Will ZB be the end of GM in Australia

[vs-lover]

Totally agree with that part of it, but remember that's what's predominantly on our roads now and the average buyer is being relegated to FWD.

Now the AWD is something totally different. Once you've driven something like a Subaru drive system you'd never go back to RWD only and towing is now relegated to Dual Cab utes and Landy's etc. so RWD is no longer the mainstream anywhere in the world.

 

[commodore665]

I'm really starting to wonder if this car was coming out of the Elizabeth Plant would we be having this conversation in the first instance.

I'm finding that the look of the car in sports trim is quite amenable as I rather like the Mazda 6 look that's been on our roads for quite some time now.

The other thing I really like is the instrument panel and complete dash assembly opposed to the VF. I can't stand the VF's screen and those old looking AM radio twidle knobs that poke up vertically, obviously something that didn't really take off as no one else has them like that and also those ugly cheap looking black plastic tubes which have the instruments at the end of them. Don't get me wrong they were great for the driver but just not that appealing when looking into the car from the passenger side.

Like I said above if the car was being produced here in Adelaide and still had the option of a V8 slated into it would we be carrying on about the fact that the shape was from Germany just like the VB originally was ?

exactly , while it does resemble a Mazda , you have to concede it is a sleek looking car , they could have just given you a rebadged Daewoo .

 

[Noeleter]

exactly , while it does resemble a Mazda , you have to concede it is a sleek looking car , they could have just given you a rebadged Daewoo .

Plus the fact that it is nothing like a traditional Commodore. Small, FWD no V8, hatch, etc, etc, etc.

 

[vs-lover]

I guess the answer would be give us the "Supercars" racing version, then most on this platform would be more than happy.

 

[VS 5.0]

Plus the fact that it is nothing like a traditional Commodore. Small, FWD no V8, hatch, etc, etc, etc.

I don't think size is the issue.....first gen weren't / aren't big cars.

 

[VT&VX]

Well, I'm stuffed if I can understand why so many dislike the design.

Lets see some aftermarket grille, nose jobs. Some creative styling.

The issues are the "Lack of Aussiness", the Front Wheel Drive platform (why go there when BMW, Merc and other aspirational brands DO NOT), the dropping of aspirational performance options eg. V8, the flat nose style, grille and looks like Mazda 6

The VF platform is still a solid performer in handling and power delivery, many high performance brand sports cars wish they had those bones.

 

[commodore665]

The Commodore was from the VB up until the VZ was really just a good old meat pie , basic engineering and it gave the buyer exactly what it said on the wrapper , the VE -VF was a bit more special , a nice beef and ale pie , but still just a pie ,it was a shame that the VE did not come along earlier , maybe about 2001 or so , perhaps then Holden would have kept up with the rest of the world .

 

[Skydrol]

Manufacturers are seeking a 1 size fits all globaly. GM in the quest to maximize proffits, they are killing "redundant" brands. On the bean-counter's spreadsheet makes sense, in reality, well... will see.

 

[Noeleter]

The Commodore was from the VB up until the VZ was really just a good old meat pie , basic engineering and it gave the buyer exactly what it said on the wrapper , the VE -VF was a bit more special , a nice beef and ale pie , but still just a pie ,it was a shame that the VE did not come along earlier , maybe about 2001 or so , perhaps then Holden would have kept up with the rest of the world .

From 1948-2006 we basically manufactured modified overseas cars. Then for about 10 years we built a truely Australian world class car and exported it. Now we have basically gone back to pre 1948.

 

[Jim54]

Yes and no depends what the scoring is based on. 10 years on it may be a different story once we see how reliable the VF is over the long-term and we find out what common problems we have with it and how major these problems are once they surface.

Cars arent built to be reliable after about 5 years haven't for a long time expected every one to buy a new car every 5 years like US and Europe its only because of AUS build quality that they have lasted I recently purchased an 18 year old Statesman just to have a v8 cruiser.