With Holden beginning its transition into a sales brand and relinquishing its manufacturing arm to the great automotive junkyard in the sky, it still has a job to do for the Australian public: sell great product. General Motors is planning a plethora of new products for the Aussie brand, and Australia’s Car Advice looks into what may be on the way.
We do have a few clues as to what will make its way down under, though. Opel and Holden announced that more than a third of Holden’s future product would be sourced from its German sister brand. This also coincides with hints of more global connection through North America’s Buick brand, stemming from the stunning Australian designed Buick Avenir concept. Finally, rumblings around Detroit during the 2015 North American International Auto Show confirmed a new V8 rear-wheel drive vehicle will take the place of the beloved Holden Commodore after 2017.
We know a few models are definitely sticking around for sure. These include the Colorado, Colorado7, Trax, Captiva (for now) and Barina. The other listed below are new product to be introduced, or merely educated guesses as to why the vehicle would make sense for the Aussie market.
Without further ado, here is a look at what a Holden showroom could very look like in 2020:
Holden Corsa
Car Advice reports the Opel Corsa will make the voyage south and be offered in a high-spec trim as a posh alternative to the Volkswagen Polo and the Renault Clio. Base model duties will be left to the Barina, so expect a premium version of the Corsa loaded with tech and safety features, or a hotter VXR variant.
Holden Cruze
The Cruze will most likely live on and continue to do battle in the small car class, leaving the more expensive Astra to sway more affluent buyers.
Holden Astra GTC/5-Door
The Astra GTC has already been confirmed for Holden as the nameplate is already mighty popular with the buying public. Holden would be foolish to let go of the name and not use it on a wider scale.
Holden Volt
This one is the iffiest of the bunch. As we previously reported, the Volt hasn’t done too hot down under in terms of sales. Holden execs realized the car wouldn’t be a volume seller, but under 100 Volts were sold in all of 2014. Not the greatest business case to send the all-new second generation down. What may save its business case is the status it has in lifting the persona of the Holden brand.
Holden Commodore
We now know Holden will indeed keep the Commodore name for its upcoming full-size sedan. Reports initially suggested dropping the name altogether in favor of the Insignia nameplate, since the replacement will not be a V8 RWD full-size. With the debut of the Buick Avenir, we may have a good look at the car to replace the Commodore, though. Even with its decidedly rear-wheel drive looks, expect the new Commodore to be front-wheel drive and a V6 to be fitted under the bonnet. It would also follow in Ford’s footsteps to cover the full and mid-size market with just one model. Time will tell on this one.
Holden RWD Sport Coupe
As mentioned above, Holden will indeed receive a new hero car after 2017. We just don’t know if it will be the Chevrolet Camaro, or the Corvette. The Camaro would make for an excellent Monaro revival, but we’re sure the Aussies wouldn’t mind seeing the Stingray reach their shores, either.
Holden Cascada
The Cascada has been confirmed to arrive in Australia as the first drop top since the Tigra. The Cascada has been on sale in Europe since 2013, but will make its way to the country this year. Meanwhile, the Buick Cascada arrives in the U.S. in early 2016.
Holden Silverado?
If rumors and reports are to be believed, Holden may end up introducing a full-sized truck into the fold, with Chevrolet exporting the Silverado to Australia. We remain highly skeptical.
Comments
VW had already taken a leadership role in toyta cars for sale. Toyota is a complete mess. I recommend you follow the VAG. Vag is first of all a very good quality and very large top-brand
That is a huge line up covering duel segments. The same thing should be happening in the US.
We deserve Corsa, Adam, Astra coupe. These cars, with new front and rear facada, would make for fine Chevy products.
Opel is linked to Buick what makes more sense than rebadging Opel as Chevy.
How should an rebadged Astra in Chevy’s line up fit to the Verano? You would have to nearly identical cars offered by two brands!
There are two options for a Chevy Astra coupe: New front and rear facada. Also, make a point during design to differentiate coupe and saloon. This has been done with Trax and Encore with success.
Options two would be for Buick to drop Verano in North America while reducing the cost of Regal. I don’t support doing this aside from the fact that Astra doesn’t really fit into a luxury brand with looks like Aveair.
The Chevrolet version of the Opel/Vauxhall Astra = Buick Verano/Excelle is already available for many years. It is the Chevrolet Cruze.
GM is more complicated than the VAG. But VAG also builds cars, however, different for different brands. GM has in fact more than the direct sharing of vag. while GM is again a better chance to simply replace characters in a different world. This may again be a good and useful. Certainly, some GM brands are pleased to receive any other brand of your car brand. I’m a lover of Opel has also been happy if some machines are brought from elsewhere and Opel badge and I believe that in the future.
But the collaboration and sharing is even better to change and evolve.
VAG cooperation between its units are impressive and they have achieved success as well.
VAG is a good example of what likes to follow me, and I’m envious
GM is more complicated than vag. GM is greater risks because GM is global. This means that the different cultures of the car as well. vag basically do not have all of the risks and benefits of what will be a success. GM is a totally different car cultures globally together. However, it is useful to think I am. Gm is broader horizons and opportunities to do cool things with acute and.
“Later this year, the Insignia OPC sedan will be exported to Australia and New Zealand as the Holden Insignia VXR” — from the Opel Presse Release about the 750’000th Insignia built in their historic plant at Rüsselsheim, Germany: http://media.gm.com/media/intl/en/opel/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/intl/en/2015/opel/01-19-750000-opel-insignia.html
Also from the same Opel press release:
“Furthermore, an additional Insignia variant will be produced in Rüsselsheim later this decade, and will then be sold as a new model from the GM brand Buick in the United States. “
If the Australians want to keep producing Holdens… They must vote with their wallets.
With the exciting new models, and the beautiful Australian concept the Avenir, if the Aussies don’t buy Holdens… It’s highly likely that the Holden engineers will be given the option to come to the states. There is no way that GM would let these talented people go.
The only engineers being kept are to do with altering the handling of imported vehicles. Even Hyundai and Kia do that in Australia. Australians were buying Commodore and Cruze in large numbers and still are. GM just wanted more government subsidies… even though they had $10 billion dollars of their own to invest in China.