GM is considering making Commies in US

[NU13]

I agree calaber,only place I know of where its called commodore is here and New Zealand,i could be wrong though

They are Commodores in the UAE as well i think.

 

[lmoengnr]

I thought they were Chevy Lumina's in the Middle East.

 

[Reaper]

Of course they are considering it, there is still a market for this platform and the margins here must be crazy so profits per car would be high.

The platform will be phased out with the end of the VF. Once Elizabeth closes that is it for Zeta (according to Mike Deveraux at the VF launch.)

 

[PIR4TE]

Thanks for clearing that up, if it happens then it will either be Chinese Zeta II or US Omega or US Alpha variant.

 

[mpower]

The platform will be phased out with the end of the VF. Once Elizabeth closes that is it for Zeta (according to Mike Deveraux at the VF launch.)

By platform I meant large rwd car, not specifically zeta.

 

[Reaper]

Thanks for clearing that up, if it happens then it will either be Chinese Zeta II or US Omega or US Alpha variant.

Highly highly unlikely to be ZetaII. Any potential PRC production for Zeta would be a relative handful (read hundreds if that per month) of units at best. Not going to happen.

Media seem to think it's Alpha although if that's the case it won't be the Commodore as we know it as Alpha won't stretch to the proportions we are used to - it maxxes out at a medium car (roughly Camry sized) and will go smaller. My pick is Omega but seem to be largely alone on that prophecy. One thing I know 100% - If there is such a car..... it isn't being designed in Australia what so ever - none of it!

I can't see such a thing happening in China. Their market is not about performance RWD sedans - Camry(Esque) vehicles is where it's at over there. The *only* way they would get a RWD sedan is if they cranked up production of the uber luxo Park Royal (sold as a Buick in PRC & considered a prestigious brand) which is in effect a super luxo Caprice V designed to be a chauffer driven car. It's not fast but by definition needs to be RWD. If that is still going to be offered in China then it's even further evidence of something other than Alpha. That would open the door to the Caprice PPV continuing on the same platform being built in NA which would make it more attractive to the "buy american" patriotic purchasing policies of USA counties. Sure, it'd be built in Canada but USA seem to be able to look past that (don't ask me why - I just report what I know )

 

[Shorty33]

if they can't make cars AND a profit in Oz, I can't see how they hope to make a profit by making cars in Seppoland and shipping them here.
But, obviously, I don't understand the high-finance decisions of mega-corporations ...

that said, I understand the simplicity of the GST, and the appeal of the "Level Playing Field", but I don't want our manufacturing industries to continue disappearing.
When I was a kid, all my shoes and clothes, and my schoolbooks, were made in Victoria, where I grew up. There were factories all over the country, churning out our needs, and doing the odd bit of export.

Now clothes and shoes are all imported. We stopped making tyres a few years ago. And next, all of our car manufacturers will topple like dominoes.

And I want my government to tilt the playing field, so that my sons have a few choices of employment:
at the moment, it seems there's only mining, tourism, or Centrelink (either as customer service, or customer) likely to remain.

 

[Reaper]

if they can't make cars AND a profit in Oz, I can't see how they hope to make a profit by making cars in Seppoland and shipping them here.
But, obviously, I don't understand the high-finance decisions of mega-corporations ...

GM can make cars cheaper in NA than they can here. The gap has somewhat narrowed since the AU$ has declined but overall it's still in front. This is including shipping.

that said, I understand the simplicity of the GST,

GST has absolutely, positively nothing to do with making cars economically in Australia. The GST is effectively a retail tax that is only paid by the ultimate consumer. Weather the car is built in Australia or internationally it makes zero difference what so ever.

and the appeal of the "Level Playing Field", but I don't want our manufacturing industries to continue disappearing. When I was a kid, all my shoes and clothes, and my schoolbooks, were made in Victoria, where I grew up. There were factories all over the country, churning out our needs, and doing the odd bit of export..

Make no mistake, internationally the notion of a level playing field does not exist. Australia has had a policy of lowering import tariffs over the last 30 years which has effectively lowered the cost of many consumer goods in Australia but the cost is much Australian manufacturing has gone off shore.

Now clothes and shoes are all imported. We stopped making tyres a few years ago. And next, all of our car manufacturers will topple like dominoes.

Really it's the Australian consumer who has made the choice. When asked, most people say they buy Australian but when it comes down to it, if an import is cheaper then that is what they buy. Are you saying you want to pay more for your clothes, Tv's, white goods, the list goes on? The only thing Govco can really do is re-introduce import tariffs for them which artificially raises the price of imports which means the consumer ultimately pays.

And I want my government to tilt the playing field, so that my sons have a few choices of employment:
at the moment, it seems there's only mining, tourism, or Centrelink (either as customer service, or customer) likely to remain.

There are many other options if you really look

 

[Calaber]

I am currently reading the book "100 years of GM in Australia", written by Norm Darwin in 2001.

How's this for a quote, obviously written during the good times for Holden.

"The success of the VT/VX at 45.1% of the large segment (as of October 2001), ensures Holden a secure place in the Australian market, dare we say for a further 100 years. Maybe by then the Australian product will not have to be badged as Chevrolets or Omegas or whatever, just maybe they will carry the Holden badge in Europe, Asia and the Americas."

****, how things can change in just thirteen years.

 

[vr94ss]

GM making cars in China is in my opinion a disaster for the company.

One thing we need to remember is that in China, steel manufacturing is highly regulated by the communist govt for a reason. They only allow a soft grade of metal to be made there. They regulate steel manufacturing for fear of weapons being made against them. And guns need very strong steel to function safely.

So if you buy a car or anything for that matter made in china you can but your ar*s the metal is of a very low quality and it will fail with any serious stress on it.

I know this because I have researched the manufacturing of loud speakers for guitar amps. Celestion have moved their production to China and many people have been angry because they are of less quality yet cost the same money. Eminence is a US speaker manufacturer and they will only make them in the US because they insist that the speaker cages are made to their spec and China can't make the cages with steel that is strong enough.

That's a funny view really, maybe verging on paranoid even. Anyone can make good quality steel, it's not a secret process. What is low quality steel? Not enough carbon? Add it. Add whatever you want to make the kind of steel you desire, all you need is a furnace. If they make products from poor quality steel it's because it's cheaper and just sufficient enough to do the job. Guns aren't made from some super steel either, ordinary chrome moly 4140 is good.

edit: Check out these guys in Pakistan, even they can do it!
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2012/07/30/gunsmithing-in-pakistan/
http://www.vice.com/the-vice-guide-to-travel/the-gun-markets-of-pakistan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darra_Adam_Khel