GM backs off as Holden commits to Monaro

[SlickHolden]

By BRUCE NEWTON
The Age
Wednesday June 1 2005

The iconic Monaro is a long-term must in the Holden line-up despite a decision by parent General Motors to halt co-development of a series of new models

.

That was the defiant message from Holden managing director Denny Mooney last week as he sought to play down the impact of cash-strapped GM's halt of the "Zeta" program.

"We need a future Monaro," Mr Mooney said. "It's such an image car for us and our brand that we are going to do one. It is as definite as anything can be. I don't control everything that goes on in our organisation . . . but I have to tell you that from a Holden product plan standpoint there will be a future Monaro."

Nevertheless, Mr Mooney admitted a business plan for another generation of the high-profile coupe had yet to be signed off.

Monaro looked to be an immediate beneficiary of the co-operation driven by GM car tsar Bob Lutz, which called for a series of North American models to be developed over the next few years underpinned by the Holden-developed Zeta architecture (core structure).

advertisement

advertisement
Zeta will debut on the VE Commodore sedan early next year and gradually be introduced as other models are updated.

The Monaro would have been built in North America, primarily as a Pontiac GTO, with some sent south to sell as Monaros. Currently Holden builds the Monaro in its Adelaide plant and exports a 6.0-litre version to the US as the GTO.

GM's North American financial woes have seen plans for a new generation of rear-drive cars waylaid by the need to get high-profit margin off-roaders to market quickly.

Whats my best mate sucking for
Has he been reading my post's
Maybe he has said hey if i want to stay here i better think of holden as much as GM cause my house might be stoned

[fpv_gtho]

Dont get your hopes up slick , big rumour going around is next year when VE is released, it'll just be the sedan with the wagon, ute, one tonne, dual cab, Statesman AND Monaro surviving a further year or so still o the V-Car chassis. The Monaro of course will probably last longer, so im expecting a further visual update like what was seen withthe VZ, or Series 3 Monaro. Might possibly see the VZ style rectangular headlights stuck on like most of the seppos wanted the GTO to have, as it'll blend in better with the VE an carryover VZ cars.

[SlickHolden]

I still find it funny that Mooneys direction is in the oposite direction to what was said here. And with a couple of clay models going on it's not what he has been since he started, He said no more concepts no more this that cut this and he lets them make a couple of clay models.
Just because GM is going down with money doesnt meen they need to bleed holden or come down on them like they gamble there money down the dunny
They make something that not many in GM do.... Profits

[fpv_gtho]

Ahh but theresa big difference betwen concepts and clay models, i dare say whatever models theyve got are just being sent around to gain approval and work out any issues with the design.

[SlickHolden]

If i was GM i would say build it in the chance they might need it in 08-09+.
It would be 2 years off from scratch maybe? this way they can have it in under a year if needed. And holden this time will put some extra bite in it so them Sissies dont moan 400hp not tuff enough What are they like

[fpv_gtho]

2008 might be too long, if they take that long to get any large car based SUV into the market, they've conceded 4 years to the Territory, which is alot of market presence.

[SlickHolden]

I have belive they had there own design for a while but never done anything with it.
A clay design doesnt just jump up over night so they must have been thinking since Series 1 Adventra the way forward.
I wouldnt be suprised if they have one allready made for playing with, Or the S3X has been given a Holden Theme as you said.
I would say holden can change more of the same thing and make it look differnt but still be the same car in the end. I think they do that well, They have had practice with VT-VZ

But the Monaro if we build one say late 2007 early 2008, And then the yanks want it they can have it by the end of 08 into 09. But if they come to Holden and cry they want it in 08-09 could take years to have one there. This way let holden build a Zeta Monaro and when they come around for it it's avalable faster

[fpv_gtho]

Well its interesting you say that, cause right now is around 2009 that its being talked about Zeta finally getting into the US market, rather than the originally intended 2007. They might use those 2-3 years to just hag back and learn how Holden manages the VE.

I think what was Holdens wake up call was everyone saying the Territory's first 2 months of sales outsold 8 months worth of Adventra sales

[SlickHolden]

And almost all Monaro maybe all monaro Yes they need there own high rider bad.
Just seen that Caddy Escaladepoo again with black up plates tried to take a pic and wile driving and hit the steering wheel and he turned off lol, All i got was a flash of my dash
But maybe our U.S friends can tell me does the brake light flicker the indicator when turing but only 1 side works and it's LCD like the Caprice.

[2ndclasscitizen]

wouldn't no monaro do a lot of damage to HSV? And i'm thinking that once HSV tune up the monaro a bit above holden, they should ship HSV ones over as well, i'm sure the HSV styling would go down well

[SlickHolden]

I belive they should have sent them in the first place they wanted mean the baby's