Not made here...

[fpv_gtho]

http://carpoint.com.au/car-review/2579683.aspx

Shipping lines are the key beneficiaries of the booming Australian car market. Imports are at record highs and exports of Australian-made cars are strong as well. Trouble is we're buying fewer home-made cars which will have far-reaching consequences


Otto Insider

Comment

Dredging operations in Port Phillip Bay should speed up, if not increase in scope, if car sales results for YTD April 2007 are any guide. Australian appetite for imports has never been this strong, and foreign buyers' taste for Australian cars is equally ravenous.

Quite a dichotomy, huh? Maybe the world loves an import. Shipping companies sure do. So much for the "Not Invented Here" syndrome. Let's reclassify that as the "Not Assembled Here" syndrome.

Otto's tip for investing wisely: Buy shares in ports and shipping companies.

According to figures supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, locally manufactured cars secured less than 20 per cent of the total Australian vehicle market in April; slightly more than the YTD figure. In real numbers that's just 15,045 of the 75,614 vehicles sold here in April.

Just to refresh your memories, Ford builds the Falcon sedan, Utility and Territory SUV, Holden the Commodore sedan (wagon and Ute and Monaro are demised at this point, though Adventra limps on) while Mitsubishi builds the 380 sedan and Toyota the Camry/Aurion sedans. Everything else, dear listener, arrives by boat into one of our suitably located harbours.

Waving at the imports on their way in, as they themselves depart, are vast quantities of Holden Commodore sedans (wearing an increasing variety of badges from Chevrolet Pontiac, Opel, Buick and Daewoo), and significant numbers of Toyota Camrys and Aurions. On occasion, these are accompanied across the Tasman (and to South Africa) by a small quantity of right-hand drive Falcons, Territorys and 380s.

Is it any surprise that we're tuned to Asian and European tastes? When was the last time you pulled on an Aussie-made pullover, suit or shoes? Tuned an Aussie-made stereo or piano? Watched an Aussie-made TV program on a weeknight?

Holden is an undeniable success story. Its Aussie designed and built car is winning friends across the world and opening up new markets on its product strength alone. Toyota's Camry is a successful Aussie mod-job on an undeniably sound base. Ford doesn't have a left-hook Falcon, nor Mitsubishi an export program.

Export or die? It's a stark reality, but if you're in manufacturing, there's no option. The Victorian government's surprising Stamp Duty reduction (not abolition, you'll note) could have been, maybe should have been, limited to the purchase of locally-built cars.

After all, stimulating sales of Victorian/Australian assembled cars would be good for the economy and would help secure jobs, at a time when component manufacturers are struggling to stay afloat, or worse, are at risk of disrupting production plants because they can't supply their vital widget to hold a Ford, Holden, Toyota or Mitsubishi together.

You get to feeling the small component manufacturers nestled in Melbourne's outer suburbs are the crack in the dam. Once they decay, the small hole will quickly engorge, bring down the dam wall. Another stoppage on the final assembly line triggers a slowdown of cars delivered to dealers, upsetting customers.

Dealers will turn to their reliably arriving imported product in order to secure the sale. Customers win with frugal new-generation high-tech four-cylinder engines, fitted to bigger than ever bodies, equipped with the latest technology, such as ESP, traction control, Bluetooth connectivity, etc, etc, etc…

Buying a big six because it is rear-wheel drive? Fine if you're not up for the fuel. But more and more new car buyers can afford to fly to their holiday destination, not lug the caravan or trailer.

Sales of locally-made big-six rear-drive cars are not slow because the cars are not good. It's because they're not the right cars right now.

Falcon sedan sales YTD are down 26 per cent on the same period last year. And there's almost a year to go before the new one pops up.

Toyota's feisty Yaris outsold Falcon in April, 2325 to 2255. The run-out Corolla came close to Falcon too, at 2202, with Camry notching 1975 four-cylinder sales.

VE Commodore, the latest and greatest is only 12.7 per cent up on the ancient VZ over the same period last year. Mitsubishi's 380 is out of ICU, and stable, just 175 units down on the same period last year.

The one local shining light emanates from Camp T. Camry sales are a creditable 8422 YTD, and Aurion's success (6694 YTD) has closed the book on Avalon. Combine Camry and Aurion sales and the big(ish) Toyotas have outsold Falcon, and are muscling up to Commodore.

Aurion alone in April was closer to Falcon than a "Big Six" Japanese LM has ever been. And sales of locally made Toyotas are up 58 per cent YTD, against Ford's 17.9 per cent drop, Holden's 0.4 per cent decline and Mitsubishi is 15.8 per cent worse off.

Year-to-date, the Big Four aren't looking too bad thanks to a full line-up of supporting imports. Holden is on a charge to capture ground from Territory with Captiva.

Territory has a hand behind its back, since Captiva burns oil or gasoline. Would Ford dealers like a diesel Territory? Are the Kennedys gun shy?

Away from the politicking at the big end of town where slicing and dicing market share is all the rage, there are some lonely makes bumping along on the bottom of the bay, looking for that missing gem of a car or SUV to send them rocketing to the surface.

Perennial offenders Saab and Renault have made no progress. SsangYong takes the prize for the most different models and fewest sales (nine model lines on sale and 200 units shifted in April).

Proton is in danger of gaining traction with its newer models (now five in all for 170 units; up 60 per cent on April sales last year), and Jaguar's four model lines argued over 68 unit sales for the month. Compare that with Subaru's five model lines and 2710 April sales.

If you're going to aim low, stick to one model. Dodge sold 130 cars in April, just seven shy of Alfa's total and it has seven model lines.

April's always a sticky month for sales with Easter, school holidays and Anzac Day disrupting the genial flow of business. Handing out the big end-of-month bonuses based on April 07 vs April 06 sales would have been top management at Audi (40.9 per cent), Honda (58.2 per cent), Suzuki (65.1 per cent), and Volkswagen (30.8 per cent). NB: Tiddler brands have been ignored.

Otto's Golden Easter Egg for the greatest improvement in unit sales across the industry for April 07 compared with April 06 goes to Honda for selling 1761 more units, while Toyota gets the double choc version for selling 8696 more units YTD compared with 06.

Otto's Easter bunnies reside in the north of Melbourne -- the Broadmeadows boys and girls were 631 units poorer for the month and 2925 off 2006, YTD. That diesel engine and new body can't come fast enough for the Orion gazers.

[john14]

Currently, many good cars are being made in Australia by Holden. Ford, Mitsubishi and Toyota but I think the problem is we only manufacture relatively large cars with relatively high fuel consumption figures... and we all know about high fuel prices.

[digitalcraft]

That was difficult to read.

But yeah, Australia seems to like big cars even more than the US.

[nota]

Originally Posted by digitalcraft

That was difficult to read.

But yeah, Australia seems to like big cars even more than the US.

I agree, that author's overly cliche'd fancy-pants writing style interfers annoyingly with the message he's supposed to be conveying

AFAIK the US market ratio for big cars way exceeds that in AU (or anywhere else) except yours are disguised as trucks and SUVs

[crisis]

Otto may not be old enough to remember the last oil crisis. Kingswood and Falcon buyers turned to 180Bs in droves. It was then that people started to view Jap cars no longer as Jap Crap. People started looking for alternatives and the demise of the Australian car was at hand. Aussie car makers started aligning with Japanese ones and we got Mitsubishis and Geminis.
Then we forgot about it when the oil came back and we forgot how much we used to pay anyway (who thinks $1.15 a litre is cheap fuel now?) and everything else went up as well as our wages.
We are getting increasingly better fuel economy out of 6’s and V8’s now. I expect to see large Aussie cars around for a lot longer yet.

[fpv_gtho]

Originally Posted by crisis

We are getting increasingly better fuel economy out of 6’s and V8’s now. I expect to see large Aussie cars around for a lot longer yet.

In some ways yes, in others its still all the same. The highway economy is whats improving the most, but the city cycle and such is remaining stagnant, which seems to be simply a product of heavy car/powerful engine.

[SlickHolden]

Originally Posted by digitalcraft

That was difficult to read.

But yeah, Australia seems to like big cars even more than the US.

Yes i think we do.. But we like a different kind of large car that's the big difference.
WE want the large car that does it all and we are very lucky that Ford and Holden more so then the others build that type of car we want.
Strap the kids in the car let the wife drive it also take the kids to school, Do the shopping, Go to the footy, Go away and tow a caravan with the family of 5.. And when you feel like it stomp the peddle ****en hard and she will scream I'm ****en hot zapping to 100km/h in under 6 seconds with tops speed above 240km/h. And still be a good enough car to not wake the 2 month old up in the back seat.
That to me is the typical Aussies large car and dreams.. All for just over $40,000.

[bypopulardemand]

the author seems to be missing a very important point. australian manufacters dont cover all segments. so they cant expect to have much more market share.

^ its interesting that you say that Ford and Holden give australians what they want yet the article emphasises that Toyota are catching quite quickly.

[clutch-monkey]

Originally Posted by bypopulardemand

^ its interesting that you say that Ford and Holden give australians what they want yet the article emphasises that Toyota are catching quite quickly.

probably because the moronic, mindless drones that make up the general population are quite happy driving big marshmallows.

[SlickHolden]

Originally Posted by bypopulardemand

the author seems to be missing a very important point. australian manufacters dont cover all segments. so they cant expect to have much more market share.

^ its interesting that you say that Ford and Holden give australians what they want yet the article emphasises that Toyota are catching quite quickly.

I think they make it sound like the whole, But when it's really dissected it's base models everyday cars.. You wouldn't buy a Aurion or camry to do the family thing tow and performance in mind, You would buy a Aurion as the day 2 day car with great value and options in a base, But the options of choice really drys up as the models range gets higher you see base model features and you start to see what 1 engine and 1 transmission does, It gives you a lack of choice and a lack of something to hold over the base models something to say hey i paid good money for this i hate the fact that a base aurion is faster then my top of the range Aurion or sporty Aurion.. Something Ford and Holden try not to do anymore.

IF i'm paying $45,000 for a car i don't want the $30,000 base model shitting on me.. Holden and Ford are guilty of this in the past well more so holden with offering the LS1 on base models, They got smart and made the SV8 then made it into a SV6 with V8 engine. Noone wants a base model to walk over the top of the range sport's or luxo models.

[Mr. Jinx]

Originally Posted by clutch-monkey

probably because the moronic, mindless drones that make up the general population are quite happy driving big marshmallows.

Hahahaha, very much agreed.

[Falcon500]

Originally Posted by clutch-monkey

probably because the moronic, mindless drones that make up the general population are quite happy driving big marshmallows.

Couldent of put it any better.

Also one thing worth mentioning is that people are getting tighter and tighter (which is understandable) but its getting to the point where my parents are turning off every little thing in the house that doesnt need to be turned on (they heard all together it can save 30 a year despite the fact they never missed that before and now its annoying haveing to turn the power point on before i listen to my stero for example) and apprently these kind of practices arnt uncommon? I ask are we progressing as a society or are we just getting increasingly stringenet in maintianing some ideal lifestyle?

But anyways some people only want to drive an appliance som people are forced to but an incresingly large number are forceing themselves to do that.

[Falcon500]

Originally Posted by SlickHolden

IF i'm paying $45,000 for a car i don't want the $30,000 base model shitting on me.. Holden and Ford are guilty of this in the past well more so holden with offering the LS1 on base models, They got smart and made the SV8 then made it into a SV6 with V8 engine. Noone wants a base model to walk over the top of the range sport's or luxo models.

Well Id consider myself quite stupid if I wanted a fast car and both had identical engines except one was lighter

What id be more upset about is if I had a commodore belina (up from omega) and the falcon XT (optioned up with a 6 speeder auto and euro sports package) and the falcon was a bit faster a cheaper on juice (wheels test this month funny thing is it had the biggest engine the most torque and the 2nd most powerful next to aurion and was the most economical wonder how that works?)

And in a pure stroke of genius on wheels part they made the Belina winner of the comparison (380,aurion,falcon all the trim up from base excluding falcon) despite the fact it had weaknesses all the other cars didn't have

But anyways base model cars are lighter it makes more sense to use them as a base for something that goes fast its the origonal concept of a muscle car! this is something that seems to be lost on people today.

[crisis]

Originally Posted by Falcon500

But anyways base model cars are lighter it makes more sense to use them as a base for something that goes fast its the original concept of a muscle car! this is something that seems to be lost on people today.

Quite. Holden tried it (again) with the first VY SV8. It was bog standard Exec with a rear spoiler (the only concession to weight gain), red instruments (no weight penalty there) and different coloured interior (again). It had wind up windows (something everybody turned their nose up at when they got in mine) and no extra plastic spoilers etc (something I optioned to have put on, what I can say!). It was a real stripper in this guise. Series two came out and on went the power everything. Now the SV8 is fairly indistinguishable from an SS. A luxury sports model. Seems there aren’t enough people out there who demand a car that is about performance first and blingage second.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Originally Posted by crisis

Now the SV8 is fairly indistinguishable from an SS. A luxury sports model. Seems there aren’t enough people out there who demand a car that is about performance first and blingage second.

Actually there is no SV8 any more. There's the SS which is same as the old SV8, the lowest spec sport V8 model, then there's the SS-V if you want a fancy interior and big wheels.