US loss to cost Holden $1bn a year

[imugli]

Originally Posted by z80

It's been proven in the last 30 years that the trend is towards fuel efficient cars.

Yes there are blips in the last10 years of cheap petrol, but the price always eventually rises.....and GM and ford have ignored the warning signs.

Commodores/Pontiacs are not efficient on fuel....quite the opposite.

Even when GMH made a 4 cylinder Commodore in the 1980's it used as much fuel as a 6 cyl.

GMH have read the market wrong, apart from a few forum enthusiasts and company fleet buyers...Commodores are thirsty chariots compared to the Jap and european offerings.

Goodbye and good riddance I say.....

15 litres per 100 kilometres is obscene fuel consumption in 2009.

I couldn't agree more. But if 3000 yanks want to buy these things and keep a few aussies in jobs, sell them as flipping Daewoo's for all I care. Not to mention the fact that I think we've all moved on a little from the Opel 4cyl (Recalls fond (not) memories of my sister's PLUS4 Torana - MASSIVE AGGRESSIVE Flared body kit, Itty Bitty little 4cyl engine)

Right now, the only reason Holden aren't sacking half their staff is because they can't afford to pay redundancies and whilst I have no heartfelt attachment to Holden whatsoever, I still want those blokes to be able to pay their mortgages and put bread and water on their tables... Alas, it all looks too late...

[GK]

Originally Posted by flappist

Just because an engine complies with a standard somewhere else does not mean it complies here and even if it does it still must be engineered into the vehicle at enormous expense.

Euro 4 or 5 is the same the world over isn't it?

GK

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by GK

Euro 4 or 5 is the same the world over isn't it?

GK

Yeah. Were a little behind Europe and the states. It's more the poorer countries that dont have emission control.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by cosmo20btt

Dont know about l/cruiser but i do know that all early crown/ cressida had mercedes benz emblems still on the block, so the castings were straight from MB.

Ford were offered the VW factory for free after ww2. But henry Ford 2 turned it down calling the car a little box.

Not one of his better decisions.

[R-Design]

I'm not sure if this is more GMH positive spin, but it sounds like the G8 might rise from the ashes afterall. If so it's another missed opportunity for Ford AU & US.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2575A6001F0097

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by Boss315

I'm not sure if this is more GMH positive spin, but it sounds like the G8 might rise from the ashes afterall. If so it's another missed opportunity for Ford AU & US.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2575A6001F0097

isn't it obvious to Ford US that the Falcon is is the only car in its stable that is
capable of competing against the US Commode if it was to become available to the US police force?

[imugli]

I'm sure it is but remember that GM already have the support structure in place for the VE. The engine is a straight bolt in crate engine, the gearboxes are parts bin boxes, the platform is used (produced) for the Camaro.

The Falcon can't do LHD at the moment (Steering arm doesn't fit, from memory), it uses a German 6 speed that no other Ford does and an orphan engine. Supporting it would be a nightmare and cost a bomb to implement.

Here's an out there idea...

We now know that GM own all the IP for the Zeta platform and produce it over there now for the Camaro. How much of a stretch would it be for them to simply, instead of importing Commodore from Oz, produce a run (even in CKD form) in a Camaro plant? Is it absolutely out of the question that GM start producing the Commodore over there (where volume supports costs) and Oz ends up a CKD plant for it alongside CRuze derivatives? Given that they're talking about utes as well, I personally don't think so...

[Nikked]

[QUOTE=imugli]
The Falcon can't do LHD at the moment (Steering arm doesn't fit, from memory), it uses a German 6 speed that no other Ford does and an orphan engine. Supporting it would be a nightmare and cost a bomb to implement.
QUOTE]

the FG is LHD friendly, it was designed with LHD in mind. Ford Us just didn't see it fit in the marketpace in these unstable times.

[imugli]

[QUOTE=Nikked]

Originally Posted by imugli

The Falcon can't do LHD at the moment (Steering arm doesn't fit, from memory), it uses a German 6 speed that no other Ford does and an orphan engine. Supporting it would be a nightmare and cost a bomb to implement.
QUOTE]

the FG is LHD friendly, it was designed with LHD in mind. Ford Us just didn't see it fit in the marketpace in these unstable times.

I believe the steering arm fouls something on the 4l engine, deeming it unsuitable. It's been mentioned here a couple of times...

[Road_Warrior]

The FG Falcon is design protected for LHD, meaning that there is nothing in the current structure or configuration that will prohibit the implementation of LHD if the green light was given to develop it.

[z80]

Originally Posted by csv8

US loss to cost Holden $1bn a year
Article from: The Sunday Mail (Qld)



Carly Crawford

April 26, 2009 12:00am

EMBATTLED carmaker Holden stands to lose up to $1 billion a year when its ailing United States parent dumps major brand Pontiac.

General Motors is this week expected to announce plans to ditch or sell the brand as it desperately works to stave off bankruptcy.

That means the maker of Australia's most popular car could be in for more pain.

Holden had been banking on exporting 30,000 VE Commodores each year to the US, where the model is sold as the high-performance Pontiac G8.

VE Commodore exports began last year in a deal worth about $1 billion a year.

Holden builds the left-hand drive VE Commodore – with help from a $6.7 million Federal Government loan – at its plant in Elizabeth, South Australia.

The company spent $77 million preparing the plant for the vehicle's production, hailing the project as the future of the Elizabeth plant.

The deal was expected to lift Holden exports to 70,000 a year – half its total production.

Although the car was well-received by US auto critics, the world economic crisis meant the G8, which retails for $A53,000 in North America, has failed to achieve strong sales.

Only about half the 25,000 G8s delivered to the US have been sold.

Holden, which has not made a profit since 2004, had hoped VE Commodore exports would reach up to 50,000 a year.

It is Holden's second blow this year over Pontiac's demise.

In January, Pontiac shelved plans to import a G8 ute from Australia as its performance sports truck.

Not looking good for Holden, bright side, more FORDS will be sold downunder !!!

I've just re-read the first post in this thread.

Congratulations Holden..it's the same as Mitsubishi all over again...the same story, almost word for word..

(a) A car with a big engine
(b) relying on exports to the US to justify investment
(c) Government "grants" due to projected export earnings
(d) a high aussie dollar making the product over $50k in the US
(e) the plant is in Adelaide...LOL



Oh well....looks like disasters come in two's...or is it threes??

[Gobes32]

The worst part for all involved is the uncertainty. GM know they are in major poo, the whole world knows they are as well....... Why do they not come out and say "This is where we are at, this is what we will do and these are the brands that are disappearing"

Not long now till deadline and Holden do not know where they stand in the big scheme of things. It's a joke.

[Daymoe]

The deadline is June 1st right?

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by Daymoe

The deadline is June 1st right?

Yep, sure is.

One month to change this mess around ... good luck with that GM!

[Falc'man]

Filing for bankruptcy may sound bad but I think it's what GM want; a new start without being bound to the UAW?

[R-Design]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Filing for bankruptcy may sound bad but I think it's what GM want; a new start without being bound to the UAW?

You mean, apart from being owned by them & the US Gov't.

[TERMINATOR X]

Originally Posted by Eu-GenixX

i think you'd find most holden customers would probably switch to toyota

Not if they want 300 kw+ RWD beasts they wouldn't.
Or just a nice looking car.
Or just a turbo.
Or just a V8.
Or just a GT.
Or just a typhoon.
Or just a nice burble.
Or just a quick car.
Or just an aussie car.

:evil3:

[TERMINATOR X]

Toyota can lick my sack.

[Watto_Cobra]

Originally Posted by TERMINATOR X

Toyota can lick my sack.

^^^ : You read my mind.