GM axed the beloved Holden brand from its portfolio back in early 2020 – a decision that left many diehard fans of the Australian company disappointed. However, despite traditional Holden enthusiasts’ feelings about this decision, the automaker says backlash among the general car-buying populace in the country has been minimal.
Speaking to local Australian publication Drive.com.au in a recent interview, General Motors Special Vehicles boss Marc Ebolo said the company has so far received “a lot of positive feedback” regarding its current product portfolio, which consists of the Chevy Silverado 1500 and C8 Corvette Stingray. The company is also pleased with the sales numbers for these two nameplates, with Ebolo saying demand for the Silverado and Corvette in the country is “showing no signs of slowing down.”
“Our customers are delighted with the current product,” he added.
One major contributing factor to this positive consumer sentiment was the decision to launch Chevrolet Racing locally in Australia, Ebolo said. The new motorsports entity will be tasked with taking the Chevy Camaro racing in the hugely popular Supercars Championship starting in 2023, in which it will face off against the Ford Mustang for top honors at key races like the Bathurst 1000 and Adelaide 500.
“Fans at events are positive, Chevrolet Racing, how passionate they are, how excited they are,” Ebolo explained. “Do I have confidence that they will come along on the journey? Yes, we see a lot of passion out there.”
While Holden was put out to pasture in early 2020, the brand’s image had already been tarnished in the eyes of many enthusiasts when the Commodore moved from the rear-wheel-drive GM Zeta platform to the front-wheel-drive GM E2 platform for the 2018 model year. With this change, Holden became similar to Buick, offering consumers a range of badge-engineered products from GM’s global product portfolios. Holden’s demise was therefore unsurprising to many observers, easing the transition into the GMSV era.
Looking ahead, GMSV will expand its product portfolio by offering the off-road-ready Chevy Silverado ZR2 in Australia and New Zealand, while future electric models from Cadillac are also under consideration.
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Comments
Look Holden held out longer than most of the other brands and just did not make economic sense anymore.
Australia is a small market and was at a disadvantage exporting products.
The larger sellers were Mazda and Toyota trucks and small cars.
The few people actually buying these vehicles may be “delighted” but in reality, gm is no longer doing any significant new vehicle business in Australia. For all of 2021 just over 2000 units were sold by gmsv down under which ranked them 30th among all brands. Just below Peugeot (2805) and above Fiat (2016). gm makes a big profit on the the few they decide to convert to RHD, so for now they are doing it.
By comparison, in 2017, the final year for Holden production in Australia, sales for the year for all of Holden was over 90,000 units.
90,000 vs 2000…. Dismal. But hey! Even maduro claimed his citizens were content starving in the streets of Venezuela! Gave life new meaning! Keep beating your own drum GM
Look Holden held out longer than most of the other brands and just did not make economic sense anymore.
Australia is a small market and was at a disadvantage exporting products.
The larger sellers were Mazda and Toyota trucks and small cars.
2004 Holden sold 178,027 Commodores alone and it has been in decline ever since.
Commodore and related variants have been in decline, but there is some auto business there. Just like here, trucks are the best sellers, Toyota Hi-Lux and Ford Ranger are 1-2. Overall more than 1 million units were sold there in 2021, of those 0.201% were gmsv. gm decided to close Holden and become a “boutique” brand with gmsv. Sell a few, make big profit on each unit, that’s it
Other are selling vehicle built in Asia and GM does not built trucks in Asia.
The only thing that makes sense with the expense of importing American cars is to sell the things people will pay a lot of money to own.
The big picture of Australia is that they will not make or break GM.
Cheap Asian imports are about all that makes money there.
C8.R
You sound like a GM employee.
The big question to me is why bother with gmsv at all? Even if you make a big profit on a few thousand per year, why bother? Some vehicles convert to RHD easier than others, but it’s still a significant process to complete. I guess they want the “PR” that the C8 is “global” and available in RHD.
A C8R…gm did build the Colorado for years in Thailand at the factory in Rayong. This is the factory that built the Holden Colorado. gm “decided” to end operations in Thailand entirely and therefore no more Holden Colorado. Ironically Great Wall Motors stepped right in and purchased the existing factory and will build vehicles there.
It’s very likely that the decision to exit Thailand was not a “gm” decision, but a Chinese “SAIC” decision.
The loss of the Ute was a crime.
“Holden became similar to Buick … Holden’s demise was therefore unsurprising to many observers ”
So what are you saying?
Holden’s demise at GM started about 7 years after Mark Reuss (current President . GM) was chairman / managing director of Holden in Australia. I often wonder if he had anything to do with putting Holden on the chopping block.
They built good, strong, ugly cars.
Good and Strong, Yes! But, ugly? NFW!
Yeah, the GTO’s were good performers but didn’t sell because of their looks, same with the Chevy SS. I loved the idea and performance but couldn’t get past the uglyness.
Still sucks we didn’t get the Ute!! I’m a Kiwi & grew up with Holdens in our family, we had Holden Ute’s in the 60’s & 70’s.
We Yanks talk a good game about loving old El Caminos and the like. Whether we actually would buy them is another story, but I’d like to see the General try.
I have two El Caminos. Have owned one at all times since 1969. I’d be first in line for a new one, preferably a Maloo.
When Pontiac was still around and there was a possibility they would bring over the Maloo ute, I was looking forward to getting one. At least I still have my 2004 Pontiac GTO/Holden Monaro. Sad to see Holden cease operations.
That was the last of anything desirable at GM with the exception of the Vette.
GM USA never built anything to compare with the Holden in my opinion. The last Commodore was the best and they canned it. What better way but to have car you could take the family to church in on Sunday, then tow a trailer when on holidays with the family and race it on Sunday, that’s why they sold them on Mondays. The rivalry they had between the falcon (Ford) and the Super V8 series was second to none and they have botched that up. Attendance is down at the V8 series and may never come back. Yes GM US said they would send the Camaro down but do you ever see one and it’s a 2 seater. Do you see a Silverado? SUV’s became popular in OZ which dented the sedan market, Commodores out sold that SSR thing and what was that other thing they couldn’t sell but gave a few away on survivor. The yanks built some ugly models that should never have gone to market, but closed down the Aussies as did Ford. Holden’s were sold in many countries around the world not just Australia. I live in Canada and have a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT, local gear heads don’t even know what it is because GM didn’t spend any money on advertising them over here. My G8 has 309567K on it now, bring me any other brand that will do that with for the most part basic maintenance.
Holden Commodore was a world class car – one of GM’s few. Though I have no plans to ever trade-in my ’05 GTO, just look at the current prices on secondhand ’14-’17 Chevrolet SS sedans. Speaks volumes to their worth. These were the pinnacle of Holden clean sheet engineering and gm has had nothing since that comes even close. What a shame. They were far from ugly; most Americans simply forgot what a clean, attractive, well proportioned sedan should look like having been punished with so many generations of gaudy, awkward looking FWD GM sedans leading up to it. Many of the same people calling the SS ugly can be found tooling around in overpriced, hideous looking Lexus and BMWs, etc. that are worth less than a 5-year old SS the minute they leave the showroom. There will always be plenty of sheep.
Pontiac G8 was briefly reincarnated as the Chevrolet SS don’t forget. It was, and
still is, a beautiful 4 dr. sport sedan. These cars are still prized by auto
enthusiasts, and fortunate owners lucky enough to own what relatively few
exist. A shame that GM just didn’t market them properly.
I haven’t forgotten. I will probably seek out a G8 GT for my 15-year old when he’s ready to drive. Back in 2008-‘09, I literally sold my brother and my best friend on G8 GTs. Both of those guys bought brand new ones on my advisement and my friend had me on the phone while he was at the Pontiac dealer making the deal. I was offered one by a local dealer in Dublin, CA for $25K at the time, but was still paying off the ‘05 GTO, so I declined. It was a mistake in hindsight. Never has there been such an opportunity to get so much world class car for literally peanuts. The ‘14 SS just improved upon some of the G8s shortcomings, namely the hard plastics throughout the interior. SS brought back the interior quality of my GTO, but never matched the unprecedented value for money of a 2009 G8 GT.
Also, the long wheelbase Commodore was available as the Chevrolet Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, many of which are being retired by law enforcement agencies. Keep your eyes peeled for auctions.
Definitely like the hose-it-out aspect for a teenager. Plus the stealth interior lighting. Bought a 4,000 mile 2009 Charger Hemi Pursuit for my ex-wife. She’s still driving it well over 200K miles later – still loves it. I don’t envy her gas bill, but I’d love to have that Unity spotlight and oh, the sweet simplicity.
There remains a market for big, simple, badass powerful sedans for everyman
First up I’m not a GM employee.
The Holden Commodore along with the Falcon were sold to all Police, rental cars, taxis throughout south Asia
Holden was simple to convert from LHD to RHD as the controls were in the tunnel and I told even on the same line one could be a sedan another a station wagon etc. Now the Holden is replaced by a Kia rear drive twin turbo V6 for police cars, but not sure how they are doing.
The last Holden is the Chev SS which is considered the perfect build re, workmanship, welding, fitment and so on, now gone.
There was Belgium businessman wanting to purchase the factory at one point but that was shut down quickly by ?
The new replacement for Holden a front wheel drive I believe made in Germany? I don’t think their worker would work for less than the Aussies?
Yes I’m an Aussie tradesman living in Canada and do recognize good skills training and what that can achieve and to see that shut down even after the Labor Government had given tax breaks etc to assist with the new model SS.
Let me go back to some of the disaster models built in North America, I started with the SSR but there were many and some of those guys that approved those are still at GM????
Think how many State troopers would rather drive a Caprice SS rather than that other product. I think GM were lazy and did now pursue the market.
Have a good day.