Holden and the future

[Alien DNA]

Really... So you're one of "those" people huh... So why should 4wds be banned????? Surely not because they are too big.... Maybe it's the bullbars they all wear! Are we talking all 4wd vehicles or just the larger Landcruiser and Patrol variants.

Damn straight I'm one of 'those' people. Roll your eyes all you want. I'm of the opinion that cities should be car free area. .. Let alone 4wd. If you can't find a bus, train or tram within the CBD... then you have issues. Don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of sitting in gridlock traffic when it's not peak hour. Not sure what the benefit of having a huge tractor like a Landcruiser is when it hardly fits in a lane.

[Absinth]

Damn straight I'm one of 'those' people. Roll your eyes all you want. I'm of the opinion that cities should be car free area. .. Let alone 4wd. If you can't find a bus, train or tram within the CBD... then you have issues. Don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of sitting in gridlock traffic when it's not peak hour. Not sure what the benefit of having a huge tractor like a Landcruiser is when it hardly fits in a lane.

Car free cities.... Never going to happen. Not everyone is an office worker and has the option of using public transport, I'm a tradesman and tow a trailer full of tools to work every day.... I also drive a Landcruiser wagon every day which tows the trailer for work during the week and takes us camping and 4wding on weekends and holidays.... It is not a huge tractor, it is no wider than a Holden Kingswood and no longer, just higher and fits easily in Melbourne traffic lanes.

I drove all over Melbourne for two years, 4wds are the least of your worries... It's the taxi drivers and BMW/Audi driving yuppies you have to watch out for...
I wasn't a fan of sitting in peak hour traffic going through the Burnley tunnel either but banning 4wds or any other vehicle isn't going to fix the problem, I am however sick to death of the "ban 4wd's" crap from people wrapped up in their own self interest. I drive a 4wd so I can get away from the city and its arrogant inhabitants whenever time permits.

[Kingcoffee]

Plain and simple It all about the company as making much money as the can.

[mr.jones]

Ranger was designed in Oz a big song and dance was made about it at the launch. Much was made of Fords Design Centre being able to design cars for world markets pity about our market. I fear that in 10 years (or less) Holden will be gone and Ford too as far as building cars here goes.

[mauser]

I fear that in 10 years (or less) Holden will be gone and Ford too as far as building cars here goes.

I dont think it will take too long. Once the decision is made it will happen quickly. We cant keep coming up with stalling packages for ever.

Mauser

[Innuendo]

As soon as Liberal gains power they will swing the dollar bringing it down to a world rate of around $0.75/$0.80 cents USD.
This will increase the price of imports and make exports viable once again. Seen it all happen before....

[Blocker]

I agree in part Innuendo but it is not as simple as that though is it? I would like to see a more balanced dollar too, but I can't see it happening for a while yet.

The car companies will keep getting Govt. assistance because the supplementary industries associated with making local cars will also be affected by a total shut down and too many people (voters) will be out of work. Our biggest problem is Australia's unbalanced free trade agreement with a number of manufacturing countries that can dump cheap cars here without paying tariffs, yet our cars going overseas get slugged huge amounts of taxes to protect their industries.

The Aussie car industry has never really been a big exporter, not on the scale of the US and Asia anyway so exports for us were and are just cream. It's the Mum's and Dad's that buy cars here are opting for better optioned and cheaper variants. In general teen girls are driving hatches and little 4 cylinders, teen boys want to get into the ricers, families are buying family movers (and there are a heap to choose from).

I don't know the solution, but we all see the problem I hope that it does turn around though.

[Innuendo]

You remember the days of Mazda's carrying Ford badges, Ford Utes with Nissan badges, Commodores with Toyota badges, Suzuki's with Holden badges etc.
You are right about tariffs etc but in the end it all comes back to politics and how "they" want it to work!

Now keep talking war, we have uranium to sell.

[Blocker]

You are right about tariffs etc but in the end it all comes back to politics and how "they" want it to work!

Exactly!
I just can't imagine the risk some of these companies take when designing so many years ahead though. They don't know what the global market is going to be like in 5-10 years from now, yet they must design cars for the future not kowing if it is going to be a boom or bust economy... and it is global now, not local like it was in the 70's.

1974... OPEC oil embargo turned our car industry on its tail because petrol went from 10 cents p/l to 20-30 over night! Can you imagine petrol doubling/tripling in a matter of a few weeks today?

Now keep talking war, we have uranium to sell.

I got out of the defence industry because things were slowing down quickly. European allies and then the US announced withdrawal of troops and immediately the Govt. here shutdown multi million dollar projects. Only last week I heard from old colleagues a 5bl contact got canned, they are going out of work because we aren't blowing shit up! (not that I want that).

[playwme]

There's too much choice. Look at the lineups of the big companies. BMW, toyota, Mazda all have 3 different sizes of SUV's alone with petrol or diesel options. Then they have the cars, plenty of choice in body style, size and engines. You can make it how you want it.
The Aussie built options are just a small fraction of what's available so they can only compete in a small section of the market sector where they have plenty of other competition.