What's going to happen to Holden?

[skidMark]

If either holden or ford is better its holden, but they are both rubbish because they are australian...

chinese ownership would probably improve them

or korean...

hyoden

holsung

[davereid]

possibly not

Saab Opel and Vauxhall are in the process of being sold off

Opel Vauxhall and Holden are are mirror images of each other the main difference being the badge

Chances are the commonality will continue as part of the package to sell off Holden

Yep, I agree - the German G'mint will chuck oodles of cash at Opel, and the Aussie G'mint will do the same with Holden.

But none of GMs US bailout cash will get to Melbourne.

Its unlikely that Holden will have enough cash to produce a completely local successor to the current commodore, and the family II engine range was already due for retirement by the end of the decade before the current crisis arrived.

An opel may be chosen, as it was for the basis of the original commodore. A daewoo may be a more likely choice for the future, as its closer, cheaper, and already RHD.

[geestring]

So do any of you business minded people believe Holden can stand on its own? It would be a shame to see such an iconic brand go under.

always holden, will hold togeather, only thing now is all the old parts are now going to cost a arm and a leg instead of a box of piss. we better start collecting all the old bodies around back yards and under trees, we will make a fortune.

[James Deuce]

oh dear. you must drive a ford. even if ford were the only cars to choose from, never would we buy one anyway 5 cents are no longer worth anything either.

Hahahahaha.

If only you knew.

But you don't.

You're on lithium, right?

Bling to the first person to ID the car: http://static.stuff.co.nz/1242122971/909/2405909.jpg

[Coyote]

You're on lithium, right?

I tried going on Lithium. But apparently it doesn't make you an emotionless Zombie. Damn.

Some die hard Holden fan/investor will buy the company name. After all, that's what brands are; names. If we're lucky, they might make a cool race inspired concept like car that has a limited production run and that'd be interesting to see coming out of Australia. Most likely they'll move all manufacturing to China and make Vectras.

[Pedrostt500]

Ah GM will take a page out of British Leylands book, now how did that go, ah yes 25 yrs of strikes, the Morris Marina, and 6 months of production.

[Chooky]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0L2VaTWs9s

OK for a minute I thought your Prilla had sh*t itself..
Back to Holden....

[Conquiztador]

Nah. They finally come to their senses. The V6 will be cut in half and fitted to two of the wheels. They call it Bushpig, Crock or Jackaroo and Mad Max will ride them in to the sunset!

[peasea]

What's the problem? There are plenty of cars to choose from, and I'm sure people will find plenty of choice once Holden disappears. Good heavens, some Holden buyers may even buy Fords!

You've gone too far with that one, sport!

Infraction I say!

[peasea]

and the family II engine range was already due for retirement by the end of the decade before the current crisis arrived.

Sad as that may be. While I'll admit the technology is almost as old as the ark you can't beat the aural sculpture emitted by a stout pushrod V8.

We've got a 5.7 and we love it to bits.

[Kendog]

05

[AllanB]

It's a shame in some ways - Holden has produced some crap over the years but the late ones are nice rides

I suspect it will all depend on how well Holden Aussie/NZ are doing - are they in the green or red? Are they allowed to stand independently, feeding profits (if any) back to the USA?

Frankly it outstands me that a company has been able to make the huge losses GM has over the past years and blindly carry on with the same product!

[James Deuce]

GM had been actively considering making Australia their production base and standardising on the current Astra(Vaxhaull)/Viva(Daewoo)/Epica (Daewoo) platforms, with the Commodore (Opel) as the luxury/sporty model base.

Quality is vastly better in Australia and the lead times and budget for new model development are many factors lower than the expectations for a US based product.

Unfortunately, that plan vanished in the borrowing more 10s of billions of dollars from the Chinese via the US government just so we can keep using our gold plated toilet debacle.

The management would all be murdered in their beds by US assembly workers going postal in their (now copious) "own time" if it went through.

No good will come of GM crashng, I'll tell you whut.

[Hitcher]

I suspect it will all depend on how well Holden Aussie/NZ are doing - are they in the green or red? Are they allowed to stand independently, feeding profits (if any) back to the USA?

GM's receivers will be taking a very narrow US-based view, as they are largely responsible to US taxpayers and GM's US-based unions who are providing the cash to keep GM afloat. There is no "rest of the world" for your average American. The receivers' priority will be damage minimisation in the US and possibly Canada.

If Holden can find a cornerstone investor who can get an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with the US receivers, then there may be a chance of a deal. That would be contingent on GM's Korean operations getting a chance to have a similar conversation.

I don't think that the Australian government is flush with cash for this sort of takeover.

And don't forget that it's pretty hard to find a state-owned car manufacturing success story anywhere in the world. The words "British Leyland" should have everybody trembling in their boots.

[skidMark]

Sad as that may be. While I'll admit the technology is almost as old as the ark you can't beat the aural sculpture emitted by a stout pushrod V8.

We've got a 5.7 and we love it to bits.

I don't think its the love thats making it fall to bits.