FWD Commodore after 2016 and no V8

[notthekingswood]

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.

 

[JTringy]

thats terrible news!

 

[Mk2]

Just call it now. Start phasing the workers out in to other industries by offering government subsidised training to individuals instead of feeding the corporate GM and get sustainable industry underway in this state. At this stage I couldn't care less about Aussie icons, and if they are important it's probably about time to create some new ones.

 

[PIR4TE]

What crap, it's all speculation by a Uni professor in a report to the SA Government, not GM.
In the report he says GM is not likely to have a rear-wheel-drive car - and therefore a V8 - beyond 2016, or 2018 at a stretch.
Fricken more of Dowling's Chinese whispers, literally all in his puny head.

 

[Tasmaniak]

If they do discontinue the RWD Commodore it wouldn't surprise if they still try making a V8...

This is a 2005 Chev Impala SS. FWD LS1. Don't ask why because I don't know. Fat bastard inside is me preparing to tune the stereo we installed in Alaska.

 

[corhijasna]

news bulletin???? on the radio this morning they said that holden is losing 18 million or something a year on building cars here in aus,which they reckon equates to about 270 dollars per car,not much imo, in America the gov subsidizes the auto industry for a lot more than that

 

[PIR4TE]

Seems there are other forces at play here, manipulating the reality.
Holden can't make enough V8s, either satisfy local demand or the two primary export markets - US and UK.
These guys are dying to get their hands on our V8s and have shelled out tens of thousands each to secure them because in the US for example there are not enough Chevy SS for even one per dealer.
So there is zero advertising or awareness. Same with the VXR8 GTS... you have to be a solid regular customer and ten thousand pounds down to secure one because the marketing and distribution is pissweak.
Same with most people I know think that the VF must be an anachronism because the marketing and promotion is just not commensurate with a new model release. Like the Mitsubishi 380!
On top if all that Holden's PR does nothing to stop the rumour mongering and overall capital decline of the Holden brand by scallywags like Yeshua.
Make the marketing hipsters walk the gangplank!!

 

[PIR4TE]

A snapshot of what people are saying in the US:
Really hope you're right...but I've been reading the same thing this article states for about the past year...some was even citing the Holden boss "it's what's good for the company not the people."
The SS hasn't been promoted over here as much as the G8 was so far...and it is on an as ordered basis...marketing has really dropped the ball and kicked it away from themselves on this one...
Less than one car available per GM dealership (on average) in USA.
Why advertise something you haven't got in sufficient quantity to satisfy the broader community??
I checked the Chevy dealer I go to for G8 service. It's probably the biggest one in my area and yeah, they don't have any in their inventory.

I mean seriously I am not remotely involved with Holden's marketing or PR and I see there are fires to put out.

 

[davey g-force]

This is all speculation by the haters.

Holden needs to respond fast...

 

[Drawnnite]

scrap commodore. put LSA into Cruze.
problem?

this so called "report" is as bad as carsguide of late.