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New Commodore - 2018 First Look

Noeleter

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Toyota only made their decision after GM made their decision to leave. Toyota had invested a fortune in a relatively new plant and would have been here for the long term. However, Toyota needed at least one other manufacturer to stay to make the supply chain viable.
 

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Its a sad day when all our car factories finally shutdown but really they had very little hope once the borders were opened, once import restrictions were lifted and import duties removed the chances of them surviving was minimal, they had no hope of competing with low cost overseas producers who have much greater economies of scale.
Thailand is now the second biggest source of cars imported into Australia from basically nothing a few years ago, thanks to our free trade agreement with them, we have no chance of competing with them cost wise and how many Australians want to pay a premium for Australian built cars ? not many.

Think about this. A Thai-built car selling here for about 30 grand probably only costs the large manufacturer using Thai labour about 15 grand (or less) off the line...that is complete with all costs, including imported parts. So just who is being swindled? The public, that's who! Okay...for that same car off an Aussie line the full production cost might be around 21 grand. The profit margin is lower so the dealers sell it for, say, 33 grand. That's what killed us...that and the economies of scale and the removal of protective tariffs. Our forebears knew that tariffs were the only way to keep our industries going if we were to have a viable industry in times of military need. It's a pity that both of our major parties today have about as much foresight as a gnat!
 

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Toyota only made their decision after GM made their decision to leave. Toyota had invested a fortune in a relatively new plant and would have been here for the long term. However, Toyota needed at least one other manufacturer to stay to make the supply chain viable.
I have to agree with you, Noel. I have a friend pretty high up at one of the companies in question. He as much as confirmed your line of thinking. Much as Reaper is on the money about a lot of things I think his comments about Toyota are in error.
 

Reaper

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Toyota only made their decision after GM made their decision to leave. Toyota had invested a fortune in a relatively new plant and would have been here for the long term. However, Toyota needed at least one other manufacturer to stay to make the supply chain viable.

I have to agree with you, Noel. I have a friend pretty high up at one of the companies in question. He as much as confirmed your line of thinking. Much as Reaper is on the money about a lot of things I think his comments about Toyota are in error.

Nope - I have a family member who has a very nice office at Toyota HQ and some other ties (several) at the now sold Salmon st building. I very much stand by everything I wrote. I was however somewhat off with the Commodore replacement and should have realised at the time that GM in NA are physically incapable of building anything RHD thus ruling the Impala out of Australian contention. That said, I did get the platform right all be it with the wrong body.

Strop: Ask your mate at Toyota what's been slotted in the Hilux engine bay for 2018/2019 release :p
 

Noeleter

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So you stand by everything but were wrong?
 

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So you stand by everything but were wrong?

Lol - announcement date was taken as a result of Holden's announcement. Underlying decision was made years prior at the end of the XV50 production. Simples.

Truth be known if Holden hadn't made an announcement Toyota would have done so soon anyway.
 

commodore665

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I happened to bump into one of the salesman from my Holden Dealer in a cafe last week , we were just chatting about this and that , and the topic switched to the new Commodore , he said something very relevant , " the people who are doing the most complaining about the rear drive Commodore being killed off , are the ones who have bought the big lumbering 4x4 SUV'S , if they were such fans of the big sedans , they would have continued to buy them , and the Commodore as we know it might still be around , " damned straight . As an aside I'm going to reserve judgement on the replacement until I see and drive one , but apparently the technology on the new car will be very good .
 

Noeleter

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Probably a lot of truth in that although there are those of us that have not bought SUVs but would probably prefer one to a small fwd "conodore" and will not be "conned" that it is a commodore.
 

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I happened to bump into one of the salesman from my Holden Dealer in a cafe last week , we were just chatting about this and that , and the topic switched to the new Commodore , he said something very relevant , " the people who are doing the most complaining about the rear drive Commodore being killed off , are the ones who have bought the big lumbering 4x4 SUV'S , if they were such fans of the big sedans , they would have continued to buy them , and the Commodore as we know it might still be around , " damned straight . As an aside I'm going to reserve judgement on the replacement until I see and drive one , but apparently the technology on the new car will be very good .

To some extent that is correct. One massive thing that has been overlooked by most is why the dual cab ute etc has risen in popularity and the 2 massive contributing factors:

1. The mostly don't attract FBT when they are operated by a business compared to most other vehicles that do. In effect you can give your employee one of these to cart the family around on the company tax free.
2. 4WD's etc have different/exempt ADR's and mandated safety standards which are required on traditional car based motor vehicles.

For sure your big Kluger/Captiva/whatever SUV's are also more fashionable for mum's truckster in the private buyer segment and that has also contributed significantly however the 2 points noted above made a massive difference across Australia's new car market.
 

Immortality

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LOL, we call those the Remuera tractors, all the house wives with there fancy 4x4's.

Tradies have mostly gone to the likes of the Ford Ranger (the most popular model here in NZ now) Vs the more traditional Holden and Ford utes.
 
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