Holden has high hopes for 2018 as it enters its first full year as an importer and not a manufacturer. The new vehicles have already started to arrive: Astra, Equinox, and soon, the Acadia.
To reiterated the confidence, Holden chairman and managing director Mark Bernhard told Drive in an interview published on Friday that the future product is just right. “I don’t lose any sleep over the product that is coming,” he said.
“We are a very different company to what we were 10 or 15 years ago when we were just the Commodore car company. We’ve ended up with a really diverse portfolio,” Bernhard added. In the near future, the brand estimates 70 percent of its sales will come from SUVs and pickups—a far cry from the Commodore company days.
Sean Poppitt, former Holden communications chief, said enthusiasts will have something very soon to fill the V8-powered Commodore’s void as well. It’s all but confirmed the Chevrolet Camaro will head to Australia via Walkinshaw or Holden Special Vehicles.
“If you are [looking for] die-hard V8, rear-drive performance, we will have something for you really soon,” Poppitt said.
Holden may also receive the Corvette as mounting evidence points to the car’s launch in the future. Notably, General Motors spent quite a bit of time in court to use the Corvette’s iconic logo in the country.
Holden won’t just be the Commodore company in the future, which many may resent, but the brand’s future looks peachy from executive eyes.
Comments
Crickets.
All Mark Bernhard will hear is crickets.
Because all the loyal and betrayed Holden supporters have left the room and won’t listen to GM Detroit’s sales BS any more.
Time will tell, but surely there are parallels here with MG, which following the demise of MG Rover Group was ultimately acquired by SAIC.
SAIC spent a fortune developing fresh product and even commenced UK assembly (of sorts) only for over 99% of Brits to give the company a wide berth when it came to parting with their hard earned. Today, MG enjoys a market share of 0.16%, primarily because most people are clever enough to realise the car isn’t an MG, but a Chinese car wearing an MG badge. And often, a car ill-suited to UK buyer needs.
Similarly with Holden. If you spend decades differentiating yourself upon the basis of manufacturing cars in Australia, developed specifically for Australian conditions… don’t be too surprised the moment you kill of your USP, than people shop elsewhere.