Holden | Fleetcare

Holden’s Battle against Cheap Import Cars

Posted: 07/06/2013 By: Kendall Broun - Marketing & Brand Manager
Comments: none
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Holden

The trend against locally made cars in Australia has been strong for quite some time, with buyers looking more favourably at cheaper imported models and there appears to be no sign of this abating. Australia’s strongest local car brand Holden, owned by General Motors, is finding it increasingly hard to compete with competitors, especially overseas manufacturers. According to released this year, Australians bought more Hyundai... Read More

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Top selling cars in Australia 2012

Another year and yet another top ten list showcasing the top sellers. In what is becoming an annual article hereat Fleetcare, we take the top ten selling cars and try to understand what they tell us about the habits of the Australian public. Last year we had the Mazda 3 at number 1 -would it hold its own? Could the Holden Commodore come back? Or perhaps a new contender could take the crown. As per usual, we look past the figures to find... Read More

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Australia’s most searched car brands in 2012 – How the statistics stack up against sales data

If you’re in the market for a new car, and are looking up vehicle specs and prices, what do you do? Google it – anytime we need information about any topic we turn to Google, the world’s most popular search engine, to find our answers, and the topic of cars is no different. But do you know which car brands were the most searched in 2012? Google Zeitgeist compiled lists that best reflect the essence of 2012 from over... Read More

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The Australian auto industry - Where to now?

2012 will be remembered by Australian car people as the year the car sales market bounced back, but what about the locally made Australian cars? The surprising fact is that locally built car sales were up on 2011, however as a portion of the total sales they are down slightly. What's most worrying is the general sales trend. Locally made cars as a percentage of total sales have been falling for years now, and the current range of... Read More

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The top selling cars under the microscope - fuel economy

This Olympic season we were all introduced to something new. This year’s Olympicmedal table got looked at through many new lenses, including medals per head of population, medals per funding dollar and so on. This got us thinking; perhaps we should take a deeper look at the usual top selling vehicles with a little more depth? With this in mind we decided to take the top 30 selling vehicles and make a list of the 10 least fuel... Read More

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Holden Colorado - Don't think, don't hope, do!

Posted: 10/08/2012 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
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Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Technology | Holden

In the recent ad campaign for the Holden Colorado the famous Hawthorn AFLcoach John Kennedy Snr. is heard booming in the background. His famous "Don't think, don't hope, do!" speach compels us to consider his words in the wider context of how Holden is managing its own current difficulties. I first saw the Colorado at the 2011 Perth motor show where it was unveiled amid a flurry of flash bulbs and cheers. Fast forward a year and a few... Read More

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Petrol vs LPG - A fair fight?

So we’ve done other comparisons, we’ve looked into the differences between petrol types and we've reviewed many models.However, not yet have we compared Petrol with its much discussed competitor; LPG. LPG or liquefied petroleum gas has been an alternative tofor a long time however it has never truly dented petrol’s dominance of the fuel marketplace. Currently there are only two major manufacturers, Ford and Holden,... Read More

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The car sales top 10 January to June 2012 - The year so far

Predictions can be a dangerous activity to partake in. Sure, they can make events more interesting and yes, you can make a lot of money if you're good at it. However, there is another side, the embarrassing “wow, I was way off” side. The halfway point is here. Miles off or not, it’s time to look back at those top ten car sales predictions from January and find out how we are doing so far. Avid readers will know that... Read More

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Crisis? What crisis? - Is the auto industry back to boom times?

The 4th of December 2007 was a very cold day in Detroit. GM CEO Rick Wagoner woke up, joined the heads of Chrysler and Ford and drove to Washington to beg for the survival of their industry. Something was clearly rotten in the city of Detroit. While big changes and big progress has been made since that dark day the question still remains; Is the auto industry out of crisis yet? Is the crisis over? The short answer is yes, but nothing... Read More

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Hybrid or Electric - A new comparison

Switch on the TV, listen to the radio or check-up products online. Over time you will notice the widespread use of one word in particular. That word is “compare” and it can be used or misused to persuade you, as a customer, to part with your cash for any given product or service. This week we take an independent look at the comparison between hybrid and electric vehicles. Focusing on cost, environmental impact and the major... Read More

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Tips for the top – predictions for the top sellers of 2012

2011 was a year of radical change with uprisings, a new country in Africa, financial turmoil and financial miracles. The same, fortunately or unfortunately, could not be said of the Australian top ten selling vehicles. Other than a few re-models and a brief shuffle of the deck very little has changed in the last ten years. In this weeks blogwe give our tips for the top in 2012 and, unless something very big comes along, we're predicting... Read More

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Comments:

Peter said on 26/May/2012 6:53 PM

With the strong Aussie dollar your regular Japanese and Australian car buyers have ventured into the European new car showrooms boosting European carmakers share of the market. In the next few years these European Marques will begin to come out of their warranty period and the horror stories will surface about the extreme high price of parts and repairs. The European car sales will dramatically decline as there new customers they worked so hard to attract scurry back to the safety of the much cheaper to maintain and repair Japan and Australian cars. Of course Eurpean car makers could stop this by doing what they did to sell there new cars which is meet the market on price for maintenance and repairs. Unless they have learnt there lesson from years ago and make there part prices competitive they will again withdraw from the great summer land because Australian's won't tolerate uncompetitive pricing.

S Lodhi said on 10/Sep/2012 11:21 AM

I agree with peter on the foreign car parts issue, they look attractive but when it comes to parts, they are not party. The young rich job holders will buy expensive European cars and pay through their noses for parts and smile but the next time they would buy a Local or a Japanese car preferably a reliable, cheap to maintain Toyota, or Mazda (or Honda, or for small and quick Suzuki{nosier after one year} and not Mitsubishi) Toyota would definitely hold a position in 2012 and all the years to come, given some of us have grown in them, would want them in any shape or size, I strongly believe and suggest people to buy Holdens, because they are Australian cars, parts are friendly and that Commodore on road is definitely a head turner! BMW will sell regardless of we think. China will come up with solutions that will haunt me when I get old, they will catch up and kill KIA, Daewoo, Hyundai etc Toyota will still live If you want to become number one, this is what consumers want: Reliable, dependable strong car to run, cheap to maintain and serve us years and still look nice enough to pass as a decent car to be seen in. Don't Change the looks too often! by the way I love Jeep, American beast!

The all new Holden Barina - Top ten material?

Walking into the Melbourne docklands warehouse that hosted the Holden Barina launch I was immediately confronted with two vehicles. One was Holdens first attempt at the Barina, its boxy awkward frame reminded me of my mothers old 1980’s Ford Fiesta which would break down at the most inopportune of times (once on the beach as the tide was coming in). The other was the all new Holden Barina, which despite its less aesthetically... Read More

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Top selling cars of 2011

Click here for the year end update Jan 2012From cars, to computer games, to holiday destinations and everything in between, top ten lists are a favourite of hobbyists and enthusiasts the world over. From the fickle (the bar stool top ten) to the rigorous (top tens based on massive amounts of results and research), they reveal more and more about how we relate to the world around us and how we prioritise belongings, experiences and... Read More

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The Perth Motor Show 2011; A review

The Perth Motor Show returned to the Perth Convention Centre after a 3 year break to mixed reviews, tentative expectations and guarded optimism. The show was engaging and enjoyable but cost cautiousness on behalf of the organisers (and car manufacturers) was evident as some more fun motor show elements were absent. Highs and lows While the motor show was largely a successful venture with their event managers reporting the attendance... Read More

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What makes a good mine vehicle?

When we think of mine vehicles, images of super dump trucks, diggers and equipment hauling mega machines come to mind. However there is another vehicle strutting its stuff all over mines in Australia; the mine ready four wheel drive (4WD). For obvious reasons a conventional vehicle will simply not suffice in the tough, rugged, dangerous and changeable environment of a living mine. So what makes a long living, sturdy and reliable mine... Read More

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Will Holden Captivate the growing SUV market?

Posted: 01/07/2011 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
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Categories: | Car Review | Holden | Environmental News

Review; Holden Captiva Series 2 (7 seater diesel) Family wagons were, at one time, the vehicle of choice for so many Australian mums and dads. Lately however, this seems to be changing. With wagons declining in popularity and manufacturers discontinuing some models it would seem that there is now a space vacant in the Australian auto market. In a previous article I noted that the SUV’s seemed to be gaining ground on all other... Read More

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What makes a popular fleet car?

Car popularity has always been an issue of debate and popularity amongst fleet cars is a similarly contentious subject. Does popularity really mean quality and reliability, or does it mean something altogether less reassuring? For most, any given car's popularity is a combination of factors, some emotional and some practical, but is it possible to separate the two contributors? Without segmenting the fleet industry too much (the... Read More

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Holden on for a new Cruze

Posted: 07/04/2011 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
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Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Fleet Management | Holden

Since an emotional launch in Adelaide back in late February Australians have waited to hear the assessment of the new series 2 Holden Cruze. Would this second model build on the relative sales success of the first, or would it remind us of the disappointing Vectra range which Holden and GM would prefer to forget?The changesApart from a new grill, new bumpers and new wheels there isn’t much to distinguish the new Cruze from the one... Read More

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The rise of in-car technology

Posted: 11/02/2011 By: Cliona Kenneally - Marketing & Brand Manager
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Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Technology | Range Rover | Holden

In 1929, American Paul Galvin, the head of Galvin Manufacturing Corporation, invented the first car radio. Customers were required to purchase the radio separately with the car as the first car radios were not available from car makers. Imagine how many people would cause a riot if they were told today that their car radioshave to be purchased independently! Its hard to believe just how far we've come since then.Here at the Fleet Beat... Read More

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Holden Barina Spark - An ideal first car

Posted: 12/11/2010 By: Cindy Anthony - Marketing Assistant
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Categories: | Car Review | Holden

Do you remember your first car? I imagine some people would not have many pleasant recollections of their first bought as a teenager. However, the stereotype of the first car is fast approaching a revolution. This week at Fleetcare, we have had the amazing opportunity to cruise around in the new Holden Barina Spark for a whole week. The low price is definitely the first draw card, but delving further than first glance we found many... Read More

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Cruze vs Corolla

Posted: 15/10/2010 By: Laura Taylor - Marketing Assistant
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Categories: | Car Review | Toyota | Holden

Holden, the genuine Aussie icon. Toyota, the reliable household name. Both big names, both big players in the Australian car market. So how do they compare? We take a look at the new and improved Holden Cruze CD (5 speed manual) and put it next to the sturdy Toyota Corolla Ascent Sedan (6 speed manual) to see what these competing brands have to offer in the small car segment. Starting with the first look, the Cruze is a definite... Read More

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The Real Price of Safety

An article caught my eye this week - ”Safety expert: don’t buyCamry Hybrid” (drive.com.au). The reason? It’s only a 4 star safety rating. I don’t know about you, but for a car around $41,000 for the basic model, I’d probably expect 5 stars. When I mentioned this to someone in the office they said, “Most cars are actually 4 star safety – you always have to pay extra to get 5.” This... Read More

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March New Car Sales Increase by a Record Breaking 25.2%

In December 2009 the car sales figure dubbed ' the magic million' seemed like a far off prospect left back in 2007/08. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industry chief Andrew Mckellar predictied 2011 as the year Australia would return to pre-GFC sales levels. However the outstanding March new car sales figure of 94,744 was enough to change Mr Mckellar’s somber tune from last year,“This is an outstanding March result and... Read More

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Holden, Caltex and the Victorian Government Create Alternative Fuel Consortium to Introduce E85 Fuel Network

Posted: 25/03/2010 By: Bowan Spanbroek
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Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Technology | Government News | Holden

The bio-fuel cars of tomorrow could be closer than we think with the Victorian government recently announcing the formation of a consortium including, Caltex, Holden, & Coskata. The group will investigate the viability of creating an ethanol production plant in Victoria. This plant could produce up to 200 million litres of ethanol annually for cars powered on the ethanol based bio-fuel E85. This alternative fuel consists of 85%... Read More

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Holden’s Incredible Hulk

Posted: 21/10/2009 By: Bowan Spanbroek
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Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Technology | Holden

This year Edward Norton and Lou Farigno aren’t the only one showing off some green muscle. Holden’s new ‘MY10’ Commodore takes a progressive step away from previous gas guzzling models with a greener, more powerful 210kw engine. Who says that the environmentally friendly driver has to sip chai latte and drive a Hybrid? Holden’s new SIDI technology (Spark Ignition Direct Injection) reduces previous carbon... Read More

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