cdxi
23rd January 2007, 10:35 AM
Towards the end of the week of 15 January 2007, the Vectra was quietly laid to rest and removed from the official Holden website as a new vehicle.
Launched in the third quarter of 1997, the JR Vectra continued as the latest in a long line of problem child mid-sizers for Holden. None of Holden’s medium sized product lines has ever achieved the sparkling success or even reputation of the Toranas of the early to mid 70’s. The last of the L and U series Toranas, the Sunbird, Camira, Apollo and lately the Vectra, have all been allowed to wallow in the market place without great support from Holden, who as a company, seemed to pour all its resources into the large and small car markets.
The Vectra was the product that could – and should – have seen Holden once again become a force in the medium field. At launch and right up until the release of the Mazda6 and Honda Accord Euro, the Vectra was the most convincing package of power, economy, ride, handling and style in the mid-size market and was widely commended by the motoring press.
Based on the European Vectra B, the JR was “Australianised” by local engineers, fully imported and was a far superior product to its Vauxhall and Opel cousins. By 1998, the JR had become the JS, gained a 2.2l engine, a wagon and all versions (with the exception of the V6 CD hatch) were built in Australia. The Australian Vectra was poised to take on South East Asia in an ambitious export plan until the Asian economies collapsed, leaving the Vectra all dressed up with nowhere to go.
In 1999, the JS received a minor facelift to become the JSII and again became a fully imported model. The wagon was dropped and by late 2000, the JSIII snuck in and reduced the model mix to just the 2.2 GL and CD sedans and the 2.6 V6 CD hatches.
Throughout its life to this point, the Vectra had gained the respect of the motoring industry and press, but was only ever a mediocre seller. The marketing behind the range was limited to say the least, and the Vectra B was left to promote itself.
The all-new Vectra C was introduced onto the European market in 2002. The sculpted panels and the tapered ends of the Vectra B made way for strong, angular and chunky lines, in a far bigger and safer package. And a more expensive one.
Upon its introduction to Australia in April 2003, the new ZC Vectra hit the market in three levels and two body styles – the 2.2l CD sedan and hatch, and the 3.2l V6 CDX and CDXi hatches. Suddenly, the “base” model CD sedan was some $5 000 more expensive than the JSIII CD V6, and nearly $10 000 more than the JSIII 2.2l GL. The new bigger, bolder, safer and better equipped Vectra was now vying for a different market, spanning a $35 000 to $50 000 range.
The marketing was woeful. A single TV commercial featuring a bunch of talking heads, waffling on about “a car whose wheels talk to each other” cut with a Vectra zipping across a barren landscape did nothing to position the car in a market nor did it create any desire for the product.
Holden now had a mid size vehicle more expensive than its family-sized Commodore, and no market in which to promote it. Largely ignoring its packaging, economy, safety and technology (how many of its 2003 4cyl cohort had optional 5-speed autos; 4 airbags, ABS, TC, EBA, and CBC as standard equipment?) Holden let the Vectra languish and wither on the vine.
All versions of the ZC were commended by the press for their refinement, strong drive trains and economy, but were generally criticised for “unresolved” damping and suspension tuning. The CDX seemed to be the model chosen by the local motor mags for comparison with other vehicles and was never placed on the winner’s podium. As a result, the rest of the Vectra range was largely ignored, with the CDXi never scoring a comparison with any other vehicle, not even the Audis and BMWs with which it was supposed to compete. Ironically, this was the ultimate Vectra, which by 2004 had gained ESP+ and curtain ‘bags as part of an equipment upgrade.
Despite price cuts of up to $10 000 by the last days of 2005, the Vectra didn’t even trickle out of new car showrooms. It dripped slowly off the forecourts like an annoying, leaking tap. In a deal to secure a better model mix for the new AH Astra, Holden was lumped with a number of 3.2l V6 CD sedans and hatches, shipped out to the colonies to make way for the significantly re-engineered and facelifted Vectra for the European market.
By 2006, it was clear that Australia had fallen out of love completely with the Vectra and that there was no way we would receive the new European model. The CDXi model was dropped, and by mid 2006, the 4cyl CD had also disappeared. Promotion of the Vectra was limited to “special deal” spots in newspapers and for a limited time buyers got free alloys, ABS and a Vectra with every new Holden Viva.
And so by January 2007, the Vectra story is officially over. By March, a whole new chapter begins with the launch of the Epica, the latest in a long line of mid-size Holdens. If Holden has learnt its lesson, it will have sharpened its marketing pencil and will promote this vehicle well. If history is any lesson, it will be a race to see who loses interest in the car first – the market, or Holden.
RIP, Vectra.
Launched in the third quarter of 1997, the JR Vectra continued as the latest in a long line of problem child mid-sizers for Holden. None of Holden’s medium sized product lines has ever achieved the sparkling success or even reputation of the Toranas of the early to mid 70’s. The last of the L and U series Toranas, the Sunbird, Camira, Apollo and lately the Vectra, have all been allowed to wallow in the market place without great support from Holden, who as a company, seemed to pour all its resources into the large and small car markets.
The Vectra was the product that could – and should – have seen Holden once again become a force in the medium field. At launch and right up until the release of the Mazda6 and Honda Accord Euro, the Vectra was the most convincing package of power, economy, ride, handling and style in the mid-size market and was widely commended by the motoring press.
Based on the European Vectra B, the JR was “Australianised” by local engineers, fully imported and was a far superior product to its Vauxhall and Opel cousins. By 1998, the JR had become the JS, gained a 2.2l engine, a wagon and all versions (with the exception of the V6 CD hatch) were built in Australia. The Australian Vectra was poised to take on South East Asia in an ambitious export plan until the Asian economies collapsed, leaving the Vectra all dressed up with nowhere to go.
In 1999, the JS received a minor facelift to become the JSII and again became a fully imported model. The wagon was dropped and by late 2000, the JSIII snuck in and reduced the model mix to just the 2.2 GL and CD sedans and the 2.6 V6 CD hatches.
Throughout its life to this point, the Vectra had gained the respect of the motoring industry and press, but was only ever a mediocre seller. The marketing behind the range was limited to say the least, and the Vectra B was left to promote itself.
The all-new Vectra C was introduced onto the European market in 2002. The sculpted panels and the tapered ends of the Vectra B made way for strong, angular and chunky lines, in a far bigger and safer package. And a more expensive one.
Upon its introduction to Australia in April 2003, the new ZC Vectra hit the market in three levels and two body styles – the 2.2l CD sedan and hatch, and the 3.2l V6 CDX and CDXi hatches. Suddenly, the “base” model CD sedan was some $5 000 more expensive than the JSIII CD V6, and nearly $10 000 more than the JSIII 2.2l GL. The new bigger, bolder, safer and better equipped Vectra was now vying for a different market, spanning a $35 000 to $50 000 range.
The marketing was woeful. A single TV commercial featuring a bunch of talking heads, waffling on about “a car whose wheels talk to each other” cut with a Vectra zipping across a barren landscape did nothing to position the car in a market nor did it create any desire for the product.
Holden now had a mid size vehicle more expensive than its family-sized Commodore, and no market in which to promote it. Largely ignoring its packaging, economy, safety and technology (how many of its 2003 4cyl cohort had optional 5-speed autos; 4 airbags, ABS, TC, EBA, and CBC as standard equipment?) Holden let the Vectra languish and wither on the vine.
All versions of the ZC were commended by the press for their refinement, strong drive trains and economy, but were generally criticised for “unresolved” damping and suspension tuning. The CDX seemed to be the model chosen by the local motor mags for comparison with other vehicles and was never placed on the winner’s podium. As a result, the rest of the Vectra range was largely ignored, with the CDXi never scoring a comparison with any other vehicle, not even the Audis and BMWs with which it was supposed to compete. Ironically, this was the ultimate Vectra, which by 2004 had gained ESP+ and curtain ‘bags as part of an equipment upgrade.
Despite price cuts of up to $10 000 by the last days of 2005, the Vectra didn’t even trickle out of new car showrooms. It dripped slowly off the forecourts like an annoying, leaking tap. In a deal to secure a better model mix for the new AH Astra, Holden was lumped with a number of 3.2l V6 CD sedans and hatches, shipped out to the colonies to make way for the significantly re-engineered and facelifted Vectra for the European market.
By 2006, it was clear that Australia had fallen out of love completely with the Vectra and that there was no way we would receive the new European model. The CDXi model was dropped, and by mid 2006, the 4cyl CD had also disappeared. Promotion of the Vectra was limited to “special deal” spots in newspapers and for a limited time buyers got free alloys, ABS and a Vectra with every new Holden Viva.
And so by January 2007, the Vectra story is officially over. By March, a whole new chapter begins with the launch of the Epica, the latest in a long line of mid-size Holdens. If Holden has learnt its lesson, it will have sharpened its marketing pencil and will promote this vehicle well. If history is any lesson, it will be a race to see who loses interest in the car first – the market, or Holden.
RIP, Vectra.