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Holden targets number one by 2020

c2105026

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I think the worst thing for Holden to do from hereonin is to try to cash in on what they 'did' do. As Dr Evil said 'nothing is as pathetic as an aging hipster'. A big reason why auto industry is dead in Australia is because carmarkers and engineers were long stuck in the past. It'll be like seeing a rolling stones concert nowadays, but without the talent. Holden should see this opportunity to shape a new brand for Australia as it is now, not as it was in 1970, reflecting modern day desires and values. Will get flamed for this but....that's a reason why Toyota is successful. You don't just buy a car, you buy a brand, an image. To some, Toyota may be dull, but they sell on perceived quality and efficiency.

Complete this sentence - Holdens current/future brand image is....?
 

Reaper

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I think the worst thing for Holden to do from hereonin is to try to cash in on what they 'did' do. As Dr Evil said 'nothing is as pathetic as an aging hipster'. A big reason why auto industry is dead in Australia is because carmarkers and engineers were long stuck in the past. It'll be like seeing a rolling stones concert nowadays, but without the talent. Holden should see this opportunity to shape a new brand for Australia as it is now, not as it was in 1970, reflecting modern day desires and values. Will get flamed for this but....that's a reason why Toyota is successful. You don't just buy a car, you buy a brand, an image. To some, Toyota may be dull, but they sell on perceived quality and efficiency.

Complete this sentence - Holdens current/future brand image is....?

The main reason that Toyota is successful is they offer something in every vehicle class save heavy trucks. Most of them are mediocre and few even top the sales in that class. In recent times the Carolla has pinched the crown from the Mazda 3 but that is the exception plus heavy discounting has helped the Hilux.
 

c2105026

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I said it was 'a reason', not 'the reason'. Yes Toyota is represented in pretty much every category going; and Holden would need to do this if they want to get to no. 1. However, none of the existing cars are complete flops neither eg. Holden Malibu.......Holden Volt......Holden vehicles are also sometimes heavily discounted too, particularly the Commodore (at least it was during VE days)
 

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I said it was 'a reason', not 'the reason'. Yes Toyota is represented in pretty much every category going; and Holden would need to do this if they want to get to no. 1. However, none of the existing cars are complete flops neither eg. Holden Malibu.......Holden Volt......Holden vehicles are also sometimes heavily discounted too, particularly the Commodore (at least it was during VE days)

VF hasn't been (yet) but near everything else in the Holden range is. The Malibu is just beyond woeful. Cruze & Colorado are the real problem for them. The current Cruze is a good car but oldest in it's segment by a long way yet the replacement is still a year or more off and reports are the upgraded drivetrain even longer. The Colorado is even worse. Less than a year old and not even close to market leadership to the ancient Hilux/Triton and well behind the dynamically superior Ranger which is hampered by supply constraints.
 

Senator829

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VF hasn't been (yet) but near everything else in the Holden range is. The Malibu is just beyond woeful. Cruze & Colorado are the real problem for them. The current Cruze is a good car but oldest in it's segment by a long way yet the replacement is still a year or more off and reports are the upgraded drivetrain even longer. The Colorado is even worse. Less than a year old and not even close to market leadership to the ancient Hilux/Triton and well behind the dynamically superior Ranger which is hampered by supply constraints.

How the Hilux is still the leading 4x4 dual cab is amazing. Drive it after driving a dmax, Colorado or ranger and you can feel its age. The Triton is only selling on price. I loved the Ranger when I was looking to buy but couldn't justify the extra 10k over my Colorado. 12 months on and 30,000klms on my Colorado hasn't missed a beat!! Although I wish I had held out for the series 2 with the six speed manual and the my link stereo with reversing camera
 

Calaber

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VF hasn't been (yet) but near everything else in the Holden range is. The Malibu is just beyond woeful. Cruze & Colorado are the real problem for them. The current Cruze is a good car but oldest in it's segment by a long way yet the replacement is still a year or more off and reports are the upgraded drivetrain even longer. The Colorado is even worse. Less than a year old and not even close to market leadership to the ancient Hilux/Triton and well behind the dynamically superior Ranger which is hampered by supply constraints.

Reap

The VF hasn't been discounted yet because it was heavily reduced in price when released. Remember the articles that pointed out the RRP on the Evoke was $5,000 below the RRP of the last VE Omega? It was one of the strategies employed to kick start and promote VF sales. With reductions like that from day one, there can't be much fat left to cut when discounting as time passes.

I think Holden is paying the price for some very poor decisions during the early part of last decade. The VE was seen as the natural successor to the VT-VZ, when it should have been a completely different class and size of vehicle altogether. Replacing the European based smaller cars with Daewoos has never worked at any time - every single Daewoo based model has been a poor performer compared the competition from other Korean manufacturers. Not one Daewoo model has been better than the European model it replaced. All because Daewoos could be sold cheaply here and bugger the quality. It's been a dead set list of duds.


the just superceded Barina (formerly Kalos, which was a dog). Replaced the XC Barina, a brilliant if Spartan car that won car of the year in 2000
Epica, (only appealed to the over 70's). Replaced the Vectra, which was vastly superior on the road and in appearance IMO.
early Cruze, which needed huge input from Holden to sort out, but too late.
Barina Spark (who the hell buys those things, anyway). Replaced the billy-cart, but the billy cart was much better.
Malibu (which might have been a Chev design, not sure). Replaced the Epica, so it has to be an improvement.
the latest Barina (better, but being done like a dinner in the marketplace).......
Viva - another recycled obsolete Daewoo that flopped under its original name of Lacetti, so, like the Barina, it was re-released as a Holden and sold just as well as it did when it was a Daewoo.......

The only one that has enjoyed sales success is the Captiva (drum roll, please), but it is now very old and very inferior to its competitors. It sells on great price and value but little else.

Not one of those other cars has been reviewed favourably by motor mags and every one has been inferior to the cars they replaced. Is it really any wonder that Holden is in the position it finds itself today?
 
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