Top secret report reveals new-look Holden with no V8

[JG33]

At Least we have the Mustang.

From Perth Now website:

THE Holden V8 is set to disappear from showrooms for the first time since 1968. And the new Holden Commodore - if it gets built - will be a front-wheel-drive car with about as much pizzazz as a Toyota Camry.
A confidential South Australian Government report into Holden's manufacturing future - leaked to The Adelaide Advertiser - makes grim reading for Holden fans.
It says the company is not likely to have a rear-wheel-drive car - and therefore a V8 - beyond 2016, or 2018 at a stretch.
"The true impact of not retaining this offering is not clear. However GMH is likely to experience some sales erosion sand migration to other brands," said the report prepared by University of Adelaide Professor Goran Roos for the SA Government.


When the Falcon and its performance models bow out in 2016, Ford will import the Mustang coupe from the US to appeal to the enthusiast market.
"The next gen model mix also excludes the ute variant," the report said, confirming a News Corp Australia exclusive from a fortnight ago.


If Holden keeps making cars in Australia from 2016 to 2022 it will be the first time since the first ever Holden - the 1948 "FX" - that its flagship model will be front-wheel-drive.
The front-wheel-drive car that Holden says it will call the "Commodore" will be made with mostly imported parts, the report says, putting further pressure on local parts suppliers.
That in turn is expected to force Toyota Australia's hand with a factory closure in 2017, a year after Holden and when the Camry model cycle is due to come to an end.

[1TUFFUTE]

You can option it any colour you want tho to make up for its FWD......as long as it's WHITE

[rab]

We're losing car manufacture and you think its funny ? Regardless of it being Holden, losing manufacture of local cars is bad.

As for the fwd thing and no v8, sad, very sad.

[Express]

Originally Posted by JG33

At Least we have the Mustang.

From Perth Now website:

THE Holden V8 is set to disappear from showrooms for the first time since 1968. -

To appease the V8 diehards it may improve the case for a RHD Camaro and maybe Cadillac.

The R&D on both has already been done, it’s just the business model that needs to be in tune for it to happen.


.

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by rab

We're losing car manufacture and you think its funny ? Regardless of it being Holden, losing manufacture of local cars is bad.

As for the fwd thing and no v8, sad, very sad.

Yeah mate it is funny...because it's been a foregone conclusion for along time now. This is overall very old news( despite the FWD fact). Not to mention there are a million articles about this topic now.
I've said my bit a billion times about this gov farce and how they've failed us....but that's old......moving on!

[Crazy Dazz]

Hardly “top secret,” it has been known for a long time that the next commode will be FWD with a V6 and 4 cylinder options…

NB: Not sure how they would import Camaros, since they are based on the outgoing Commode platform.

[wookie836]

Camira II

[Express]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

NB: Not sure how they would import Camaros, since they are based on the outgoing Commode platform.

With the Commodore being dead and unwanted in Oz so does that now mean the Camaro which is manufactured in Canada or any subsequent versions of it is done and dusted in North America as well?

I’ve not read any articles where they have even alluded to that fact. The new model is due for release in 2015.


.

[stevz]

Let me guess, another Dowling article. If so it should be taken with a grain of salt like all the other nonsense and drivel he comes up with.


As I have previously stated several times, large fwd cars have NEVER been successful in Australia. The VF is selling well. Why on earth would they replace a car that is selling well with one that will struggle to sell even a third of today's levels?

Dowling can go and jump off a cliff for all I care. I will believe it when I see it.

[stevz]

Originally Posted by Express

With the Commodore being dead and unwanted in Oz so does that now mean the Camaro which is manufactured in Canada or any subsequent versions of it is done and dusted in North America as well?

I’ve not read any articles where they have even alluded to that fact. The new model is due for release in 2015.


.

3300 sales last month and in the top 3 but its "dead and unwanted?"

[Express]

Originally Posted by stevz

3300 sales last month and in the top 3 but its "dead and unwanted?"

So says all the media.

Don't be offended, I’m not anti-Holden, far far from it. It’s just a phrase I’ve used to lead into the real comment in my post.

I’m gutted to see the Commodore and Falcon disappear (V8's in particular) and I’m a firm believer subsidised manufacturing of cars in Australia should be a government priority.

And to be honest from a business perspective, the Commodore is a new release model and if its sales can’t be competitive at release then the door would already be closed on it, no ifs and buts. Let’s see where those sales are in 12 months time and then jump on my case if you wish too.


.

[barra240t]

Can't wait to sell Mustang in our showrooms.

[grey_esp]

They are already building it, its called Malibu.

I reckon, depending on the success of commadore in the US, they will eventually build them there or in south America somewhere, then they will just import V8 commodores back to australia to keep the die hards happy.

[FPV8U]

From what i have read it sounds like the next Camaro will be based off an all new Platform and no longer on the current (Heavy) version.

Commodore will be little more than a locally (Possibly) made Malibu with a few style changes to make it "Australian".

As expected all signs point towards Fords closure starting the domino effect on GM/Holden and then finally Toyota.

[vztrt]

Holden wouldn't be that stupid (Ford had to learn the hard way). If the V8 were to go there would be some performance based vehicle in their line up to replace it.

[Express]

Originally Posted by FPV8U

From what i have read it sounds like the next Camaro will be based off an all new Platform and no longer on the current (Heavy) version.

Commodore will be little more than a locally (Possibly) made Malibu with a few style changes to make it "Australian".

As expected all signs point towards Fords closure starting the domino effect on GM/Holden and then finally Toyota.

You are possibly right as this is what the US media have been saying for some time.

So far GM won’t confirm what the new platform is.

There is speculation it will share the same underpinnings as the Cadillac CTS.

Still GM’s only comment is that they are consolidating their rear wheel drive products and will be moving production of the Camaro from Canada to the US to make assembly more cost effective.

Camaro isn’t dead yet.

There would be a market for it in Australia similar to that of the Mustang but whether they would ever bring it here, well I wouldn’t hold my breath.



.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by Express

You are possibly right as this is what the US media have been saying for some time.

So far GM won’t confirm what the new platform is.

There is speculation it will share the same underpinnings as the Cadillac CTS.

Still GM’s only comment is that they are consolidating their rear wheel drive products and will be moving production of the Camaro from Canada to the US to make assembly more cost effective.

Camaro isn’t dead yet.

There would be a market for it in Australia similar to that of the Mustang but whether they would ever bring it here, well I wouldn’t hold my breath.
.

From what I have read it would be the Alpha platform, the one underpinning the Caddy ATS.

[FPV GTHO]

It's been all but confirmed the next gem Camaro will shift to the Alpha platform, shared with the Cadillac ATS and CTS. There's been rumours too though that there will be a 4 door based off this to replace the Chevy SS, which we could get imported.

[FalconXV]

Pretty sure they can still make a decent performance sedan with an FWD platform ( lukewarm at least). Look at the Ralliart Magna, was that not a good thing?
Anyway what are all the yobbos going to aspire to now??? I guess they'll stick to their VN's and maybe E39 Beemers will become tainted.

[TC200six]

I was led to believe Holden won't even survive that long. Mitsubishi released plans to facelift the 380 in late 2007, but it never happened, the opted to close instead. So this sounds like a similar situation, they have plans incase they survive, but won't survive. I'm not saying I want this to happen, but if Holden is just about dead already (supposedly), how are they going to last with a FWD sedan, especially if it will cause them a "sales erosion".

[290GTP]

At least the Falcon's going out with dignity. I would hate to see the Falcon nameplate resurface on some FWD ****box like whats happening with the C'dore.

[aussie muscle]

Why does holden need to drop the v8? the unit is a fully-imported engine from chevy, all they need to do here is design it so it can be dropped straight in.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

Why does holden need to drop the v8? the unit is a fully-imported engine from chevy, all they need to do here is design it so it can be dropped straight in.

Because they won't have a rear drive car to put it in.


Although a rear drive 6 litre V8 cruize would be interesting....

[XRtowcar]

Hmmm, Impala is front wheel drive and doesn't have a V8 option?

[93EB_SXR6]

...but the 1948-215 (FX) was RWD, not FWD.

[jpblue1000]

I think the sales erosion experienced with loss of the V8 will be offset by a sales increase through producing a car people actually want. A smaller more efficient commodore or whatever they want to call it being AWD or FWD or RWD will gain sales over the current car. If it can also be made or largely assembled here by australians then it might just be a good thing. Most people will not lament the loss of V8's nor care which wheels propel the car. Under normal conditions, driven in suburban context you cant tell with modern other wheel drives.
And nanna, pop, aunty jane or gen y brother thomas arent goung to be trying to win every traffic light grand Prix...especially in Victoria where I believe having thoughts of speeding are punishable in room 101.

JP

[TC200six]

Originally Posted by XRtowcar

Hmmm, Impala is front wheel drive and doesn't have a V8 option?

It doesn't anymore. The older model did (being one of very few east-west V8 applications), but with the new model, a V6 is the largest engine they come with.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

I think the sales erosion experienced with loss of the V8 will be offset by a sales increase through producing a car people actually want. A smaller more efficient commodore or whatever they want to call it being AWD or FWD or RWD will gain sales over the current car. If it can also be made or largely assembled here by australians then it might just be a good thing. Most people will not lament the loss of V8's nor care which wheels propel the car. Under normal conditions, driven in suburban context you cant tell with modern other wheel drives.
And nanna, pop, aunty jane or gen y brother thomas arent goung to be trying to win every traffic light grand Prix...especially in Victoria where I believe having thoughts of speeding are punishable in room 101.

JP

But no one wants medium/large FWD's either. You have the Camry that sells around 2000 a month and then the Mazda 6 that sells about 500. Aurion only sells about 700.

V8 sales in Commodore make up about 40% of sales, that's too big a chunk to ever make up, not to mention ute and LWB which will go too.

I just can't fathom how they could think a FWD Commodore would ever sell in all but small numbers. Even the current VF is selling in barely viable numbers and it's only going to sink further once the new car attraction wears off.

I remember when FG was released, 3500 a month was the minimum number they required per month to get the funding required to build it. And it never reached that outside the first couple of months. I think the VF is already selling in un-viable numbers.

We just need to face the facts, the aussie car industry is dead and unless the government is going to go all out with tariffs and other industry protection no amount of money they throw at it is going to solve the problem of people shopping for imports. Its a sad time.

[Davehoos]

Camira II

don't laugh-I started my apprentiship in 1981-and camira kept the dealer from going bottom up--the technical stuff that spun off it was great---just after 3 years most people hated it--but we sold loads of JE 2.0.

the loads of worn out Gemini and 2.8 VH commodore vacationer.
HG an HZ-2.0 jackaroo kept the service division afloat.

I travelled to the states in early 80's and the people bough escorts some small Chrysler and the biggest range of J-car and A car's

[Nikked]

HAve a think about it for a second...


GM-H are not that stupid to leave Australia without a V8 option, Holden may be thinking of producing two cars from the one platform here to cut costs etc...(if it happens). But there is no real clear indication of what way they will go, this report is not an official General Motors report, but an Independent report from a University.

Holden could use the Alpha platform here and build two cars, or they could build the Malibu and Impala here from the Epsilon platform...


Either way, Holden will not leave its customers without a V8, catered with either a Cadillac or Camaro...