Calaber
Nil Bastardo Carborundum
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2007
- Messages
- 4,334
- Reaction score
- 1,357
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Lower Hunter Region NSW
- Members Ride
- CG Captiva 5 Series 2
Reap
I know that Holden is working hard to upgrade the interior and technology behind the VF. I just reckon that they have missed the boat with the styling and that's what brings punters into the dealers in the first place. If the car doesn't look substantially different to its predecessor, buyers won't pay it enough attention and will look elsewhere. Competion has never been more fierce in the Australian market and the more adventurous designs from Korea (particularly Hyundai) and Mazda, which are selling in increasing numbers every year, show that Australians are prepared to purchase cars that are more adventurous in design. Holden styling seems to be stuck in that time warp where Aussies never dared to buy anything that looked even a little bit different or radical.
With regard to marketing the car in the States, I believe that the level of success it achieves will be tempered by the fact that it was marketed over there before (successfully, I admit) as a performance sports sedan, five years ago. The basic shell and underpinnings haven't changed and now they plan to market it as a premium performance Chev sports sedan. It won't be cheap (marketing strategies and our strong dollar will ensure that), so the numbers will be lower than was planned for the G8. Will Americans buy a car that is basically seven years old by the time it's released there? Its styling will be compared to other GM products (such as the new Impala) and it won't look very modern. Personally, (and I'd like to be wrong) I doubt it will be the success that Holden expects, because it's too bloody old.
I know that Holden is working hard to upgrade the interior and technology behind the VF. I just reckon that they have missed the boat with the styling and that's what brings punters into the dealers in the first place. If the car doesn't look substantially different to its predecessor, buyers won't pay it enough attention and will look elsewhere. Competion has never been more fierce in the Australian market and the more adventurous designs from Korea (particularly Hyundai) and Mazda, which are selling in increasing numbers every year, show that Australians are prepared to purchase cars that are more adventurous in design. Holden styling seems to be stuck in that time warp where Aussies never dared to buy anything that looked even a little bit different or radical.
With regard to marketing the car in the States, I believe that the level of success it achieves will be tempered by the fact that it was marketed over there before (successfully, I admit) as a performance sports sedan, five years ago. The basic shell and underpinnings haven't changed and now they plan to market it as a premium performance Chev sports sedan. It won't be cheap (marketing strategies and our strong dollar will ensure that), so the numbers will be lower than was planned for the G8. Will Americans buy a car that is basically seven years old by the time it's released there? Its styling will be compared to other GM products (such as the new Impala) and it won't look very modern. Personally, (and I'd like to be wrong) I doubt it will be the success that Holden expects, because it's too bloody old.