2020 buick regal cn spec
Sam Charlwood22 Oct 2019
NEWS

2020 Holden Commodore previewed in leaked images

Facelifted Chinese-market Buick Regal has emerged, previewing changes to Holden’s updated large car

The facelifted ZB Holden Commodore could look a lot like this -- China's closely related Buick Regal, a midlife cosmetic upgrade of which has been revealed via leaked images.

Though the Commodore is now imported into Australia via a French connection – PSA Peugeot Citroen’s 2017 acquisition of Opel from GM and therefore the Insignia on which the Commodore is based – the large Aussie sedan remains closely related to the Chinese-market Buick Regal seen here.

2020 buick regal cn spec 1

That means these leaked images could preview the facelifted 2020 Holden Commodore, which is expected to come in for a model cull including the axing of slow-selling diesel variants. Holden is yet to comment on the speculation, though the Buick's facelift appears to mirror that of the updated 2020 Opel Insignia spied testing in Europe last October.The two images of the Buick Regal reveal numerous design updates including new headlights with axe-shaped LED signatures and a revised grille and front bumper with more angular intakes, presenting a sportier face.

A similar theme manifests at the rear, thanks to a redesigned bumper and tail-lights, and new chrome exhaust outlets.

The mid-life update comes weeks after Peugeot’s regional boss confirmed the Opel-sourced Commodore would continue being imported into Australia “for the foreseeable future”, while also rubbishing reports PSA was planning an Opel relaunch in Oz.

Emmanuel Delay, PSA’s executive vice president and operational director for the India Pacific, anticipated no immediate interruptions to Holden’s supply deal.

“First, we should not tell you anything but the answer is no,” he said.

“We have a current supply contract selling Opel-made cars to Holden, Astra and Commodore. That’s all that exists and this is just a result of the acquisition of Opel by PSA.

“Holden needed to continue supply and so they asked us to continue supplying those cars that they badge as Holdens. That’s all there is.”

When its purchased Opel in 2017, PSA assumed the rights to two key Holden exports: the Astra hatchback and the Insignia liftback, wagon and crossover, which are rebadged in Australia as Commodore models.

At the time, PSA said it was happy to maintain the supply deal, suggesting it was a win for both parties, in an arrangement that Delay said had been happily maintained since.

“There is a commercial agreement for a certain period. It doesn’t mean that after that period that you cannot extend that contract. It could go longer,” he said of Holden’s current deal, without giving a firm renewal date.

“To be honest, I don’t know the [exact end date of those contracts], but typically when you do these type of contracts you do it for two or three years. It depends on the interest of the buyer. If the buyer wants a long-term commitment from the supplier then they will ask for a long-term contract and they will define the quantities and so on,” he explained.

“The details I don’t have, but it’s very normal and it’s ongoing. It needs to be win-win, so if the user of the cars needs the cars, they will want to secure the supply and quantity for a certain period.

“Normally, if the seller is happy, they will want to continue making the cars and some decent money,” the PSA boss stated last month.

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