One-third of incoming Holdens will be Opel-designed, or Opel-manufactured. That much we do know. The rest is truly a mystery as the brand looks to redefine its presence in its domestic market.
24 new models are scheduled to arrive the year 2020, while a handful have already been introduced, including Astra VXR/GTC, Cascada and Insignia VXR. The incoming 2016 Commodore Series II update may be part of this product plan, but that remains to be seen. Finally, a new Spark will join Holden coming in January of next year.
Where does that leave the other 20 models or so? Motoring decided to speculate on such a topic.
The publication was told a new Holden Captiva is in the works, but mum has been the word from Peter Keley, Holden’s executive director, on which Opels will make their way to Oz.
The Holden Cruze will need replacing after its production locally ends for good. The Cruze wagon was already imported, leaving room for Opel to fill those spaces accordingly.
Keley remains ambiguous on where the brand stands on selling an Astra hatchback, and a Cruze sedan saying, “The thing that we always want to make sure that we do, in whatever the line-up is, is to actually be able to have confidence in the vehicles and position them in such a way as you minimise internal cannibalization, but maximize external cannibalization.”
“There’s certainly opportunities, but does that mean we’re actually doing it? No, it doesn’t mean that, but there’s certainly opportunities,” Keley said.
There’s also a chance some of Opel’s people movers could head to Australia, as the Zafira was already close to an Aussie launch before Opel was shuttered locally years ago. The return of the Corsa-based Combo may be another addition.
Keley was honest in saying he would not speculate further on two of the most important products in the 24 model figure: a new V8 sport coupe and the 2018 Holden Commodore.
Comments
GM had better do something fast as huge numbers of once loyal GM/Holden buyers are leaving the brand. GM have a lethal marketing combination of “well they wont be made here so who cares about GM anymore” combined with zero excitement about the future (hot hatches and mid sized AWD turbos don’t get the Aussie GMH buyers blood pumping sorry). You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the damage this is doing to sales both present and future. Before you say stop the pisses and moans Scott3 we aren’t pissing and moaning, were moving on to other manufacturers as GM have completely failed to interest us with something even if it is imported (a CTS-V suited for our market would be nice for example).
The current research indicates that a majority of shoppers are not considering Holden (Ford has had the same problem since announcing the end of local production). It will blow over provided products are good.
Without doubt, GM shifted to Opel add a supplier to help deal with European overcapacity. Relying one the Opel-Buick hyper brand will also allow Holden to bypass S Korean labor costs by buying Chinese built products.
Captiva will likely be Envision. Given that the 2016 Commodore has ventiports, we can assume either LaCrosse or Aveair will also come to Oz. I say this because Holden is spending far too much money branding the name Insignia VPC for it just to be dropped in a few years. In addition, Holden claims that it will always sell a V8 RWD auto and it would appear as if Camaro isn’t going down under.
Everyone forgets that about the Chinese need for a Park Avenue replacement and how this will dictate a Commodore replacement. Buick will not give up one this segment or cede it to upstart Cadillac. At this rate, Chinese needs will be the deciding factor in most GM decisions and this will impact Holden.
As for Astra hatch, I suspect it will arrive in Oz plus Astra /Verano sedan. I don’t see the Chinese spec Cruze fitting in well into Holden’s line up.
I find it funny that most of the US Buick line up is sold as luxury in the US while it is pimped as mainstream in Europe, Australia and other markets.
For starters the Astra VXR hatch launched here some months back, sales are poor by the way. TWO THIRDS of GM’s portfolio is sub standard quality models from Korea that cant compete with similar models from Mazda, Toyota and even Hyundai now. Also as an Aussie trust me when I say it wont blow over as you can’t apply marketing rules and lessons learned from a country as large as America to a country as small as Australia, once your loyal fans and dedicated buyers are gone they’re gone for good here. If anyone here has a close relationship to anyone in GM let them know they need to do something drastically as this current marketing situation is killing your market share and sales by the month.
GM didn’t need to shut it’s Australian factories. Two factories were a mere token gesture, anyway.
The ONLY fix would be to announce the production of the Aussie-designed Aveair and reopen one line for next generation Cruze sedan.
After that, it would be best for Holden to source everything else from Opel.