2018 Holden Commodore 1
Bruce Newton10 Nov 2017
NEWS

New Holden Commodore cut short

Holden's imported ZB Commodore gone by 2024 thanks to Opel platform swap

Holden's first imported Commodore will have a maximum lifespan of six years, much shorter than any previous generation to wear the famous badge.

That became clear overnight when Opel/Vauxhall revealed it was fast-tracking its transition from General Motors architectures to new parent PSA Group vehicle underpinnings.

The accelerated swap-over of architectures was part of the presentation of Opel/Vauxhall’s new PACE! business plan, which is designed to return the company to profitability for the first time in 15 years.

The chances of Opel returning to Australia as a stand-alone brand also appears certain – but not until some time next decade -- under the PACE! plan

“Opel will go profitable, electric and global,” declared managing director Michael Lohscheller.

Opel was signed up to supply the ZB Commodore – which it sells as the Insignia in Europe – when, like Holden, it was still owned by General Motors.

Opel has supplied the Astra hatchback small car to Holden since 2016 and that deal was promoted as the first evidence of a rejuvenated relationship between the two companies after Holden’s failed Korean small-car program.

But GM sold Opel/Vauxhall to the parent of Peugeot and Citroen earlier this year. At the time, both sides of the deal said Commodore and Astra supply would be guaranteed as long as the cars were built on GM platforms.

But Lohscheller declared the swap-over of Opel models to PSA Group architectures would happen faster than originally planned. The transition will now be completed for all models by 2024.

The ZB Commodore family goes on sale from February 2018, taking the place of 39 years of local large car production through only four distinct generations. That’s an average of nearly 10 years each.

Given the years it takes to choose and develop new models, Holden will either already be on the case figuring out where it goes after ZB for its next Commodore within the GM world, or will be debating whether the name and large car presence will go on at all, given the SUV takeover of the market.

Of course, Holden will also have to look for a replacement for the Astra as well, although sedan supply is secure from GM Korea.

Theoretically, GM could elect to continue paying PSA to supply models to Holden after the architecture swaps, but that would seem a particularly expensive choice.

A request for comment from Holden last night on the fast-tracking decision went unanswered.

Altogether, the number of platforms Opel/Vauxhall uses for its passenger cars will be reduced from currently nine to two by 2024. The powertrain families will be optimised from currently 10 to four in the same timeframe.

Lohscheller also confirmed all Opel/Vauxhall passenger car lines would have an electrification option by 2024.

The architecture alignment is one of many strategies being undertaken by Opel/Vauxhall to cut costs, boost efficiency and increase sales and sales margins.

Lohscheller said Opel/Vauxhall had identified more than 20 markets it planned to expand into by 2022. The aim is for overseas sales to account for 10 per cent of sales by 2025.

He nominated Argentina and Taiwan among them but there was no mention of Australia. He did say piggybacking on established PSA Group infrastructure would aid the expansion.

That would drop Australia down the list of priorities as PSA Group doesn’t build vehicles here and its distribution is handled independently by Inchcape Australia.

But the size of the local market should ensure Opel will return. It was briefly and unsuccessfully sold here under its own name for one year from August 2012 when still owned by GM.

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