Camaro and Corvette headed Down Under

[DCBStingerGT]

In today's Herald -Sun newspaper, in particular the Car's Guide , their was a centre spread, and NO, im not talking about Playboy or Penthouse..haha, cmon behave yourself guys..haha, as i was saying, a centre spread on the new ZB Commodore, but there was also a mention of the Camaro arriving in Holden dealerships later this year, and the Corvette arriving in 2020.
Below is a photo i took this morning from the article mentioning the Camaro and Corvette. But imagine how much they would cost here in Australia. It's funny how when i worked for GM Holden, sometimes i would pass by the Research and Development building, and most times their would be all types of prototypes, including Camaros in disguise, and yet we still can't buy them here.

 

[Ozstung]

In today's Herald -Sun newspaper, in particular the Car's Guide , their was a centre spread, and NO, im not talking about Playboy or Penthouse..haha, cmon behave yourself guys..haha, as i was saying, a centre spread on the new ZB Commodore, but there was also a mention of the Camaro arriving in Holden dealerships later this year, and the Corvette arriving in 2020.
Below is a photo i took this morning from the article mentioning the Camaro and Corvette. But imagine how much they would cost here in Australia. It's funny how when i worked for GM Holden, sometimes i would pass by the Research and Development building, and most times their would be all types of prototypes, including Camaros in disguise, and yet we still can't buy them here.

View attachment 3276

Well sourced, i can imagine those cars well into the $100 thou + bracket. And i believe the Camaros thirst for petrol is on the extreme side. I believe us Stingees made the right choice all round. Corvette might be fun though.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Well like I stated in a previous post, US automakers shut down Aussie manufacture & lots unemployed, but now expect us to buy US made product & be appreciative for it, talk about protectionism, apologies to our US members, us Aussie have been taken for smucks, no more AU tax dollars & they run home & treat us with contempt.
My advice to all Aussies & Kiwis is to leave all the stock in Dealers lots as a protest, buy other brands that didn’t ruin our auto industry. Apologies for the rant but this stuff really gets my goat.

 

[Ozstung]

Well like I stated in a previous post, US automakers shut down Aussie manufacture & lots unemployed, but now expect us to buy US made product & be appreciative for it, talk about protectionism, apologies to our US members, us Aussie have been taken for smucks, no more AU tax dollars & they run home & treat us with contempt.
My advice to all Aussies & Kiwis is to leave all the stock in Dealers lots as a protest, buy other brands that didn’t ruin our auto industry. Apologies for the rant but this stuff really gets my goat.

Didn't the japs have a hand in ruining our auto industry quite a few years back?

 

[DCBStingerGT]

shut down Aussie manufacture & lots unemployed

I am one of those unemployed, when Holden's Engine Operations shutdown in NOV 2016, situated at Fisherman's Bend, Port Melbourne, Victoria, we used to assemble the HFV6 SIDI engine for the Commodore, and a 2.8ltr V6 Turbo for Saab, and a few other variants for China, if i remember correctly.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Didn't the japs have a hand in ruining our auto industry quite a few years back?

Yes, they built better quality cars with lots of accessories

 

[Stinger GT SS]

I am one of those unemployed, when Holden's Engine Operations shutdown in NOV 2016, situated at Fisherman's Bend, Port Melbourne, Victoria, we used to assemble the HFV6 SIDI engine for the Commodore, and a 2.8ltr V6 Turbo for Saab, and a few other variants for China, if i remember correctly.

So you know first hand where I’m coming from?

 

[Ozstung]

So you know first hand where I’m coming from?

All true and thats what made us change on mass to cheap reliable jap cars. At the time there were some terrible locally made cars. My first car was an Hq Monaro, then a Ford Escort followed by a 350 Statesman. Then all jap stuff. Best car: WRX wagon, nil trouble over 13 years. I recall you were a Holden man?

 

[DCBStingerGT]

So you know first hand where I’m coming from?

Yes, i understand, but i honestly believe Holden have been digging their own grave for many years now, even though the parent companies pulled the plug on our factories, they are out of touch with their customers, and the horror stories we all have probably heard of brand new lemon cars, but the worst thing is when an owner has an issue with a brand new Holden, they get the run around, for God knows how long, and then the car still doesn't get fixed, and that vehicle was sent out of the factory with that fault, it does also make me upset. So, that customer decides not to ever buy another Holden, and tells everyone else he knows, not to buy Holden also.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Yes, i understand, but i honestly believe Holden have been digging their own grave for many years now, even though the parent companies pulled the plug on our factories, they are out of touch with their customers, and the horror stories we all have probably heard of brand new lemon cars, but the worst thing is when an owner has an issue with a brand new Holden, they get the run around, for God knows how long, and then the car still doesn't get fixed, and that vehicle was sent out of the factory with that fault, it does also make me upset. So, that customer decides not to ever buy another Holden, and tells everyone else he knows, not to buy Holden also.

And most of us have all experienced that through the years, complain in the early days & dealer would say “what to you expect for the money” says it all

 

[Stinger GT SS]

All true and thats what made us change on mass to cheap reliable jap cars. At the time there were some terrible locally made cars. My first car was an Hq Monaro, then a Ford Escort followed by a 350 Statesman. Then all jap stuff. Best car: WRX wagon, nil trouble over 13 years. I recall you were a Holden man?

Yes GM through & through & my whole family, not now only one left in the bunch a HSV Maloo

 

[Ozstung]

Yes, i understand, but i honestly believe Holden have been digging their own grave for many years now, even though the parent companies pulled the plug on our factories, they are out of touch with their customers, and the horror stories we all have probably heard of brand new lemon cars, but the worst thing is when an owner has an issue with a brand new Holden, they get the run around, for God knows how long, and then the car still doesn't get fixed, and that vehicle was sent out of the factory with that fault, it does also make me upset. So, that customer decides not to ever buy another Holden, and tells everyone else he knows, not to buy Holden also.

Soon will all be well youre going to cleanse yourself with a brand new Stinger, just watch those necks turns. Ive got some funny stories already, ill save them for later.

 

[Let's Drive It]

At the risk of getting political - not my intention - the shutdown of local manufacturing lays most squarely with the 'Button Plan' of circa 1983...newly installed government gave John Button a brief to look into reductions of import tariffs for fully imported, as distinct from CKD and PKD imports, which included local content.
The upshot was a gradual removal of tariffs, which meant small volume assembly went first, followed gradually by full scale assembly...it became progressively cheaper to import cars from single site factories, where economies of scale ruled the roost.
Yes, build quality and standard inclusions also played a role, but ultimately, if you can build a Camry cheaper overseas than you can in Australia, including shipping costs, (not just hitting Toyota, example only) then that is what you will do.
It is a very sad state of affairs, no two ways about it, because not only is it Holden/Ford/Toyota employees, but also the suppliers like windscreens - not many of those still made here - fasteners etc, who lost local contracts, and either closed completely, or kept a warehouse, but moved production offshore.
HSV is now the closest thing to an Australian car manufacturer, doing RHD conversions for a few companies, but at least we still have local assembly and manufacture of trucks and buses.

 

[upsidedown]

Not only with cars but you can have high standards of living because we can buy cheaper products from overseas OR tarrifs to protect the local manufacturing industry, keep jobs and pay taxes to run the country but not both. So we all accept (or at least pushed that way by government) the ability to live like a king when the country would be better off if we had less ability to access cheap overseas goods and made them here.

In my opinion a country that manufactures less and less will eventually be very much worse off. Time will tell.

 

[Let's Drive It]

You are absolutely correct...even corporates are saying the same thing...

 

[AV8R]

Didn't the japs have a hand in ruining our auto industry quite a few years back?

True but not like GM USA did. Australian government opened up free trade agreement and everybody came in , aussie cars were excellent quality but too expensive to produce and it all comes down to the dollar profit. Hence bye bye Holden a sad day indeed. I would blame the government not USA.