Holden GM to cease Australian production by 2017

[precopster]

It was inevitable.

Holden cars will finally be winding up its Australian car production plants locally after production began in 1948 with its first model the 48-215 (later evolving in to the FJ model) and Holden cars will never be the same as we have come to know them. Job losses in total will approach more than 2800 between the South Australian and Victorian production facilities.

The newly appointed Liberal government announced that it would no longer subsidise GM Holden with a half billion dollar annual subsidy to keep the company viable. GM yesterday announced it could not carry the burden of its financial crisis any longer. With only 1 in 8 new purchases being Holdens and with such a small Australian market, Holden has been struggling to maintain composure.

Local Ford operations will see the demise of the Falcon range shortly after poor sales performance of the model and the global crisis hitting Ford very hard also.

How will Holden's global products be affected? The Chevy Lumina may be axed in time as production facilities cease the body panel and chassis building lines.

Holden will continue as a marketing, design and service arm and will continue to provide global GM products through its dealer network.