Comments on: Aussie carmakers “missed” move to small cars – Ford boss

By: Cupid Stunt

Cupid Stunt — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:39:23 +0000

Poss agree Andrew but the humble Astra VXR is 25% cheaper and better looking again. Yours truly Vauxhall Man. Ha Ha.

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:53:39 +0000

Do a big burnout aye, like just massive. Do it, just do it. Do it, nust do it. I love ford n fpvs, there so awesome with all the awesomeness. Holdens and hsvs are shit as

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:45:10 +0000

Cupid,
I would much rather be seen in the 3 door RS focus

By: phillip

phillip — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:36:44 +0000

My point is that all bets could be off depending on what happens to General Motors and its subsidiaries. If the company is split then the European Astra may not be available to Holden, which I believe is what Alex was getting at.

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.

By: Cupid Stunt

Cupid Stunt — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:35:56 +0000

Philip – the spy photos are already out I’m not guessing. Even GM and Car Advice here have stated the Ampera is based on the Delta Pan which is what the next Atra is built on. I even from memory think the Chevrolet (Deawoo) Cruz uses the deta pan? So what’s your point.

By: philip

philip — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:00:37 +0000

Cupid Stunt, it’s really hard for you to make that prediction about the Astra. Opel is in panic-mode at the moment, so much so that Holden currently has a stop on all Astra imports. Of course they would like to continue to offer the only 4cyl car in their range that isn’t absolute rubbish, but they are not in a position themselves to do this at a loss.

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

By: Cupid Stunt

Cupid Stunt — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:02:32 +0000

sorry “over-bodied” and “rather be seen”. Typist is now sacked.

on topic – Jolly big cars those Falcons!!

By: Cupid Stunt

Cupid Stunt — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:51:34 +0000

Alex – “It doesn’t sound like the Astra’s part of it’s future plans “. Wrong mate, stop talking about thing you know nothing of. The article clearly states that Holden will be building a car based on the Delta platform. For your info the Delta pan is the basis of the next Astra, the Volte and Ampera amongst others. I have every confidence that the next Astra will out-do the current Focus at least in terms of quality. The current one is pretty good and certainly more sporty than the frumpy over-odied look of the Focus. What would you rather neen seen in given the choice of a 3 door Astra or 3 door Focus. I know the answer for 9 out of 10 folk.

By: SamR

SamR — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:33:21 +0000

Good one Sherlock,

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.

By: blitzkrieg

blitzkrieg — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:39:48 +0000

antrhraxx, the reason ford and holden build 6 cyl cars are

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.