What would happen to Holden without GM?

[michaelw]

Calm down this is just a hypothetical (at the moment).

On SBS they have a news show from the states and from time to time it has a story about GM's financial woes. Now the question, what or how would holden survive/change if the parent company was to dissapear or become serverly affected.

Now before people think that GM is too big to fail remember Enron.

From what I have seen and heard Holden is one of the few divisions to be doing well, so one would imagine that it could survive but would be hard placed for certain parts.

Mike

 

[Wombat]

I sort of know, but really don't want to admit it....

Holden doesn't make enough cars to make a big profit difference for the USA parent company...neither does Ford. The would look to small areas like this to save money if things got really dire in the USA, and wouldn't care too much if they shut it down. Look at Mitsubishi...you've gotta admit, they make some great cars, but if Japan decides, as it well might in the next couple of years, that it isn;t worth the bother, it will be closed down here, no matter how good a company the local concern is.

Basically put: Australia isn't big enough and never will be to be anything but a charity case for the worlds big car makers...

 

[Stretchomatic]

yeah i think of mitsu aswell, the 380 was the last chance for them and theyve only just managed to pull up...so i think holden would be in the same boat, make something good or die...

 

[Garth]

i would hopefully think that holden would bail out of gm, by themselfs out and it's all seperated adn all is good
but who knows, anything is possible

 

[michaelw]

i would hopefully think that holden would bail out of gm, by themselfs out and it's all seperated adn all is good
but who knows, anything is possible

If the unthinkable happened I suspect that is what they would try to do. I would hope that unlike Mitusbihi, Holden would be able to sell enough home grown product, but it would severly limit their model range.

Mike

 

[MaNiac_VP]

I'm pretty sure that successful GM branches such as Saab(?) and Opel would buy Holden Australia out, as its successful Australia and also respected in many middle eastern countries. The new Alloytec engine is a big investment they plan to use world wide.

GM is in finacial woes, so they are looking to cut costs. Many US jobs will go, as will varieties of engines etc, but I think they will eventually have to accept a buy out.

 

[Wombat]

Possibly....but even then, they would be subsidising a company making a vast range of cars for a country that has as many people as most overseas large cities...

Most of Holden's range is made in Korea now anyway from what I have seen coming up...

We would, if it happened, probably see the death of local manufacture, and the take over of imports with local badging, sold through existing dealerships. I can't think of a "large car" from overseas, but if push came to shove, that is what would happen. Goodbye Commodore, goodbye Falcon, in fact bye to any large rear-driver...as well as probably Mitsubishi.

Holden and Ford couldn't pull off a "make or break" car in a country this small. I doubt Mitsubishi with the admittedly great 380 will pull it off either....

 

[Tasmaniak]

If GM removed themselves from Holden then Holden would definetly fall face first into the mud.

 

[Reaper]

i would hopefully think that holden would bail out of gm, by themselfs out and it's all seperated adn all is good
but who knows, anything is possible

Very hard to do when you are a 100% owned by the parent. Essentially you would need to find a buyer that would put up enough $$$ to keep it going. Highly unlikely as they would need to find good supplies of components such as gear boxes, irs systems, cars to import into Australia etc etc etc for Holden to draw upon.

Reaper

 

[Reaper]

Holden and Ford couldn't pull off a "make or break" car in a country this small. I doubt Mitsubishi with the admittedly great 380 will pull it off either....

Ford just had one with the BA Falcon! The VN was the same for Holden (a few years back now though)

Reaper