HSV Camaro is no more

[Bossxr8]

After they stopped making the SS it looks like they are no longer doing any RHD Camaro's. There goes the idea that they would use it to go racing with.

Is this the start of GM completely abandoning Australia completely? Will the GM Special Vehicles thing ever get off the ground? Has to be in strong doubt now. Especially now with belt tightening that is going to happen due to all the money being lost due to the coronavirus.

https://www.caradvice.com.au/844261/...-in-australia/

[Poetic Justice]

The GMSV thing would probably work because it will be driven by companies outside of GM.. one way or another - akin to Ateco and RAM etc.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

The GMSV thing would probably work because it will be driven by companies outside of GM.. one way or another - akin to Ateco and RAM etc.

They still need backing from GM, and a supply deal. As well as dealerships to sell them through.

Also they rely on a lot of info from GM to help them do the conversions. Without that factory support it does make it harder and more expensive.

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

They still need backing from GM, and a supply deal. As well as dealerships to sell them through.

Also they rely on a lot of info from GM to help them do the conversions. Without that factory support it does make it harder and more expensive.

Does that mean that Silverado is going the same way?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

They still need backing from GM, and a supply deal. As well as dealerships to sell them through.

Also they rely on a lot of info from GM to help them do the conversions. Without that factory support it does make it harder and more expensive.

Makes you wonder if for Melbourne they could just set up a showroom at HSV in Clayton South and then partner with other brand dealerships who may be interested in their products.

Harrison F trucks in Melton for example was in a Suzuki dealership if I remember rightly, but I haven't been there for over a decade.

[lra]

I read that as “We can’t sell the Camaros that we have converted, so we won’t be doing anymore”.
GM is on the nose in Australia, (and anywhere else that is not USA), so why would anyone want to buy an overpriced, overhyped, ugly POS that is not going to be supported by the parent company. Think of recent past Jeep, Great Wall, Geely, Proton, MG offerings. Forgetting the Kilowattts, there is not much difference.
I would buy another new Holden, (if it existed,) but as for a past or future GM product ……. Nah.
I do hope that HSV or whatever it morphs into, survives.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

Does that mean that Silverado is going the same way?

Quite possibly, although they have just released a new version so they will want a return of interest on that. After that's paid for itself though?

GM have more pressing problems at the moment than selling a few hundred cars in a far flung country in the southern hemishere.

[au2000]

I'm one of the rare few that did not mind the camaro, only cause it was different & stood out compared to the number of mustangs.. plus there was some work for local auto-manufacturing so helped keep some in work here, def not the most attractive car out there that's for sure but hey, even stevie wonder could see this coming..
supercars surely saw this too u'd hope & were already looking for next year without hoping or backing a camaro v mustang rivalry?

[Polyal]

Its a shame but history would of told them it didnt stand a chance.

I think someone had a fancy business case and there was enough interest to keep HSV working for a bit longer...

[creative]

I really like the new Camaro.. until I sat in one at the dealers. No way would I pay $100k for one.

As an american once said, its a $60k car with a $30k interior....

The mustang wasnt much better though.

[DFB FGXR6]

I'm not surprised at this news.

These things have been sitting in dealerships from day one. There heaps of them on Carsales with delivery km's being sold as demo's.

Whilst I quite like them, they look great on the road, the Camaro was just too expensive for what it was. The interior was it's biggest let down, a 30k US rental car interior being sold in Australia for 90K + combined with poor packaging sealed it's fate.

[Chopped]

Would GM still bother bringing the factory right hook C8 here?
Would have to be 130k+ easy

(I know upits different to a Camaro)

[CyberWasp]

[smoo]

Originally Posted by Chopped

Would GM still bother bringing the factory right hook C8 here?
Would have to be 130k+ easy

(I know upits different to a Camaro)

When there were plans to bring the C8 here, wasn't the price predicted to be around $130k?

There is currently one on sale in NZ for $260k.
1 nzd = 0.60 usd.

Fully optioned like the ad states this would be $100k US = 140k NZ, although still left hand drive. He might be dreaming banking around $100k profit on this, more so now the country is looking at an mental and economic depression.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/use...8f8a33c4f4-003

Have to laugh at the self importance some people place on the southern hemisphere RHD markets.
Ford and Chev sell close to 1 million 1500 & 2500 pick ups across North and Central America each year... Why would they go to the bother of developing them for a limited RHD market that will annually purchase less than what they sell per day in the US.

[Dave R]

These things were a salesman's nightmare. If they were in showrooms at 60k I think they would have picked up a lot of SS/HSV refugees, but for the 90-100k they were asking it turned into a joke. I definitely admire Walkinshaw for having a crack, they were extremely well put together. But at the end of the day they were a 50-60 grand car with a 90 grand sticker, in my view.

[Venomous1]

Overpriced is the key. Just buy a Mustang.

[pauljh74]

Originally Posted by Venomous1

Overpriced is the key. Just buy a Mustang.

That's what Ford would have learned about 15 years ago with the Mustang. It wasn't a $90k car then - that was high end HSV pricing - and neither is the Camaro now for the cheaper 2SS model and $160k for the ZL1. The older gen Mustang would have done a lot better at $50k back then. The cheap plastics it had and other shortcomings when they were up against the German brands at $90k was just too much for all but Mustang enthusiasts.

Mustang is good value at the pricing it is at now - and with a RHD spec from the factory, it is able to avoid the cost of aftermarket conversion at considerable cost.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Chopped

Would GM still bother bringing the factory right hook C8 here?
Would have to be 130k+ easy

(I know upits different to a Camaro)

I can't see how they possibly justified it in the first place. It will be over 130k, possibly closer to 150k. How many would they expect to sell here? Couldn't be more than maybe a few hundred. How could they even consider spending many millions to sell that few?

Never made sense from the start. And it doesn't even more now they have decided to make no more new RHD cars at all.

Surely it has to be cancelled.

[FTE217]

It was dead duck walking longlong ago.
Annoucement had to come sooner but typically GM wait for the latter hating to expose their downfall.

In saying that, I'm in the looks pretty cool crowd but at prices here and non factory, an utter **** take !

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by FTE217

It was dead duck walking longlong ago.
Annoucement had to come sooner but typically GM wait for the latter hating to expose their downfall.

In saying that, I'm in the looks pretty cool crowd but at prices here and non factory, an utter **** take !

May present good buying in 12-24 months time..hehe

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Polyal

May present good buying in 12-24 months time..hehe

TBH good point, can't see these holding much value unless owners stick to high prices as long as they can afford to.
Not all will be able to hold on being leased mostly, wouldn't mind picking up for a song !

[kypez]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I can't see how they possibly justified it in the first place. It will be over 130k, possibly closer to 150k. How many would they expect to sell here? Couldn't be more than maybe a few hundred. How could they even consider spending many millions to sell that few?

Never made sense from the start. And it doesn't even more now they have decided to make no more new RHD cars at all.

Surely it has to be cancelled.

All the design and engineering has been done for RHD Corvette. Be silly not to try make back a little of that. I'm sure they'll sell. Lot of pent up demand like the Mustang (though with the large price tag, it will be less volume). I reckon they should ship a couple of boat loads at least.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by kypez

All the design and engineering has been done for RHD Corvette. Be silly not to try make back a little of that. I'm sure they'll sell. Lot of pent up demand like the Mustang (though with the large price tag, it will be less volume). I reckon they should ship a couple of boat loads at least.

GM are more than happy to burn cash invested to save a future dollar. They just axed the Maven ride share program cause future growth projections weren't high enough, and they need to save as much money as they can atm.

And no the engineering isn't finished for RHD Vette yet. This is from late Feb.


The publication reached out to GM after the Holden announcement yesterday. Chevrolet Communications Director Kelly Cusinato told the publication that RHD Corvette development would continue.



I wonder if the current state of affairs will effect this or not, cause that was pre-coronavirus.

[Vesper Martini]

That Clayton conversion Plants best hope of survival is distancing themselves from GM.
now Holden is no more there's no reason they couldn't convert other LHD brands

[kypez]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

That Clayton conversion Plants best hope of survival is distancing themselves from GM.
now Holden is no more there's no reason they couldn't convert other LHD brands

How funny that something "Holden" goes back to body shopping... Almost full circle.

[kypez]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

GM are more than happy to burn cash invested to save a future dollar. They just axed the Maven ride share program cause future growth projections weren't high enough, and they need to save as much money as they can atm.

And no the engineering isn't finished for RHD Vette yet. This is from late Feb.


The publication reached out to GM after the Holden announcement yesterday. Chevrolet Communications Director Kelly Cusinato told the publication that RHD Corvette development would continue.



I wonder if the current state of affairs will effect this or not, cause that was pre-coronavirus.

Ah right. I remember watching that the design was complete for RHD (as it was co-developed at the time). I took it to be that engineering was also covered.

[MITCHAY]

It would have been nice to get these around the same price as a Mustang with factory RHD as I think they definitely would have sold more I like both so it is a shame.

Good on them for giving it a crack. Let's see if they will have any longevity in the truck market which seems to have far exceeded expectations.

[MercuryT]

Looks better than Mustang from some angles (especially the rear, Mustang very bad there)......but yeah.

Overpriced, not as good, never going to work.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I can't see how they possibly justified it in the first place. It will be over 130k, possibly closer to 150k. How many would they expect to sell here? Couldn't be more than maybe a few hundred. How could they even consider spending many millions to sell that few?

Never made sense from the start. And it doesn't even more now they have decided to make no more new RHD cars at all.

Surely it has to be cancelled.

Nostradamus.



https://www.caradvice.com.au/846435/...s-development/

Right-hand-drive Corvette in doubt for Australia as GM stops development





Joshua Dowling

General Motors has slammed the brakes on engineering work across its entire line-up during the coronavirus crisis.

The Chevrolet Corvette is in danger of not making it to Australia after General Motors in Detroit stopped engineering development of all vehicles during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

A report out of the US – based on a leaked copy of a secret internal General Motors document – claims GM’s executive director in charge of program management, Michelle Braun, “recently issued a blanket order pausing all future car and truck development, including for the Corvette”.

While the stoppages are only temporary, well placed industry insiders believe there is “little to no chance” the Chevrolet Corvette will make it to Australia in the first half of 2021 as originally planned – and may not happen at all because it will be pushed down the priority queue as the company ramps up production after the coronavirus crisis.


At best, the right-hand-drive Corvette could make it to Australia in 2022 at the earliest – the US media report speculates – but that timeline is by no means guaranteed, say well placed industry insiders.


The latest generation Chevrolet Corvette was due to be the first ever factory-built right-hand-drive model.

The right-hand-drive version was more viable this time around because the C8 Corvette is mid-engined and there were fewer obstacles to moving the steering wheel and driving controls from the left- to the right-hand side of the car.

The coronavirus crisis could not have come at a worse time for the right-hand-drive Chevrolet Corvette program, which was in the middle of its engineering work ahead of the start of production late this year or early next.


Well placed industry sources in Australia believe the chances of Detroit going ahead with a factory-built right-hand-drive Corvette are now “slim to none”.

“When General Motors comes out of this crisis, they will want to allocate their engineering resources to the vehicles that can deliver the biggest profits in the shortest possible time … they need cashflow urgently,” said the source with intimate knowledge of the right-hand-drive Corvette program.

The industry insider added: “Before the world hit the brakes (due to COVID-19), General Motors was still committed to going ahead with the right-hand-drive Corvette, even with Holden being axed at the end of 2020”.


GM’s plan, the source said, was to sell the factory-made right-hand-drive Corvette alongside other Chevrolet models such as the Silverado pick-up – converted from left- to right-hand drive locally – under the General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) banner in Australia.


While it is yet to be finalised, General Motors in Detroit was negotiating to rebrand Holden Special Vehicles as GMSV once Holden closed its doors at the end of 2020.

However, the coronavirus crisis has also delayed negotiations surrounding GMSV.

Meanwhile, CarAdvice has also learned General Motors and Holden only planned to sell very modest numbers of Corvettes – between 200 and 400 per year.

“Dealers were told initially they would be lucky to get one car each, and at the time that was said, Holden had 200 or so dealers,” the well place source said. “At best, the plan was to sell 400 cars a year, that’s only two per dealer.”

Those close to the right-hand-drive Corvette program in Australia now fear General Motors may walk away from the project.

[Polyal]

I dont think you were quite putting your balls on the line there.