The End of Holden in Australia

[jetho1680]

Quotes:

General Motors has announced that Holden will close down for good in Australia.

The business has been hampered by highly fragmented right-hand-drive markets, the economics of growing the brand,

and poor return-on-investment.

https://au.yahoo.com/finance/news/holden-leaves-australia-021128412.html

[icyfroth]

Very sad. Another end of an era for Aussies.

[icyfroth]

Ford to stay in Australia

"Ford has reassured the Federal Government it is in Australia to stay and may be able to offer jobs to some of the laid-off Holden workers."

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/ford-says-it-is-in-australia-to-stay-following-holdens-clos...

That's good.

I've always preferred Fords over Holdens, although I have no particular brand loyalty with regard to cars.

[chameleon54]

I,ve had a number of Holdens and Fords over the years and preferred the Fords. The general concencus is that Holdens have not kept up with other manufacturers in design and quality standards over the last few years of local production.

I recently came across a reasonably late model Commodore with 40,000 km. on the clock for sale in front of a house. Elderly owners with meticulous service history and not a lot of money. I took it for a drive and was not impressed. Heaps of engine noise, rough and abrasive ride and no get up and go. If that was representative of the cars they have been turning out recently its not surprising buyers have been looking elsewhere. I also own a reasonably late model Colarado ute. Pretty good on fuel, but again noisier and more abrasive to ride in than some other utes I have owned.

The best Holden I have owned and still have is a 12 year old Holden Rodeo 4 x 4 ute. Its the family hack and spare vehicle. That one is a little ripper and enjoyable to drive. It probably represents the pinnicle of the brand in Australia before the rot set in. While its sad Holden is finally closing, manufacturers need to stay relevant to buyers, producing cars people actually want. Unfortunately Holden didn't do this and no amount of Government subsidies will save a company if its making stuff buyers just don't want.

[davidc4430]

i forsee GM pulling out of australia lock stock and barrel.

if they are still selling cars in this country it will be very small numbers via small dealers who sell a variety of brands.

ford will be the last man standing of the US branded cars.

[icyfroth]

They have said they will support Holden owners for the next 10 years.

[davidc4430]

that could mean anything, doesnt mean there will be GM dealers, could mean you will be able to take your car to an approved repairer.

who will have acess to a central spare parts facility.

does not say there will be dealer outlets.

[davidc4430]

GM has said they are not interested in building right hand drive vehicles, that kinda takes any future GM imports off the table.

[davidc4430]

Ford says it is in Australia to stay following Holden's closure and could take on axed workers

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-18/ford-insists-it-is-in-australia-to-stay-following-holden-clos...

[icyfroth]

Tesla seems to a brand of the future in motor vehicles:

A dad of three has described the moment he thought his family were going to be crushed to death by a tree in Storm Dennis – but were saved by their Tesla car on Autopilot.

Laurence Sanderson was driving his wife Anna and their three children to Dorset for a half term holiday when the 400 year old Oak tree came crashing down as Storm Dennis battered the country on Saturday evening.

But luckily their £86,000 Model X Autopilot ''kicked in'' and slammed the emergency brakes on, saving their lives.

Incredibly, another Model X coming the other way was also crushed by the tree with the Autopilot function also saving the three occupants' lives.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/tesla-autopilot-saves-familys-lives-after-tree-crushes-car-in-s...

Speaking about his family's brush with death, financial consultant Laurence said it was a ''miracle'' they survived.

''Another second and we would have been crushed as I wouldn't have been able to react in time. The car undoubtedly saved our lives. We would have been killed without it.''