GM » Australian Car Advice

Bleak future for Pontiac G8 in the U.S.

December 3rd, 2008 71 Comments

While previous reports predicting the demise of the Commodore-based G8 sedan were denied by Pontiac, almost, new reports have emerged which paint a rather bleak future for the Australian export.

Since the Pontiac G8 sedan was launch in the U.S., just 13,000 have found a home, while 11,000 more unsold G8’s remain in Pontiac’s inventory - representing a 283 day supply.

2009 Holden Barina Review

December 2nd, 2008 83 Comments

2009 Holden Barina Review & Road Test

Safer, better looking, but stuck in a time warp

Model Tested:

2009 Holden Barina TK9 1.6-litre, four-speed automatic, five-door hatchback - $17,990 (RRP)

Options:

‘Style Pack’ - ABS & Alloy Wheels $1,190 (Fitted); Metallic Paint $400

Suits City Driving; Looks Good; Four-Star Safety Rating
Cheap Interior; Storage Space; Child Seat Anchor Locations

CarAdvice Rating:

- by Rose Harris

There is no denying the fact that Holden has come under heavy criticism in the past for its woeful two-star ANCAP safety rating on the TK Barina.

The new version, the TK9 (Model Year 2009), has seen Holden rectify its safety sins and double the star rating to four and kudos must go to the manufacturer for taking responsibility and improving safety of the small car.

Pontiac G8 GXP laps ‘ring in 8:30

November 26th, 2008 57 Comments

In recent times the Nürburgring has become the performance benchmark for sports cars around the world, and it seems Holden is no exception.

A Victorian-plated Pontiac G8 GXP has been put through its paces on the Nürburgring by GM development engineers - not a professional racing driver - and set a blistering unofficial time.

Holden to cut 25 additional production days

November 19th, 2008 66 Comments

In another blow to the Australian automotive industry, GM Holden has announced plans to cut production by an additional 25 days, spread across the first three months of 2009. The closures will occur at the company’s Elizabeth plant in Adelaide.

Adelaide has already seen the closure of Mitsubishi’s local production this year, while Holden’s 3,400 workers in South Australia are not new to non-production days, having already had several days off in recent weeks, the news is not promising.

2008 Holden Colorado LT-R 4×4 Review

November 19th, 2008 29 Comments

2008 Holden Colorado LT-R 4×4 Review & Road Test

Strong and efficient but a touch underdone

Model Tested:

2008 Holden RC Colorado LT-R Crew-cab, 3.0-litre, turbo- diesel, 4×4 automatic - $47,990 (RRP)

Options:

Metallic Paint $300 (Fitted - Imperial Blonde)

Towing capacity, strong & economic diesel
Fit & finish, suspension set-up, engine noise

CarAdvice Rating:

- by Matt Brogan

It would seem that the Holden Rodeo and Chevrolet Colorado have eloped to Thailand and returned with a cut-price bastard love child; introducing the all new Holden Colorado.

GM asks for urgent financial assistance

November 12th, 2008 39 Comments

With the world in financial turmoil, General Motors is one the companies hit the hardest. Company CEO Rick Wagoner told Automotive News that his company’s financial distress is so dire that it may not survive the period before President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January.

New car sales in the U.S. have slumped to just 11 million units per year, down from 15 million, this has resulted in the old general posting its fifth straight quarterly loss.

Rudd announces $6bn bailout plan

November 10th, 2008 90 Comments

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has today announced a bailout plan for the Australian automotive manufacturing industry worth $6.2 billion, based on results from a federal inquiry led by former Victorian premier Steve Bracks.

This follows confirmation that the Government would reduce car tariffs to 5 percent in 2010 under a new 10-year plan for the industry, with many critics labelling the bailout as compensation merely aimed at delaying the inevitable.

The plan incorporates incentive for local industry to develop more fuel efficient vehicles, with $1.3 billion going towards the development of energy efficient cars.

This is a figure just shy of Holden’s highly marketed “billion-dollar baby” development costs for the VE Commodore - effectively acting as a Government-funded mulligan for poor local industry foresight.

Mr Rudd shunned warnings from the Coalition that the Government should postpone its decision until President-elect Barack Obama reveals his own plans for the dwindling US car giants.

Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of the car buyers’ Dog & Lemon Guide, says that unless Australia is prepared to block all imported cars, our industry is doomed.

“While I sympathise with the workers and businesses who rely on the car assembly to survive, the government’s package is simply corporate welfare that will not save the industry.”

As much as we all like to believe that Holden and Ford are Australian, the fact remains their future rests with their American parents who have not made a full-year profit since 2004 and 2005 respectively.

“The U.S. government will rescue Ford & General Motors because it has no choice. However, as part of their rescue package the U.S. government will almost certainly force Ford & General Motors to dispose of their unprofitable overseas assembly plants. The Australian Ford & General Motors plants will be near the top of the list for closure.”

The looming threat of substantial job loss closer to home has allegedly forced Mr Rudd’s hand in the matter; however Matthew-Wilson tepidly suggests the bailout fund would be put to much better use if applied directly to the affected workers.

“If the Australian government simply shared the $6billion among the affected car workers, these workers could pay off their mortgages or perhaps start small businesses. At least that way the money wouldn’t be wasted. As things stand, the government’s $6billion will do nothing but fill the coffers of a few multinational corporations, while doing nothing to solve the underlying problems.”

While we are certainly a patriotic bunch, perhaps it is time to accept the fact that a Government-funded and American-owned automotive industry is never going to be a positive influence on our economy.

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Pontiac on a roll at SEMA

November 7th, 2008 7 Comments

Pontiac rolls into the 2008 SEMA Show with a trio of modified concepts. Leading the pack is G8 GXP Street concept with a new LSX454 crate engine shoehorned under its hood, followed by an accessorised G8 ST and a performance-enhanced Solstice GXP coupe.

All of the concepts share enhancements and modifications that contribute as much to styling and presence as they do performance. It is a spirit carried forward from the hit of the 2007 SEMA Show, hip-hop star 50 Cent’s customised G8.

“Pontiacs have always strived to provide unexpected levels of performance, regardless of the model,” said Susan Docherty, Vice President of Buick-Pontiac-GMC. “But these concepts raise the bar even higher, taking style and sportiness to the highest levels.”

While none of the concepts are intended for production, they do feature many components from GM Accessories and GM Performance Parts, as well as other aftermarket components, that are already on the market with some of those even being evaluated for possible production as genuine accessories in the near future.

G8 GXP Street concept

The Pontiac G8 GXP features an LSX454 crate engine from GM Performance Parts combined to form an intimidating street machine. The 7.4-litre package is good for 476kW and 813Nm, and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Handling and stopping performance are enhanced with a lowered ride height, stiffer springs and a disc brake package borrowed from the Cadillac CTS-V, as visible through the custom 20-inch aluminum wheels with black chrome finish.

G8 ST concept

The 2010 Pontiac G8 ST blends the performance of the G8 sports sedan with the cargo capabilities of a ute. It is powered by a uniquely configured 6.0-litre small-block V8 offering 269kW and 522 Nm.

It features GM’s Active Fuel Management technology, which allows the engine to switch from eight to four cylinder operation to better enhance fuel economy. The G8 ST also features a six-speed automatic transmission.

The new 2009 Solstice coupe (pictured at top of page) is a sleek, fastback-styled hardtop with a removable roof panel. Offering a 194kW turbocharged 2.0-litre Ecotec engine, the direct injected Solstice GXP coupe at SEMA is equipped with a GM Performance Kit which boosts the available power to 216kW.

The car also wears a GM Performance Parts cat-back exhaust system and race-ready suspension kit. It rolls on polished factory wheels. The exterior is painted Olympic White and features a Hydro Blue racing stripe. Inside, the Solstice features blue accent
stitching on its leather-trimmed seats, racing-style pedal covers and a convenient iPod interface for the audio system.

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Holden Barina achieves four-star ANCAP rating

November 6th, 2008 37 Comments

In what is a far cry from the original TK Barina’s woeful two-star rating, Holden today acknowledged ANCAP’s confirmation of a four-star crash rating for the upgraded 2009 model year (or TK9) Barina three-door hatchback.

The result reflects structural improvements and the addition of side impact airbags as standard across the updated Barina hatchback range (result does not apply to sedan models), which was introduced in August

Hummer to support Oz Strongman Nationals

November 5th, 2008 3 Comments

Australia’s strongest men will go head-to-head in the name of the iconic Hummer brand for the national Oz Strongman title this weekend.

For the first time ever, Hummer will support the Oz Strongman Nationals – a contest which pits man against machine in the fight for the Australian title.

Four custom Chevrolet Camaros for SEMA

November 4th, 2008 9 Comments

Together with the Pontiac G8 GXP Street concept, Holden will play another vital role at this year’s SEMA Auto Show with GM showcasing not one but four specially prepared Chevrolet Camaro’s.

As the official car of the 2008 SEMA show, General Motors is obviously keen to show off the aftermarket potential of its latest muscle car in anticipation for its official launch in the coming months.

Not merely the subject of hopes and dreams, this fleet of concepts has been created with the aim of highlighting the large range of parts and accessories available for the Chevrolet Camaro, as anyone with the passion and resources to reproduce these concepts can do so through their local Chevrolet dealer.

Camaro LS7 Concept

As its name suggests, this concept boasts the same 7.0-litre V8 crate engine and Tremec 6060 six-speed manual transmission which features in our current performance flagship, the HSV W427.

In the LS7 concept however, the engine also features a high-performance replacement camshaft from GM Performance Parts, helping the naturally-aspirated V8 churn out around 410kW.

The inspiration behind this concept it drawn from drag racing, with race-ready rubber on the rear wheels, a driveshaft safety loop, lowered ride height and a Brembo brake package.

It has been finished in Victory Red with matte black accents such as the hood and tail lamp fascia. Inside, a spartan interior is supposedly synonymous with its race-ready personality to reduce overall weight.

Camaro Dale Earnhardt Jr. Concept

Clearly inspired by NASCAR, this concept uses the standard 6.2-litre V8 engine from the Camaro SS which has been modified to use E85 fuel.

Due to its favourable octane rating, GM Performance has managed to squeeze out a few extra ponies with a modified tune and full exhaust system.

The SS’s standard six-speed manual transmission has been bolstered by a short-throw Hurst shifter from the GM Accessories parts bin.

The exterior features a custom black/gray two-tone paint scheme which is separated by a thin orange stripe. This is offset by a set of 21-inch wheels inspired by the Camaro Convertible Concept.

The concept also boasts a range of Chevy Accessories such as a rear diffuser and ground effects, grille, rear spoiler, race-style aluminium pedals and a Boston Acoustics speaker system.

Camaro GS Racecar Concept

While the previous concepts provide street-legal thrills, this one is a pure-bred race car created by GM’s High Performance Vehicle Operations and Carolina-based Riley Technologies.

The GS Racecar is the only Camaro concept at SEMA which will actually see production, serving as an early prototype for the Grand Am Koni Challenge GS racing class - featuring race-ready suspension, reinforced chassis and drivetrain which conform to the specifications required for the series.

It will use the standard LS3 V8 engine, a modified version of the Tremec 6060 six-speed manual transmission with close-ratio gearing, 3-inch exhaust system, C&R racing aluminium radiator and carbon fibre hood, trunk lid, doors and fenders.

With only one example currently in existence, it has had to share its duties between the track and showroom floor, featuring all the grime, dust and dints which appear after a day’s worth of racing.

Camaro Black Concept

The Black Concept is a paradoxical approach to stealth, with its matte black hood and ground effects, dark wheels and red-glowing HID headlamps hardly subtle.

This trend is continued to the interior where there is red LED instrument lighting and red footwell ambient lighting, black chrome accents and leather seats which grey stitching.