Goodbye... Holden :(

[Overwatch]

Really? I drove both Sydney-Canberra every weekend for 6 months and I beg to differ.

I presume you've done the same, if not, hurry to a dealer before they close and ask for a test drive. Don't get the 2.0 liter FWD, get the 3.6 AWD.

 

[VS 5.0]

Your car industry was heavily subsidized by government

As is any car industry in any other country.

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

where are we going to be in 20 odd years time

Up sh*t creek, they want to get to zero carbon by 2050, so that means no farting animal's or humans, We have become this way because the UN wants to reserve Australia for the future pushing everything into 3rd world countries, its all easy to find in the agenda 2030 sustainable living for the future which means full control over us.
What I hate is we can have cheaper cleaner power using black coal which will reduce carbon by 30% but no that's for China so they can be the supplier to everyone around the world while we burn dirty brown coal, also we have to take around 10% of china carbon emissions and put it on our total, its called free trade that has killed our economy, free trade should be 50/50 not 25/75. China get away with it all the time its about time they take responsibility for once and be held accountable.
This government has been sending us into economy hardship for years bowing down to the UN and their agenda. Without jobs or manufacturing and big cooperation's paying taxes means the middle man will have to pay and up goes taxes..

 

[VS 5.0]

I wish GM and all its management the best with their Chinese enterprises.

They will rue the day.

 

[Overwatch]

As is any car industry in any other country.

Acknowledged, I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but simply that that's what happened.

 

[figjam]

Have a look at the supposed "goodies" you are referring to, there's an RHD Camaro on C@rs@les at the moment that is priced at $178G. That is just absurd. No American would pay that for a Camaro, and if an Australian does, I would say there would not be plenty of them. Operating costs AND project sales for GM in Australia as they currently stand are just not economically feasible. GM does not have aspirations to be Mercedes Benz or BMW, it's not playing or manufacturing in that space (even though luxury marque sales are up 25%, which is a completely separate discussion).

GM sells cars. What is wrong with partnering with someone they think will achieve this?

I was not referring to the current crop of GM Vehicles since production ended. I was referring to the VT-VZ development of a range of Commodore based vehicles, and the export markets that were opened during that period.
The VE platform was 'supposed' to be GMs base for a huge range, and exports, which should have followed the VZs. All those rugs were pulled, and it is common knowledge now that the VE was doomed by the lack of export. Of course the 'billion dollar baby' was beyond the affordability of Holden but not GM, if had taken up the project as it was initially planned.

As for Chinese partnerships, history shows that once brains have been picked, information and expertise gained, partnerships are no longer needed.

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

They say we all good for 10 years for parts and service.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

 

[hingo1983]

If I can generalise, there two types of Australian. Those that love the traditional locally manufactured Commodore, and those who think Commodores are bogan shitboxes.

I am from the first group but I know many people in the second group. What Holden tried to do was appeal to the second group but use a nameplate that has already been tarred with the bogan brush. Holden was trying to appeal to a new audience but immediately lost their interest.

Meanwhile the loyal customers in the first group have been insulted by Holden continuing a nameplate that was synonymous with local manufacturing. It wouldn't matter what the car was, and I have no doubts the ZB is a fine car in its own right. Even if it was a rebadged Cadillac instead of an Opel, the fact is that if it wasn't built here, then it isn't a Commodore and Holden faithful are not going to accept it as one. I think many of us that could accept the clock was ticking on local manufacturing but applying the Commodore nameplate to an import was a pill to bitter to swallow.

I am saddened by the closure of Holden but for me this was inevitable from the day they ceased local manufacturing. I'm still proud to have two locally built Holdens in my garage.

 

[Skylarking]

... I'm still proud to have two locally built Holdens in my garage.

Well, at least you have spare parts supply for one of your cars