Bush set to ruin Holden’s American Export Plans
April 11, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
It appears that all is not well for Holden’s US export program. According to an article in today’s Chicago Tribune, General Motor’s rear-drive initiative is in trouble. Yes, reality has caught up with GM and their fuel guzzling, inefficient engines and designs might be put to rest.
The US administration hasn’t exactly stood up to the US car industry to help reduce emissions and build more economical engines. However, things are changing. A current proposal by the Bush administration would raise corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards by 4% a year, with fleets expected to average 34mpg by 2017 – 30% higher than today’s levels.
What does that mean? It means that GMs current engines (such as the V8s found in the Commodore) will simply not pass the emission laws. Similar laws have been passed in Europe long ago, with Japan following closely. Australia still lacks tough emission standards.
GM’s Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said
“we’ve pushed the pause button. It’s no longer full speed ahead. anything after that is questionable or on the bubble,”
By anything after that, Mr Lutz is referring to the Camero which is too far down the production line to stop, however this directly affects the new Pontiac GTO, better known to us as the Holden VE Commodore SSV which was set and ready to start exporting next year.
Whilst GM Holden’s CEO never admits defeat, his American counterpart is more humble:
“We don’t know how to get 30 percent better mileage” GM’s Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said
A good start would be to hire some Japanese and German engineers who have spent the last 10 years developing what the world has been asking for, efficient engines.
However, environmentalist should not get their hopes up just yet, these laws have not yet come into affect. There is a possibility that given the outcry from all the US manufacturers (and surely a great deal of bribes), the US government might not go ahead with the proposed tougher emissions and fuel-economy standards. Stay tuned.
It would be interesting for not only GM American but also for Holden in Australia if these laws are passed. It would result in a lot of GM engines being rendered useless.
Print it: 
“We don’t know how to get 30 percent better mileage”
What a retard! He obviously thinks modern efficient engines are the work of witchcraft!
Its the old American way
the bigger the better,
how to get more kW out of an engine? make it bigger not efficient…
This is the beginning, of exposing how stupid Holden’s management team really are. They sell 5000 commodores a month and still cannot make a profit? They sell 5x the amount of cars as the so-called lame duck Mitsubishi 380 and make a bigger loss. They are on track to lose this export deal, posting losses in both Australia and GM globally, making many inefficient engines. Not really releasing any decent cars at the moment, apart from the Comaro which is still a fair way away, which won’t sell in big numbers anyway, primarily because of the competion from the market. This is the company who really should have snagged Mr. Mcinery (again) prior to MMAL doing so in 2005. The company is bleeding itself dry, and only for one reason. They may have a good market hold, they just can’t manage the company and make good use of their potential.