Holden’s imported Commodore may not have a long lease on life. The brand’s chairman and managing director, David Buttner, didn’t rule out killing off the Holden Commodore as he spoke to media at the Lang Lang proving ground.
According to news.com.au, the chairman said future product decisions will involve a hard look at customer preferences, vehicle dynamics, and financial performance contribution the vehicle makes. The first and third points are key factors that we’d imagine contribute to the possibility of a new Holden Commodore. Although the Commodore remains a top seller in its segment, it’s hardly a best-seller across the board.
The brand reiterated the days of being the “Commodore Company” are long gone as it doubles down on SUVs and crossovers.
“It’s where the market is and of course they are more profitable product lines than others that we have,” Buttner said.
Holden beefed up its crossover SUV portfolio with the introductions of the Holden Equinox and the Acadia. The Equinox took over duties from the aged Captiva, while the Acadia is the brand’s new full-size offering. The Trax and Trailblazer round out the SUV portfolio and Holden left the door open to import the Blazer in the near future.
The current Commodore’s lifespan has been up for debate since the manufacturing and import process is rather tricky. Since General Motors sold Opel and Vauxhall to PSA Group two years ago, a French automaker assembles the Australian-sold sedan in a licensing contract. PSA is quickly phasing out any GM intellectual property left, which gives the current Commodore (and the Buick Regal) a murky future. GM will need to develop its own successors for production at one of its own plants.
As GM gladly swings the ax at its passenger cars in North America, prospects look dim for a successor. The only mainstream passenger car GM will build in the U.S. after it phases out other models is the Chevrolet Malibu. If the Commodore has any chance of a successor, it could be twinned with a new Malibu sold in the U.S. Holden could also potentially import a Chinese-built model should it find the Commodore a beneficial vehicle in its lineup.
Comments
Let’s not call this homely FWD car a Commodore.
The Commodore (as well as the Chevy SS) was a rare, understated driver’s car that spoke quietly but carried a big stick. A pure bred, crossover nothing, but without the look at me styling.
But no time to wax nostalgic in memory of a true four door canyon carver and sleeper BMW killer, let’s hear about the newest, car based SUV thing.
Really? Customer preference? Didn’t that ship sail awhile agp?
Replace fwd Commodore with a Holden version of CT4 or CT5…
In Australia you can purchase cars from an extensive range of makes and models. This choice may be larger than anywhere else around the World. As such, Holden has to take a hard look at customer preferences, vehicle dynamics, and financial performance contribution its vehicle make. Doing this and other sensible action can return Holden to being an Australian leader.
The Commodore can go Rwd with sports iteration. This could be also a rebirth of the Impala as a RWD halo car.
The new Malibu needs to be developed so that it can be front, rear and all wheel drive. It also needs to offer engines from a hybrid PHEV right up to a V8 (still a big market for rear drive V8s in Australia.).
In Australia it would be perfectly fine to simply sell the RWD version with a PHEV, 6 and V8 option. At least this would be a nod to the Commodore of old which most buyers in this segment seem to be missing.
Marketing the car as being US in origin would not be anywhere near as problematic as importing a model from China which would not go down well in Australia at all…given the bad experiences we’ve had with Chinese vehicles thus far.