GM "dumping" Pontiac G8 leftovers here...

4Vman · 20-08-2009, 09:35 AM

Intersting move to clear surplus parts from the failed export project:

http://www.carsales.com.au/news/2009...ustralia-16339

**Bundy** · 20-08-2009, 09:49 AM

Interesting alright, how to put a postive spin on such a huge FAILure...

**Polyal** · 20-08-2009, 10:15 AM

Hang on.

1. So Holden build export cars at $x, $x spent making it LHD etc etc
2. Holden ship to US - $x+shipping
3. GM have cars sitting depreciating
4. GM ship back to Holden - $x+(shipping(x2))
5. I assume conversion back to RHD and there surely would be other ADR requirements - $x+(shipping(x2))+conversion+ADR
5. Pontiac price in Aus = $x+(shipping(x2))+conversion+ADR

Thats one expense Holden that they are going to have to discount anyway, its going to be a great marketing spin! I can see it now, US special edition Commodore, now with even more standard ugliness.

This is all too funny.

4Vman · 20-08-2009, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Hang on.

1. So Holden build export cars at $x, $x spent making it LHD etc etc
2. Holden ship to US - $x+shipping
3. GM have cars sitting depreciating
4. GM ship back to Holden - $x+(shipping(x2))
5. I assume converion back to RHD and there surely would be other ADR requirements - $x+(shipping(x2))+conversion+ADR
5. Pontiac price in Aus = $x+(shipping(x2))+conversion+ADR

Thats one expense Holden that they are going to have to discount anyway, its going to be a great marketing spin! I can see it now, US special edition Commodore, now with even more stand ugliness.

They're not importing them back, they're making new RHD cars from the leftovers....
Pricing will be interesting, i can't see many people happy about it either way.

**Polyal** · 20-08-2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

They're not importing them back, they're making new RHD cars from the leftovers....
Pricing will be interesting, i can't see many people happy about it either way.

Ah damn that would have been a cracker of a story.

So it will be called a VE binparts V?

4Vman · 20-08-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Ah damn that would have been a cracker of a story.

So it will be called a VE binparts V?

Not sure how the pricing will be perceived... cheaper will be a kick in the guts for current SSV customers, more expensive will create an impression that Holden see the Pontiac brand as more prestigious than "Holden" which will also upset the zealots....

mafiastafcar · 20-08-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

So it will be called a VE binparts V?

flappist · 20-08-2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Hang on.

1. So Holden build export cars at $x, $x spent making it LHD etc etc
2. Holden ship to US - $x+shipping
3. GM have cars sitting depreciating
4. GM ship back to Holden - $x+(shipping(x2))
5. I assume conversion back to RHD and there surely would be other ADR requirements - $x+(shipping(x2))+conversion+ADR
5. Pontiac price in Aus = $x+(shipping(x2))+conversion+ADR

Thats one expense Holden that they are going to have to discount anyway, its going to be a great marketing spin! I can see it now, US special edition Commodore, now with even more standard ugliness.

This is all too funny.

I suspect you will find that the cars have never left Australia they have been just sitting is storage or infact have not been built yet.
Possibly these "G8"s will just be ordinary commodores with factory fitted G8 body parts.
Of course the bogans are going to lap them up. This sounds a lot like the holden version of a "special stripe and decal" pack that has proven quite successful on the blue side of the road.

Lukeyson · 20-08-2009, 10:20 AM

They should have all the Pontiac badges on them i reckon, make it more 'special'.
With Holden owners being in denial when they buy a car lately, they just put a Chev badge on it anyway.

Road_Warrior · 20-08-2009, 10:23 AM

I bet HSV will be pretty shitty about seeing the G8 bonnet on Commodores when they are supposed to be having the G8 bonnets for it's VE II cars...

4Vman · 20-08-2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

I bet HSV will be pretty shitty about seeing the G8 bonnet on Commodores when they are supposed to be having the G8 bonnets for it's VE II cars...

http://www.carsales.com.au/news/2009...g8-plans-16340

4Vman · 20-08-2009, 10:29 AM

Maybe Holden could call it the Pontiac "Lexcen" after their last re-badge attempt.......

auxr · 20-08-2009, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Maybe Holden could call it the Pontiac "Lexcen" after their last re-badge attempt.......

Ha ha ha

**Polyal** · 20-08-2009, 10:34 AM

How many G8's where sold in the US? Wouldn't they store the parts as backup or do they make regular shipments when required?

Wretched · 20-08-2009, 10:39 AM

How is it any different to the special edition striped falcons? *cough* cobra *cough*

4Vman · 20-08-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wretched

How is it any different to the special edition striped falcons? *cough* cobra *cough*

What failed export program did the cobra morph from??

Wretched · 20-08-2009, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

What failed export program did the cobra morph from??

I wasn't referring to the failed export as such, I was referring to the left over parts used for "special edition" cars. So they create a few special edition G8 based cars (what else are they going to do with the parts????), who cares really, as I said nothing that Ford haven't already done.

DanielXR8 · 20-08-2009, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

What failed export program did the cobra morph from??

Correct. Falcon equivalent is the FG Series, which failed before it was exported any further then New Zealand. The steering wheel didn't end up making it across the dashboard, let alone the car over the water to the US. ;)

Give the guys credit for doing something that will sell a lot more Australian built cars here and a program that has seen a lot more Americans sample an Aussie built car then Ford ever pulled off. I mean, please lets not bring up the Mazda inspired Capri, which is Ford Australia's best effort so far.

Paddyboy · 20-08-2009, 10:48 AM

They are only putting the grills and lip spoilers and a few extras on. Will be badged as a Holden, But the difference here is Holden are offering the ute, sedan and wagon with these mods, and in the US they were only offered in the sedan so far. They will be badged as SS or SS-V and sold for en extra $1k, Holden are going to market it as a collectors item as these are one off's, especially the ute and wagon.

Personally I think Holden's marketing can pull it off, these will sell like hotcakes as they look good (better then the VE grill) and people will be seeing the dollar signs on what they could be worth in 10 years. and I'd buy one as an SS-V sedan with that litte lip spolier (ed xr6 style) is much hotter then the normal SS spoiler.

4Vman · 20-08-2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paddyboy

They are only putting the grills and lip spoilers and a few extras on. Will be badged as a Holden, But the difference here is Holden are offering the ute, sedan and wagon with these mods, and in the US they were only offered in the sedan so far. They will be badged as SS or SS-V and sold for en extra $1k, Holden are going to market it as a collectors item as these are one off's, especially the ute and wagon.

Personally I think Holden's marketing can pull it off, these will sell like hotcakes as they look good (better then the VE grill) and people will be seeing the dollar signs on what they could be worth in 10 years. and I'd buy one as an SS-V sedan with that litte lip spolier (ed xr6 style) is much hotter then the normal SS spoiler.

Um... where did you get that from?? the pontiac bonnet and whole front bar are different to SSV....
Im not so sure people will feel as endeared to a car made up from left over bits the US didnt want...
At least our parts bin specials have pure DNA...

**Polyal** · 20-08-2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Um... where did you get that from?? the pontiac bonnet and whole front bar are different to SSV....
Im not so sure people will feel as endeared to a car made up from left over bits the US didnt want...
At least our parts bin specials have pure DNA...

True but your average Holden buyer wont know the difference and will lap it up; its the only reason the company is still in business.

4Vman · 20-08-2009, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

True but your average Holden buyer wont know the difference and will lap it up; its the only reason the company is still in business.

That's a good point.. when you talk about the relative "marketing effectiveness" of both brands you need to consider the intellectual merits of the audience you're "marketing" to too......

**Elks** · 20-08-2009, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Um... where did you get that from?? the pontiac bonnet and whole front bar are different to SSV....
Im not so sure people will feel as endeared to a car made up from left over bits the US didnt want...
At least our parts bin specials have pure DNA...

Oh 4Vman you have been on the juice again.

We sell heaps of VE 'Chevy" grilles and badge kits. Our parts guys stock them. there are so many US wannabe's it's scary.

The GMH marketing folk are very clever.

I understand it's a facelift gone wrong with a strange AFM motor, but I'll bet these will all be gone, before they even hit the dealerships.

SB076 · 20-08-2009, 10:50 AM

I see it as a positive hopefully a few suppliers can clear some of the stocks they currently have and get something for it.

Paddyboy · 20-08-2009, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Um... where did you get that from?? the pontiac bonnet and whole front bar are different to SSV....
Im not so sure people will feel as endeared to a car made up from left over bits the US didnt want...
At least our parts bin specials have pure DNA...

I have my sources, haha, that makes me sound like a try-hard. I know a guy who is involved thats all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal
True but your average Holden buyer wont know the difference and will lap it up; its the only reason the company is still in business.

Exactly, all the loyal holden customers are going to see is this cool one off model that looks different and no one else as in australia. It will sell really well I reckon. And it also works for the non-holden customer/ sitting on the fence customer to buy a holden as they will get something different to a normal commodore. Thats going to bring them in.

Franco Cozzo · 20-08-2009, 11:38 AM

They look nice IMO, thats what the VE should have looked like for us too.

Paddyboy · 20-08-2009, 12:05 PM

i agree, even if just the ss had that front, looks much more agressive

LeadFoot81 · 20-08-2009, 12:13 PM

I think its a great idea, if I was in the market for a VE id definitely buy one. The G8 is easily the best looking version of the VE.

Wally · 20-08-2009, 12:22 PM

The Pontiac is soooo, how can I put this......American looking. I'm sure they will sell very well though. Yet another jack out of the box by some smart bunnies.

vztrt · 20-08-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wally

The Pontiac is soooo, how can I put this......American looking.

I was wondering how to say Fugly in a nice way.