THE axing of iconic car brand Holden is a “sad day for Australia”, Mildura Holden’s dealer principal says.
Paul Shelley said he was shocked by the announcement, which parent company General Motors (GM) delivered on Monday.
“It did take us by surprise, for sure,” Mr Shelly said.
“It’s a sad day for Australia. (Holden) have operated for over 160 years in Australia and it’s sad to see such an icon brand depart the shores.
“In saying that Holden has had a difficult couple of years and the reason of the closure is the return on investment in Australia and New Zealand if they had to bring in a new portfolio past the end of this year.”
The news comes two months before Mildura Holden was set to become part of the new multi-dealership development on Fifteenth Street.
However, Mr Shelly said the news would have little impact on the business’s new space or current staff.
“Luckily we have future-proofed our business with the move to the new site on Fifteenth Street – we will have multiple brands on the new site with new products as well,” he said.
“I have just had a staff meeting this afternoon with all of our staff here at Holden and have reassured them their positions are strong and it will be business as usual with new opportunities.
“We will still be selling Holden vehicles until the end of the year and we will transition to other products as the stock runs dry.”
Company sales nationally have decreased by more than half since 2015, reaching just 43,176 cars in this financial year.
General Motors moved to assure all Holden customers that all warranties and services would continue to be honoured.
“Our after-market service, parts, warranty and any recalls in the future will be honoured by Holden for at least 10 years so it’s good news for existing and new customers that are coming through the door now,” Mr Shelly said.
“They are not going to just close the doors and forget about the Holden family.”
Holden in 2017 did not renew its Underbool dealer agreement, among 29 others nationwide, after a review the company said was about ensuring a sustainable long-term and successful future.
The company stopped manufacturing cars in Australia during the same year.
Compensation has been promised to the 185 remaining dealers in Australia, as Holden interim chairman and managing director Kristian Aquilina said the company’s decision was a last resort.
“Every strategy, every plan, we looked under every rock,” he said on Monday.
“We’ve tried to find a way to defy gravity.
“But the hard truth was there was just no way to come up with a plan that would support a competitive and growing and flourishing Holden and also provide a sufficient return to our investors.
“I’m personally convinced GM tried everything to keep Holden going.”
Mr Shelly said the decision would disappoint Mildura’s loyal Holden customers, with a Sunraysia market share more than four times the national average.
“We have a strong customer base and we have great customer service which brings people back,” he said.
“We will continue to bring those services to other products and offer the same services we can to Mildura and the surrounds.”
— with AAP
Holden’s proud history in Australia
1856 – Holden begins as a South Australian saddlery business.
1917 – Holden manufactures vehicle bodies.
1931 – General Motors buys Holden Motor Body Builders.
1948 – The FX, the first Australian-designed car, is released.
1951 – Holden’s first ute goes on sale.
1958 – South Australian manufacturing plant opens at Elizabeth, though it does not assemble its first full car until 1965.
1968 – Kingswood and Monaro enter the market.
1969 – Holden makes its first V8 engine.
1971 – Holden launches the HQ model, considered by some to be the best Holden ever.
1978 – The Commodore replaces the Kingswood.
1990 – Holden’s last Australian boss, John Bagshaw, quits.
2003 – Holden opens $400 million V6 engine plant at Port Melbourne, exports to Korea, China and Mexico begin. Toyota takes Holden’s position as top-selling car brand.
2009 – Parent company General Motors files for bankruptcy in the US but survives.
2013 – Prime Minister Tony Abbott says the government will reduce support for automotive manufacturers despite appeals for help.
2013 – Holden decides to end manufacturing in Australia by 2017. The Holden Commodore is to become a fully imported car.
2017 – The company rolls its last car off the assembly line on October 20, ending 50 years of car production on the Elizabeth site.
2019 – GM announces it will discontinue its Commodore and Astra models in 2020.
2020 – General Motors announces the retirement of the Holden brand in Australia and New Zealand.
Your Facebook reactions
Annette Gray: The government should have fought for Holden, one of our most iconic brands. Does Australia actually own anything anymore? Has it come to ‘last one to leave please turn off the light?’ RIP Holden, from our FB, to our Premier Station Wagon, to our Torana, to our VH commodore, to our Calais of the past, to our current Omega and Classic FJ Ute, we thank you for all the pleasure you have given us. Also wishing we could have kept all our old Holdens!
Martin Ryan: They knew exactly what they were doing when they stopped Aussie manufacturing.
Gary Cramp: Was and always will be the best Australian car manufacturer.. thank the unions for breaking Aussie made stuff.
Stephen Dixon: Been dead since 2017, the Commodore vs Falcon long gone.
Simon Shipcott: Thought they where already gone as far as I was concerned.
David Vavouras: Bout time they put Holden out of its misery. They haven’t made a decent car for a while now.
Henry Joseph: Thanks to Tony and Joe.
Jan Bowen: That’s sad. Holden’s the best car.
Dante A Portelli: They were gone when they made a front wheel drive Commodore.
