“Can
a German-built Holden Carry the Commodore Flag?”
The answer, is an emphatic ‘NO’. But more
of that later, let’s get to the good bits.
If the car you see ‘On My Drive’ was
assigned to me as a company car, I would be delighted.
It’s a pleasure to sit
in, drive, cover the kilometres, and it’s practical to boot. Actually, it’s a
hatchback, but just like the Skoda Superb, it’s a cavernous space, so the limo
companies will love it.
The new Commodore is quiet, well-mannered,
and the control inputs and outcomes are just so responsive and positive. It’s a
triumph for all the effort expended on the basic Opel Insignia package by the
Australian development team.
The interior layout is clean, very well laid-out, with a minimalist touch in terms of the number of buttons and switches.
The instrument pack is a classic layout, well-executed.
The ride is outstanding, the control and
drivability is superb, and the handling is not just comfortingly predictable,
but truly enjoyable.
From a pricing and value perspective GM-Holden has done well with the model price structure. It's designed to present an excellent value proposition.
By the way, if you're wondering why it only has a three year warranty, well cost-wise, that was a bridge too far. I'm not sure how GM-Holden's internal transfer pricing arrangements work - whether it pays for ZB in US dollars or Euros, but whatever, it's already probably taking a bath on what it pays to import it to Australia.
From a pricing and value perspective GM-Holden has done well with the model price structure. It's designed to present an excellent value proposition.
By the way, if you're wondering why it only has a three year warranty, well cost-wise, that was a bridge too far. I'm not sure how GM-Holden's internal transfer pricing arrangements work - whether it pays for ZB in US dollars or Euros, but whatever, it's already probably taking a bath on what it pays to import it to Australia.
But, is it a Commodore? Especially because
it follows hard on the heels of the locally-built Commodore which is disappearing from view?
Well NO, it’s a completely different animal, and herein
lies the problem.
When this car was first mooted as the
replacement for the Australian-built car, I said that the last thing GM-Holden
should do, is call it a Commodore.
It would have made the marketing job far easier if it was badged Holden Insignia, just as it was during a brief sojourn on the Australian market between 2015-16.
It would have made the marketing job far easier if it was badged Holden Insignia, just as it was during a brief sojourn on the Australian market between 2015-16.
The Commodore image is so strong, having
been launched in Australia 40 years ago, in 1978. Of course, the early design
and development of that car was solely in the hands of the Opel team in
Russelsheim, Germany. This 1976 scoop photo (right) of the first Opel Commodore being
tested above the Arctic Circle reveals how similar the Holden Commodore was,
when it launched two years later.
To make matters worse, GM-Holden was dealt
another blow in the presentation of the ZB Commodore, when GM’s Chair and CEO
Mary Barra offloaded the Opel and Vauxhall companies to France’s Groupe PSA.
PSA has now confirmed that the legacy platforms which it inherited, will be
phased out quickly, and replaced by cars built using Groupe PSA platforms and
powertrains.
This means the brand new, Australian-focussed ZB Commodore is a one-generation
car, so if it takes your fancy, buy one now – it’ll probably become a
collectible!
But, I repeat, as it is now, this new
Commodore is a tour-de-force and I defy anyone to not enjoy driving it.
It’s different – front wheel drive versus rear wheel drive; transverse four pot versus either a V6 or V8; sedan versus hatchback. However, none of that matters – as the locally-built Commodore was going to disappear, the GM-Holden team has made a hell of a car from Opel’s basic recipe.
It’s different – front wheel drive versus rear wheel drive; transverse four pot versus either a V6 or V8; sedan versus hatchback. However, none of that matters – as the locally-built Commodore was going to disappear, the GM-Holden team has made a hell of a car from Opel’s basic recipe.
Yes, the styling looks little different to
the European Insignia, apart from various shiny bits and badges; but the real
revelation is under the skin. It’s lighter, smaller, more economical, just as
roomy, and tight as a drum.
But, now to the car ‘On My Drive’ – the
upmarket Calais version.
Holden’s pitch for extra profit started
back when the HR Holden debuted in 1966, when the company added the ‘Premier’
version to the range. It was basically identical to every other model except
for different trim, shiny bits, Premier badges, and that all-important fatter
pricetag.
It was intended to appeal to either the
bosses of the business, or those who thought their status in life deserved to
be celebrated by a more expensive-looking version of whatever the plebs were driving.
As long as cars have been sold, it’s been a successful formula to wring a few
more percentage points of profit out of the same old thing, albeit with a bit
more gloss and glamour.
The ‘Premier’ became a successful marketing
exercise, and each ensuing model change was an important contributor to both
sales and profits, that is until the ‘highline’ Premier morphed into the
‘Calais’.
As soon as the ZB Calais arrived home, I
couldn’t wait to foist it onto some neighbours who were all owners
of Calais of varying vintages.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the brand new
Calais got the thumbs-down from all of them. They collectively felt that the
new car didn’t look special, didn’t feel special, didn’t hold any ‘special
appeal’ and they simply could not see the value which the Calais pricetag
commanded.
So, after that I lined up four more
neighbours, who all drive varying highline Japanese/German/French sedans. They
spent a lot of time analyzing the trim, the fittings, the features, and asking
me about performance, powertrain and packaging.
For the GM-Holden suits I’m afraid the
answer was, universally, the same.
Actually, I didn’t tell any of them it was
a Calais, I just told them it was ‘a new Commodore’ and they thought it was
pretty good for the mid-range, high volume model. Some remarked that they’d be
keen to see the ‘upmarket’ version, and when I revealed that this was it – the
numbers on the pricetag immediately lost about 40% of their value!
I’m sure the GM-Holden executives,
especially its new marketing suit, Mark Harland, already know this. The battle
for the company is always how to equip, price and sell the model range-topper for ever-increasing
levels of profit.
However, it’s my opinion as good as
the ZB is, the Calais is definitely NOT special.
I’m not sure what it will
take, but most of the attention should be paid to the interior. It’s just too
plain.
It may be subtle, understated and well built, but there is NOTHING about
this car that tells everyone (including the buyers) just WHY they spent the extra
dosh.
Still, GM-Holden will only have this car
for between 4-5 years, and then the company will have to start all over again -
dressing up, and pricing a French-designed range of Holdens! That is, unless
Mary Barra ceases her relentless sell-off of GM’s far flung empire, and she decides to
keep Holden, changing its name to Chevrolet, and bringing in all the new
metal from the good old USA.
In my view that would be far more
practical, cost-effective, more flexible and most importantly, more profitable –
depending on the exchange rate. Regardless of the emotional reaction to the disappearance of the Holden name, it would be a good business decision.
If the Aussie dollar continues the downward
slide it’s reputedly going to suffer over the next ten years, then Aussies
buying Chevys could be a much more profitable exercise for GM - and isn't that's what it's all about.
Oh! What's that? Customers, you ask?
They'll have to suck it up!
Oh! What's that? Customers, you ask?
They'll have to suck it up!
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