Ford and now Holden

It looks like Australias last two original car manufacturer companies are both done for, after Chrysler pulled out in 1981.

Holden just announced they will follow Ford.

http://news.yahoo.com/car-maker-holden-close-australian-plants-2017-035100883.html

What the hell, V8Supercars will be Nissans and Mercedes?

Think of the children

AAAAAAARRGGHH

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/holden-shutdown-live-coverage-20131211-2z5oi.html

This is really depressing

Not depressing for US if they build AUS style cars as global market cars now but unfortunately I don't see GM doing that. I would like a US built "ute" or Commodore being sold. I almost think this will can the Chevy SS that's been coming since that's a AU market built car. I see nothing but bad coming from this.

With ford on the otherhand the new Mustang thats more like the Falcon and the Focus ST and cars like that being in the US was well worth Aus Ford's demise for the US Market people at least.

I read that poor economic management is to blame for this. True?

Toyota will probably follow. Most of the suppliers will fold when 2/3 of their business leaves and that will leave a poor supply chain in place for them. Shipping cars is cheap. Developing single market cars is expensive.

So is there going to be no more Chevrolet Caprice or SS? Aren't those made in Australia?

Also, didn't Holden say not more than a few months ago when Ford announced their plan to drop the Falcon that they were in fact not going to do the same exact thing?

I'm really getting sick of this "One Company" or "Global Market" crap. There is no more uniqueness when it comes to cars. The only thing that makes most cars different is what wheel drive it has.

It also sounds by the timeline Aussie posted, that there is something going on in the Australian Government. Yeah sure its cheaper to ship cars into the country than to build a unique model, but why can't you build something? There is no reason they can't retool and build a "Global" model right there in Australia to sell in Australia and New Zealand.

Boils down to economics. which is cheaper ?

My question, were the unions there similar to the british unions of the 70's/80's?

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:

Not that I know the rules, but I suspect that there were some import duty restrictions that lead to Holden and Ford continuing to make cars in and specifically for such a small market.

A friend of mine was moved there for a few years, and he was required to have a car that was built in Australia.

I don't see why the Aussies don't develop their own brand. They have the capital and the engineering talent. Work out a strategic partnership with a major co like Ford to use their drivetrains and build interesting cars around them. The AUS market may not be big enough to justify it, but throw in NZ, SA, and other Southern hemisphere markets and they're good to go.

Why not step up and buy Holden?

If the factorys are closing and I don't know if Holden is sold else where, just buy the brand and sign GM on as a supplier.

Everything is already there, just change the parents name.

As usual a Government gets involved and ruins a perfectly sound business

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/dec/11/holden-confirms-leaving-australia-cars

http://www.rssnews.co/news/weatherill-accuses-coalition-of-failing-to-act-on-holden

Toyota ponders its future downunder

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/holden-to-cease-making-cars-in-australia-in-2017-while-toyota-considers-if-it-can-go-it-alone/story-fni0fiyv-1226780690797

aussiesmg wrote: As usual a Government gets involved and ruins a perfectly sound business http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/dec/11/holden-confirms-leaving-australia-cars http://www.rssnews.co/news/weatherill-accuses-coalition-of-failing-to-act-on-holden

Those reports actually state the government didn't get involved and it ruined everything.

had commissioned the Productivity Commission to report by next March on what ongoing subsidies should be provided to car makers – something Holden said it needed to know before committing to produce another model in Australia.

So in a nutshell, either pay us to make a profit or we will leave to make more profit somewhere else.

No, they failed to continue with a course of action that lead to the Government stopping financial support causing Holden to bail out.

If they had found a way to support them without paying stupid amounts of cash on an annual basis the result could have been different.

1. Promoting the product into other countries who do not have auto industries
2. Using Australian made cars for Federal Government departments and giving tax breaks to all local Governments who purchased locally built cars
3. Giving a tax break to citizens who purchase a new Australian built car
4. Promoting the product to other Governments
5. Supporting efforts to sell the product in other countries like the US.

to name a few ideas

Give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach him to fish.....

aussiesmg wrote: It looks like Australias last two original car manufacturer companies are both done for, after Chrysler pulled out in 1981. Holden just announced they will follow Ford. http://news.yahoo.com/car-maker-holden-close-australian-plants-2017-035100883.html What the hell, V8Supercars will be Nissans and Mercedes? Think of the children AAAAAAARRGGHH

Actually.... i believe Volvo just announced that they had developed a V8 Supercars engine.

So there's that, at least.

Flight Service wrote: Why not step up and buy Holden? If the factorys are closing and I don't know if Holden is sold else where, just buy the brand and sign GM on as a supplier. Everything is already there, just change the parents name.

GM already owns Holden. Sold in Europe as Vauxhall and Opel IIRC.

mndsm wrote:

Flight Service wrote: Why not step up and buy Holden? If the factorys are closing and I don't know if Holden is sold else where, just buy the brand and sign GM on as a supplier. Everything is already there, just change the parents name.

GM already owns Holden. Sold in Europe as Vauxhall and Opel IIRC.

Correct

Well E36 M3

aussiesmg wrote:

mndsm wrote:

Flight Service wrote: Why not step up and buy Holden? If the factorys are closing and I don't know if Holden is sold else where, just buy the brand and sign GM on as a supplier. Everything is already there, just change the parents name.

GM already owns Holden. Sold in Europe as Vauxhall and Opel IIRC.

Correct

i thought they sold left hand drive cars with Holden badges in the Middle East- which is why it was economically feasible to bring cars like the GTO, G8, SS, and Caprice to the USA since all they had to do was change some trim and badges and and some pieces (like catalytic converters...) and recalibrate for the different emissions standards..

aussiesmg wrote: No, they failed to continue with a course of action that lead to the Government stopping financial support causing Holden to bail out. If they had found a way to support them without paying stupid amounts of cash on an annual basis the result could have been different. 1. Promoting the product into other countries who do not have auto industries 2. Using Australian made cars for Federal Government departments and giving tax breaks to all local Governments who purchased locally built cars 3. Giving a tax break to citizens who purchase a new Australian built car 4. Promoting the product to other Governments 5. Supporting efforts to sell the product in other countries like the US. to name a few ideas Give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach him to fish.....

Aren't these all subsidies?

DaewooOfDeath wrote:

aussiesmg wrote: No, they failed to continue with a course of action that lead to the Government stopping financial support causing Holden to bail out. If they had found a way to support them without paying stupid amounts of cash on an annual basis the result could have been different. 1. Promoting the product into other countries who do not have auto industries 2. Using Australian made cars for Federal Government departments and giving tax breaks to all local Governments who purchased locally built cars 3. Giving a tax break to citizens who purchase a new Australian built car 4. Promoting the product to other Governments 5. Supporting efforts to sell the product in other countries like the US. to name a few ideas Give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach him to fish.....

Aren't these all subsidies?

Government officials travel to these countries on tax payers money, surely they can promote domestic product to these countries officials. It wouldn't even cost anything extra except some time and preparation.

Sorry what was I thinking, Government officials preparing....

Ah, okay. Libertarianism, got it.

If you read the side bars, it sounds they have many of the exact same gripes we have here.

The Govt was subsiding Holden to the tune of about $30,000 per worker.

What will Mick think?