Holden Design to go Offshore in 2014?

[poita]

Anyone else hear about this on the news this morning?

Not good at all

http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/newsbusiness/8369171/holden-commodore-design-could-go-offshore


The Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers (APESMA) chief executive, Chris Walton, says management at the motoring company have indicated the model following the next version of Holden's family car may not be created in Australia.

Holden, a subsidiary of US motoring giant General Motors, has made Australian engineered cars since 1948.

"Senior management have confirmed it is highly likely that the 2014 Commodore will be the last one engineered in Australia," Mr Walton told ABC Radio on Thursday.

This would result in around 250 to 300 engineers losing their jobs at Holden's plant in Port Melbourne.

Industry Minister Kim Carr said the government was talking to car makers about their future investment plans.

"In this industry, it is capital intensive, decisions are made on a long-term basis," Senator Carr said.

But Senator Carr could not guarantee Holden cars would continue to be engineered in Australia.

"We expect that in 2014 the vehicles will be produced here," he said.

"We are in the process of discussion about these questions."

[btm]

holden is denying this claim...

[poita]

Very strongly too!

Will see how it pans out

[nick_sixx]

lol...Senator Carr....get it?

edit: even more ironic because of this:

http://mycarpictures.org/download/33226-4/Holden_HSV_VZ_Senator_57.jpg

[metry]

i like the looks of the commodore. i know every bogan has one and its an aussie icon but if it were to go overseas, even if they made the best looking car ever id still be turned off it.

[JohnBu]

I have nothing against the Faclodore ... but logically the upsize of not having locally produced cars should be cheaper imported cars.

That's a win for me.

Anyway, is there really an issue of the car being designed overseas? It hasn't done Kia any damage by hiring a German (who designed the Audi TT)...

I think Kia have been making some of the best looking normal cars, i.e. sedans, of recent times... I would have laughed in your face if someone made the same statement 5 years ago.

[Vectracious]

More union bullshit probably. This union and the idiot that represents it regularly rubbish pharmacist shop owners as well - and most of the time the stuff they say about us is complete bullshit with no thought whatsoever to what the truth is.

[nick_sixx]

I have nothing against the Faclodore ... but logically the upsize of not having locally produced cars should be cheaper imported cars.

That's a win for me.

Anyway, is there really an issue of the car being designed overseas? It hasn't done Kia any damage by hiring a German (who designed the Audi TT)...

I think Kia have been making some of the best looking normal cars, i.e. sedans, of recent times... I would have laughed in your face if someone made the same statement 5 years ago.

If the Hyundai i30 was made by Toyota or Nissan or Honda, I think it would be the best-selling car ever. Hyundai have some brilliant new cars out at the moment, but I'd never buy one because its a Hyundai.

The new Hyundai Sonata is really an incredible car, and probably much better than a Honda Accord Euro in many aspects, but you will still take the Accord just because the alternative is a Hyundai. It's late and I'm rambling

[Vectracious]

Give it another 5-10 years and the stigma still associated with Korean cars won't exist.

[nick_sixx]

Give it another 5-10 years and the stigma still associated with Korean cars won't exist.

For some reason I always thought Daihatsu was Korean until like 2 years ago. When I realised it was Japanese, that cleared the stigma for me haha

[JohnBu]

If the Hyundai i30 was made by Toyota or Nissan or Honda, I think it would be the best-selling car ever. Hyundai have some brilliant new cars out at the moment, but I'd never buy one because its a Hyundai.

The new Hyundai Sonata is really an incredible car, and probably much better than a Honda Accord Euro in many aspects, but you will still take the Accord just because the alternative is a Hyundai. It's late and I'm rambling

Hyundai have yet to get the suspension right.

I hired the new sonata while in the US for 9 days and 2,000km.

The seats were uncomfortable and suspension very wallowly, unlike the euro accord.

The interior and dash was much much better than I expected.

Overall not a bad car if I had better seats and handling, prob on par with the Camry.


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[Vectracious]

Hyundai have yet to get the suspension right.
The seats were uncomfortable and suspension very wallowly, unlike the euro accord.


Who knows what kind of suspension tune Huyndai had to give them to make the Seppos happy. Probably different to an Australian delivered car.

[JohnBu]

Prob needed more suspension travel to counteract the weight of the typical American family, which can be rather large.


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[hazrd]

stumbled across this and thought it might be relevant somewhat :p

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/303045_260335147352353_100001276092744_818071_1735 903698_n.jpg

[Vectracious]

of course the VK gets used as the "bogan" commodore. :(

[dizzydumb]

If we think from a business owner's point of view, you'd soon be pretty fed up with ur whinging bunch of workers and unions. Overseas is a viable option for survival. Cheaper wages, no unions on ur arse, lowerr taxes (no carbon tax bullshit). U run a business to make profit. If u're gonna run a business on a break-even basis just to 'uphold' the 'right way of life', then what's the point? Have a deep thought about it.

If you ask me, toyota and honda make cars which are WAAAAAY more reliable than the US and AUS. The Japs really are the next best thing to Germans.

[rjastra]

If you ask me, toyota and honda make cars which are WAAAAAY more reliable than the US and AUS. The Japs really are the next best thing to Germans.

In the USA they build Hondas, Toyotas and Nissan with US workers ;)

[dizzydumb]

Whoops, my bad. I meant 'better than the US or AUS branded cars'. Commodore, Chevy, Pontiac, or even Ford for that matter :)