- Holden has been part of the Australian and New Zealand landscape for 160 years.
- Holden car sales ended in a few months ago to focus on SUVs.
- Local design and engineering operations will be the last to go by 2021.
While we North Americans never got to sample the majority of Holden’s products, we were privy to some of the best GM cars in a long time at the end of the 2000s. If you recall the Pontiac G8 and, for the Americans, the Chevrolet SS, these muscle sedans were in fact rebadged Holden cars. That endeavour quickly and sadly failed and now, after 160 years of operation in various forms, Holden itself will be no more by 2021.
This announcement comes after efforts were made to shift production costs by selling re-badged vehicles made outside Australia and New Zealand, to then cancelling Holden cars altogether to concentrate on more profitable SUVs. And now, it’s almost over.
GM is preparing to fight in markets where they have a greater opportunity for profits. This is why they are moving away from Australia and New Zealand.
GM International Operations Senior Vice President Julian Blissett said: “Over recent years, as the industry underwent significant change globally and locally, we implemented a number of alternative strategies to try to sustain and improve the business, together with the local team.”
Blissett added: “After comprehensive assessment, we regret that we could not prioritize the investment required for Holden to be successful for the long term in Australia and New Zealand, over all other considerations we have globally.”
Source: Holden/GM
