It’s a poorly kept secret that many Americans are quite fond of the Australian-made and Commodore-derived, Holden Ute, which we recently drove in Queensland. It’s big, brutish and comfortable with a bevy of engine and equipment options to suit virtually any budget or taste - so long as those tastes only extend to, “Big, brutish V6 or V8 engined utes”.
Before the Global Financial Crisis of 2009, the subsequent bankruptcy GM and the disillusion of the Pontiac brand, as many as half of the Holden Commodores built in Australia were destined for the U.S. and the world in the form of the Pontiac G8. A thinly disguised Holden Ute even made a showing at the 2008 New York Auto Show as the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck.
Since then – and after GM’s government sponsored recovery – rumors have been rife that the Holden Commodore and its ute bodied brethren could return to the United States badged as Chevrolets. With petrol prices on the rise once again and the predictable financial struggle some tradesmen have been experiencing, many are looking to downsize.
Ex-Holden boss and current GM President, North America, Mark Reuss explains:
“The bandwidth we have on pick-up trucks in the US is huge. When you look at fuel prices today, I think there's going to be a segmentation of that bandwidth. I've lived in Australia and I've seen where fuel prices are US$5 a gallon, and lots of tradesmen will use a ute with a tray on the back to do lots of different things, and they don't need the bandwidth of a big pick-up truck.”
So there’s certainly a market for the Holden Ute (or a Holden Ute-derived vehicle) in the U.S., though there probably won’t be an attempt at conquering the North American market until the VE Commodore’s successor lands Down Under in 2014. New emissions regulations set to be introduced stateside in 2016 are likely to make conditions all the riper for a lighter, sportier model to sit alongside Chevrolet and GMC’s more “heavy duty” models.
By Tristan Hankins
Via Drive , Live Pics Tristan Hankins/Carscoop
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13 Comments:
No so sure we should reignite the olden days with the Holden days Ute. However, if GM does (and I said this about the G8 too) they should leave the brand as Holden...for what it really is, and out of respect for Holden.
"However, if GM does (and I said this about the G8 too) they should leave the brand as Holden...for what it really is, and out of respect for Holden."
And sell the whole brand in a country where 90% of the buying public don't have a clue what a 'Holden' is? There is no way in fuck GM can launch Holden in the US without spending a fortune on advertising and setting up new sales channels seperate from it's existing NA brands.
There are far more people who are familiar with the existing brands; it's under those brands that the Ute should be sold under.
Your idea of 'brand respect' holds no water. If there was even such a thing, then the old Barain, Cruze, adnt he forthcoming Malibu wouldn't be badged as Holdens, but as Daewoo's, Opels, and Chevrolets.....and what would happen to Holden's bottom line then?
If you can answer that question, you'll know what would happen in the US if we followed your idea.
If a movie version of Catcher in the Rye is coming out, then I'd say call it a Holden. Otherwise, no. El Camino will do.
Your idea of 'brand respect' holds no water. The world is much more accessible through the dissemination of information available today. If I recall, GM went under because of its poor management (that they covered-up and lied about) and the US taxpayers took it in the ass bailing GM's sorry asses out only to witness the same old GM creep back into place today. Maybe, just maybe, if GM would actually try something different versus the rebranding, rebadging, change of fascia bullshit—that defines a great deal of GM today, then new customers, and even old customers who have left GM might take a second look. But noooooo, let's do the same ol' shit again, maybe even resurrect Oldsmobile under the guise of the New Oldsmobile versus the Old Oldsmobile. Or Pontiac and release a G8.5 (remember this will be the New Pontiac versus the Old Pontiac). It's no damn wonder GM puts out a shitheap of vehicles—they can't define who the fuck they are!
You're right.
90% of Americans don't have a clue.
Thanks for your lesson.
If you Americans are so smart, why are you giving your country to China, the oil companies and the Republican's millionaire freinds.
I'm not american.
But I know what 'brand equity" is. In NA, Holden has none.
You don't know what brand equity is, and consequently, you lash out like a toddler at 'precieved americans'.
Brand equity? Except for the Corvette, GM has none that's worth a damn! Supposed branding experts consider their consumers stupid and therefor they could never discern what a Holden is if it were to show up in US showrooms. Sad that a product cannot sell itself because of "branding".
Here's brand equity: GM failed, lied about it, whined until they received a taxpayer bailout, are no better off than they were before with bigger problems still to unfold. There's GM's branding for ya.
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Who sells more vehicles than General Motors NUMB NUTS?
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As usual with GM...quantity, definitely not quality with GM.
"Brand equity? Except for the Corvette, GM has none that's worth a damn! Supposed branding experts consider their consumers stupid and therefor they could never discern what a Holden is if it were to show up in US showrooms. Sad that a product cannot sell itself because of "branding".
Here's brand equity: GM failed, lied about it, whined until they received a taxpayer bailout, are no better off than they were before with bigger problems still to unfold. There's GM's branding for ya."
You don't know. You really don't know what brand equity is; you're confusing it with public brand preception.
Go home before I make an example out of you.
"Go home before I make an example out of you."
Typical marketing and sales...both full of it. I also love how GM tries to play on the Old GM for what worked in the past, but quickly try to distance themselves for their failures using the New GM.
@Poly poontilicious
Who told ya that GM sells more than anyone elsa?
you guys are all silly. just chill.
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