Terrible news for the future of the Commodore

[monkeys437]

I came across this article this morning. Looks like from 2014 there will be no Aussie made RWD commodore. There have been rumors of this for several years but this sound pretty reliable. Not good news for those of us who like large RWD's



Jobs at risk as Holden looks to scale down Commodore production | Herald Sun

[davey g-force]

I think somebody has got their story wrong.

Holden Commodore design could go offshore

Basically that says that the DESIGN will go offshore, but production will continue here in Oz...

[Ian Johnston]

Ford are going to do it, so why not Holden? Just hope its an early April fools joke

[Rufys]

Australian manufacturing labour costs companies far too much. Coupled with the vast majority thinking primarily about two things, fuel efficiency and safety, when buying a car, the end of the Commodore (and Falcon for that matter) as we know it is inevitable.

*yawn*

[monkeys437]

I think somebody has got their story wrong.

Holden Commodore design could go offshore

Basically that says that the DESIGN will go offshore, but production will continue here in Oz...

In the article I read this morning when I first posted the link, It clearly said the commodore would be ending and Holden would moving to a mid size FWD platform based on a global platform and that was quoted from APESMA.

The story has been updated a few times since then and doesn't say that anymore.

[Reaper]

I think somebody has got their story wrong.

Holden Commodore design could go offshore

Basically that says that the DESIGN will go offshore, but production will continue here in Oz...

I'd rate it at 90% chance of happening for design and 60% for production unless govco puts more money in based on what I heard this morning from non-media sources. Terrible news.

Reaper

[88GreenVN]

If true - Stock up on rear wheel drive Commodores NOW before it's too late

I see the price of the last rear wheel drive Statesman and Caprice firming in the years to come. People will probably at first reject a front wheel drive (designed in China or USA wont matter) car/Commodore replacement. So for a few years the second hand market in RWD Commodore based cars will hold firm before in time the second release of the FWD disaster (in my eyes) Commodore replacement.

Wont matter if it is designed in Aus or over seas.

[Reaper]

If true - Stock up on rear wheel drive Commodores NOW before it's too late

I see the price of the last rear wheel drive Statesman and Caprice firming in the years to come. People will probably at first reject a front wheel drive (designed in China or USA wont matter) car/Commodore replacement. So for a few years the second hand market in RWD Commodore based cars will hold firm before in time the second release of the FWD disaster (in my eyes) Commodore replacement.

Wont matter if it is designed in Aus or over seas.

I'd suggest RWD Commodores will be good till near the end of the decade at least. Production would be phased out in Australia with it's successor being 100% engineered and built off shore. It's not only about labour cost. The high AUS$ is yet another death blow for Australian manufacturing and it appears to be staying up there for the foreseeable future.

Reaper

[VL_5SPEED]

mehhhhh doesnt concern me

[Gravity]

I hope rwd v8 remain available.

[Shedvl]

Un-Australian.

[Rusty]

Un-Australian.

Bahhh I hate that word! The VE is the ugliest and worst designed (appearance wise) commodore in my opinion. No wonder they don't want to use the engineers here anymore!

It'll be interesting to see what happens

[MikeCuzzy]

Well the VE was perhaps the best Commodore ever built, suppose it's good to end up the top, hopefully the next series of Commodore is better still.

I thought it was bad enough when they got rid of the good ol' aussie station wagon for the sportswagon. I wouldn't buy an offshore designed Commodore, even though my VT is built off the Omega they changed almost all of it when they got the design. It makes me sad that all of these big cars (lets face it family V6's aren't that big) are going they way of the history books :'(

[monkeys437]

Bit of an update from the CEO. According to him it seems the RWD Aussie engineered commodore is safe for the short to mid term. It's a bit hard to know what to believe with so many conflicting reports flying around. Gotta love the media sometimes


Holden general manager Mike Devereux said the union’s claims were not true.

“The things that we’re talking to the union about are things that are near the end of this decade, many years from now and frankly they’re confidential conversations which we’re supposed to have in the course of bargaining with our union,” Mr Devereux said.

“The next generation Commodore is an Australian car, we engineered and designed it in Port Melbourne, we’re going to build it in Adelaide,” Mr Devereux told ABC radio.

[itsArthurKomar]

#### this .. better stock up on your commodores boys and girls

[walkahz]

Damn it looks like ive decided to become an automotive engineer at the wrong time

[Verynice]

all about money money money... zzz -___-

[Reaper]

Damn it looks like ive decided to become an automotive engineer at the wrong time

Lols - Car production has been on shaky ground for 25+ years. Not sure why this should be a shock for anybody. Cars will still be made. You will probably have to move overseas to follow that career though.

Reaper

[Full Spectrum]

Most of Holden design group work outside of Holden. Holden is always designing cars and has been acknowledged as best within GM. Those designers could be removed from Holden and still work within the GM brand.. GM wants to reduce the amount of platforms they currently have. Whats going for Holden is Cadillac providing they still go RWD have a partner to work with. Holden was able to build the zeta cheaper and as good as Cadillac high cost platform. The zeta can be fitted with lighter materials and is extremely flexible. Something the Cadillac isnt. That should be large + for Holden its "flexibility". A Co Holden/Caddy rwd platform for 2020 might be as close as we come. On another note. Fully designed engineered Australian Commodore built overseas could be the outcome of hard heads.

[Drawnnite]

what i dont get is. isnt the commodore one of the best selling cars in aus behind if i remember right the Mazda 3?

why get rid of something if it is still selling?

[Gravity]

They'll keep it, but find ways to reduce design, engineering and production costs. Even BMW have 3 series made in S Africa for cost.

[monkeys437]

what i dont get is. isnt the commodore one of the best selling cars in aus behind if i remember right the Mazda 3?

why get rid of something if it is still selling?

I think its still number 1 this year. Corolla, Mazda 3 and hilux knock it off for some months if the dealers a pushing hard with specials but the commodore was still number 1 in YTD sales at the end of september.
The other thing too i'm pretty sure the ute and LWB models aren't counted with the commodore for the sales figures so I'd say overall the cars coming out of Adelaide are selling pretty well. Thats not to say the guys in suits in Detroit don't have other plans though.

[nathanVY]

This is what happens when we get a carbon tax that we didn't vote for ? I wonder.

Forces the few australian car manufacturers, to move offshore.

Good move gillard.

[psycho_smurf]

Haven't they pretty much stolen every commodore design from opel in since 1979 apart from the VE? What do these 300 chaps do, anything spartan worthy?

[Crisis63]

This is what happens when we get a carbon tax that we didn't vote for ? I wonder.

Forces the few australian car manufacturers, to move offshore.

Good move gillard.

I felt a piece of the sky falling myself this morning...