After nearly a century of making vehicles in Australia, parent company GM has pulled the pin on Holden’s last remaining production plant in Adelaide and only a week ago the last-ever Holden made across the ditch rolled off the assembly lines.
The second oldest transportation company in the world, Holden marked its seven millionth vehicle back in August 2008 and to date the company has produced more than 7.6 million vehicles in total. The company also manufactured a number of vehicles here in New Zealand, with a Petone assembly plant opened in 1926 and a Trentham assembly plant opened in 1967. By 1990, General Motors New Zealand announced its decision to phase out local assembly of passenger cars due to rising costs.
While we will see no future Commodores manufactured on Australian soil, GM Holden will shift production to German factories with advanced automation procedures in order to keep costs down as it launches new products. The brand will introduce 24 new vehicles by 2020, with a V8 rear wheel drive car destined for Australia in the future — Holden says the Commodore nameplate will live on in 2018, but in what form were are yet to see …
As for the last of the true Australian-built Commodores? Well that was the 304kW
6.2-litre LS3-powered VFII Commodore Redline, with a fitting six-speed manual box, of course.
You’ve done us well, Holden, an end to an era.
