Commodore dead by end of 2016?

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1226554833139

Bit earlier than what I thought. An interesting tidbit is that Holden would still have space in the factory to build the Caprice and Ute along side the Cruze and the "second model". Sounds like the VF ute would be like the XF Falcon ute, goes on for years and with no direct competition, why not? Same for the Caprice, since there is nothing in our market that directly competes with a Caprice, this side of a $200K+ S Class, 7 Series, XJ, it could go on for years with updated engines etc.

Lets hope the Chevy SS Performance is successful and GM chooses to build a new model in the US and at least export it here.

Another interesting article I read the other day is that Cadillac might be on its way here after the stillborn attempt in 2009. Got some great cars, the new ATS (3 series competitor), the new model CTS coming out soon (5 series competitor) and the SRX SUV would probably be the line up, maybe the XTS large car but it is V6 only, so I have my doubts about that. The new ELV Coupe (Caddy version of the Volt) would sell little but would be a hell of a talking point, striking looking car.

Cheers, Matthew

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Originally Posted by Jag530G

An interesting tidbit is that Holden would still have space in the factory to build the Caprice and Ute along side the Cruze and the "second model". Sounds like the VF ute would be like the XF Falcon ute, goes on for years and with no direct competition, why not?

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Because they have this thing called a colorado that they are trying to pump up everyones ass.

Loosing Commdore and gaining CTS. Sounds good to me.

Written by Joshua Dowling! Need i say more? This knob jockey has had a problem with the Australian car industry for years, especially the Falcon. I would only take what he says with a grain of salt...

I doubt Holden would invest so much into the VF to only sell it for 3 years, the VE has been around since 2006 remember!

The GM managers also said that the Corvette was coming here in RHD, yet the person in charge of the program said it was bollocks, sooooo

VT was effectively around for 10 years. VE2 should have been VF just for marketing.

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Originally Posted by Plenty

Written by Joshua Dowling! Need i say more? This knob jockey has had a problem with the Australian car industry for years, especially the Falcon. I would only take what he says with a grain of salt...

I doubt Holden would invest so much into the VF to only sell it for 3 years, the VE has been around since 2006 remember!

The GM managers also said that the Corvette was coming here in RHD, yet the person in charge of the program said it was bollocks, sooooo

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What makes you think the VF is a new platform. Think VX to VY. 10 years is the life cycle of a commodore traditionally. That puts it up to 2016 funnily enough.

Trust me, the car is dead. I've heard it from to many people in the know now to believe otherwise.

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Originally Posted by macca_779

Loosing Commdore and gaining CTS. Sounds good to me.

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Mmm I like and want one, but unless it comes I will be buying a Euro as my next v8

And to think why has the v8's brought the other variants in, maybe because they know the ford and Holden variants are dead after 2016 so it keeps the sport alive.....

I'll be happy with whatever so long as it has a supercharged LT1 ;)

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Originally Posted by jboy21

Because they have this thing called a colorado that they are trying to pump up everyones ass.

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Well there is currently room in the market for the Commodore Ute and Colorado at the moment, they target two different markets. The Commodroe ute sales are biased in favour of V8s and once the Falcon goes it will have the V8 sport ute market entirely to itself. By 2016 the tooling and R&D for the VE/VF ute would be long since paid for, it would cost Holden only materials to make VF utes past this point. GM Powertain would keep up the supply of emission compliant engines over time and as Ford showed with the post 1988 XF/XG/XH, people still bought them even though the car dated back to the 1979 XD.

To Macca, I must admit I would have thought the VF sedan could have stretched out to 2018, I agree with you if we get ATS and CTS for equiv BMW prices it won't be so bad.

Cheers, Matthew

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Originally Posted by macca_779

What makes you think the VF is a new platform. Think VX to VY. 10 years is the life cycle of a commodore traditionally. That puts it up to 2016 funnily enough.

Trust me, the car is dead. I've heard it from to many people in the know now to believe otherwise.

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I wasn't saying it wasn't dead, but 2016 is bollocks..... You can't compare the VT era to the VE/VF i the VF is not a new platform i never said that.

The VF will be released with the old Gen IV engine family and like the VE will be a continual line of improvements instead of a quick model cycle ala VT-VZ! Which will increase longevity.

Dowling is an idiot, always has been..... Every other journalist is saying 2020 some even stretching to 2024 all worked from quotes off of GM insiders, the new lifespan for a Commodore model will be 6-7years.

Believe what you want but investing so much coin to sell it for 3 years is just dumb and will not happen. Don't forget the VF is also being sold as the Chevy in the U.S. who generally see longer lifespans of cars.

Actually, I'm forgetting what Holden did in 1980, the Kingswood sedan and wagon stopped production and were replaced (earlier) by the smaller Commodore but Holden kept the LWB DeVille and Caprice and the ute, pano and one tonner in prodution with a mild up date. Got an extra 4 years out of the HQ platform. Perhaps this will be a guide as to what will happen in 2016.

HSV's future looks rather grim really and as for V8 Supercars, I can't see too many people watching a shilouette series of Mercedes vs Nissan, not enough to justify big budget racing teams, TV rights and sponsership deals.

Cheers, Matthew

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Originally Posted by Plenty

I wasn't saying it wasn't dead, but 2016 is bollocks..... You can't compare the VT era to the VE/VF i the VF is not a new platform i never said that.

The VF will be released with the old Gen IV engine family and like the VE will be a continual line of improvements instead of a quick model cycle ala VT-VZ! Which will increase longevity.

Dowling is an idiot, always has been..... Every other journalist is saying 2020 some even stretching to 2024 all worked from quotes off of GM insiders, the new lifespan for a Commodore model will be 6-7years.

Believe what you want but investing so much coin to sell it for 3 years is just dumb and will not happen. Don't forget the VF is also being sold as the Chevy in the U.S. who generally see longer lifespans of cars.

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So you know how much they are investing then?

Believe what you want mate.. I think you'll be in for a surprise though.

I suspect Holden will redo a lot of its analysis over the next 3-4 years on light of what Ford do. The VF will last to 2016-ish, but whether they go for another full platform after that is debatable. The issue will be product planning, and working out what to replace the VF with. I wouldn't be surprised if the VF ute continued for a while.

At the end of the day, new car buyers are seeking a range of characteristics for their new vehicles. Advertising has been extremely successful in convincing people that 4WD is something they need (hence all the soft-roaders and SUVs), and is now telling people that low fuel consumption is important. People will buy what advertising tells them to buy, and they will love it.

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Originally Posted by macca_779

So you know how much they are investing then?

Believe what you want mate.. I think you'll be in for a surprise though.

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hmmm whilst i don't know the figure at all going by previous face lifts i imagine there will not be much change from $300-400 million.

All new outer skins aside from the roof, all new interior panels and media interface, technology like GM’s Forward Collision Warning System, keyless remote start, electric power assist steering, electric bush button park brake and use of aluminium panels and tooling it's not hard to work out that it's a substantial investment, not to mention the new V8's development for later on as well.

2018 is more likely the reality.

How much or does GM have any investment HSV? Could they build the "Commodore" themselves just as sports models?

I suspect the new SUV could be the Rodeo joint venture reincarnated.