Opel Astra.. Why? - what happened to Holden Astra?

[Terror_Tree]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

They are both GM subsidaries but now in competition in Australia.

Maybe I am missing something, but this doesen't make sense to me at all.

[SumoDog68]

Well Opel of Oz boss sits at Holdens Port Melbourne HQ so they are not enemies but they compete in the same segment. Opel says that their cars are much beter engineered then Cruze and they are not competitors even if Cruze is based on same platform as Astra.
. Opel does not even accept Focus as a competitor even though in europe they certainly are.
They want to compete against a very successful VW in Australia .

[bingoTE50]

In the flesh they look quite nice. I like the wagon .
Pretty much the only reason Holden went to the Korean sourced car was because of the Aus dollar of the time. They could not land the Opel sourced cars cheap enough to compete any more without giving them away. Now the circumstance has reversed and GM are having an each way bet I reckon.

[OzGTE]

Insignia OPC - That is all.

[OzGTE]

[OzGTE]

[OzGTE]

[OzGTE]

"When GM takes that enjoyable, 220 HP front wheel drive car and puts a stonkin' 325 HP, 2.8-liter turbocharged V6 with a six speed manual and a Haldex all-wheel-drive system in it capable of rear-axle torque vectoring, it's a fair bet we'll be giddy with excitement. Then they add 14-inch (front) Brembo binders, Recaro bucket seats, 20 inch wheels and body work so aggressive it makes one's inner hoon squeal"

[Cheese3]

Looks like competition for the focus, until the focus gets built in tailand just like the festa . . .

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

Opel is looking to sell some cars as they were bankrupt in Germany and as
Holden has taken Korean product Opel has decided to enter Aussie market indenpendently. They are both GM subsidaries but now in competition in Australia.

I wonder why GM(USA) would entertain this, or do they have a say

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by xr6turboford

Well thanks for that I like it when someone calls my daughter a sucker
as last Friday she took delivery of a new Focus Titianium.
But guess what she is over the moon with it and if I can get the misses
to say yes (working very hard on it) I will have a new R-spec Gt
the drive way so what does that make me a all day sucker.
For a Ford forum theres a lot of crap written about Ford and their
products with fans like this you don't need enemies.
At the end of the day I buy a product because it what I like and want
not whats got this or that or cost this or that.

Re-read what I said.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Terror_Tree

Maybe I am missing something, but this doesen't make sense to me at all.

Since GM dont have SAAB anymore Opel is supposed to capture that part of the market. Upmarket of Holden.
People who would buy VW. even though in Europe VW is the average joe brand.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Terror_Tree

Maybe I am missing something, but this doesen't make sense to me at all.

ridiculous, isn't it! Maybe they are looking at an eventual two-tier arrangement with Holden at base level and Opel being higher market??? that's the only sane reasoning i can think of to saturate such a small market with two hands of GM. If i was chairman of GMH, i'd be screaming pretty loudly at the bosses of GM.

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

Wait for Opel to launch the Insignia in Aus. It's an awesome car... There will be ques for it... If Opel get the price right....

I've just spent 5 weeks in Europe and these Insignia's are everywhere. Nice looking car too, will do well in Aus if priced right.

I wonder if they'll be allowed to sell the Ampera here? Their version of the Volt.

[OzGTE]

I'd happily put my name down for an Insignia OPC

[LTDHO]

This will confuse Holden owners more, now opel badges will be turning up on holdens.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by SCUD

I've just spent 5 weeks in Europe and these Insignia's are everywhere. Nice looking car too, will do well in Aus if priced right.

I wonder if they'll be allowed to sell the Ampera here? Their version of the Volt.

I was reading yesterday that they don't plan to sell the current Ampera, but may look at it in the next generation.

[Franco Cozzo]

Astra's are a piece of crap anyway, we've got a never ending supply of them keeping me and my mates in work changing the alternators in them and cleaning up their throttle bodies which seem to build up a heap of oil around them.

Also keeping the mechanics across the road busy changing their timing belts every 60,000km.

Though I'm interested in the new models, manual diesel appeals to me, new Focus diesel unfortunately only comes in auto.

[RASER]

The TV adverts. push that they are a VW fighter, that will backfire

What they need to do is make the public know that they are a GM company as related to and *owned* by Holden, make the cashed up bogans feel warm and fuzzy and safe

What's this now, brand # 51 for sale in AUS? WAY more than USA have for just 1 million sales, insane really

Opel lost and are losing billions, should have been shut if GM where really serious

[brett7777]

Originally Posted by Polyal

What?

Are you saying the Opel is like a Daewoo? If so it could not be further from the truth. Opel make good solid cars, GM/Daewoo do not.

Have you ever googled the words 'opel astra problem' or 'vauxhall astra problem' or 'holden astra problem' - I had to once, because a relative's astra had a problem & I was being asked for help. I was amazed at the nightmare stories & bad reviews. I got the impression that they are a very bad car. That is coupled with the people that we know, that have late model ones & have had problems. Just saying.

[brett7777]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

This will confuse Holden owners more, now opel badges will be turning up on holdens.

Opel badge on a Commodore V8

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by brett7777

Have you ever googled the words 'opel astra problem' or 'vauxhall astra problem' or 'holden astra problem' - I had to once, because a relative's astra had a problem & I was being asked for help. I was amazed at the nightmare stories & bad reviews. I got the impression that they are a very bad car. That is coupled with the people that we know, that have late model ones & have had problems. Just saying.

Well ours was brought in 2000 and had stock everything, suspension, clutch the lot and was still going strong at 140,000k's..sold it to a loady a few months back who sms'd me saying its a brilliant car and she is happy. So while not all the stories are like that my experience was very good.

In saying that, like every make, you have to be smart about what model you buy. The first of that series ~1994 were troublesome...but by the end it was great. Same can be said for most Falcons really. BA not so good..BF2 nice etc

[blueoval]

we have the 05 AH astra CD, and while it hasn't been faultless, it's still started every morning, driven well and driven every day. The wife drives it, she hasnt complained about it, and still loves it, so Im happy.

From what I heard, it was the model before the AH that had bad problems.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by brett7777

Have you ever googled the words 'opel astra problem' or 'vauxhall astra problem' or 'holden astra problem' - I had to once, because a relative's astra had a problem & I was being asked for help. I was amazed at the nightmare stories & bad reviews. I got the impression that they are a very bad car. That is coupled with the people that we know, that have late model ones & have had problems. Just saying.

They are global cars so if there was a problem I'd say it would involve cars around the world. Imagine if territorys were global with poor ball joints. And because the astra was global it looked worse.

[brett7777]

O c'mon guys Im determined to crucify this car, why don't you just stand back & let me remove any last shred of dignity from the horrible poor excuse for a car that it is

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

Astra was never made at Holdens Elizabeth plant - first Holden Astra was joint venture with Nissan and was assembled at Clayton , second gen was Vauxhall imported from UK , third TS Astra was imported from Belgium and AH was also belgium built with TS moved to Poland.
Opel is looking to sell some cars as they were bankrupt in Germany and as
Holden has taken Korean product Opel has decided to enter Aussie market indenpendently. They are both GM subsidaries but now in competition in Australia.

GM, the only divided kingdom that continues to exist

[DJM83]

The OPC is coming.
http://canberratimes.drive.com.au/mo...018-27t0e.html
This car is a REAL threat to the ST. Its already been proven to be better on the track from what ive read. The ST is a better all round car but the OPC is quicker.
This will be on my list when upgrade time comes, and its not all that much more then an ST

[blueoval]

i like it. it looks real sleek. kind of reminds me of the sirocco in that picture

[DJM83]

I actually like the looks more then the ST

[blueoval]

yeah but we all know your biased Dallas.