DW I'm a Spray Painter!
Holden to build small four-cylinder car
Holden has confirmed it will build a fuel-efficient small four-cylinder car in Australia from 2010 in response to changing buyer tastes.
Taking advantage of the Government's $6 billion car plan, the new four-cylinder small car will be built at Holden's Elizabeth plant in Adelaide alongside the Commodore.
It will be powered by a new four-cylinder engine and optional diesel engine and use 20 per cent less fuel than Holden's current V6-powered Commodore. The new small car could also eventually have a hybrid engine.
The new small car is expected to create more than 1000 jobs when production starts in the third quarter of 2010.
To be based on the Chevrolet Cruze that will be built in at least four other General Motors plants around the world, the new vehicle was announced to Holden staff and their families at a press conference attended by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Industry Minister Kim Carr in Adelaide this morning.
The Holden announcement means that each of Australia's three car makers - Toyota, Holden and Ford - will be building a four-cylinder car by 2011. Each will also have either a diesel or hybrid engine.
Following on from the Torana, Gemini and Vectra the new Holden four-cylinder is planned to cement the future of local manufacturing by bolstering sales following a trend away from large cars such as the Holden Commodore and rival Ford Falcon.
Holden chairman and managing director Mark Reuss says the new small car will be powered by either an efficient direct injection petrol engine or a diesel engine.
Reuss says Australians are becoming increasingly aware of environmental concerns, not just the price of fuel.
"People are growing more aware of environmental issues. It's about reducing our dependence on foreign oil and making motoring better for the environment."
"Just as our leading Commodore range will continue to undergo technological development, this new vehicle will cater for growing demand for smaller cars focused on economy.
The new small car could also be exported to parts of Asia and other right-hand drive markets.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the Holden small car will make motoring more affordable.
"This new Holden small car is about jobs, the environment and the family budget.
He also says there are substantial environmental benefits as the Government embarks on its carbon reduction plan.
"It will drive your dollar further, it will take carbon out of the atmosphere and drive jobs into the future."
Mr Rudd paid tribute to Holden managing director Mark Reuss, who has been in the job for less than one year but has already brought fundamental change to the way the company works.
"Mark Reuss brought a breath of fresh air to the way in which this company carved out its future in this country. We are 100 per cent committed to having a local car industry."
The total investment for the program is expected to be almost $400 million, an estimated half of which will be provided by Holden.
The Federal Government is providing $149 million of funds backed up by $30 million from the South Australian Government.
The new Holden small car is expected to begin as a sedan and hatchback but could spawn other variants moving forward.
"Further phases of this new small car will create even more jobs [in the future]," says Mr Rudd.
The Holden announcement continues the re-shaping of the Australian car industry along more environmentally-sustainable lines.
Ford Australia will begin building the Focus small car including a fuel-efficient diesel version - in Australia from 2011, while Toyota will introduce a hybrid version of the Camry in 2010.
Holden has also considered a four-cylinder version of the Commodore. The last time Holden had a four-cylinder engine in the Commodore was in the early 1980s and the move turned out to be a sales disaster for the company.
But despite the recent fall in petrol prices, the move is not likely to have the same effect this time, as buyers have been flocking to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars for several years already.
Holden's V6 Commodore remains the most popular car in the Australian market, but its sales are propped up by sales to big business and Government, which have been slower than private customers to switch to smaller cars.
In recent years Toyota's Corolla has narrowed the gap on the Commodore and the Japanese small car outsold it early this year until Holden's new Commodore wagon helped the nameplate re-assert itself.
The Commodore's traditional rival, the Ford Falcon, has suffered from the changing buyer preferences even more, slipping to fifth place in the annual sales race after decades of being either the number one or number two car in the country.
At the moment, Toyota is the only local manufacturer to make a four-cylinder car. But its Camry, which shares underpinnings with the Toyota's Commodore rival, the Aurion V6, has struggled this year, with sales down by 10 per cent.
Despite those concerns, today's news is a welcome boost for the local industry, which has struggled against small imported cars in the past couple of years.
The introduction of a free-trade agreement with Thailand in 2005 has meant a flood of Japanese-designed, Thai-built cars that have made huge dents in the sales of locally-built cars. This year, Thai-built cars have almost outsold locally-built cars for the first time in history.
The announcement is also a shot in the arm for Holden's local operation, which has no doubt come under scrutiny from its troubled US parent General Motors as it tries to bounce back from the brink of bankruptcy.
GM has indicated it may shed non-core brands and vehicle lines as part of a US Government-funded restructure aimed at re-shaping the company to better compete with its Japanese rivals.
Both General Motors and Ford have hinted that they may suspend development of rear-wheel-drive large vehicles, which could potentially cripple their Australian operations.
Holden leads General Motors' rear-wheel-drive development program and exports re-badged Commodores to the United States under the Pontiac brand, while Ford Australia was positioning itself for a similar role in the Ford global empire.
December 22, 2008 - 1:17PM
VZ SSZ- LS1
I wish them luck trying to sell that when Ford have the Focus, but I suppose they can try
Banned
Caribbean Stud Poker Champion!
it has a chev badge so it will outsell the blue oval anyday
Tells it like it is.
C'mon - the Focus is the biggest pos around. Not exactly a difficutl task to improve upon. Give the grille a bit of work and that would look ok from the front.Originally Posted by greenfoam
Reaper
Thats Dr to you.....
Not if it looks anything like that fugly pos in the pic above....
I like the look of the concept sketch - let's hope it turns out as good
The sporty Focus is a weapon, plus they all look good, this thing is not as fortunate in the looks department. It's like something a VE would give birth to if things didn't go quite right
Because I think the Focus came in as is - Holden like to make all of their models have a similar familiar look which may be the problem, doubtful Ford global made the Focus look like the Aussie Falcon
The Only 6sp VZ Wagon
ford made the falcon look like a steroided mondeo didnt they
EASTERN CREEK JCNSW 2009
DW I'm a Spray Painter!
hmmmm looks VERY similar to the torana concept to me...
VZ SSZ- LS1
mmmm beer....
The Torana concept was to guage opinions of the styling of the VE, But they should have built it (with a V8 option!!)
Hope it looks better in real life otherwise it's got no chance of being a hit. It looks kinda like the torana but with ugly bits were the good bits were.
Compared to the sport version of the 2009 Focus
i dont mind it if it were a had too situation, medium sized cars seem to be fairly popular these days, i dont really smoke or drink a great deal so spending a bit extra on petrol for a larger car is my weakness
Donating Member
Man i thought you had good tasteCompared to the sport version of the 2009 Focus
L337
lol here is my photoshop one i made lol , looks alright i guess haha
It's alot better than that spacmobil aboveMan i thought you had good taste~!
Tells it like it is.
Hahaha now we have it sussed. You like it so much because it's frog greenCompared to the sport version of the 2009 Focus
Reaper
now cruising..
is this going to be a replacement for the Astra?
if the thing looks alright, and has a decent performance option similar to the focus's XR5 turbo, it might not be so bad
Who cares how it looks - its a four cylinder and four cylinders are weak!
Nil Bastardo Carborundum
NO, I think you will find it's the Viva's replacement.
W.A. Cruise Moderator
On the Holden site, it says it will most likely replace the Astra.
The Volt will probably replace the Viva.Other examples of the architecture will include the next generation Chevrolet Cruze and Opel, Vauxhall and Saturn Astra.
I think it will be a real shame if they start putting 4 cylinder engines in Commodores and Falcons. I think it's good that Holden and ford are going to start locally produced 4 cylinder cars to start bringing the jobs back here. But so what if Commodore and Falcon don't sell as much as they used to. There are still plenty of people out there who want to buy the Aussie 6. No need to start making them 4cyl slugs.
I would assume that they will make the option of a 4 or a 6, but that means commodores will be harder to find engine/gearbox parts for.
operation HQ under way.
from what i have read commodore will end up with a diesel
Arlie
they should build the torana in a 4 cylinder standard with an option of v6 and v8,(let the buyer choose), all rear wheel drive.
Ecotec just kicked in yo
Lancer Evos are four cylinder cars, as are WRX's...like to see you take one of those out for a spin and then say "four cylinders is weak!"Who cares how it looks - its a four cylinder and four cylinders are weak!
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