douglask

Aussie-built Holden Caprice headed to South Korea Written by Viknesh Vijayenthiran Friday, 05 September 2008 http://www.carcentral.com.au/200809052756/...outh-korea.html Holden has announced today that its Caprice flagship will be exported to South Korea, where it will be sold as the new Daewoo Veritas saloon. Production will remain at Holden’s vehicle assembly plant in Elizabeth, South Australia, with the petrol V6 powering the car to be sourced from the Port Melbourne engine plant. Holden chairman and managing director, Mark Reuss, described the vehicle as a great addition to the company’s export portfolio, which also includes the Commodore sedan plus its variants as well as General Motors' 3.6-litre global V6 engine. He also said that the company is aiming to have a 50-50 split of domestic and export sales this year. Packed with unique features and technology The Veritas was first previewed in South Korea back at the Seoul Motor Show in 2007. It features segment-leading legroom in the South Korean market as well as luxury features including massaging rear seats, electric-adjustable headrests and a LCD screen and headset. Importantly, some of these are not offered in Australia, such as the massaging seats. Daewoo President and CEO, Michael Grimaldi said at the Veritas launch in South Korea that the car reflected Daewoo's determination to take Korea’s large sedan segment to an entirely new level. "This luxurious rear-wheel-drive sedan offers excellent driving performance while ensuring unmatched interior comfort, spaciousness and safety," he explained. "Veritas represents the start of a new era for Daewoo, as we begin to replace our entire current product line-up with new segment-leading models between now and 2010." Veritas will be cheaper than local Caprice The cars will cost between 46.5 million and 57.8 million won, which is approximately $48,725 to $61,500 at current exchange rates. In 2005, Holden exported nearly 2,000 units of the previous generation WL Statesman to South Korea, and has also sold more than 800,000 vehicles overseas since it started its export program back in 1954. The list of countries the Aussie-built cars are sold in include the United States, Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand, the Middle East, the UK and Canada. Holden is yet to reveal export numbers for the new deal, but competition will be tough as roughly 70% of new cars sold in South Korea are built locally.

In the following news article from goauto.com.au : http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf...A257456002356C8 They state: So looks like they won't be importing the Colorado from Brazil and the pictures of the Thai Colarado don't look like US model. I wonder if the Thai and US Colarados are close relatives?

Vauxhall Corsa 4x4 shapes up The Luton firm look to get tough on the supermini sector with new 4x4. By Dan Strong, 14th May 2008 www.autoexpress.co.uk It's the latest 4x4 that’s promising to take Vauxhall on a journey into uncharted territory... These are the first pictures of the eagerly anticipated four-wheel-drive Corsa, a supermini SUV which is set to follow in the wheeltracks of the Antara when it goes on sale early in 2010. We first revealed plans to produce the go-anywhere model in Issue 964, but we’ve had to wait until now before we got to see it in the flesh. The rugged-looking newcomer, spied in prototype form on this Spanish transporter, is set to join a growing band of similar cars – including still-secret rivals based on the Ford Fiesta and Peugeot 207. Our pictures reveal the new machine’s beefed-up width and elevated ride height. These are expected to give greater off-road ability without ruining the standard car’s nimble, secure manners on the tarmac. However, as our original scoop shows (below), the production version of the vehicle will also get tough looks, including rugged bumpers and body armour. There will also be under-body protection, along with a unique alloy wheel design. All of this is unlikely to come cheap. The newcomer will sit at the top of the firm’s supermini range, next to the replacement Meriva, which was unveiled as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Despite the new Corsa’s SUV tag, bosses are keen to ensure that it is viewed as a frugal, low-emission car, rather than a gas-guzzling 4x4. As a result, it will bring together the firm’s most efficient powertrains, including a new diesel and a range of low-capacity, high-economy petrol turbos. In addition, the firm’s excellent 1.3 and 1.7-litre CDTI oil-burners will be tuned for low-down torque and refinement. What’s more, the car may be among the first to offer GM’s long-awaited hybrid technology. Although this could make it expensive, a ‘mild’ system that combines a stop-start facility with regenerative braking and a small electric engine could improve economy and emissions. The set-up could also be used to support the new car’s innovative transmission. Vauxhall insiders have revealed that engineers and designers want the car to deliver genuine off-road ability, with a proper 4x4 gearbox. While a cheaper front-wheel-drive variant will be available, flagship versions should carry this all-wheel-drive technology. Such an arrangement would be too expensive to fit to a simple derivative model, so it may be shared with at least two other cars to help control costs. The first to get to grips with the system is likely to be the new Meriva. But a spokesperson hinted that sister brand Chevrolet will also use the set-up, in a 4x4 model based on the T2X concept. Meanwhile, GM bosses have revealed that both the Corsa and Chevy could be built in the manufacturer’s state-of-the-art factory in Antwerp, Belgium. They have also said that buyers should expect a first glimpse of the Vauxhall model at a major motor show in 2009, before sales start 12 months later. The vehicle should soon become a familiar sight on UK roads, as it is thought GM would like to sell 120,000 units annually. Original article: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpr..._shapes_up.html

Autocar spies what could be a turbo Commodore By JAMES STANFORD 29 April 2008 www.goauto.com.au RESPECTED British motoring magazine Autocar has published photographs on its website of a heavily disguised evaluation vehicle that appears to be either a Holden Commodore or a related model testing in Sweden. Autocar claims the “mystery GM prototype” has several design cues that suggest a new Holden model lies underneath its cladding. It also reports that registration details confirm the car is a Holden, with the database attached to the licence plate indicating that the car is 4850mm long, 1800mm wide and weighs 1650kg. According to Autocar, it also has a 260bhp (194kW) engine paired with an automatic gearbox. “If it is a Holden, Saab engineers could be working on either a four-wheel drive transmission, or on turbocharged petrol engine for the car. Saab is a centre of excellence within GM for both these areas of engineering,” Autocar said. While GoAuto believes it is unlikely that a rear-drive Holden would be converted to all-wheel drive, despite the fact it may open up more sales in the US and Europe, there is a strong prospect of a large-capacity turbo V6 being developed for Commodore and export models. Holden already produces a 2.8-litre V6 at its Port Melbourne engine plant that is turbocharged for use in the Saab 9-3. Saab and Holden could now be involved in engineering a bigger version that would rival the upgraded inline turbo six that powers Ford Australia’s FG Falcon XR6 Turbo and G6E Turbo models. Such an engine was previewed nearly four years ago at the 2004 Sydney motor show, where Holden revealed the TT36 'Torana' concept, powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.6-litre Alloytec V6 delivering 280kW and some 480Nm of torque. Ford's latest XR6T engine produces 270kW and 533Nm, while next month's new FPV version will produce 310kW and 551Nm. The experimental V6 was hand-built at Holden's then-new engine plant at Port Melbourne, featured two KO4 Warner turbochargers and an air-to-air intercooler and, according to Holden, produced 90 per cent of peak torque from just 1600rpm. Full article: http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf...A25743900838229

The Backpack looks like a Kei class pickup. Suzuki exported a number of Kei class pickups/SUVs. Australia got the Suzuki MightyBoy in the 1980s : Both Australia and the US got the Suzuki X-90 (which is more of a 2 door SUV than pickup ) in the 1990s: While the MightyBoy was popular in Australia, the X-90 was a flop in both the US and Australia.

Hyundai Continues to Study Pickup for U.S. Buyers By: Mike Levine Posted: 05-04-07 18:17 PT © 2007 PickupTruck.com, Illustration © 2006 Mark Stehrenberger Design Studios Following recent news after South Korea signed a free trade agreement with the United States, Hyundai is contemplating using its new 'BH' rear wheel drive platform for a lot more than sedans, coupes, and sports cars. "The new chassis opens up new doors. We're considering using it to build a pickup," says Miles Johnson, a Hyundai product public relations manager. The 'BH' architecture was highlighted by Hyundai during the 2007 New York Auto Show. It served as the foundation for the Concept Genesis full-size luxury sedan, which was also powered by Hyundai's all-new DOHC 32-valve 4.6-liter 'Tau' V8 engine. "Concept Genesis was a look at our new flexible architecture. It's scalable. And a rear wheel drive, V8 pickup based on it could be something that we build. We're studying this very closely," says Johnson. If 'BH' does spawn a pickup, Hyundai would be following Honda's build approach instead of mimicking truck offerings from General Motors, Ford, Dodge, Nissan, and Toyota. The midsize unibody Honda Ridgeline uses a heavily modified, car-based chassis for its underpinnings instead of traditional body-on-frame construction. The advantage of such a setup is a more comfortable ride, better handling, and under-box trunk space, by using an independent rear suspension instead of rear leaf springs and a solid rear axle. Disadvantages include potential towing and hauling limitations and the lower ground clearance of a soft-roader. Unlike the Honda Ridgeline though, which uses a front-wheel biased, all-wheel-drive system, the Hyundai's rear-wheel-drive solution could work better for carrying heavy loads over the rear wheels. The 'BH' platform is actually more similar to GM's 'Zeta' rear-drive architecture, which will be used for the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro sports car, 2010 Chevrolet Impala sedan, and, we've been speculating, could lead to the return of the Chevrolet El Camino. 'BH' isn't the only thing that's flexible, so is the 'Tau' V8. Hyundai says the new eight cylinder motor can produce well over 300-horsepower in its current form and Johnson adds, "We can increase its displacement to get more power if we're going to use it in a pickup." A 'Tau'-propelled pickup would also have two extra cylinders over the Ridgeline's 255-hp 3.5-liter V6. Johnson also said that Hyundai is studying offering a compact pickup, not based on the 'BH' platform. This truck would likely be powered by a four-cylinder engine and would be front-wheel-drive. Its specs would be similar to the small Chevy pickup we recently contemplated. Johnson gave no indication when a decision would be made regarding either truck, or where they might be manufactured. Original article: http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/news/hyundai/page1.html

No pox on the Pontiac G8amino? Posted March 25 2008 02:41 PM by Todd Lassa http://blogs.motortrend.com/6238758/govern...ontiac-g8amino/ DETROIT - Here's something nobody -- myself included -- considered when Pontiac revealed the Holden Ute-based G8 ST at the New York show last week. Will the sport pickup truck be subject to the 25-percent chicken tax? As far as the editorial "we" at Motor Trend can tell, the answer is "no." The Australia-U.S. Free Trade Agreement seems to remove the chicken tax from pickup trucks imported from Oz. The 25-percent tariff otherwise applies to all trucks imported into the United States, exempting Canada and Mexico, of course. It was our way of retaliating against Germany's tripling of import tariffs on chickens. The U.S. responded in 1963 by adding a 25-percent tariff on imported light trucks. Back then, that meant Volkswagen. By the early '80s, the tax helped prompt Toyota and Nissan to build compact pickups in U.S. factories, setting them up nicely for the full-size assaults from the Tundra and Titan. It could've boosted the Pontiac sport truck's base price to nearly $40,000. While this issue came up back when news broke that GM was considering import of the Holden Ute under a U.S. nameplate, it apparently hasn't been raised since. And nobody outside of GM's legal department has had to consider the issue. I asked GM product tsar Bob Lutz in an e-mail whether he thought the sport truck would be subject to the 25-percent tax. If not, what's the exemption? "An excellent question!" he replied. "For which I have no answer!" Others at General Motors had similar responses. That should tell you how long it's been since anyone has considered bringing a truck in from outside the North American Free Trade Agreement. When I updated Lutz with our interpretation of how the Australia-U.S. trade agreement affects the Pontiac, he replied that "I'm sure we would've not done it had the chicken tax applied."

Rodeo to become Colorado as Holden is forced to kill-off its 30-year-old LCV nameplate By MARTON PETTENDY 4 March 2008 www.goauto.com.au GM HOLDEN will retire its popular Rodeo nameplate within months because it does not own the right to continue to use it. Once Australia’s top-selling light commercial vehicle name, the Rodeo badge will become history from about June because Isuzu, which manufactures Australia’s Rodeo in Thailand, owns it and will prevent Holden from using it following the formal separation between Isuzu and Holden’s parent company General Motors. GM announced in mid-2006 that it would sell its remaining 7.9 per cent stake in Isuzu to raise about $US300 million following the US giant’s $US8.6 billion loss the previous year. The announcement heralded the end of a successful product-sharing arrangement that began in 1971, and followed the sale of GM interests in Suzuki and Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries for a total of $US2.7 billion only months earlier. The demise of the Rodeo name will come as a marketing blow to Holden and its representative in one of Australia’s most important vehicle segments. The fifth-generation RA-series model, launched here in March 2003, suffered a 14.2 per cent decline in popularity in 2007, when 8978 sales made it Australia’s fourth best selling 4x2 utility behind Toyota’s HiLux, Ford’s Falcon ute and Holden’s own Ute. The five-year-old Rodeo 4x4 has fared better against newer rivals from Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi, finding 9428 homes in 2007 to be 18.1 per cent up – despite trailing HiLux, Navara and now Triton too. Publicly, Holden will only say that it will not be without an entrant in Australia’s lucrative light truck market. GoAuto understands that from mid-year the current Rodeo will receive a final subtle facelift prior to being relaunched as the Holden Colorado – the same name worn by Chevrolet versions of Isuzu’s global light commercial. Our sources say Holden’s current Rodeo, which should adopt the same sleek new face that appeared on the Chevrolet Colorado-badged version released by Chevrolet Thailand late last year, will be replaced by an all-new Colorado model to be imported from Brazil beyond 2010. It is believed that the cost of altering the current Chevrolet Colorado to comply with the Australian design rules for just two years of service was not feasible. However, in a further twist to the story, Isuzu itself will this year enter Australia’s light commercial vehicle market with its own version of the current Rodeo, under its global model name: D-Max. Further complicating matters, GoAuto has learned the Isuzu D-Max will be sold through a national dealer network appointed by Mitsubishi Corporation, which owns 13 per cent of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. Mitsubishi Corp became Isuzu’s largest shareholder when it increased its stake from 3.5 per cent to 15.65 per cent following GM’s departure, and is believed to be in the process of creating an Australian sales office and retail distribution network. It is unlikely that existing Mitsubishi dealers will sell the Isuzu D-Max alongside their own Triton utility, but the confusing deal will see Isuzu compete directly for the first time with Holden’s rebadged Colorado and Mitsubishi’s Triton, as well as HiLux, Navara and the Ford Ranger/Mazda BT-50 twins. However, it appears that Holden will offer a new utility before the redesigned, South American-built Colorado emerges in about two years time, with GoAuto sources confirming that GM’s Hummer brand is likely to make available a four-door utility version of its Rodeo-based H3 by the end of this year. Revealed as the H3T at the Chicago motor show in early February, the dual-cab tray-backed Hummer is yet to be confirmed for right-hand drive production alongside its donor vehicle at the Hummer H3 wagon’s sole global RHD facility in South Africa. It will enter left-hand drive production this year at the H3’s Shreveport plant in Louisiana, and is destined for the Middle East and Europe, but Australian Hummer dealers are already in possession of colour pre-sales brochures of the new 4x4 Hummer ute. Apart from the H3 wagon’s 180kW/328Nm 3.7-litre inline five-cylinder petrol six, the H3T ute is also expected to come on line with a 5.3-litre V8 offering around 224kW and 434Nm. Also mated to a four-speed auto, it’s expected to power the H3 wagon from 2009. It is believed that LHD versions of the H3, H3T and GM’s Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon twins will continue to be produced at Shreveport until 2011, when a replacement for Hummer’s smallest model emerges. But global production of GM’s next-generation Colorado/Canyon ute, due to appear in the 2011 model year, is expected to shift to Brazil – the US auto giant’s new research, development and manufacturing centre for mid-sized pick-up trucks. Meantime, Toyota’s recently acquired 5.9 per cent stake in Isuzu, Thailand’s largest commercial vehicle builder and one of the world’s largest diesel engine makers, is expected to result in a diesel-electric light truck powertain that could be made available in next-generation versions of both Toyota’s HiLux and Isuzu’s D-Max beyond 2010. Finally, while the GM-Isuzu divorce will be all but complete once this year’s Holden Colorado and Isuzu D-Max are retired, it won’t be the end of the pair’s product sharing activity, at least in developing markets. After the sale of its interests in Isuzu in 2006, GM announced a $100 million Yen Tokyo-based 50-50 joint-venture with the Japanese truck giant, to be known as the LCV Platform Engineering Corp and operational from September that year. In a repeat of the current Rodeo/D-Max/Colorado arrangement, the pair will co-develop new models including a next-generation commercial utility for sale in emerging Asian, South American and African markets. If Holden does source its next Colorado ute from Brazil, increased shipping and import costs are likely to put pricing pressure on its vital commercial ute, which currently enjoys duty-free access to Australia thanks to the Australia-Thailand free-trade agreement. Original article: http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf...A2574020014B967

That's the problem with model years, it's open to interpretation as it's not well specified by government regulations. According to Wikipedia, a particular model year can be sold starting from January 2nd of the previous year, but typically it's from October 1 of the previous year: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_year Not sure why manufacturer's identifiers like VE used for the current Commodore didn't catch on in the US?

After reading the following article, it seems like no wonder that Bob Lutz has been so bullish on E-85 ethanol in the press recently, and not too enthusiastic on diesel. Startup Says It Can Make Ethanol for $1 a Gallon, and Without Corn By Chuck Squatriglia www.wired.com A biofuel startup in Illinois can make ethanol from just about anything organic for less than $1 per gallon, and it wouldn't interfere with food supplies, company officials said. Coskata, which is backed by General Motors and other investors, uses bacteria to convert almost any organic material, from corn husks (but not the corn itself) to municipal trash, into ethanol. "It's not five years away, it's not 10 years away. It's affordable, and it's now," said Wes Bolsen, the company's vice president of business development. The discovery underscores the rapid innovation under way in the race to make cellulosic ethanol cheaply. With the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requiring an almost five-fold increase in ethanol production to 36 billion gallons annually by 2022, scientists are working quickly to reach that breakthrough. "It signals just how hot the competition is right now," said David Friedman, research director of the clean vehicles program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "There are a lot of people diving into this right now, trying to figure out how to crack the nut. This increases my confidence that someone will do it." Besides cutting production costs to fire sale prices, the process avoids some key drawbacks of making ethanol from corn, company officials said. It wouldn't impact the food supply, and its net energy balance is high because the technique works almost anywhere using almost anything with great efficiency. The end result will be E85 sold at the pump for about a dollar cheaper per gallon than gasoline, according to the company. Coskata won't have a pilot plant running until this time next year, and it will produce just 40,000 gallons a year. Still, several experts said Coskata shows enough promise to leave them cautiously optimistic. "The question will come down to 'Can they deliver?'" said Nathanael Greene, a senior energy-policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The approach is interesting and promising in the problems it addresses." Complete Article: http://www.wired.com/cars/energy/news/2008/01/ethanol23

I suspect Bob Lutz was misquoted, but the bottom of this article seems to claim that Brazil will be the global ‘Home Room’ for Hummer. http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf...A2573D10022710D

Despite strong interest within GM, the VE Sportwagon will not make it to America By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS in DETROIT 15 January 2008 www.goauto.com.au HOLDEN will not export the VE Sportwagon to the United States in the foreseeable future as Americans continue to ignore wagons in virtually any size and form – in contrast to the situation in Europe where such vehicles have a healthy share of the market. This was the bombshell dropped by General Motors' product czar Bob Lutz this week to the Australian media at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. "We looked at that, but the amount of change to meet US regulations was going to be quite a lot of money," Mr Lutz said. "And the sad truth is, as much as some of us like 'sportwagons', they just don't sell in the US. "How often do you see an Audi wagon? How often do you see a BMW wagon? How often do you see a Mercedes wagon? The answer is, almost never. "They're just not fashionable. I can't explain why." Mr Lutz revealed that he championed the VE wagon strongly, but was shouted down by the number crunchers who could not make a strong enough business case for the Australian Commodore carryall. "We have the product idea: We say: 'Hey, how about taking the (Holden) Sportwagon and doing a (US Pontiac) G8 Sportwagon of it," he said. "Then we turn it over to the marketing guys, who do the volume analysis, and they look at sales of Audi A4 wagons … zero. BMW 3 Series wagons: close to zero. Mercedes C-class wagon and E-class – it's all close to zero. The Jaguar X-Type … it was sales proof! "But then we say: 'Well, we think this one looks so good, that it can overcome that, and the volume planners say: well … we can only do two to three thousand, which is not worth the investment. "So, reluctantly, in my particular case, I reluctantly gave up on that one." The production version of the VE Sportswagon – which made a splash at last October's Australian International Motor Show in Sydney – is due to arrive early in the second quarter of this year. Original article

Walkinshaw Performance (HSV's sister company) has announced a supercharger kit for HSV's LS2 V8, it is also appplicable to Holden's L98 V8. Unique Walkinshaw Performance Positive Displacement Supercharger Press Release - December 11, 2007 www.walkinshawperformance.com.au Walkinshaw Performance would today like to announce the availability of its own individual supercharger unit. The WP 'Stage 2' kit is exclusive to Walkinshaw Performance highlighting the company’s future direction in striving for performance and uniqueness in the aftermarket industry. Distinguished by its stand-alone appearance. The result of recent allegiance with new technology partners Harrop Engineering, the Walkinshaw Performance Supercharger unit features unique WP housing whilst utilising Eaton internals. When combined with exhaust, cold air intake and specific calibration from the Walkinshaw Performance product range, the engine will reach output levels of 422kW@6000rpm, 728Nm@4250rpm running 9.5 -10psi of boost, with higher output levels available on a 'lets discuss' basis at each of the brands national and international offices. The package includes the following: WP HH122 supercharger assembly using Eaton rotors WP supercharger inlet manifold and drive assembly WP air to water intercooler kit (intercooled versions only) WP Cold Air Intake Full dyno tune High flow fuel injectors on all models Full 12 month/20,000km warranty (parts & labour)

Chevrolet's CSV CR8 is based on HSV’s E Series ClubSport R8 model but in LHD. Here are some photos

\ According to the good folks at the Aspen Daily News, who, in between jokes about "driving excitement." manage to tell us the tale of how a Holden engineer managed to crash a tester G8 while on a test drive out in Colorado: "Apparently a Pontiac isn't always driving excitement, even if it's the as yet unreleased 2008 G8: a "performance sedan for the truly power hungry." The last test driver in a convoy of G8s dozed off at the wheel of one of the "muscular" new cars and drifted off Highway 82 near Independence Pass late Thursday morning, rolling about 100 feet down a steep embankment. The driver, 41-year-old Australian General Motors engineer Rolf Glenk, was treated for minor injuries at Aspen Valley Hospital and released later that day, according to the Colorado State Patrol. Glenk was participating in what Pontiac spokeswoman Debbie Frakes called an "engineering drive," where drivers ground check a new car's performance and determine whether it needs any last minute tweaking or engine calibration before it is released on the market. Original article: http://jalopnik.com/cars/notag/aussie-engi...spen-304955.php

Holden’s VE Commodore wagon was no certainty - until its export potential emerged By MARTON PETTENDY and BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS 16 October 2007, www.goauto.com.au GM HOLDEN has confirmed that its export potential is the major reason for the VE Sportwagon’s being – and that it will have a smaller cargo area than the model it replaces. As a result, Holden concedes the next-generation Commodore wagon, which officially broke cover at last Thursday’s Sydney motor show opening in the shape of the VE Sportwagon concept, is likely to attract fewer business buyers than the VZ Commodore wagon it replaces – a model it says was one of the world’s biggest wagons. If approved for US exports, the Sportwagon would follow in the footsteps of the VE Commodore SS sedan (to be badged as the Pontiac G8) and, despite reservations about slimmer profits due to the strong Aussie dollar (see separate story), the VE Ute. "Sportwagon is next cab off the export rank," a GMH executive told GoAuto. "The Ute is now under study and the wagon will follow it." The success in the US of wagons like the Dodge Magnum shows Americans have rediscovered the wagon. "It's smaller inside but it will gain with private sales more than what it loses in fleets sales – maybe not in terms of (sales) volume, but definitely in terms of (profit) margins. There was no money in fleet sales anyway." Speaking at the Sydney show last week, design boss Tony Stolfo said Holden is investigating all export opportunities for the vehicle. If given the green light, North America would be the wagon’s first port of call outside Australia and New Zealand. While he would not divulge any more details about wagon exports, Mr Stolfo did mention how many he would like to see crossing the Pacific. "We'd love to see it exported," he told GoAuto. "It has big export appeal. If you look at the (Pontiac) G8… it’s a natural." "10,000 (units per annum) would be good," he said. Mr Stolfo indicated that there are still some legislative and governmental hurdles to overcome before final confirmation can be made of any pending export deal. Don’t expect VE-AWD GM HOLDEN has always said the VE Commodore sedan and its utility and wagon bodystyle derivatives are "package-protected" for all-wheel drive, but don't expect to see an AWD version of the Sportwagon from Holden any time soon. Asked if an AWD Sportwagon was possible, Holden design chief Tony Stolfo said part of the VE architecture’s flexibility includes the provision for it. "It's been designed to take 4WD, with a transfer case moulded into the floor. When you start exporting to cold-climate markets (then) it has international appeal," he said. Another GMH executive said the limited US demand for AWD, except in the colder northern states, made the technology difficult to justify for production. "We wouldn't get our money back on it," he said. Full article: http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf...A25737500813BE2

Union document shows GM plans to build a compact rear-drive car from 2011 By TERRY MARTIN 2 October 2007, www.goauto.com.au THE chances of Holden resurrecting the Torana nameplate in Australia with a new rear-wheel drive compact car increased dramatically last week when United Auto Workers (UAW) officials in the US disclosed future model plans for General Motors. The revelations, which include other Holden-engineered cars, emerged in a tentative contract agreement the union had won after earlier in the week staging a crippling two-day strike at GM facilities across the nation over issues including job security, wages and entitlements and investment in US facilities and vehicles. The contract highlights included a pledge from GM to invest in future vehicles for 16 assembly plants in the US. Among these vehicles is the global RWD compact, which GoAuto understands will come off the all-new Holden-developed platform architecture known as “Alpha”, and two new models based on the Holden-engineered “Zeta” platform, which underpins the VE Commodore, Pontiac G8 and the forthcoming Chevrolet Camaro. Full Article

When stunt-riding Irishman Robbie Bolger of Team VIP Petfoods decided to pilot an Aussie V8 in the Japanese born and bred category of Drifting, many shook their heads and said he was crazy. It didn’t bother Bolger then, and it certainly doesn’t bother him now as he leads the field into this weekend’s final round of the Toyo Drift Australia Series at Oran Park after a nail-biting final thriller at his local Queensland Raceway last month. If Bolger’s vision comes to fruition on Sunday he will be the first ever to pilot a V8-engined machine to title victory at any level of drift competition in Australia – a prestigious accolade fit to crown his growing list of history-making pursuits in the category to date. Not only has he been the first to introduce the V8 to the Japanese-inspired category, he was also the first interstate driver to take a round win from the locals since Winton’s 2005 round when he won at Mallala in April this year. Doing his own thing has paid off well to date, and irrespective of this weekend’s result next year’s Drift Australia series will see Bolger’s newest custom-creation unleashed – the Team VIP Petfoods 949 horsepower Holden Drift VE Commodore – another to add to the history books as the first ever drift VE to hit an Australian race track. First unveiled at July’s Eastern Creek round, Bolger has elected to let new drifter Christian D’Agostin pilot the powerful machine as he has been unwilling to risk the championship with a relatively untested and underdeveloped car – a decision that while hard to maintain for Bolger has proved wise. “The VE is just fantastic and I am looking forward to getting her into the racing action, but at the moment I am sticking with the Team VIP Petfoods Monaro as there is just too much on the line,” said Bolger. “The Monaro has never let me down, she is always reliable, always quick and always on the money, that car is just perfect and with the championship in the works and so much development yet to come with the VE, I am hoping the Monaro can take me to the win this weekend.” full article : http://driftaustralia.com.au/news.asp?newsitem=240

Also in Australia, the Trade Practices Act imposes obligations to implicitly include a 10% GST (tax) in the quoted price. Similarily if you go to a department store or supermarket in Australia, all prices listed on the shelves already include the GST, so that's what you pay at the cash register.

FORD Australia president Tom Gorman has again attacked GM Holden’s move to import Daewoo-sourced models. Mr Gorman, who describes his most direct rival's move to sell cheaper South Korean-built models as ‘bottom feeding’, points to sales figures as evidence the plan is not working. “In a year that they have a whole new product (VE Commodore) and a bunch of Daewoos to push, their (passenger market) share is down by almost a full percentage point,” he said. When asked why he thought Holden’s small-car share had dropped off in the last year, Mr Gorman suggested the switch to South Korean models was not delivering sales results. “I don’t really know what is going on at Holden,” Mr Gorman said. “They have a lot of new product, I will have to say that Commodore has done a good job for them, but their market share is still down significantly and a lot of that is off the back of their small-car portfolio not doing as well as you would have thought and frankly some of their other products.” Holden now sells a Daewoo-sourced light car (Barina), small car (Viva), mid-sized sedan (Epica) and mid-sized SUV (Captiva). Full article: http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf...A25733700152100

According to this article on the LA Times the venerable 'Back to The future' car will be built again in limited numbers of around 20 cars per year : http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gara...0,7786124.story

In the first half of this year, 34 new models have hit the market, and 21 of those were revamps of older models. Of those only a few flourished, so now Gasgoo will list those that flopped in The Top 10 Most Unpopular Cars in China. 1. Honda’s Acura TL 2 Mitsubishi Galant 3. Fiat Perla 4. Kia Rio 5. FAW Vitz 6 Suzuki Liana 7 Hyundai Sonata 8 Ford S-Max 9 Toyota Prius 10 GM Park Avenue Original Gasgoo artical with a comment on each car as to why they considered it to have flopped: http://www.gasgoo.com/autobiz/2733/Top10-M...ina-Update.html

General Motors Corp. on Monday approved a production cut at its Pontiac Assembly Center, a move that could result in as many as 500 layoffs at the factory that builds heavy-duty pickups. With sales of its big trucks hurting in a sluggish market, GM will produce nearly 20 percent fewer pickups in two shifts at the plant. Company officials are determining how many jobs will be eliminated as part of the change. Sources had said the plan is to cut about 100 full-time workers and nearly 400 temporary employees in September. GM is still working to reach a final number, officials said on Monday. "It's still a matter of discussion," GM spokesman Tom Wickham said. GM's redesigned Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks have struggled against deeply discounted competitors and Toyota Motor Corp.'s new Tundra, the Japanese automaker's first full-size pickup. Although the Tundra has no heavy-duty version, analysts have said the full-size version threatens heavy-duty offerings from domestic automakers. Complete article: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../707240331/1001

New Calibra coupé will share the platform of firm’s next-generation Vectra Styling will borrow heavily from GTC Concept Original article: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpr...ives_again.html

Not sure about not being able to cater to American tastes, as they are able to cater to Australian tastes. Holden's entire Astra lineup comes with A/C as standard and with different trim levels to the Opels. Although I think most Holden Astras aren't sourced from Germany, but other Europian countries like Belgium.