Holden to Build New 4 Cylinder Vehicle

[MatsHolden]

http://www.holdencampaign.com.au/greatnews/images/hero.jpg

Holden are going to build a new smaller 4 Cylinder vehicle. The vehicle will be designed and engineered in Port Melbourne. The vehicle will be built on the Delta platform which the next generation Astra will use. It will be built in the facility where the Vectra was once built. The days of the Astra are numbered...

Exciting times ahead for Holden!

[GreyRex]

Shall be interesting...

[xplosv57]

They showed a pic on the news on the car it's based on, some Chevrolet, but it looked very much like the Insignia??

[MatsHolden]

They showed a pic on the news on the car it's based on, some Chevrolet, but it looked very much like the Insignia??

Those images were just cars built on the Delta platform.

[glider]

really cant see Holden importing astras anymore once this is launched...

[Corsa_Rob]

Very keen to find out what it will be, definitely exciting times.

[dieselhead]

Oh boy... Now Holden promising a smaller than falcodore 4 cylinder car, just like Ford did over a year ago. I'm still to see one good reason why these guys, who are on the brink of bankruptcy, would manufacture small cars here rather than in Thailand, China or Malaesia.
"This is the end/(Dum-dum-dum)/My only friend, the end"

[HappySlapper82]

Oh boy... Now Holden promising a smaller than falcodore 4 cylinder car, just like Ford did over a year ago. I'm still to see one good reason why these guys, who are on the brink of bankruptcy, would manufacture small cars here rather than in Thailand, China or Malaesia.
"This is the end/(Dum-dum-dum)/My only friend, the end"

The government paying for its development. After that they'll take it offshore :D

[imay]

Let's just hope it's not another Holden badged and face-lifted Korean (Daewoo) hand-me-down.

But I reckon it will be a re-panelled (i.e. face-lifted) Daewoo Cruze (being sold as the Chevy Cruze in Europe). Really can't see Holden doing a NEW ground-up designed and engineered 4-cylinder vehicle when GM already has access to soooo many in it's various fleets. But also agree with previous comments about the end of Astra (as we know it), and no chance of a return of anything else that once used to wear the Opel Blitz.

I wish them luck, but fail to see how Holden/Ford can continue to survive (long term) through the current economic climate in a land of only 20 million, who just might be tempted to buy a new car every 5+ years.

[dieselhead]

That's the sad thing, isn't it? How much did the government pump in Mitsubishi and for what result? Small cars are just too expensive to manufacture here. If it wasn't so we would have had locally built Astras since the 80s.

[poita]

i hope holden do do it, the astra isnt the all mighty everything car.
it will come to an end one day.
it would be nice to have a locally produced 4 banger, fingers crossed matsholden has something to do with its design :)

[HappySlapper82]

If it was rear wheel drive and FI they would sell millions to young Aussies

[digifish]

If it was rear wheel drive and FI they would sell millions to young Aussies

I can't imagine any newly designed run-o-the-mill 4 banger will ever be RWD.

I really hope this thing doesn't displace the next Astra :(

Perhaps they will import the new Astra in kit form and assemble it here?

I want my twin-turbo diesel! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! :eek:

[dieselhead]

Don't worry, you'll get your Astra CDTTi, from Opel :)
Sorry, I can't believe GM or Ford will become experts in manufacturing medium sized cars here down under. Right now when they're struggling to stay alive, somehow they will beat Toyota or something. Wait a minute... Where's the most sold car in Australia (aka Corolla) manufactured? Exactly... The only way they would nail this would be if government would decide tomorrow that all their fleet should be made of sexy, competent, reliable, high quality 4 cylinder hybrids/petrol that will cost no more than $18,000 on the road. Oh, and this new Act would state that all these wonders are to be manufactured here in Australia by, you guessed, Ford and Holden. As if...

[HappySlapper82]

I can't imagine any newly designed run-o-the-mill 4 banger will ever be RWD.



Maybe so, but it's the only way they can fight the grey import market which is what's killing them in the first place

[Shaun]

It will be at least a 5 years away before it hits the market if its only just been green lighted. Meaning the Next Gen Astra is more then likely going to sit in the range.

It could be a Mazda 6 Size Sedan rather then an Astra size vehicle.

[rjastra]

It will be at least a 5 years away before it hits the market if its only just been green lighted. Meaning the Next Gen Astra is more then likely going to sit in the range.

It could be a Mazda 6 Size Sedan rather then an Astra size vehicle.


It will be out within 2 years.... so it will probably be a slightly redesigned cruze/astra.
Mid-sized = not worth it anymore.

[Wraith]

This has been on the cards for aaaaaages, it's now been put into action because of the sad state GMH are in to try and pick things up and save them them from cetain business failings if not death...

The concepts look alot like the yank Chev designs, IMHO not bad looking at all :)

Lets wait and see what evntuates by 2010.

[MatsHolden]

It could be a Mazda 6 Size Sedan rather then an Astra size vehicle.

They say small car, not mid-sized.

[Red AH SRI T]

My bet is on the Astra being built here ;)

[imay]

As appears in the press reports "it is based on the Chevy (Daewoo) Cruze" which was tipped to be the Viva replacement . . . so definitely in that size range.
Really can't see it being anything like the concept drawings that are shown in the papers. As I said earlier, I can see it being a facelifted Cruze with bodywork done here in Oz, and powered by Daewoo-derived running gear modded for Aussie conditions.

Should be interesting, but I still think it's too late. Would have to be as cheap or cheaper than the imports for the majority of buyers to seriously consider it. Yes, I know, before the debate starts: people will buy it because it is a Holden, but many won't!

[MatsHolden]

As appears in the press reports "it is based on the Chevy (Daewoo) Cruze" !

It actually states in Holden's press release that it is based on the Delta architecture. It then goes on to state that the Cruze and next genertion Astra are built on the same platform. They don't state it will be based on the Cruze.

"The new small, front-wheel-drive, four-cylinder vehicle to be built by GM Holden at Elizabeth will be based on General Motors' global Delta small car architecture.

Other examples of the architecture will include the next generation Chevrolet Cruze and Opel, Vauxhall and Saturn Astra."

GM Holden LTD

[Shaun]

My bet is on the Astra being built here ;)
Inside information ???

[Red AH SRI T]

Inside information ???

No, but why would GMH build a car here that only 2 years ago they claimed the could bring in from Korea with much better margins than Euro cars.

Import the Cruze from Korea, build the Astra here.

And the report gives all the engine specs of the current Astra ie 1.8 with 103kw and 2.0 Turbo Diesel with 110kw and 320Nm (yes, yes, i know the GMDAT 2.0TD has the same outputs).

Its stupid how all these reports are automatically assuming its the Cruze just because they said it would be built on Delta.

[MatsHolden]

Its stupid how all these reports are automatically assuming its the Cruze just because they said it would be built on Delta.

It is stupid how they assume, because they really have about as much idea as the rest of us. I think the reason they are jumping to the conclusion that it's going to be a modified Cruze is due to Holden being spotted testing a Cruze in Victoria. They could be simply testing the Cruze to get their head around the Delta platform... OR they are testing the Cruze because they will bring it out to replace the Viva, and then they'll replace the Astra with this new vehicle of theirs.
http://carsguide.news.com.au/images/uploads/Holden-Cruze-disguised-1.jpg

[mr corsa]

shit box

[dieselhead]

Ok, now's all about the small 4 pot, but where's the Volt they were talking about only a few weeks back? Hm?

[MatsHolden]

Ok, now's all about the small 4 pot, but where's the Volt they were talking about only a few weeks back? Hm?

Still on the go... They havn't backed away from that.

[MatsHolden]

shit box

Without even seeing one in the flesh... interesting.

[rjastra]

The Volt is built on the Delta platform and uses a non-turbo version of the 1,4L engine to be used in the car they will build here.

[Red AH SRI T]

Without even seeing one in the flesh... interesting.

or having driven it.