Holden will be gone in 2017.

[bozodos]

Too many Aussies these days do NOT want an Australian made car, especially one with a big lion on the front and back- because apparently bogans buy local Holden's. Doesn't matter how much you get for your money, how much technology is put in it, how economical they are now for their size, or how nice they are to drive. Even comparisons between imports and local car reliability hardly factor. If it's "Aussie" it must be sh!t, and everything else is better. Just because it is.
Apparently, according to some, we don't make a Holden relevant to our market anymore. Even though the only time Commodore dropped out of top 5 sales was right near the end of runout, and one current model variant has a waiting list of over 3 months...
The rapid change in what makes someone "Australian" over the last generation has been fascinating to watch in it's speed, but sad to watch how it's turned out. We really have virtually lost our unique national identity.
At the end of the day, we now have DOUBLE the brands available to you in the US on sale here- for just ONE million sales a year- and a culture that now barely values "Aussie". We've, unfortunately, become addicted to global technology and greed as a means of having "a better life". It isn't hard to figure out the numbers of what that means...

Could not have said it better myself, 100% true amongst nearly everyone I know.

I still get all of my import owning mates struggling to figure out why I drive a Commodore when I'm not a redneck bogan missing half a brain sadly. Even 8-10 years ago when we were all getting our licences, the percentage of Commodores owned was a lot higher, mainly due to the unaffordability of anything else, and the performance per $.

[ATOMIC MALOO R8]

my be there not ethnic frindly

[VXSS346]

Could not have said it better myself, 100% true amongst nearly everyone I know.

I still get all of my import owning mates struggling to figure out why I drive a Commodore when I'm not a redneck bogan missing half a brain sadly. Even 8-10 years ago when we were all getting our licences, the percentage of Commodores owned was a lot higher, mainly due to the unaffordability of anything else, and the performance per $.

Regarding getting a Commodore after getting your license, ....well the press and motoring writers have well and truly killed that idea.

Basically the thinking now is, Commodores (and Falcons) kill young drivers because they are over powered RWD cars.
Parents don't buy them for their kids anymore for these very reasons.
They buy a Hyundai Getz or some sh*t heap like that, thinking their safer.

[redvxr8clubby]

Only problem is what is the point? If they aren't manufacturing they are only importing. I would not be surprised if GM scales back the brands until it really is down to Chev and Cadilac (for their premium buyers). The amount of costs involved with all these multiple brands they have must be phenominal. Against other worl manufacturers this is a big disadvantage.

The point is how many would they sell branded as a Holden Commodore, as opposed to how many they would sell as Chevrolet badge. If they believe a Holden badge pulls extra sales over a Chevy badge, then I'm sure they will be sold as Holden. The day they believe the Holden badge is costing sales, I'm sure they would rebadge. My money would be on the Holden badge. Not unlike Opel really - little brand recognition in Oz.

[jackvz]

If you were Holden would you kill the name off? I wouldn't, it has recognition and while they would have a marketing exercise to advertise and promote it in its new form, it makes sense to make use of what you have. I don't see they will have that with another name, like the Malibu etc, no recognition of the product at all.

I would ,because no country ,but Australia knows our Commodore as a brand. There are limited US and Pommy fans that know the origins of their SS/VRX8 and GTO ,but most would think its a US built car. The Commodore has been a part of Australia for far to long and it's been built here for far to long to become just another import. I still say give an Aussie send off and let the name that is distinctly Aussie go into GMH history like the Kingswood.

Iknow people are going to disagree and state ,that the yanks did it with GTO and now the SS, but I guess I am holding on to tight to the Holden product I grew up with.

[jackvz]

Hiway patrol cars always look the goods ,except when they in your rearview mirror with lights on.

[csv rulz]

I would ,because no country ,but Australia knows our Commodore as a brand. There are limited US and Pommy fans that know the origins of their SS/VRX8 and GTO ,but most would think its a US built car. The Commodore has been a part of Australia for far to long and it's been built here for far to long to become just another import. I still say give an Aussie send off and let the name that is distinctly Aussie go into GMH history like the Kingswood.

Iknow people are going to disagree and state ,that the yanks did it with GTO and now the SS, but I guess I am holding on to tight to the Holden product I grew up with.

You're looking at it from an emotional perspective though. Whilst I agree with you, GM will name the car whatever they believe will generate the sales possible.
If it was emotionally driven for GM, golden would be producing cars locally beyond 2017, but unfortunately for us it's all numbers to them.

[Ausmartin1]

Commodore wind down Might be earlier than planned .... below quote from Barry Park, GoAuto green guide also explains Fords time table for exiting Australia perfectly - their straight 6 would never make euro 5 with their local out dated engine plant machinery.

Also is GM's lack of support to sell our cars in the USA in any large numbers as it effects their fuel averages (Hard to believe when you see the engine sizes in Yukon's, Silverado's even US spec Colorado's - I think they just hate GMH as they did so much with the ZETA platform with so little.)

"However, Euro 5 emissions standards
that will apply to all new cars sold here
are due to be introduced to Australia
in November 2016 – and are likely
to render the V6 engines that power
Holden’s Commodore passenger car
and ute range too dirty to sell here."

[GTSLOVER]

Commodore wind down Might be earlier than planned .... below quote from Barry Park, GoAuto green guide also explains Fords time table for exiting Australia perfectly - their straight 6 would never make euro 5 with their local out dated engine plant machinery.

Also is GM's lack of support to sell our cars in the USA in any large numbers as it effects their fuel averages (Hard to believe when you see the engine sizes in Yukon's, Silverado's even US spec Colorado's - I think they just hate GMH as they did so much with the ZETA platform with so little.)

"However, Euro 5 emissions standards
that will apply to all new cars sold here
are due to be introduced to Australia
in November 2016 – and are likely
to render the V6 engines that power
Holden’s Commodore passenger car
and ute range too dirty to sell here."

Pick ups and commercial vehicles dont count for the CAFE legislation. It only applies to passenger vehicles and they are already pushing on the CAFE limits with those due to the availability of a V8 engine. You can get it in Camaro, Corvette, Suburban, Tahoe, i think they are still selling the avalanche for a while longer and now the SS.

[jackvz]

You're looking at it from an emotional perspective though. Whilst I agree with you, GM will name the car whatever they believe will generate the sales possible.
If it was emotionally driven for GM, golden would be producing cars locally beyond 2017, but unfortunately for us it's all numbers to them.

True! I am looking at this from emotionally driven aspect. I do agree with you, that GM business acumen will always override public opinion.

[Goggles]

it seems everyone is missing the elephant in the room. if GM is working on a largish RWD car for the US market, why wouldn't they send a few thousand over here to replace the Commodore?

Sure the large car market in this country has shrunk, but then no other segment of the market dominates.

[planetdavo]

it seems everyone is missing the elephant in the room. if GM is working on a largish RWD car for the US market, why wouldn't they send a few thousand over here to replace the Commodore?

Sure the large car market in this country has shrunk, but then no other segment of the market dominates.

Not quite "everyone" has missed the point.
As I said a page back, Holden really only got to develop large cars here because we did something not readily available elsewhere in the GM global catalogue. Factor in the expense of doing business here now, changing buyer habits, and the availability of "possible" alternate options, and local manufacturing is history.
You are dead right about no truly dominant sector anymore. We have so much dilution of the marketplace these days, the volumes simply aren't there anymore.
An example using the top 2 selling cars of the last decade.
VX/VY Commodore used to sell over 6000 per month in a market of approx 900000 sales per year, whereas the last couple of years have had the top selling car (Mazda 3 then Corolla) doing around 3500-4000 per month in a one million per year market.
So, the top selling (now smallish) car is doing at least one third LESS business than an early noughties Commodore did- in a market at least 10 percent BIGGER!
*
To some of the people that (naively or stupidly) keep going on about government subsidies, perhaps it's time to throw something back in your court.
If you think it's so idiotic, perhaps you'd like to hand back your baby bonuses, or your first home buyers grants, your negative gearing and capitol loss amounts from the tax office, health care rebates....and the list goes on and on.

[Hi Octane]

They might be selling less mazdas than they did commodores in the 90's compared to now, but we have more choice, dosent matter what spin you put on it, holden are not competitive anymore.

[Red Beard]

it seems everyone is missing the elephant in the room. if GM is working on a largish RWD car for the US market, why wouldn't they send a few thousand over here to replace the Commodore?

Sure the large car market in this country has shrunk, but then no other segment of the market dominates.

It seems you could be right.......

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/v...220-2zpj9.html

[matthewfnorbert]

SUV (and 4x4) and VW golf size products are the flavour of the month and trending towards smaller SUV's....