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Holden to ship 1,000 Chevrolet SS vehicles to US in late 2017

Commo Baba

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Good enough to export in increasing numbers and sell in the US as a Chev but GM closes the plant anyway.
 

dgp

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That article is from September.
 

Forg

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This is the extra 1000 vehicles made this year for US consumption. Not in 2017, they're 'model year 2017', which it appears will all be manufactured in 2016.

Closing the plant has little to do with demand overseas; head office doesn't care what demand would be if they were to attempt building future Commodores for world consumption, because (a) head office is an American office and (b) head office knows the Australian government won't support manufacturing here (and car manufacture is government supported wherever it occurs these days).

Cruze line is already gone, isn't it?
 

mpower

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gotta use up all them bits.
 

Stroppy

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This is the extra 1000 vehicles made this year for US consumption. Not in 2017, they're 'model year 2017', which it appears will all be manufactured in 2016.

Closing the plant has little to do with demand overseas; head office doesn't care what demand would be if they were to attempt building future Commodores for world consumption, because (a) head office is an American office and (b) head office knows the Australian government won't support manufacturing here (and car manufacture is government supported wherever it occurs these days).

Cruze line is already gone, isn't it?

Correct in every respect, Forg...except I believe that GM HQ in Detroit have been a bit taken aback by the supremely positive reviews the SS has been getting. It's becoming a fast favourite over there for those "in the know" because they've done precious little advertising for the model. It's mostly being sold off the back of word of mouth recommendations and the recommendations of US motoring magazines and websites who truly love the car. Virtually all of them laud the car's build quality, its "fun to drive" ability and its prodigious power output and handling. There is NOTHING like it built in the States apart from the new Mustang and the big Chryslers but even then, the Chryslers don't garner the same accolades the Chevy...oops...Holden does.

Let me state this plainly. The Commodore, even the lowly Evoke, is better built than most any other GM product screwed together in the US. They handle better, they look better (apart from the Caddys but even then they are an acquired taste) and generally they go faster. Only the Camaro gives the Holden a bit of competition. This is something the American unions despise (the fact that little old Australia can build stuff better than they can, given their experience) and it's why they were so bellicose towards the G8 and why the ute and wagon never made it over there...despite many Americans wanting them because they had seen the cars on the Holden website. Heck, there's a company in the US buying old utes here and converting to left hook under their complicated import rules.

Everyone with half a brain in GM US knows that the Australian factories are building world class product...that's not the issue. They were also turning a profit once you sorted out all the import export figures. The real and main reason Holden is dying is purely down to our Liberal government who really don't give a damn about manufacturing in this country and are content to see us going back to riding on the sheep's back and living off that and what we can dig out of the ground. We've been shafted because of a conservative mantra which says you must not support industries with subsidies (even though many parts of our mining and farming sectors get subsidised in the form of diesel fuel rebates...etc...). Here I particularly blame Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey for constantly heckling Holden in parliament. Once it was clear to Holden management that no more government support was forthcoming that was it...the plug was pulled. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I don't blame Holden and GM as much as I do Tony and Joe who did not tell the Australian public all the truth...namely that EVERY car manufacturing nation (including China) subsidises their industries to generate industrial growth and the growth of skilled jobs. Australia was a welter weight in this regard...other countries (especially in the EU) subsidise their car manufacturers much, much more than we do or ever have. These nations understand the importance of maintaining industries for economic and strategic purposes. The Tony and Joe show seems to have been more content to just did up some more iron ore and bauxite.

Don't get me wrong...I don't hate any particular political party and if the truth be known the initial rot in the car industry started with the Button plan under Keating's Labor government. But Labor would have kept the industry running here and GM would have probably okayed a local Commodore based upon the Insignia's platform and body panels perhaps using their HFV6 as the main drive. Who knows? A rear drive car may have been continued. The 2018 Commodore can support a transmission tunnel (for the 4WD model) so it's not outside the bounds of engineering reasoning that the E2XX platform could have sported a diff and rear wheel drive. Can you imagine it? They could have used the EU Opel for a mid-sized car with the turbo fours and sliced the middle of the E2XX platform to create a VF-sized car with very little engineering troubles at all. Afterall it's what they did with the VN. The only thing which may have been dropped would have been the V8s unless the cut and shut model could have an engine bay to accommodate the LS series of motors.

As to the Holden factories I think it's really sad that the Belgian gent who wanted to buy them changed his mind because of what GM and the federal government told him. I bet the feds said, "You'll get no financial support from us!" That would have tied it, despite how much the SA state government were prepared to do to help. I feel so sorry for SA. First Mitsubishi and soon Holden. And poor old Victoria...Holden, Ford and Toyota. What an unmitigated disaster. All those good paying jobs. All the parts suppliers. What a shame. Thank God companies like Futuris (seat and dash makers) have planned well ahead and have thriving export business.
 
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426Cuda

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Correct in every respect, Forg...except I believe that GM HQ in Detroit have been a bit taken aback by the supremely positive reviews the SS has been getting. It's becoming a fast favourite over there for those "in the know" because they've done precious little advertising for the model. It's mostly being sold off the back of word of mouth recommendations and the recommendations of US motoring magazines and websites who truly love the car. Virtually all of them laud the car's build quality, its "fun to drive" ability and its prodigious power output and handling. There is NOTHING like it built in the States apart from the new Mustang and the big Chryslers but even then, the Chryslers don't garner the same accolades the Chevy...oops...Holden does.

Let me state this plainly. The Commodore, even the lowly Evoke, is better built than most any other GM product screwed together in the US. They handle better, they look better (apart from the Caddys but even then they are an acquired taste) and generally they go faster. Only the Camaro gives the Holden a bit of competition. This is something the American unions despise (the fact that little old Australia can build stuff better than they can, given their experience) and it's why they were so bellicose towards the G8 and why the ute and wagon never made it over there...despite many Americans wanting them because they had seen the cars on the Holden website. Heck, there's a company in the US buying old utes here and converting to left hook under their complicated import rules.

Everyone with half a brain in GM US knows that the Australian factories are building world class product...that's not the issue. They were also turning a profit once you sorted out all the import export figures. The real and main reason Holden is dying is purely down to our Liberal government who really don't give a damn about manufacturing in this country and are content to see us going back to riding on the sheep's back and living off that and what we can dig out of the ground. We've been shafted because of a conservative mantra which says you must not support industries with subsidies (even though many parts of our mining and farming sectors get subsidised in the form of diesel fuel rebates...etc...). Here I particularly blame Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey for constantly heckling Holden in parliament. Once it was clear to Holden management that no more government support was forthcoming that was it...the plug was pulled. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I don't blame Holden and GM as much as I do Tony and Joe who did not tell the Australian public all the truth...namely that EVERY car manufacturing nation (including China) subsidises their industries to generate industrial growth and the growth of skilled jobs. Australia was a welter weight in this regard...other countries (especially in the EU) subsidise their car manufacturers much, much more than we do or ever have. These nations understand the importance of maintaining industries for economic and strategic purposes. The Tony and Joe show seems to have been more content to just did up some more iron ore and bauxite.

Don't get me wrong...I don't hate any particular political party and if the truth be known the initial rot in the car industry started with the Button plan under Keating's Labor government. But Labor would have kept the industry running here and GM would have probably okayed a local Commodore based upon the Insignia's platform and body panels perhaps using their HFV6 as the main drive. Who knows? A rear drive car may have been continued. The 2018 Commodore can support a transmission tunnel (for the 4WD model) so it's not outside the bounds of engineering reasoning that the E2XX platform could have sported a diff and rear wheel drive. Can you imagine it? They could have used the EU Opel for a mid-sized car with the turbo fours and sliced the middle of the E2XX platform to create a VF-sized car with very little engineering troubles at all. Afterall it's what they did with the VN. The only thing which may have been dropped would have been the V8s unless the cut and shut model could have an engine bay to accommodate the LS series of motors.

As to the Holden factories I think it's really sad that the Belgian gent who wanted to buy them changed his mind because of what GM and the federal government told him. I bet the feds said, "You'll get no financial support from us!" That would have tied it, despite how much the SA state government were prepared to do to help. I feel so sorry for SA. First Mitsubishi and soon Holden. And poor old Victoria...Holden, Ford and Toyota. What an unmitigated disaster. All those good paying jobs. All the parts suppliers. What a shame. Thank God companies like Futuris (seat and dash makers) have planned well ahead and have thriving export business.

Extremely well said. You couldn't have put it any better.
Sadly it's not just the car industry that will suffer as a result of this. Virtually every level, of every sector, every industry, every trade and profession which exist in this Country, will be affected in some way, by this ludicrous unmitigated industrial disaster. As you so eloquently phrased it. From engineering and R&D, to design, from programming to marketing and sales, every sector, every element of industry in Australia, vertical and horizontal will feel the loss of our car manufacturing industry. Why? Because those industries and professions all draw from the expertise and learning, innovation and "pride" which is seeded and developed in our car manufacturing industry. We have lost our advanced standing and reputation on the global manufacturing stage, of punching well above our weight, with precious little government support. Sadly we, the people, the voters, will feel the economic ripple effect of this travesty for generations to come.

20 October 2017 (I think I have the date correct) will go down in history as the day the Lion stopped roaring, and the wind in the sails of Australia's manufacturing industry, indeed our economic diversity, entered a sustained period of the doldrums.

If only it could be reversed...A march on parliament, maybe headed up by car industry CEO's and senior exec's, supported by thousands or Australians' who understand the massive and disastrous, lasting ramifications of this politically motivated debacle, for a myriad different reasons? That may have done it.

Perhaps I'm lost in a world of serendipitous dreams, fuelled by my passion for our Country, our spirit, our past and our future, my love of Holden? Perhaps? Or perhaps I am struggling to hold onto the slightest modicum of hope that we can convince the Federal Government to reignite discussions with GM, in an effort to turn it 180deg, reverse the situation and look towards a brighter future? A future where world manufacturers will once again see Australia as THE place to set up shop. Call me a dreamer if you will, but far greater things have been achieved when the people have spoken.
 

Brettly-2008

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Great reads fellas, well done.
 
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