September 2013 Sales

[XR Martin]

Theres a particular Commodore model (SSV?) where the rims are made in the US, and that model is proving so popular that they are airfreighting the wheels into the country because they cant afford to wait the 6 weeks to seafreight them. Its costing them $1000 a set to send apparently.

[XR Martin]

Oh and the I20 sales are interesting.
They possibly have the worst design fault in a car that ive driven in a long time.
After about 15-20k the foam on the backrest of the front seats collapse, allowing a steel bar to protrude out of the seat and into your lower spine.
At first I thought it was a one off, but all the ones at work have gotten it.
I really cant believe how bad it is.

[Bossxr8]

What a surprise. GM fiddling with numbers while they sink deeper into the mess.

What's the bet they are doing whatever it takes to inflate the numbers so GM and the government approve funding for the next new models.

The large car segment is dead, Holden seem to have their fingers in their ears pretending it isn't happening.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Theres a particular Commodore model (SSV?) where the rims are made in the US, and that model is proving so popular that they are airfreighting the wheels into the country because they cant afford to wait the 6 weeks to seafreight them. Its costing them $1000 a set to send apparently.

Is that a case of the last model selling in such small numbers that any form of increase is going to look like a huge spike in demand. They certainly haven't planned for such an increase because the last model sold bugger all in the Redline edition.

[jpd80]

At the moment, there are close to 250 SS Sportwagons parked in Elizabeth with no preorders and this month,
Holden is about to build a whole bunch of SSV and Redlines that have not been ordered by anyone....

Holden dealers are swimming in SS stock, expect to see some impressive discounts to match Friends Of Ford....

Are the SSV rims used on the Export Chevrolet SS?
Airfreighting rims could be due to a need to fill US orders and meet shipping timetable.
It could also be due to the build calender than can't be shifted without even more upheaval.

[csv8]

Craptiva sells...Kuga doesn't ?? what does that tell you about the difference in marketing depts...between Ford and Holden.???? I still think Kuga Titanium is $5k overpriced. Ford cann't expect it to be priced and sell like a premium euro. It might be good but doesn't have BMW etc cred.

[jpd80]

Ecosport can't come quick enough...that will be more valuable sales.

[GAFA]

Kuga doesn't sell due to poor marketing by Ford Australia. In the UK and the USA(escape) it's one of the top sellers.

Have a look at the add for the VF, it shows all the tech features of the car and similar features are fitted to the Kuga. The Kuga went on sale here in April, months before the VF and Ford Australia had the the chance to show the Australian public the great tech/safety features, but instead went down the stupid path of using the Voice and only show us how you can select music hands free. And 6 months on that's all we see of the Kugs features.

[MrZ]

It doesn't sell because the name is very new. In Europe, the name has been around for 5 years, while in the US, the Escape nameplate is 12 years old. Here, the name is only 1 year old. Give it time.

[Kieron]

If its a new name, ford should be slapping it in our faces every chance they get.

The Territory was a new name and was a instant success iirc.

[bigwil]

Does anyone know total Falcons and Territory sales so far this year.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by bigwil

Does anyone know total Falcons and Territory sales so far this year.

Be patient, Russell is working on his usual monthly data reports, normally plenty of stats in there...

[MrZ]

Originally Posted by bigwil

Does anyone know total Falcons and Territory sales so far this year.

Territory 10439
Falcon 7083

Other:

Ranger 16070
Focus 15050

That's all I have.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Kieron

If its a new name, ford should be slapping it in our faces every chance they get.

The Territory was a new name and was a instant success iirc.

Mate the Ford Australia then was a completely different Ford Australia to what we have now. It's almost like a completely different company.

[UberKnee]

Thats good news. It may not save local manufacturing but it does show what smart government policies instead of just throwing money at Holden everytime they beg for it can do.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by jpd80

At the moment, there are close to 250 SS Sportwagons parked in Elizabeth with no preorders and this month,
Holden is about to build a whole bunch of SSV and Redlines that have not been ordered by anyone....

Holden dealers are swimming in SS stock, expect to see some impressive discounts to match Friends Of Ford....

Are the SSV rims used on the Export Chevrolet SS?
Airfreighting rims could be due to a need to fill US orders and meet shipping timetable.
It could also be due to the build calender than can't be shifted without even more upheaval.

SS is slow but SSV seems to be selling well.

Redline have the special wheels which are forged.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Holden Volt - 4

Why would you even bother.....

Neither Holden or dealers will get a return on Volt. With the amount of money dealers have had to spend to sell the shitboxes Holden should be ashamed.

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Mate the Ford Australia then was a completely different Ford Australia to what we have now. It's almost like a completely different company.

Not really sure what you referring too mate?

I'd actually suggest the market is completely different then and now and more than ever, you need to push a new product continuously to get it established.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Kieron

Not really sure what you referring too mate?

I'd actually suggest the market is completely different then and now and more than ever, you need to push a new product continuously to get it established.

I guess what I was getting at was the "passion" that was obvious back in the Geoff Polites/Territory/BA halcyon days which drove the company to market its products well.

Yes the market is different, so too is the drive behind pushing some of the products too it seems.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

SS is slow but SSV seems to be selling well.

Redline have the special wheels which are forged.

I know that but was wondering whether they are also an option on the Chevrolet SS export cars,
that could be the reason why Holden is air freighting them in to meet a deadline.

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

I guess what I was getting at was the "passion" that was obvious back in the Geoff Polites/Territory/BA halcyon days which drove the company to market its products well.

Yes the market is different, so too is the drive behind pushing some of the products too it seems.

I suspected that's where your coming from but wasn't sure. I totally agree too, the late great Geoff Polites tapped right into the market at the time and had it not been for him pushing the Territory, I'm almost certain the Falcon would have gone by now and definitely no FH.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Kieron

I suspected that's where your coming from but wasn't sure. I totally agree too, the late great Geoff Polites tapped right into the market at the time and had it not been for him pushing the Territory, I'm almost certain the Falcon would have gone by now and definitely no FH.

Without Senator Carr's intervention back in late 2011, there would have been no FH Falcon or updated Territory
and there's every likelihood that Ford would have closed operations at the end of 2014 - maybe earlier.

[russellw]

The first set of graphical stats have been uploaded for the month - they can be found HERE.

Cheers
Russ

[russellw]

The September Supplementary Stats have also been uploaded to the Tech portal and can be found HERE.

Cheers
Russ