there for sure I'll keep a count when I'm there end of next month again.
Funny you mention Shanghai been there 3 times to date this year (admittedly overnight though half day with a driver) and will be there again in 2wks on the way down south, I haven't seen a wagon, will post after this trip.

[burnz]

i think youell find that the G8 will last one year till the yank's tool up for full production,
and make it home grown us style, the president and the union's have said this many times.
"american cars will be made by american's" (george bush sr )

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by burnz

i think youell find that the G8 will last one year till the yank's tool up for full production,
and make it home grown us style, the president and the union's have said this many times.
"american cars will be made by american's" (george bush sr )

It its current sales trend continues i doubt they'll other....

[burnz]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

It its current sales trend continues i doubt they'll Bother....

yep you are right munro comes to mind.
but i think this will allway stand for holden.

[vanman_75]

yes i wouldnt like to be relieing on money from the us for quite a while ,in this climate it is not any car failing ,but no market .
cheap and economical vehicles may hold up but ,if you cant afford to live you aint gunna go buying a new car .
exporting to such a market may actually cost more than the profit

[MethodX]

Americans dont seem to want to pay decent money for a Pontiac.
GM ruined Pontiacs image with crap cars for many years.

Plus a lot say its to Euro looking.
Needs screaming Eagles and ripply cladding.

[IDT]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Lets not forget for one moment how close Ford/GM/Chrysler are to shutting shop altogether, thus any hasty decisions made could well and truly mean their end.

Ford are no where near shutting shop. Who says they are? As for hasty decisions, where does procrastination get them?

Ford like GM and Toyota are truly global companies, whose decisions are not based on the success of any single model. Little Ford does is quick let alone knee jerk, but a hell of a lot is way too slow and very reactionary all be it often so late it is expected (at least in this country). i.e. return of the V8, FPV V's HSV. Active Stability Control etc etc

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by WAForce8

Ford are no where near shutting shop. Who says they are? As for hasty decisions, where does procrastination get them?

Ford like GM and Toyota are truly global companies, whose decisions are not based on the success of any single model. Little Ford does is quick let alone knee jerk, but a hell of a lot is way too slow and very reactionary all be it often so late it is expected (at least in this country). i.e. return of the V8, FPV V's HSV. Active Stability Control etc etc

Okay, if this article is fundamentally flawed in it's information, implying Holden's export of the VE is a success, and also ignoring the fact GM have put an end to the global Zeta platform, why is it a bad idea to then tell those who are singing it's (GTO's) praise earlier in this thread that this ISN'T the path Ford should take? It's a flop, and they (the posters) are saying that it is a failure (for Ford) if Ford is NOT mimicking a flop. The hastiness and knee-jerk reaction I'm talking about is pointed at the majority of readers buying into what is a misleading article. Ford aren't procrastinating and instead, as mentioned before, have a longer term strategy that looks a lot more robust and fruitful than GM's.

[ORSM-XT]

Originally Posted by sfr rob

Don't blame them, it's a great car.
I have my eyes on the new hsv tourer sportswagon.... it's an awesome looking machine, I wonder if they will be sending them abroad as well?

The Holden Sportswagon is an exterior copy of the Chrysler 300c SRT Touring Wagon.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by bomberboy1991

The Holden Sportswagon is an exterior copy of the Chrysler 300c SRT Touring Wagon.

The sportswagon looks better.

[IDT]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Okay, if this article is fundamentally flawed in it's information, implying Holden's export of the VE is a success, and also ignoring the fact GM have put an end to the global Zeta platform, why is it a bad idea to then tell those who are singing it's (GTO's) praise earlier in this thread that this ISN'T the path Ford should take? It's a flop, and they (the posters) are saying that it is a failure (for Ford) if Ford is NOT mimicking a flop. The hastiness and knee-jerk reaction I'm talking about is pointed at the majority of readers buying into what is a misleading article. Ford aren't procrastinating and instead, as mentioned before, have a longer term strategy that looks a lot more robust and fruitful than GM's.

I stand corrected on the knee jerk reaction, I also don't think it a bad idea for Ford Oz to follow a good idea such as export. Just don't do it so damned slowly (hence procastinate about it) As for Fords long term strategy, I rather think we should be developing new models in Oz rather than building another countries design (Focus). When it comes to technology in general, we tend to export people with brains at a much faster rate than the products of people with brains.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by WAForce8

I stand corrected on the knee jerk reaction, I also don't think it a bad idea for Ford Oz to follow a good idea such as export. Just don't do it so damned slowly (hence procastinate about it) As for Fords long term strategy, I rather think we should be developing new models in Oz rather than building another countries design (Focus). When it comes to technology in general, we tend to export people with brains at a much faster rate than the products of people with brains.

Yes, I can agree with your way of thought. The problem Ford Au have is they have no say in how they spend their cash, and Ford HQ makes all these decisions. Yes, the product is great when considering the budget, thus if they had a decent budget to design a platform they'd no doubt come up with something that is phenomenal. They (Ford Au) do have a major role to play in the next GRWD, and they're already working on a global light truck (T6) which shouldn't be too far from completion. So, as I see it, Ford HQ do recognise Ford Au's engineering excellence and have been included in strategies for the future. The focus on Focus is purely based on where the market is heading.

[Wally]

Was the G8 supposed to be a volume seller?

Looking at the various G8 Nation articles everyone seems tickled pink with it. The average "on the dealer lot" time in July was 11 days, while the M5 was 165 days. This made the G8 the 8th fastest selling sedan in the US.

I really don't know as much about the G8, but apparently the 2008 model has been been gazumped by the sales of the 2009 model.