[FenwickHockey65]

Not hugely reliable sources say Bolt EV is now in retail production. 9 cars/hr for now.

[hrpiii]

Wife is moving from the Sonic to a Cruze Hatchback. Got the money put down this weekend, seeing if they can find one with the options. Nightfall Metallic Gray, RS, Sound and Sun, and Enhanced Convenient Packages, black interior. We are definitely excited to be moving into a more technically enhanced car. I think she is just excited to have a heated steering wheel...

[Snoman]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

There are a lot of angry Australians who have sworn off buying any car that isn't built in their country...but when everyone is pulling out, what choice do you have?

You let the manufactures go bankrupt as you cease buying new cars, creating a vacuum for someone to reopen the plant locally.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Snoman

You let the manufactures go bankrupt as you cease buying new cars, creating a vacuum for someone to reopen the plant locally.

You're kidding, right? GM, Ford, and Toyota can all easily afford to lose every single one of their sales in Australia today without going bankrupt. As time goes on, the global market will grow a lot faster than Australias making it less and less important in comparision to places like Brazil, China, India, and Indonesia. Plus, most potential buyers wouldn't boycott them. At least 85% of cars bought in Australia are imports anyways -including every single car sold by anyone other than Toyota, Ford, and GM. A lot of people might say they would boycott these companies, but odds are such people weren't going to be buying a new car anyways.

[FenwickHockey65]

After that disastrous October for Ford, Chevrolet is once again the top selling brand in the country.

[Snoman]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

You're kidding, right?

...for the most part, yes.

[xc_SS/RS]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

You can't take a FWD platform & rejigger it to RWD. Or at least, you can't do it affordably. No drive shaft tunnel, no transmission space, the engine is turned 90 degrees from where it needs to be, etc.


Holdens aren't RWD for the glory of performance. They're RWD because Holden hasn't had the money to retool the factory to build FWD cars, and GM hasn't felt Australia to be worth it to invest money from global operations. Remember, the population is somewhere between Texas & New York state, or a little bit less than the combined population of Ohio & Pennsylvania, or about 2/3 that of Canada. Its a tiny market.

Last year, there were 27k Commodores sold. Even if every single potential Commodore customer refused to buy any Holden ever again ... it would get lost in the rounding error of GMs total sales.

Besides, with Ford shutting down their operations in Australia at the same time as Holden its not like the is going to be anyone to steal market share away from Holden with another mass market RWD sedan. There isn't going to be an alternative.

Did not realize how tiny of a market Australia is, kinda shocking to see it's so small. Also did not know they kept making RWD cars because they didn't have the technology. Seems a little surprising but then again I have sat in a modern GTO before...

I think with both Ford and GM leaving it would be neat to see a home grown car company form and start making RWD cars with V8's in them. Probably not very likely to happen though unfortunately.

[hockeylover86]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

After that disastrous October for Ford, Chevrolet is once again the top selling brand in the country.

I wonder if the big 3 have learned their lesson.

Its like the late 90's all over again with trucks and SUV's selling big and cheap gas.

Its not sustainable, especially at the inflated prices trucks and SUV's command now.

Ford its at least pulling back production, lets see if GM and FCA have learned anything about managing inventory this time around...

[xc_SS/RS]

Originally Posted by hockeylover86

I wonder if the big 3 have learned their lesson.

Its like the late 90's all over again with trucks and SUV's selling big and cheap gas.

Its not sustainable, especially at the inflated prices trucks and SUV's command now.

Ford its at least pulling back production, lets see if GM and FCA have learned anything about managing inventory this time around...

'Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it'
- George Santayana

The 2009 bailout was not the first bailout for Chrysler so hopefully they get it right this time. Third times a charm right?

[FenwickHockey65]

On that note, after October's sales report, GM now commands 45% of the large SUV market.

[hrpiii]

Just sharing, out with the Sonic, in with the new Cruze. The wife's new 2017 Hatchback, Nightfall Gray Metallic, RS, Premium, blah blah. Only got a new miles on it, but loving it. Handling, comfort level, quietness are all very good.

[snizzle]

Very sharp!

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by snizzle

Very sharp!

thanks, tint is scheduled for next Sat. It's getting there, the wife definitely likes driving her "upgrade". Never seen someone so excited over a heated steering wheel. I have one of those wives that is ALWAYS cold.

[snizzle]

Originally Posted by hrpiii

I have one of those wives that is ALWAYS cold.

Me too brother. Me too.