It's Official (apparently :) )

[Wraith]

Who cares

Hate to sound cynical, but I too am loosing interest in GMH/opel product of late as well...

[MatsHolden]

That said, with the continuing influx of cheaper Korean cars and the already well established Japanese brands controlling the market place, who'd want to have the more expensive (and not neccessarily better) Opels to compete here with them...not very good businesss sense...

That's a good point.

Not to mention the fact that most of the people that buy Astras have no idea who the hell Opel is. So a new brand coming into a country where most of the potential customers have never heard of the brand...

[Vectracious]

+1 to Mat and Mr Corsa and Ange

Just because everyone here bought Astra's doesnt mean the rest of Australia will just because they are an opel. Also, if they do bring them here, the economics of it will prohibit ANY opel from competing on price against any of the Koreans or even some Japanese.

[MatsHolden]

the economics of it will prohibit ANY opel from competing on price against any of the Koreans or even some Japanese.

Exactly... otherwise Holden would still be bringing the Astra in.

[PO15KA]

so does this mean we can now start importing those 2 door coupe Astra G's and the wagons from NZ???

[auzvectra]

That's a good point.

Not to mention the fact that most of the people that buy Astras have no idea who the hell Opel is. So a new brand coming into a country where most of the potential customers have never heard of the brand...

haha, i spoke to a chick in an opelised g vert that had no idea what opel was!!!

[bender]

haha one of the pommy guys at work said to me a couple of weeks ago "WHY DO YOU HAVE AN OPELAUS STICKER ON YOUR CAR WHEN YOU DRIVE A HOLDEN" so i took him around the car and pointed out all the stuff the had opel written on it and yet he still didnt believe me

[MitchSRi]

The arguement about economic downturn is not exactly true.

Fiat and Skoda recently launched out here are are selling in quite impressive numbers.

Likewise new model euro vehicles from VW/Ford/others are being pushed to the Australian market.

Keep in mind that Australia is not doing too badly in terms of world economics, so there is money to be made from Australian car sales.

I wouldn't be at all suprised if Fiat/Skoda/Adeco look into selling Opels out here as a separate "niche" brand (like Skoda is now).

The Tigra, GT, Insignia, Astra, Corsa, VXRs are all cars Aussies might buy!

Exactly... otherwise Holden would still be bringing the Astra in.

Not really, and people have missed this.

Holden have just forked out an absolute mint in order to get the Cruze platform off the ground. In order for the Cruze to succeed (and of course end up being built locally), they need to wipe out other choices from their range to increase interest in the Cruze.

After all if you have the option of a well built european car vs a cheap korean car assembled in Australia, then you pick the Euro car everytime.

[HoldenAstra]

+1:d

[Vectracious]

After all if you have the option of a well built european car vs a cheap korean car assembled in Australia, then you pick the Euro car everytime.

No they won't.....Joe Average will pick the cheaper alternative.

Its why they sold more TK Daewoo Barinas than Opel XC Barinas...