Holden market share in free fall.

[VT13]

The writing is clearly on the wall, it's only a matter of time before GM pulls out all together. The reality is the Aussie RHD market is one of the smallest globally and GM won't keep a presence for the sake of posterity. Their markets are China and North America in that order, they have already binned Europe and Australia will be next now that the state sponsorship has gone. They will sell Holden to get it off its books as Holden is now a tainted brand that cannot and will not recover new vehicle sales volumes. Holden has utterly botched their transition to retail only and it's game over. Should GM look to push dollars into a RHD market in the future, it will be India/Pakistan, an emerging market with a billion customers, the next China.

The decision will come quickly without warning, Holden's future will rely on a buyout but I'm not sure there would be a taker for the business as is, more likely a growing manufacturer looking for an easy way to expand operations. I remember the ridicule of the Korean cars, who's laughing now? Buying Holden from GM might be the cheapest way for Hyundai to expand it's Aussie network to support it's ever increasing sales, Hyundai signs replacing Holden ones across regional Australia.......how the world changes.

 

[zoenryan]

I read recently that Kia are considering a 10 year warranty - currently 7 years. Now there is a company that has some faith in its product and doesn't view customers as an opportunity for a long term trip off .

 

[Zeke Topanaga]

Holden set up their fate when they heavily invested into the VE platform. It was clear to anyone with a brain back then that large sedans were finished as popular sales choice, consider the total sales of VT/VX versus VE/VF, if only they had pumped that billion or so dollars into a mid-size platform with sedan/hatch and SUV bodies, might have been a different story. By electing to pursue the big sedan they had no hope from the get go.

Anyway mark this down......Holden is finished, rest assured GM will abandon the entire Australian market within a few years and Holden will be wound up forever. Feel sorry for the dealers as that's who's livelihood the GMH betrayal is really affecting. If I was a Holden dealer today my main focus would be trying to hook up a franchise with Hyundai or Kia, at least I would have a shot at getting decent sales back.

I pointed this out at the time the VE came out, why they were making the VE so big, it was to chase the USA market is why they did so, but the Aussie dollar went up and killed all that, or it would of taken off for sure.

A VS Commodore size and weight car would do, that VE looking Torana that Holden made up may of been what they were truly going for. but it became bigger for the USA market.

 

[greenacc]

But the VE is an awesome car, handles Aussie roads like a dream.
Anyway, 10 years is nothing for a decent car, there should really be stuff all go wrong in that time. 3 years is a joke these days.

 

[Immortality]

The engineering from the VE underpins a lot of the stuff coming out of GM US manufacturing plants now. Holden did the hard yards and GM is reaping the rewards.

The biggest problem with GM is that is has a very narrow focus when it comes to the US market and unless it's made in the US they simply aren't interested.

Holden didn't really do anything wrong other than been owned by GM.

 

[Reaper]

The engineering from the VE underpins a lot of the stuff coming out of GM US manufacturing plants now. Holden did the hard yards and GM is reaping the rewards.

Like what??? It was supposed to however GM decided to run with Alpha and Sigma platforms which are both heavier and far less versatile than the Zeta platform.

The biggest problem with GM is that is has a very narrow focus when it comes to the US market and unless it's made in the US they simply aren't interested.

Holden didn't really do anything wrong other than been owned by GM.

Yep. And goals continue to be kicked. Sadly they haven't figured out which direction they are supposed to be going

 

[c2105026]

Something I read with interest is that GM is pulling out of a lot of RHD markets. Japan...India...Sth Africa. I dare say the name will be sold to PSA like Opel/Vauxhall was.

 

[Reaper]

Something I read with interest is that GM is pulling out of a lot of RHD markets. Japan...India...Sth Africa. I dare say the name will be sold to PSA like Opel/Vauxhall was.

Or just take it out the back and put a bullet in it's head. Anybody remember Pontiac, Saab, Hummer, Saturn, Oldsmobile. Not sure how much capital is left in the Holden trademark for anybody to be interested paying money for it.

 

[UTE042_NZ]

Something I read with interest is that GM is pulling out of a lot of RHD markets. Japan...India...Sth Africa. I dare say the name will be sold to PSA like Opel/Vauxhall was.

Not New Zealand though, according to Mr Caton.

 

[mpower]

they aren't going anywhere, even though our market is small margins are high.