Holden ceases Chevrolet SS production

[DJR-351]

By Chris Thompson
May 25, 2017

https://www.motormag.com.au/news/170...-ss-production

Holden’s final US-bound Chevrolet SS has been built, marking the end of the Australian export program.

The final Chevy SS was ‘Phantom Black’, and its LS3 was hooked up to a six-speed manual ‘box.

A Holden spokesperson says that one of the last built had some extra personalisation after a request from its buyer.

“Just as the vehicle was being produced, the Holden manufacturing team received a request from a US customer, asking the manufacturing employees to sign their Chev SS.”

The manufacturing team at Elizabeth obliged, and signed under the bonnet and on the deck lid carpets.

“This is a great example of the pride the manufacturing team has in the product they build, as well as the respect that our US customers have for the great quality car we make for them.”

A total of 12,953 Chevrolet SS sedans were built since 2013, with 4008 of those built in the last 12 months.

US outlet Road and Track recently wrote: “The SS will be sorely missed by the few that recognised its charms. It’s so good, we deemed it worthy of comparison to the all-time benchmark sports sedan, the E39-chassis BMW M5.”

Despite the fact we’ve seen evidence of the SS’s popularity in the States, sales remained low through its lifetime.

So low, in fact, that dealerships dropped the price to US$39,932 (A$52,770). Dealers in Australia are banned from applying similar discounts to local Commodore SS models, though huge demand means they are unlikely to need to.

As well as the Chevrolet SS, Australia also exported the Chevrolet Caprice, which became a police pursuit vehicle once Stateside.

A total of 7305 police Caprices were built here, with 652 of those in the last 12 months.

For the cars that are to stay on home soil, the final build date is October 20, 2017.

[Ford17]

12,953 units over 4 years is very low volume.

Ford sold over 70,000 F-series trucks in April alone.

It must be very disappointing for all involved - it looked like an ideal car for the US market.

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Ford17

12,953 units over 4 years is very low volume.

Ford sold over 70,000 F-series trucks in April alone.

It must be very disappointing for all involved - it looked like an ideal car for the US market.

Yes, but it wasn't ever meant to be a volume seller, the US workers auto union would make sure of that.

It was a premium priced car in a niche market.

Dr Terry

[GASWAGON]

Anyone know whats happening with HSV for 2018 onwards???

I worked there for 2 weeks in the exhaust area a few years ago.

From memory the pay was about $21 per hour which was pathetic.

[Iggle Piggle]

“Just as the vehicle was being produced, the Holden manufacturing team received a request from a US customer, asking the manufacturing employees to sign their Chev SS.”

That's kinda cool. Wonder if the purchaser is an ex-pat?

[roddy1960]

G'day...Chevvy SS has a loyal band of followers in the U.S. I have watched several of their devotee vids over time and at least 40 actual reviews on it. Also on YT from those small numbers in the know they've loved having a 4 door rear wheel drive car option again. Just wasn't marketed very well perhaps .. Watch this ..
This is a fun and somewhat rapturous video on the SS. They absolutely loved it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbLweooe3aM

Bottom line is that both GM and Ford big wigs only really paid lip service to our stuff anyway. At least GM did allow for both RHD and LHD iliteration .

Was talk some time back that Ford briefly had notions on Falcon in the U.S. including the Barra 6 as potentially a police car but nothing came of it as we know..
They have a link to two door " real muscle cars" but four door "sedans" no matter how capable just don't rate the same and are niche cars it seems.
Ah well , they're the bosses , their choice no matter what we think .
Cheers Rod.

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by CoolBFWagon

Anyone know whats happening with HSV for 2018 onwards???

I worked there for 2 weeks in the exhaust area a few years ago.

From memory the pay was about $21 per hour which was pathetic.

G'day , This was from about September last year apparently..Not sure if a lot has changed since then..
http://www.caradvice.com.au/480314/h...l-beyond-2017/ Cheers Rod..

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Ford17

it looked like an ideal car for the US market.

i think it's the same as here, where everyone who says they want one goes and buys a SUV instead.

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

i think it's the same as here, where everyone who says they want one goes and buys a SUV instead.

Or a used one ....

[Ford17]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

i think it's the same as here, where everyone who says they want one goes and buys a SUV instead.

That would no doubt partially be a factor; but the feedback seems to be the design was too conservative, and the price too high (particularly for a GM product).

[Syndrome]

All of Holden's models exported to the US failed to achieve the expected sales volumes.

[Sprint XR8]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

i think it's the same as here, where everyone who says they want one goes and buys a SUV instead.

There's still a market in the US for RWD 4 door sedans. Everyone just ended up buying a Dodge Charger, (95437 sales last year) or Chrysler 300 (53241 sales).

[Venomous1]

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

Yes, but it wasn't ever meant to be a volume seller, the US workers auto union would make sure of that.


Dr Terry

This is apart from the 2 milliin cars imported into the US each year from Japan or Canada. Or the 1 million plus from Mexico, or the 700,000 plus from South Korea or Germany?????? Very selective Union!!!!!

[Ford17]

I'm sure they would have liked to have sold quite a few more units than they did.
They even went to the trouble of making the SS the default GM NASCAR body shape.

[Sabantien]

Everything I have seen from the US said it drives great, but it looks like a boring hire car or taxi.

Looking at the cars that do sell, it was just too boring visually.

And those wanting muscle are probably also far more inclined to stick with American muscle.

I have always thought that if the falcon was styled aggressively, they fixed the 'they all do that' issues that were never addressed, and updated the interior, it's a vehicle that could have been marketed well in the US.

It has American heritage, and throw in some Mad Max themes... they'd eat it up.

[Falcon SXR8]

I think the looks killed it, let's be honest compared to it's rivals over there it looked like a bloated Korean car

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by Falcon SXR8

I think the looks killed it, let's be honest compared to it's rivals over there it looked like a bloated Korean car

Harsh, but I agree. Commodores styling was based on an inoffensive (yet masculine) shape.

Compared to the likes of Chrysler and Dodge (for example) the Commie would've looked very watered down (to allot of Americans)

It's a shame because Holden designers produced some great looking concept and production cars (like Camaro)

[DFB FGXR6]

The Chevrolet SS was deliberately set up to sell in small numbers. If it sold in huge numbers, the way CAFE fuel economy standard are in the US, it would have affected GM's overall CAFE number and incurred added Tax. You also have to consider the SS was NEVER going to be replaced so why spend up big building up a large following for the product if the consumer wont be back to buy another.

The exterior styling was also heavily panned by US consumers as being bland and the interior quality didn't match expectations at its price point. I think this proves how conservative the Australian consumer is to be honest. Whilst most Aussies appreciate the subtle muscularity of the VE/F Commodore, the wider world market obviously disagrees.

Don't get me wrong, the Commodore is/was a fantastic product. But it wasn't suited to the US market as many people believe, and like the Falcon, is now past its prime.

[Chopped]

Australian buyers have different tastes when it comes to styling, we prefer euro styling. Americans prefer more outlandish "look at me" styling. That's why they called it "bland". The Commodore is far from bland. Bland is a white Toyota Avalon.
The Monaro was hindered by being a design near the end of it's cycle.
The G8 stood the best chance but was hindered by our high dollar at the time.
The Chev SS was intentionally sold in small numbers.

Either way, I reckon it's cool at least one half of the Aussie muscle scene was sold overseas. It's a shame the Falcon never made it, they would have loved it too.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by Sprint XR8

There's still a market in the US for RWD 4 door sedans. Everyone just ended up buying a Dodge Charger, (95437 sales last year) or Chrysler 300 (53241 sales).

In isolation, those 2 figures don't tell you how successful they are,
Chrysler 300 sales
2005 144k
2011 36K
2012 70k (assuming the updated model was released this year)

In a market the size of the us, 53k is like the falcon getting down to 6k in its final year, not only Aussies have turned their backs on large sedans.

[Sprint XR8]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

In isolation, those 2 figures don't tell you how successful they are,
Chrysler 300 sales
2005 144k
2011 36K
2012 70k (assuming the updated model was released this year)

In a market the size of the us, 53k is like the falcon getting down to 6k in its final year, not only Aussies have turned their backs on large sedans.

Chrysler's LX rwd platform ( 300, Charger, Challenger) production numbers doubled from 2009 - 2015.

2009 - 121,715
2010 - 163,257
2011 - 194,631
2012 - 240,193
2013 - 244,771
2014 - 222,829
2015 - 253,230

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Sprint XR8

Chrysler's LX rwd platform ( 300, Charger, Challenger) production numbers doubled from 2009 - 2015.

2009 - 121,715
2010 - 163,257
2011 - 194,631
2012 - 240,193
2013 - 244,771
2014 - 222,829
2015 - 253,230

A very clever re-use of a mid 90s Merc-Benz platform if we are talking about the same Chrysler 300C platform.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

A very clever re-use of a mid 90s Merc-Benz platform if we are talking about the same Chrysler 300C platform.

And the only thing that has kept FCA alive after the GFC has been two legacy platforms gifted to them from Daimler (the LX platform and the Jeep Grand Cherokee) and those hugely profitable Ram pickups.