[MikeNoun]

Very sad news. GM announced today it was discontinuing Holden vehicle and engine manufacturing by 2017. It is estimated that 50,000 jobs will be affected by these plant shutdowns.

Ford had already announced in May 2013 that it will cease production in Australia (I sort of wondered what happened to all the Aussie V8 Ford teams this year, as in years past they seemed to constitute nearly half of the starting grid).

With GM's announcement today, and the supply chain severely fractured, Toyota is also expected to announce that they are closing their Australian plant.

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...follow-144865/

So now what? Are they going to build plants in China?

[72projectbird]

Yup... China plants are the next up.

I wonder if the new CEO has something to do with this?

[KS circutguy]

They know the economy is in for a huge "correction" in 2014.Batten down the hatches fellows.

[MYGOAT]

We, (Aust & probably you guys too), just compete with the Asian countries and since Ford & GM are "global" companies they will make cars where it is the cheapest.
I really feel for all the young Engineers that picked the automotive sector to study.
Then again if you are willing to go to China there are plenty of jobs going.
Working at Ford as an Engineer, I see heaps of our guys going over there to train their graduates. How would you feel training the person that is going to take your job.
There's a line from an old Holden commercial. "Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars" which has been rewritten to "Football, meat pies, kangaroos and economic rationalists".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGW-WX77zjY
Yep, times are a changing.

[kate`s67gto]

That is a travesty to Australia and the dedicated employees of Holden. The world is changing and not always for the better. We do have to change with the times. The Yuan rules. Shame.................

[Icefan71]

Reading stuff like this makes me so mad.

[The Champ]

It all depends on which side of the fence you happen to be on.

I've heard all kinds of positive comments about Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc shifting production from Japan by building plants in the United States.

Where is the angst for the Japanese workers that could be gainfully employed there building these cars?

In 1999, Japan had a labor force of 67.76 mil. In 2011, the labor force was down to 65.93 mil.

Just sayin'...

[Heybuck]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

So now what? Are they going to build plants in China?

More likely South Korea I think. Been a lot of talk here on how the same Holden can be built in Korea for nearly $4000.00 less than here.

Need to be careful about getting too political here but I haven't heard any of the unions putting their hands up to say they have pushed the envelope just too far. They pushed the wages & conditions to dizzying heights then want to blame the Government for failing to inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the car industry to try and keep them here. I read today that Holden has received over 2 BILLION dollars from the Aussie taxpayer. Which apparently equates to over $50,000 for every worker!! Crazy

All very sad for the average Holden worker on the line but inevitably, costs (and losses), just have to be contained.

Ian

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by MYGOAT

There's a line from an old Holden commercial. "Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars" which has been rewritten to "Football, meat pies, kangaroos and economic rationalists".

Wow. That sounds an awful lot like "Baseball, Hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet".

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 72projectbird

I wonder if the new CEO has something to do with this?

I doubt it, since she doesn't start her new role until after the first of the year.

K

[getmygoat]

So this means the new chevy SS is dead after 3 years, or does the platform production just shift to another locale? Doesn't matter ready, since w/o a manual trans, that car is off my list.

[Evil Stu]

Originally Posted by The Champ

It all depends on which side of the fence you happen to be on.

I've heard all kinds of positive comments about Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc shifting production from Japan by building plants in the United States.

Where is the angst for the Japanese workers that could be gainfully employed there building these cars?

In 1999, Japan had a labor force of 67.76 mil. In 2011, the labor force was down to 65.93 mil.

Just sayin'...

This is fundamentally wrongheaded. Honda, Toyota etc opened plants to make cars in America to sell cars in America. GM opened plants in Australia to sell in Australia. Japan and America lost no jobs since they continued to make cars for their domestic markets with workers in their home countries. Quite different from plants to make cars in China to sell cars in America or Australia.

[61 389-348]

Originally Posted by getmygoat

So this means the new chevy SS is dead after 3 years, or does the platform production just shift to another locale? Doesn't matter ready, since w/o a manual trans, that car is off my list.

The SS IF it continues will shift to Alpha. Camaro is going to Alpha in 2016. 2015 on the Manual. I'm going to wait too.

Remember that there's a 36.5 MPG cafe standard beginning in 2016 and then up to 54.5 MPG in 2023. We'll be lucky to have three cylinders by then.

[LeighP]

Chances are they'll just shift the Aussie production tooling offshore.....they already build Aussie designed Statesman (long wheel based Commodores) in China as a Buick.
Might find your Chevy SS coming from Thailand, which is the preferred car builder in SE Asia these days.

[61 389-348]

And there's some chance that we'll get this. Be easy to do as everything is in place.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/gms-vaux...sed-sedan.html

[61 389-348]

Originally Posted by LeighP

Chances are they'll just shift the Aussie production tooling offshore.....they already build Aussie designed Statesman (long wheel based Commodores) in China as a Buick.
Might find your Chevy SS coming from Thailand, which is the preferred car builder in SE Asia these days.

It will likely come back here. Either on the same line as the Gen 6 or with the ATS. Buick is also getting a car or two (?) based on Alpha.

[Tambo]

[QUOTE=LeighP;5083913]Chances are they'll just shift the Aussie production tooling offshore.....they already build Aussie designed Statesman (long wheel based Commodores) in China as a Buick.
Might find your Chevy SS coming from Thailand, which is the preferred car builder in SE Asia these days.[/QUOTE]


When Ford Australia announced its closure, the bean counters stated that an Australian Falcon could be built in Thailand for 1/4 the cost of building it in OZ.
But the build cost is only a minor part of the problem ... the bigger issue is falling sales.
The OZ car buying public have shifted their preferences to SUV's and smaller cars to the extent that not enough Holdens are being purchased to make building them viable.

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by 61 389-348

The SS IF it continues will shift to Alpha. Camaro is going to Alpha in 2016. 2015 on the Manual. I'm going to wait too.

Remember that there's a 36.5 MPG cafe standard beginning in 2016 and then up to 54.5 MPG in 2023. We'll be lucky to have three cylinders by then.

I rather die then be forced to buy some 55mpg egg shaped tampon on wheels.

[61 389-348]

Originally Posted by 72projectbird

I rather die then be forced to buy some 55mpg egg shaped tampon on wheels.

Remember then to vote in the midterms in 2014 and the general 2016. That's the only way to fix this.

[Heybuck]

[QUOTE=Tambo;5083988

When Ford Australia announced its closure, the bean counters stated that an Australian Falcon could be built in Thailand for 1/4 the cost of building it in OZ.
But the build cost is only a minor part of the problem ... the bigger issue is falling sales.
The OZ car buying public have shifted their preferences to SUV's and smaller cars to the extent that not enough Holdens are being purchased to make building them viable.[/QUOTE]

I would think it optomistic to say the Aussie Falcon could be built in Thailand for a ¼ of the price. Maybe 2/3 or 3/4 might be closer but notwithstanding that, it would be cheaper because of the wages and conditions the Aussie workers have. Thai quality is nothing to be sneezed at either. They have modern factories and employ modern safety conditions and build world class cars. But they build them cheaper than we can.

You are right about the shifting preference towards smaller cars and SUV's. But do you think that part of the blame should be directed towards the media who are always in our face promoting foreign cars as better value? The Volkswagen Golf has just been announced as the "Car of the Year" over here. So what you will find is the general herd of sheep thinking, "I'm buying a Golf because that's the best car on the market". And why are the best? Because they represent "great value for money". And where are they built?. Ohhhhh, South Africa and Thailand apparently. So the Aussie built Cruze is obviously poor value because its built here

The current Ford Territory is a really good SUV. But the motoring press have canned it time and time again in favour of similar size imported cars. They would rather see you driving a Kia because "it has more cup-holders!!!". You can call me a cynic but I'm personally of the belief that these motoring writers spend half their life grovelling up the back-sides of the car manufacturers just so they can justify their jobs (and get a free car to use on a daily basis).

I might be proven wrong in years to come but if we look forward another 10 or 15 or 20 years, how many of the myriad numbers of BMW's, Kia's, Golf's, Renault's, Nissan's and so on will be still running when compared to a Territory or Commodore. Not many because they are built to the life expectancy standards of their home country. 6,7, 10 years at tops and they are gone to the crusher because the maintenance costs are just too great. And if that's good value, I'm a monkey's uncle.....

Ian