Holden small car plan staying secret till 2016

While Holden has confirmed it will launch the new Opel Astra hatchback in Australia around 12 months from now, it will not more fully lay out its plans for its ongoing presence in the crucial small car class until next year.

The Astra five-door made its global debut at the Frankfurt motor show this week, and motoring.com.au was in the first wave of media to drive it. Read the review on the site next Tuesday morning (September22).

Holden has a complicated path to weave because it must continue to promote and sell the locally manufactured Cruze hatch and sedan for some time to come. End of production for the Cruze models hasn't been announced and nor for the Commodore range which is also built at the Elizabeth plant in South Australia. But the plant will close by late 2017.

While the Cruze is a Chevrolet model, Holden's strategy is to align more closely with Opel for much of its product line as it transforms into a national sales company.

The launch date of the Astra hatch seems to be a good guide to the end date of its Cruze equivalent. Similarly, the Cruze sedan should be replaced by the Astra sedan. The problem there is the new generation Astra sedan hasn't been confirmed yet, so it's impossible for Holden to talk about that.

Three-door versions of the new Astra are yet to be confirmed. The current generation GTC and VXR three-doors recently went back on sale in Australia with Holden badges. A new generation Astra wagon (Sports Tourer) was also launched at Frankfurt, but is unconfirmed for Australia.

There has also been speculation the 1.8-litre Cruze sedan may continue in the market alongside the Astra, either until the sedan arrives in the market or even beyond that as an entry-level model.

"We do have a small car strategy in-place and we will be in a position to talk about that next year," Holden director of communications Sean Poppitt told motoring.com.au.

"We have some decisions and communications to make about the small car strategy."

Poppitt was happier to talk about the significance of the Astra, which has sold in the past in Australia as both a Holden and Opel.

"It is hugely important not just because it will be playing in the largest volume sector in the market but also because it's at the vanguard of our launch of 24 new models by 2020.

"This is a huge step towards Holden evolving as a brand and being able to talk to new customers who potentially don't have Holden on the radar at the moment.

"Astra is a premium and well put together car, so it is hugely important for Holden, it is a halo car for us absolutely."