How long do you expect holden to make commodores in aus?

[buggerlugs]

How will Holden be able to compete when you see the wages in Australia compared to China / Thailand ? It might be a few years but I'm sure they will follow Mitsubishi and Ford........

[Brazen]

I reckon Zeta has about another decade at least in her. They are still using the same doors and body from VE so there is plenty of life left in terms of tophat changes.

Plus the Commodore plugs into the global electronics, global transmissions, global engines and global features of the GM empire so it should pick up 'free' upgrades as it goes along.

20% of Commodores are exported so that should pick up if the fall in the Aussie dollar continues.

Anything can happen though and there has been talk of a two-pronged Commodore approach. With a FWD sedan supplemented by the VF SS/Caprice continuing alongside it.

I do think that the platform upgrades to VF means that is has a lot more than 3 years left in it.

[GQ_Smooth]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

How will Holden be able to compete when you see the wages in Australia compared to China / Thailand ? It might be a few years but I'm sure they will follow Mitsubishi and Ford........

Without an open and frank discussion between the Auto Maker, AMWU and the Government, I don't see how they can. It's not just one thing that needs to change, everyone needs to make changes in order to make it viable long term.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

How will Holden be able to compete when you see the wages in Australia compared to China / Thailand ? It might be a few years but I'm sure they will follow Mitsubishi and Ford........

They closed due to the cars not being bought - nothing to do with wages.

They didnt start importing the 380 from Asia when the Adelaide plant shut, and they are not moving Falcon production to Thailand.

Wages are a tiny part in a capital intensive industry with high robotisation and high costs.