Holden will task its dealerships with the final assembly of the Colorado Xtreme, a special edition pickup with a plethora of off-road accessories. However, franchises aren’t thrilled about the decision.
Speaking with Motoring in a Monday report, a source told the publication that dealers have voiced their displeasure over assembling the truck at service workshops. The Holden Colorado Xtreme will have its final bolt-on accessories fitted at dealers, and some believe the process will take 35 hours to complete.
The fact upsets dealers since it will likely eat into profit margins for the special-edition truck. The source also said the final-assembly decision is why Holden has not said how many Colorado Xtreme models will be available. In the announcement, Holden said the model would be “exceptionally limited.”
Included with the Colorado Z71 Xtreme is a winch system, heavy-duty bash plate, an LED light bar, upgraded front suspension and 18-inch Goodyear all-terrain tires. Other accessories include blacked-out elements and “Xtreme” decals.
The only powertrain available will be the  2.8-liter Duramax turbo-diesel four-cylinder paired with an automatic transmission.
Holden responded to the criticism and said each truck should take no more than 24 hours to assemble, which is “not an unreasonable amount of time” noting most of the accessories are bolt-on. And, in the end, Holden believed it was best to have its dealer network perform final assembly rather than outsource the work. Holden ceased building cars locally last year; the Holden Colorado is currently built in Thailand.
Comments
Here is the deal the truck would not exist if the had to do it all at the plant.
To do this at the plant for the limited number of models sold would require GM bringing in a outside vendor to do it and the added cost would raise the price even more to were few would buy it and it would die a fast death.
The dealers will know going in the assembly time and will factor it in the price. So do not expect them dropping prices.
Even here the ZR2 has to have the rock sliders added at the dealer. The fastback, bed spare, performance exhaust and even other options are shipped with the truck but dealer installed.
Even the Chome tow hooks on my Canyon were shipped but dealer installed. No I did not order them they were already on when I bought it.
35 hours? Us Yanks can assemble a ZR2 in a day’s time.