Forgottenheroes?

#0408, 30 November 2017, page 38. S C A R E U Q I N U H T N O M E H L T E T T E R O F FORGOTTEN HEROES? I HAVE JUST finished reading and enjoying GMH not only manufactured Holden vehicles, your issue 406 (October 2017) edition but also asssembled (with considerable of Unique Cars, but not surprisingly Australian made content) Pontiac, Chevrolet, and perhaps regrettably, your report Vauxhall cars and Bedford trucks. on General Motors-Holdens (GMH) In fact, it was not until the release of the October 2017 closing, centres only on 1962 Holden ‘EJ’ Premier sedan, that Holden one car, that car being the garden variety actually offered anything more than very GMH manufactured Holden. Like GMH basic vehicles. themselves, and many others you choose to Prior to the 1962 Premier, all Holdens totally ignore the full range of models that had simple vinyl upholstery, rubber floor GMH offered Australian buyers from 1949 coverings, a very dated ‘grey’ motor. They to 1970. were simple cheap vehicles that the average Because of this I feel the pressing need working class Australian could buy relatively to write and express my concern so the full cheaply. In that regard they succeeded, but story and real ‘historical’ loss of General there was nothing outstanding about these Motors Holden’s maunfacturing and local early Holdens. assembly of passenger cars in Australia is The historical fact is that Holden during fully recorded. I say the real historical loss most of the 1950s and 1960s was very much because despite what our media might want the Australian working class car of the GMH to report, the loss is not in anyway centred range. GMH offered the Vauxhall Velox and around just the Holden as a car. Holden Cresta models to Australian upper middle may be important to many but its failing class buyers as well as Chevrolet Bel Airs / Australian market share indicates it’s dying Impalas and Pontiac Laurentian / Parisiennes a speedy if not certain death in Australia. to wealthy Australian buyers. General Motors-Holdens (GMH) has The Holden, as a car has only existed for always done its absolute upmost to 69 years, by most standards Holden has eliminate totally from its memory and or to be seen as a new entry into worldwide historical records, that from 1949 until 1970 automobile brands. Added to this GMH has #0408, 30 November 2017, page 38. “I JUST CAN’T UNDERSTANDUNDERST WHY PEOPLE DON’T DRIVE THEM” only sold Holden exclusively for just on of Cadillac and Chevrolet. This is a well 47 years! regarded view. ABOVE (YHQ 8QFOH3KLOGRHV Prior to November 1949 GMH did not With the recent anouncement that QRWGHFOLQHWKH offer a car called the Holden. However Holden Special Vehicles will import FKDQFHWRFORFNXS GMH did, prior to 1949 manufacture Chevrolet Camaros in 2018, the fact that VRPHNPVLQ Cadillac, La Salle, Buick, Oldsmobile, these Chevrolet Camaros will be sold D9.%URFN Pontiac, Chevrolet, Vauxhall and through GMH dealers and the likelihood Bedford. that Cadillac will return to Australia, Until at least the mid 1970s Australia it’s not difficult to see that Australian did not have ‘Holden’ dealers, we had GMH dealers will again be offering a ‘GMH’ dealers and those GMH dealers wider GM range consisting of Cadillac, prior to 1970 could sell their customers a for the Australian premium market and new Pontiac, Chevrolet, Vauxhall, Beford Chevrolet for the mass market. or a basic entry-level Holden. Equally it’s difficult to see where the Your “Farewell TImeline” should have Holden Brand could fit in but perhaps included at least the following: Holden could become the entry level cars 1949: GMH commemce Australian as they were back in the 1950s and early assembly of ‘CKD’ Chevrolet / Pontiac. 1960s. 1970: GMH final Australian assembled Regards ‘CKD’ Chevrolet / Pontiac passenger cars Carl L Kelsen Mid 1970s: GMH downsizes its product Vic range to just Holden. It could be argued that the ED: :HUDQZLWKWKH+ROGHQFORVLQJ GMH departure from Australian WKHPHIURP-DQXDU\WKLV\HDUZLWK manufacturing started in 1970 as by WKUHHVSHFLDOHGLWLRQVWRZDUGVWKHHQG this time GMH had stopped Australian FRQFHQWUDWLQJRQ7RUDQD QXPEHU assembly of Pontiac, Chevrolet, Vauxhall 0RQDUR DQG&RPPRGRUH and Beford. GMH had effectively 7KHUHVDZHDOWKRIFRQWHQWRQOLQHWRR downsized to one brand being Holden. ¨JRWRXQLTXHFDUVFRPDX!QHZV From a worldwide prospective, the UHYLHZV!DQGVHDUFKIRU+ROGHQ0XVWHU Holden name has a very small and (YHQVRDV\RXULJKWO\VXJJHVWHYHQ reducing market influence. Eventually ZLWKDOOWKRVHUHVRXUFHVWKHUHZHUH GM needs to retire the Holden Brand in VRPHJDSV7KHUHLVDULFKKLVWRU\RI the same way that GM has already retired ORFDOO\DVVHPEOHGFDUV¨HYHU\WKLQJ Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn and has sold IURP*0SURGXFWVWKURXJKWR&LWURHQ Opel and Vauxhall. A future worldwide DQGFRXQWOHVVRWKHUV¨ZKLFKVKRXOG GM needs to focus on its bookend brands VRPHGD\EHWROG.

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