Opel shutting down in Australia effective immediately

[Dave R]

Perfect timing, we bought one of the last new Holden Astras which has been a bulletproof shopping trolley, currently looking to replace it with a new Astra, maybe we'll get it cheaper.

[mik]

Not surprising, the country is over catered for with the flood of cheap imports, only those with a decent profit margin will last the distance, give it x amount of years, probably only those car companies manufacturing in the cheap labor countries will be selling here in quantity.

[Ben73]

I think since they were launched here I have only seen a few on the road.
3 maybe. I didn't expect them to go so soon, but after thinking about it I guess it isn't much of a surprise.

[KIWI-1]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

The fact they even come here was stupid on GM's part.

Maybe the idea was to get Opel established as a premium brand before Holden shuts down? They could leave the Daewoo badges on Cruze's and sell them in the budget sector.

[mr smith]

Who's next?

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by mr smith

Who's next?

I'm not going to mention brands as that's unfair to speculate where it involves people's jobs. But there are probably a few brands which need to increase volume to be sustainable over the longer term.

A falling dollar will change things.

[mr smith]

Originally Posted by Brazen

I'm not going to mention brands as that's unfair to speculate where it involves people's jobs. But there are probably a few brands which need to increase volume to be sustainable over the longer term.

A falling dollar will change things.

I think we will see a lot of the fringe brands go over the next few years.
Job wise there is no one safe at the moment.

[Spammy]

I have seen more Ferrari FF Grand Tourers than Opels on the road

[MethodX]

Shame, i like the insignia.
Sad to see a GM brand leave.

[Bill M]

Still plenty of Holden badged Astras around and I recall Opel commenting on surveys that indicated positive reception to the name even after Holden ceased importation.Unfortunately for Opel that initial goodwill didn't materialize into cars leaving the dealers.
Bill.

[CFOUR]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

They advertised heaps, I saw a lot of their ads.

Maybe too late? Look at the Australian dollar.

i never saw 1.

[DFB FGXR6]

The launch of Opel in Australia was in response to the massive downturn in sales in Europe. They were trying get rid of excess volume by setting up in Australia and cash in on all of the work done by Holden establishing names like the Astra.

They assumed they would fool buyers into thinking their cars were prestige just because they are made in Europe. In their home markets, Opel's/Vaxhaul's are the seen as a mainstream brand like Toyota or Mazda are to Aussies. This same thing applies to Citroen and Peugeot, bottom feeder brands in their own market sold as 'Prestige' brands here.

Good(ish) cars, but not at the prices they sell them here for.

[rjr]

Weren't they using a track somewhere [Calder Park maybe] and pretending it was the Opel test track and they had the Roosters players driving > anyone?

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by karj

You do realise that people are going to lose their jobs?

Yes, people will get burnt.


But I can't help but laugh at the scenario, companies taking advantage of the lack of tarrifs...making Australia the dumping ground for cars when we are all ready flooded.


It was obviously a poorly thought out decision in the first place...a seemingly silly General Motors move...

[fte50]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

The launch of Opel in Australia was in response to the massive downturn in sales in Europe. They were trying get rid of excess volume by setting up in Australia and cash in on all of the work done by Holden establishing names like the Astra.
.

Couldn't be further from the truth - GM Holden actually did away with them with the introduction of their Daewoo made Holden range.
Then with the 2008/9 GFC impact GM nearly sold Opel off as was originally planned to do so before the governments stepped in.
After 2010 and no selling of Opel, they now cant have Holden selling the Daewoo range of Holdens alongside with Opel Holdens so the Opel brand is established as a separate entity to not cannibalise showroom sales.

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

They assumed they would fool buyers into thinking their cars were prestige just because they are made in Europe. In their home markets, Opel's/Vaxhaul's are the seen as a mainstream brand like Toyota or Mazda are to Aussies. This same thing applies to Citroen and Peugeot, bottom feeder brands in their own market sold as 'Prestige' brands here.

Good(ish) cars, but not at the prices they sell them here for.

Just like every other imported car the other side of a Great Wall, they are prestige.
The Merc that outsold our own grown Falcon taxi is itself a taxi in Germany but still considered prestige here, then you get people paying in excess of 50K for a bmw corolla etc. go figure.

With the exception of stupid Australia, its natural for a manufacturer to dominate sales in their homeland, and that certainly does not translate to being a bottom feeder brand.

[wrongwaynorris]

Wir Leben Autos becomes Wer'e Leaving Australia

[Muzzle]

I have seen a few here in Perth funnily enough ...unless it was the same one all the time. Lol. I think they were ok just wrong timing and I am sure that sales people will jobs in other dealer ships.

[GTpilot]

Originally Posted by karj

You do realise that people are going to lose their jobs?

Their problem!
It's sad yes. But anyone who puts them self in a position of working for a car company starting up in this market, should expect it to happen sooner or later. It's a big risk.

[EB#]

A bit more on this story from Go Auto:
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...257BBB001F3BB2

[Danny]

Originally Posted by mr smith

Who's next?

Infiniti.

I've seen one..... one.

[csv8]

Infiniti has Nissan behind it...they might be here for the long haul. Alfa, Fiat, Renault have had a re-launch..maybe one of them???

[DRU842]

The internal politics at GM was always going to be tough on this one.
The main problem I see here that the Australian public has been dudded of superior product offering and being told they are better off.

[Vormund]

Originally Posted by csv8

Infiniti has Nissan behind it...they might be here for the long haul. Alfa, Fiat, Renault have had a re-launch..maybe one of them???

Umm not Renault...because that also has Nissan behind it. Also from what I've seen, at least here in Adelaide, Nissan and Renault are always on the same lot.

[KIWI-1]

Infiniti not $19,990 driveaway

[gcg2503]

Didn't have to be Nostradamus to predict this.

[The FOMOCO]

I think it was a bad idea in the first place .Local manufacturers cant even hardly survive here how did they expect to .A waste of time and money

[hulkfocus]

shame would have loved a new astra turbo! feel bad for all those people who will lose there jobs and the dealers who built on new showrooms! but really if it was a opel/gm idea to bring them here they should have thought more about it especially if the opel was to outsell the holden cruze they would have killed the aus operations which is more viable then opel.

[Brazen]

They make a good looking car

[DJM83]

There is still dealerships under construction aswel so I hear.

[castellan]

When holden shuts down, will we get Opel or Chev, Vauxhall etc.

The FX holden was more of an Opel then any Chev, if you look into it.

If Australia did not want to become a prosperous nation back when GM came into aus what GM cars would we of got, Opel Vauxhall types would be the main, not the USA Chev's etc.

Our nations leaders have given up on being a nation, as we are set to become just part of Asia. Greatwall will become number one in aus in the future if you can afford to buy one then, or allowed to.