Holden made Chevrolet Orlando Paris debut
October 2, 2008 by George Skentzos
Holden will play a vital role in building GM’s international reputation at the Paris Auto Show with the public unveiling of the new Chevrolet Orlando.
Unlike projects involving Holden in the past, the Orlando was actually designed at GM’s global design centre in Bupyeong, Korea and built at GM’s Technical Centre in Port Melbourne before being shipped to Paris.
GM Holden’s Design Director, Tony Stolfo said that its Australian-based design team had developed a great reputation within the company for building world class show cars.
“With concepts such as EFIJY and Coupe 60 receiving fantastic international coverage, we have gained a strong reputation in this area,” Mr Stolfo said.
The Orlando itself is a seven-seat multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) with distinctive sports utility-like design.
Despite being designed entirely in Korea, it does boast some Holden-like design inspiration with its massively flared wheel arches.
“It’s a testament to the expertise found here in Australia that we were asked to be part of this global collaboration.”
Print it: 
I thought the Coupe 60 was actually built (under direction from Holden) by a small company in Japan?
Meh. Maybe some design clues to the next Captiva. Haha at the ‘Australian involvelment’ regarding the wheel arches. Clap…clap…clap
Tim, the article says ‘Holden-like design’ not ‘Australian involvelment’, don’t make unfounded assumptions about the text.
How long untill all Holdens come out of Korea?????
Tim, this has nothing to do with Captiva.
Its an MPV version of the Cruze/Lacetti/New Viva, similar to the Astra/Zafira.
don’t hold your breath for sole korean manufacture of every holden product,it may well go the other way….
The Salesman Says:
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
How long untill all Holdens come out of Korea?????
Frontman Says:
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
The Salesman Says:
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
How long untill all Holdens come out of Korea?????
Sorry ’bout that, but All holdens will not be comming out of Korea. You forget that the LWB will be built in China in the “not to distant future”.
THis thing on the other hand is trying to pay hommage to way too many others. Kinda Dodge Calibre & Nitro from the side, very Scion XB from the rear, and very Daewoo Kalos Front with the now obligitory Audiesque LED’s.
At the end of the day, not for me.
salesman can’t be selling many cars , he’s permanently glued to this site , making trivial comment . go on get to work .
Salesman, you seem to be pro-toyota, but really, be honest, they really are just boring old whitegoods aren’t they?
I drive a VE SS, not because it’s particularly practical or economical, but because I like the way it drives, looks,& that it was designed & built here.
There’s nothing exciting about any current toyota model, not even the TRD Aurion.
For some reason, Commodore sedan & Sportwagon still outsells Camry/Aurion, why is that do you think? Some people reckon the Camry/Aurion is a better drive, yet the VE still sells more.
If you have to go Japanese, & you want a bit a style, you’d go Honda, Mazda, or even Subaru, wouldn’t you?
However, I do agree that it’s unlikely I’d buy a Holden that was built in Korea, at least these current models.
The next generations may be a differnt story, & the Orlando & Cruze look interesting.
Certainly better appearance than any current toyota.
It doesn’t matter that toyota are King of Sales at the moment. Holden & Ford shared the top sales position for 30 or more years before that.
That said, I usually enjoy your thoughts expressed on these pages.
and if you or any other pro-toyota didn’t know,the my09 captiva’s are made in thailand,mr salesman….wouldn’t throw to much sh@t at cars made in that part if the world,would you?????..jasonp,i hear you loud and clear
Yeah, where are all the Toyata fanboys that said the Camry/Aurion was going to outsell the Commodore ?
They have suddenly gone all quiet……hahahahahaha
Can someone tell me what useful purpose the stupid front quarter window serves.
This looks to me like an Astra head lights, with a Captiva front bumper, the Chevy Volt grille. The back looks like they shrunk the Hummer to fit this size vehicle. The side I not sure what GM vehicle they used here, probably a mixture of all of them.
Spitfire Says:
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Can someone tell me what useful purpose the stupid front quarter window serves.
I think that just a design oversight. When in production the whole front door will be one window.
I think they may have copied the commodores front doors, moved the side mirrors onto the door. This would give better vision for the driver as many have complained about commodores wide A-Pillars.
Their fancy computer program probably just replaced the vacant spot with a frony quarter glass.
spitfire,my guess is the same reason you should look left-right TWICE in a v.e. at a t-intersection…..,
Spam Says:
salesman can’t be selling many cars , he’s permanently glued to this site , making trivial comment . go on get to work .
Spam, i am at work, this is what i do, i get paid to lead a team in sales. Somtimes there can be a long pause between customers, some drink coffee, i do this…….
Spitfire Says:
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Can someone tell me what useful purpose the stupid front quarter window serves.
I think you will find that the qtr widow thing is more to give the leading edge a window track. Helps the window go up at speed. Adds support that sort of thing. More mechanical aide than a beauty spot (ugly spot). Windows in Liberty’s (older ones) and Lancer COupes etc that didn’t have them Rattle like crazy after a while and tend to get sucked outwards when going up at speed.
Hope that helps as you will see it on a lot of vehicles.
hi frontman,could you elaborate on”the lwb wil be built in china.”..thing.spread the wisdom…and a think mr salesman,what mr frontman is getting at is that your odd’s on,like so many pro-toyota,to slander what ever country a car is made in,IF its not a toyota.there may be a few hyundai,kai fans out there who are pretty sick of it…if it makes you feel betta i won’t buy a barina,viva etc anyway,but astra,insignia????
JEYKL & HYDE
You really are a bit slow on the up take here.
I work for a Korean car company, In fact two of my products come from Korea and one from Malaysia, on more than one occasion I have said I am not pro any car company in particular.
You can have a car made in any factory operated plant anywhere around the world and expect top quality.
i’m sorry,mr salesman….so your pro korean,and what,the aussie made product is suss…gee i’m confused now.do you think most korean’s 5 yr warrenty is a selling tool,or a “insurance” policy for quality?
I have said I am not pro any car company in particular.
mr salesman,so what is the purpose of “how long till all holdens come out of korea”??if you know something everybody else doesn’t…spread the wisdom…
With the demise of the Commodore immanent (as the aussie car) I wonder how long it will be before all Holden’s products are sourced from OS.
I just finished reading an article regarding a small car possibly being built in Holden’s Elizabeth plant. I hope they do as it would be especially good for the Aussie economy don’t you think?
As follows
KIM WHEATLEY, STUART MARTIN
October 03, 2008 12:01am
GM HOLDEN secretly has been investigating building a small car at Elizabeth to secure the plant’s long-term viability and the future of its 3400 workers.
The move would substantially change the focus of operations from large cars which are suffering shrinking sales amid rising fuel costs and the shift towards more environmentally friendly cars.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union told The Advertiser yesterday it discussed the small car project five weeks ago with senior management as part of enterprise bargaining negotiations.
State secretary John Camillo said Holden managers told him the development of a small car “is crucial for us to have flexibility out of the next round of EBs”.
“They said they seriously want to produce a small vehicle and that they are putting in place a plan for a small vehicle for the Elizabeth operation,” Mr Camillo said.The Elizabeth factory produces more than 160,000 Commodore and Statesman models each year, with half bound for export, including to the Middle East, South Africa and North and South America.
Holden has canvassed the idea of building hybrid and diesel models of its Commodore.
Mr Camillo hopes this latest plan revolves around full production rather than just assembling cars from overseas “crates”.
“That gives job security for the people at Elizabeth but also the opportunity for growth so we’ve got potential for putting more people on at Elizabeth,” he said.
“It’s a very big operation, that’s why its crucial that Holden wins the small vehicle. The GM senior management are very confident they can get that money together. Once they’ve got that they go to GM Asia-Pacific, then to Detroit.”
Holden has refused to confirm any speculation on building a four-cylinder vehicle. Communications manager Kate Lonsdale said: “We can be no plainer. We have no announcements to make. We’re not in a position to confirm or deny these rumours.”
Holden built 21,687 Vectra sedans and wagons at Elizabeth in the late 1990s but the factory since has undergone a $532-million refit. That upgrade allowed Holden to build outgoing VZ and new VE models, suggesting line versatility could cope with a small-car, too.
mr salesman,don’t hold your breath on the commodore going o/s just yet.as for the small car,it may just start with an a….
Salesman – reports of Holden building a compact/medium car at Elizabeth have been around since about April this year. as they have detailed plans to expand the Elizabeth factory.
I doubt that they will build a small car [Barina] as they have recenlty announced that they will import the Opels instead of the Daewoos.. Daewoos are to be sold as a seperate; brand.
Its more likely to be a compact/medium sized car such as the New Torana with a Direct Injection Twin Turbo Optimised [DITTO] V6 expected to produce 300+Kw. The Torana will share the same platform as the Insignia which is available with AWD but is yet to be confirmed for oz]
However don’t be surprised if the “Torana” will actually be called the Commodore.. which wouldn’t mean the Demise of the Commodore [sorry Dingo] but just an evolution
BTW – There are also plans to re-introduce the Crewman Ute and could even be a new Sandman
Toyota Camry (4 cyl) 2,114 36.4%
Toyota Aurion 1,240 13.1%
Add those % together. Camry and Aurion where split into different markets..
Holden Commodore 4,462 47.2%
So add cam/aurion together (for the sake of argument) and their maket share is greater than commodore. Maybe not outright volume but in penetration.
all figures from POLK Sept 2008.
Does that answer your statement John?
Anyway this vehicle above looks like a blend of every design cue shown at a motorshow in the last year..
Lexus exhausts? WTF.
JEYKL & HYDE,
Agila, right?
Wheelnut,
GM is in a desperate situation, the V6 market has dried up quicker than the Murry River.
They have to build a small car because that is where the market is going.
The Torana I doubt.
Re introduce the very successful crewman Ute?. You know what they say. Desperate times call for desperate measures…..
Quote [The Salesman]:GM is in a desperate situation, the V6 market has dried up quicker than the Murray River.
Could it be that the only reason you say that Dingo is because despite its supposed F1 inspired engine.. in terms of popularity and sales the Aurion – particularly the TRD version has become a bigger Lemon than a Leyland P76?
As today I saw a TRD Aurion which was reduced by almost $25k.
The Torana is more of a certainty than a small car because why would Holden bother making a small front wheel drive car like a Barina when its cheaper and easier not to mention more cost effective to import it from Opel who have more experience with FWD than Holden – you focus on your strengths.
I mean one of the reasons GM ended up in the trouble they are in is because they had 2 factories less than 1000Kms apart both operating at less than 70% capacity and both building exactly the same cars
Which is why its more likely that Holden will build the RWD Torana [which will also become the new Pontiac G6 sedan]
The V6 [6 cylinder] market isn’t shrinking… if anything its the V8 market that’s shrinking quicker – even though
1 in 3 commodores sold is a V8
I mean the Turbo charged FPV Typhoon produces just 7Kw less than its bigger V8 brothers…. and the DITTO V6 that will be in the “Torana” is likely to produce around 300Kw – and that’s before HSV get their hands on it.
Wheelnut,
Interesting read, i guess we will have to see what happens.
Have you read GM death watch?
Google it and come back to me
Bankruptcy is an option for GM but its not the only option.
Given that the USA is in the middle of a recession; GM could sack half [if not all] of its factory workers and close half [if not all] of its factories
Because most of the US factories are operating at less than 70% whereas Holden for example are currently at 90% with plans to expand…. and pull out of the USA.
They oculd make RWD cars including in Canada; FWD cars in Europe with Australia making up any shortfall.
Bob Lutz illuded to the possibiility of this happening but P-rick Waggoner has denied it on several occassions which impliess that he too is thinking about it.
Inorder to be successful in business you should focus on your strengths.. and compared to the quality of GM cars form Canada Europe and Oz the American cars are the weakest link – a fact which the American motorists themselves are starting to realise as they are buying more and more imported compact cars.
I think they gotta get rid of Wagonner and let Lutzy take over as he was the one who helped get Chrysler out of the s–t a back in the 90’s..
The thing is compared to Lutz Waggoner isn’t what you would call a car enthusiast – he is an “academic” who graduated from business college with several degrees etc but doesn’t have any real passion or interest in the industry. He thinks that everyone else thinks the same way as he does and wants what he wants
“I drive a big SUV [which is paid for by the company] therefore the rest of America wants big SUVs too”
Whereas Lutzy has spent virtually his whole life around cars and the automotive industry.. he is passionate about everything he does and keeps in touch with whats going on with other car companies.
Lutz realises that there are other GM companies that are better at building RWD FWD and AWD cars than they do in the USA and therefore decided to take advantage of their international resources and import cars from Australia and Europe – whereas Waggoner tends to think no-one can ddo it better than us Americans.
So really the best solution for GM is to get riod of P-Rick Waggoner.
In the same way Ford have to get rid of either Ford Jr Snr Jr or Mullaly
J & H,
Hey Doc, the comment on LWB moving offshore has been floating around for near on 12 months. Seems to have stemmed from “evaluations” being done by GM in China in regards to building WM over there for the Asian market. Whilst Aust has enjoyed a strong dollar it has also been bandied about that all LWB production goes there. Also bouyed on by the downturn in domestic sales. But please read that it is “Speculation” at present.
Same as the stories surrounding “Torana”. Don’t forget that one of the main reasons for Torana show cars developement was to test the water on VE’s Front shape and basic looks. If Torana was to make into production, it would have to come under CAFE laws and EEC5. This would require better fuel consumption than what we are seeing from Alloytec at present. The apparent easy way (and what killed off the ZETA platform) is to make the vehicle lighter. Unfortunaltely for mass market, lighter means FWD. So “Torana” would at least be FWD, at best the AWD. Given the general thinking at GM corporate at present, I can see them having 2 heavy RWD platforms when the are struggling to retain 1.
GM are not alone however as this is the same dillema faced by Ford Australia, although their future platform is easily converted to AWD and is lighter thatn ZETA. Yet even it is not in the clear, with evaluations and speculation running rampant.
Wheelnut, Mullaly isn’t that bad so far, at least he is acting on the decisions being need to be made and is forcing the change to happen in the US. It will be interesting to see if the new man here can still be as strong as he has been previuosly.
Frontman – The Torana is expected to use a NEW lighter more compact more High-Tech Direct Injection V6 Engine and NOT the Alloytec V6 which is used in the VE Commodores..
The New Direct Injection V6 will also have a Twin Turbo Otpimised option – DITTO
Its also more likely that the “Torana” will be built in FWD and AWD as it will be built [here] not only for Local but Export matkets using the same platform as the Insignia
BTW a Coupe is also very likely… cabriolet not so