Sure, as you said, GM has a new global platform that the next Astra will be based on, but Australia is more likely to be on the more, shall I say, budget-focused end of that deal, meaning that the while Europeans will be driving around in their hot looking Astras, we will be left with some awkward looking Korean thing.

And yes, the Astra is nicer looking that the Focus, but in terms of driving it is way behind the class-leading Ford.

on topic – Jolly big cars those Falcons!!

The point is that Marin Burela, the rest in OZ and all the American makers would do the exact same thing again, make big cars, if the price of oil stayed down for a few years.

They did it after the 70’s price shocks, 80’s, 90’s. How much warning do these guys actually need? I know US buyers are idiots but to not have any small cars to compete and only produce big huge monsters ???

I hope GM, Ford and Chrysler go bankrupt, get rid of the debts and union pensions and come back properly. I bet they go back to big SUVs.

for the very reasons you just stated about toyota,

“underpowered”. your not happy with a 6 cyl or a 4 cyl,good

luck to sales person selling you a car.

remember when holden droped the kingswood for the smaller

vb commodore,a mistake that nearly sent them broke as

people bought the bigger xd falcon in droves.

The car makers at that time said “its not a trend”…idiots!!!

Tariff protection serves no one better than the maker , he hides behind poor plant and tools to maximise profits .

The public knows what it wants and has voted with its feet out of the great aussie 6/8 sedan , and the under 30’s are leading this charge , they have no interest in the big car .

I say about time a deserving top seller was on top.

Reckless,
Agree,
Perhaps dont put it back up to near 60% but perhaps striking a balance where competition is still encouraged, whilst still preserving our industry is needed.

The Free Trade idea isnt bad as long as everyone cooperates, which they arent.
poor old Australia got bluffed on that one

Just imagine – an imported car currently costing say $35000 would rise to around $50,000.

The effect of that would be as follows – people would buy Holdens and Falcons which are currently say $35000 in preference to an import at $50000 – I know I would.

But, the local prices would rise to probably $45,000 because the manufacturers wouldn’t be able to help themselves with greed.

Following this, the overseas major manufacturers would immediately set up local plants so their model would also drop to $45,000 becuase no more tariff.

End result – plenty of jobs here but all our cars would be much more expensive.

They are the ones who have been telling us that “Aussie prefer Big 6’s” – all the while sales have been falling.

Sales of small cars, like the Corolla, should have made them sit up and take note, but I think the cheap way out was to keep telling us Aussies “you like 6 cylinder cars, so that’s why we build them”.

This was the wake-up call that Ford and Holden needed… as for Toyota, please build something here other than that overweight, under-powered, most boring of cars, the Camry, which has the dummest auto gearbox in the world… please!

The only fallout is people are getting fatter in general, smaller cars will create more issues for them, its not going to be very good news for them.

This is where all the rocket scientists are!

Just ask messers AUDI , BMW , VW , MINI , every extra they sell you is at a premium and the are laughing all the way to the bank .