Will the Holden brand survive?

[John 13]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Perhaps I could then put the lion badge on the mighty 6000 SUX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJuABtjlIWU

Is that a larger version of the Crxptiva ?

[Sprintey]

I see a bit of Rover SD1 in it tbh - but in the withering satire of the movie, it is the archetypal American dinosaur (even down to the ad), and this is the bit relevant to Holden, given that the Commodore was criticised as a dinosaur to the end.

[MITCHAY]

It's embarrassing the demise of the Holden brand. Make them meet their obligations to the dealers and then **** GM off into the dustbin of history in this country.

[MercuryT]

I still honestly can't believe how much they are charging for Camaros.

Crazy money.

No wonder their is a heap on them on CarSales as be a nightmare to sell at the moment (or probably anytime)

[DJR-351]

For sale: The ultimate automotive playground?

https://www.speedcafe.com/torquecafe...ve-playground/

General Motors is racing to close down all of Holden’s operations in Australia – putting up for sale its famous Lang Lang proving grounds.

Spread of 877-hectares approximately an hours drive from Melbourne on the way to Phillip Island, the proving grounds has been the home for developing Holden models since it opened in 1957. More recently it has also served as an engineering hub for several General Motors projects, specifically the V6 engine calibration team.

A copy of the sales document has leaked from listing agents CBRE, outlining what the property has for prospective buyers. Inside the 18km of perimeter fencing there is 44km of testing roads including both paved and unsealed, as well as the famous 4.7km high-speed bowl.

It also includes a number of hi-tech automotive testing facilities to design and engineer new cars, and in 2018 GM spent nearly $16m resurfacing the high-speed bowl and upgrading the emissions lab. That could make it appealing to another car manufacturer, particularly one from the expanding Asian automotive industry.

It’s unclear how much General Motors is asking for the proving grounds and it does have a limited market. However, Australian transport magnate Lindsay Fox has previously been linked to a buy-out of the property to expand his local testing facilities.

GM is wasting little time closing Holden’s operations in Australia. According to the leaked listing the proving grounds will be available for a new owner as early as the third quarter of this year; potentially less than a month from now.

GM has already come to a financial agreement with Triple Eight Race Engineering to end Holden’s involvement in Supercars at the conclusion of the 2020 season.

However, it may be delayed by its combative negotiations with dealers about its decision to close the brand. The dealers are unhappy with the compensation offer from GM and have reportedly threatened legal action.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by mick taylor

In what years is that that you are talking about.

1995 to 2012.

[CyberWasp]

It should be donated to Australian taxpayers to help cover the cost of the money they took to stay open for a longer time than they actually did.
A small dividend to all tax payers from the proceeds.

[RE-Genesis]

Why not use it like the Nurberg Ring in Germany...pretty popular for trying out some quick cars. Small fee to get on and endless bragging about how quick Fords are compared with Holden's.

[MercuryT]

Already flamed before and will again.

The Maloo an awesome rig.

I won't miss the other Holden crap they now serve up but I will as a (previous) Maloo owner.

[MITCHAY]

A couple of years or so ago we were seeing the finest and the last Commodore cutting laps on Lang Lang.

I'd like to see it preserved for history if nothing else but it won't happen. It will be flogged, probably for anything but car development.

[Syndrome]

It makes me sad to think of all the times I was at the Lang Lang proving ground. Getting driven around by the legend Alan George in the late 1990s on the high speed oval and other tracks.

https://www.basscoastpost.com/geoff-...ng-of-the-road

Plus meeting former work colleagues who had moved on, former university colleagues who scored a gig at the proving ground. Running for our lives when a LPG powered car began rapidly and loudly venting gas. Trying to destroy starter motors on the rough track. So many memories.

[hayseed]

Be Interesting to see how the mediation turns Out..!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-...ction=business

[Bossxr8]

Holden boss Kristian Aquilina, in a rare interview since the closure of the brand was announced, last night told ABC TV’s The Business show: “Last year a Holden dealer (on average) made a loss of $600 per car for every new Holden they sold, which isn’t great. Our offer to them is $1500 (per car).


Losing money on every sale, desperately trying to hang onto sales volumes. GM business 101.

[csv8]

Lawrences Holden Rockhampton, has 3 Camaro's. 2 at $87k and 1 at $144k. Not selling.
Not price competitive with the Mustang... Details on www.lawrencesholden.com.au

[lra]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Holden boss Kristian Aquilina, in a rare interview since the closure of the brand was announced, last night told ABC TV’s The Business show: “Last year a Holden dealer (on average) made a loss of $600 per car for every new Holden they sold, which isn’t great. Our offer to them is $1500 (per car). .

Yeah, right !
Tell an accountant what loss you want on you investment / business, and he will come up with a formula to achieve that figure.
That $600 loss, even if correct, would not be the Dealers loss, it would be the Holden subsidy / incentive ... whatever.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Holden boss Kristian Aquilina, in a rare interview since the closure of the brand was announced, last night told ABC TV’s The Business show: “Last year a Holden dealer (on average) made a loss of $600 per car for every new Holden they sold, which isn’t great. Our offer to them is $1500 (per car).


Losing money on every sale, desperately trying to hang onto sales volumes. GM business 101.

Is that "paper" loss pre Or Post the Factory rebate..???

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by csv8

Lawrences Holden Rockhampton, has 3 Camaro's. 2 at $87k and 1 at $144k. Not selling.
Not price competitive with the Mustang... Details on www.lawrencesholden.com.au

No Commies to give away neither. I don't think they'll even be able to give away those Comaros.....God they're ugly, especially the interior.

[fnp]

Originally Posted by RE-Genesis

Why not use it like the Nurberg Ring in Germany...pretty popular for trying out some quick cars. Small fee to get on and endless bragging about how quick Fords are compared with Holden's.

Nice idea but I reckon public liability insurance and Today Tonight would doom it in good old overgoverned Australia...

[xr8territory]

https://www.smh.com.au/business/smal...24-p555qh.html

This whole process is going to get very dirty.

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by xr8territory

https://www.smh.com.au/business/smal...24-p555qh.html

This whole process is going to get very dirty.

I read this just a little while ago. Though my simple understanding is that typical phoenix activity is to create a new company after deliberately liquidating assets to avoid paying liabilities.

GM isn't avoiding liabilities so much as that the amount is in dispute. It will be interesting to see if and where this goes anywhere.

[hayseed]

Looks like most of the Dealers were Stared Down by GM...

https://www.drive.com.au/news/holden...trackLink=SMH1

[jpd80]

Dealers are over the whole thing, time to cut losses and move on with another franchise.

[ozrunner]

It will be interesting to see if any of these dealers who have been royally shafted by GM take up the offer to continue servicing former Holden's.

IMHO you would have to be a fruitcake to take this on as no doubt further shafting will prevail along with some possible warranty denials leaving the dealer stuck with it.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by ozrunner

It will be interesting to see if any of these dealers who have been royally shafted by GM take up the offer to continue servicing former Holden's.

IMHO you would have to be a fruitcake to take this on as no doubt further shafting will prevail along with some possible warranty denials leaving the dealer stuck with it.

They would probably get warranty approval (or not) before starting any work.

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by ozrunner

It will be interesting to see if any of these dealers who have been royally shafted by GM take up the offer to continue servicing former Holden's.

IMHO you would have to be a fruitcake to take this on as no doubt further shafting will prevail along with some possible warranty denials leaving the dealer stuck with it.

Shafted how?

Not having a go, just asking.

Dealers like Real Estate Agents make excellent money when times are good, but there is a risk attached if it turns.

Plus Dealer's royally shaft their clients in reverse so no sympathy from me.

[ozrunner]

Well just quickly, many dealers undertook very expensive building upgrades on the basis of advise that Holden was going to be around for the long term when in fact GM knew otherwise but kept quiet.

That along with GM's compensation offer to dealers are all part of court action for a reason and not all have accepted their offer.

[hayseed]

This could be interesting Viewing...
https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...online-125433/

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by hayseed

This could be interesting Viewing...
https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...online-125433/

What's the go with senate inquiries? Do they have to swear an oath, and can they be charged for lying under oath? Or it nothing but a dog and pony show, and the Holden guys will lie through their teeth to protect their future employment prospects with GM, with no consequences if they do?

[Express]

I've come in very late to this thread so without haven't read any of it I'm going out on a limb to say, I don't think the Holden brand will survive.







.

[Sprintey]

'Aquilina to appear before Senate..." sounds very Roman indeed

Out of interest, the Aquila was the golden bird used as the standard for a Roman Legion, and the rank 'aquilifer' was the standard-bearer, a prestigious commission.

The fact we've got a list of all the lost aquilae 2000 years later shows how important they were...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquila_(Roman)