No more Holden V8?

[GR346]

Would certainly be the end of a long and glorious era if it were true - will be interesting to see what else comes to light in the next few weeks

http://www.news.com.au/business/comp...-1226754495206


THE Holden V8 is set to disappear from showrooms for the first time since 1968.

And the new Holden Commodore - if it gets built - will be a front-wheel-drive car with about as much pizzazz as a Toyota Camry.

A confidential South Australian Government report into Holden's manufacturing future - leaked to The Adelaide Advertiser - makes grim reading for Holden fans.

It says the company is not likely to have a rear-wheel-drive car - and therefore a V8 - beyond 2016, or 2018 at a stretch.

"The true impact of not retaining this offering is not clear. However GMH is likely to experience some sales erosion sand migration to other brands," said the report prepared by University of Adelaide Professor Goran Roos for the SA Government
When the Falcon and its performance models bow out in 2016, Ford will import the Mustang coupe from the US to appeal to the enthusiast market.

"The next gen model mix also excludes the ute variant," the report said, confirming a News Corp Australia exclusive from a fortnight ago.

If Holden keeps making cars in Australia from 2016 to 2022 it will be the first time since the first ever Holden - the 1948 "FX" - that its flagship model will be front-wheel-drive.

The front-wheel-drive car that Holden says it will call the "Commodore" will be made with mostly imported parts, the report says, putting further pressure on local parts suppliers.

That in turn is expected to force Toyota Australia's hand with a factory closure in 2017, a year after Holden and when the Camry model cycle is due to come to an end.

[Drizt]

The front-wheel-drive car that Holden says it will call the "Commodore" will be made with mostly imported parts, the report says, putting further pressure on local parts suppliers.

I will never buy a FWD holden.

Holden may as well shut up shop if this is true.

[GR346]

I dare say Ill look elsewhere (another make) too

Wonder how much this will affect the used car pricing - some of the Fords are getting stupid money for their 8's now

[Aus8]

We all know its going has been disucessed a plenty. Moral of the story is buy a brand new VF V8 and enjoy it and Keep it in immaculate condition because you will want to keep it for a very very long time!

[VYBerlinaV8]

Have a look who wrote the article.

I'm seriously considering a move back into a V8 around 2015-16, depending on whether they really will stop selling them here. If they do, a good one will hold its value well.

[BLACKVE]

Hope the US still wants rear drive cop cars.

Really V8's with afm use about the same as all the popular medium petrol SUV's around now.

Direct injection 5l would be nice

[CLUBRED]

If not RWD then they have to retire the nameplate. The heritage is more important than the marketing.

They may aswell call it the Sunbird, it will sell aswell as it did.

[GTS LSA]

I will never buy a FWD holden.

Holden may as well shut up shop if this is true.

Yep, what you said

[Marco]

Not really interested in a FWD Commodore. As I've said before, if Holden sells a Camry type of thing then I might as well go looking at other Camry types of thing, and I might decide I prefer Honda's Camry or Kia's Camry instead of Holden's Camry.

The saving grace might be that Holden's engineers do a pretty good job of making anything they touch drive well - look at the work they did on the Cruze recently for example.

Who knows, maybe in five years time this will look like the smart play, can't sell V8s forever I suppose.

[Jag530G]

And the end of HSV too. The current GTS will be one hell of a collector's item in years to come. It will benefit from having no better replacement the same way the Phase 3 didn't have a better replacement.

[SSer]

Have a look who wrote the article.

He is loving this isn't he?

[GTS LSA]

He is loving this isn't he?

Yep, same sh*t different day, having said that, i think we all know the writing is on the wall..... but standard journalism all negatives, no positives..... might get Camaro or Caddy to make up for it.

That wont replace the jobs or businesses that go bust if Holden do

[team illucid]

"ooh, I much prefer the Sporty Camry over the old Holden V8" - said by poofs Australia wide.

[Plenty]

He is loving this isn't he?

Do you know what I haven't even read the article but I already know it's written by Joshua Dowling.

Why would they retire the V8? It's the biggest seller of all the range. If it goes FWD the nameplate will change and in all honestly how is it going to save the Commodore anyway? There is just to much choice out there for a small scale manufacturer. Chevrolet need to take over the manufacturing side and let "Holden" design it.

[C4B]

I really hope they retire the nameplate when Commodore as we know it is put out to pasture.

Imagine driving your Commodore in years to come seeing FWD Camrydores with Commodore badges on them.... Even worse..... Camrydore "SS"