Catering for the U.S. market

[loste_treasures]

Hello all,

I guess this could be answered by someone from Biante. The various commodores that are manufactured by Holden are also sold overseas. In the U.S. they are sold as Chevs. They are practically the same with the only major differences being the badges and being left hand drive.

I wonder if Biante couldnt re-design the commodores by doing the same? They could then tap into that market as well.

[toecutter]

Opel Omega aka holden commordore comes as left hand drive and are available. Same car just with 3 different badges.

[GTSCoup]

The Opel Omega is NOT a Holden Commodore with three different badges. When the current style Commodore was first released (for the VT model) Holden made up a clay mock up with one side Commodore and the other side Opel Omega. The proportions are different in almost every way.

Also, there are no current Holdens exported to the US at this stage (Monaro/GTO will be the first). Currently Holden Statesman models are exported to the middle east and badged as Chevrolet Luminas.

[toecutter]

The commodore shape was designed in Europe. It was made a little bigger in shape but not by much. The only difference with the Omega is the front apron and the engine. The rest is the same, even the interior colours and pattern designs are the same.
As for the first post are you wanting a Commodore diecast with CHEV badges?

[loste_treasures]

Originally posted by GTSCoup
The Opel Omega is NOT a Holden Commodore with three different badges. When the current style Commodore was first released (for the VT model) Holden made up a clay mock up with one side Commodore and the other side Opel Omega. The proportions are different in almost every way.

Also, there are no current Holdens exported to the US at this stage (Monaro/GTO will be the first). Currently Holden Statesman models are exported to the middle east and badged as Chevrolet Luminas.

Can someone please tell me this?......

Why have i seen so many Commdores here in Melbourne all with Chev badges on them, including the actual word CHEVROLET (imbedded in the plastic above the number plate and below the actual badge) where the word HOLDEN should be. Ive looked closely at it and no its not a fake, its the real thing even the steering wheel has the CHEV emblem in it.

Can someone also please tell me why i have also seen them LEFT HAND DRIVE?????

[Martin Thomas]

Holy crap, Has any one else seen these, I still havent seen a Monaro in our little town. I wonder if its some sort of aftermarket mob. The same as people getting Chev. badges for thier Suburbans.

[admin]

The head of Holden Design would have a heart attack if he saw this thread.
The Opel car, in my opinion, would not have 10% common parts to a VT/VX. They are totally different cars. I rent them in Europe and they ain't Commodores...guaranteed.
As far as Chevs in America..there are none that are Holdens. Yet!!
In the mid east there are Commodores badged as Luminas and Statesmans badged as Chevs and used as limo's, police cars and taxis..depending on the level of equipment.
The Chev infil panels for VT and VX Commodores are quite common as it is an orderable part. One of our local Holden parts guy runs around in an SS Commodore with Chevvy badges and rear light assembly, not that I can understand why he would waste the money.
Same as they guys who put Monaro lights and grilles on a Commodore.....waste of money. If you want a Monaro, buy one.

[loste_treasures]

Thanks admin for the clarification. This type of aftermarket alteration must be quite popular here in Melbourne. I see so many of these.

What hasnt been explained to me yet is that some very, very, very few i have also seen are left hand drive.

The even have a sign on the bac warning others that they are left hand drive. Maybe Holden have given some to their employees to test out? Who knows........

[Hati]

Middle Eastern imports I would say. There is a lot of aussies working over there, the wages are high and cars are cheap. Second hand market is a lot cheaper then buying new here.

[loste_treasures]

Originally posted by toecutter
The commodore shape was designed in Europe. It was made a little bigger in shape but not by much. The only difference with the Omega is the front apron and the engine. The rest is the same, even the interior colours and pattern designs are the same.
As for the first post are you wanting a Commodore diecast with CHEV badges?

I think you have it all wrong. The OPEL might have once been very similar to the very first Commodore, but these days they are very different in every way.

As for my original post. I simply thought that there was a market in the U.S for Biante to explore. And yes, should they do it, i would buy one......

[admin]

Originally posted by loste_treasures
Thanks admin for the clarification. This type of aftermarket alteration must be quite popular here in Melbourne. I see so many of these.

What hasnt been explained to me yet is that some very, very, very few i have also seen are left hand drive.

The even have a sign on the bac warning others that they are left hand drive. Maybe Holden have given some to their employees to test out? Who knows........

You are in Melbourne and Holden Design is in Melbourne...maybe it was a 'mule' running around.
I was in Detroit a while back and almost got run over by a left hand drive AU.
Then I came home via Hong Kong and got into an AU wagon taxi!!
Small world.

[v8coupe]

Reminds me, I have seen a commodore around with chevrolet on the boot. I am a holden man, but I would also prefer the chev badging, as I like the chev bowtie over the holden lion badges.

There is some nice merchandise I saw online at Chev Mall. Bummer with the exchange rate though, makes it a tad dear.
Anyone know a place that sells chev merchandise in Melbourne?

[ferrari fan]

There is a white statesman driving around, with the same blue chev badge and no other signs, here in Perth.
I'll confuse the lot and going to put a John Deere badge on my bolide that is realy an old Opel Reteketed Kadett:D

[berkut76]

As I've stated numerous times in my previous posts: AMERICAN-made and designed passenger cars DO NOT sell well in the US with a few exceptions because they are no longer appeal to anybody. Most of the production Chevys and Fords go straight to rental fleets. Trucks, SUVs (i.e. Explorer and Suburban), and Vans are bread and butter of Detroit's big three. Bob Lutz, the current CEO of GM has to kill one GM model (i.e. Regal) after another and even discontinue the whole lines (i.e. Oldsmobile). Monaro is one of the few trumps under his sleeve and it will be sold under the Pontiac badge under the resurrected GTO name. If you put the badge "Chevrolet" on any CAR over here it's guaranteed NOT to sell at all. Furthermore, both Ford and Detroit are currently looking at their overseas models, including VX and AU to sell them in the US as high gasoline prices might put a damper on SUV sales.
As for the Biante models, with the exception of Mustard prototype they are only available through www.scale18.com

Regards,
Sergey

[toecutter]

The Opel car, in my opinion, would not have 10% common parts to a VT/VX. They are totally different cars. I rent them in Europe and they ain't Commodores...guaranteed.
Admin you must have had jet lag not to realize it was a commodore. Same interior patterns etc, same side panels, same rims, same back end. There more than 10% there. Same car, different apron

[biante3413]

Berkut,
The Buick Regal was killed because it was too similiar to the Buick Century. Oldsmobile was eliminated as there was too much cross over within GM brands. Once upon a time, the GM brands had distinct market segments; Chevrolet was the bread and butter line, Pontiac was slightly up market and more performance oriented. Buick and Oldsmobile were for the professionals; doctors and lawyers, etc. and Cadillac was the top of the line luxury line. These times(50's& 60's) were when leasing was only for large companies who'd lease large numbers of cars for their executives(leasing was unheard of for the common Jack and Jill) and foreign cars were fairly uncommon and novelties. But later on, the lines became blurred. Buick and Olds made muscle cars along with Chevy and Pontiac. Remember the Buick Regal GN Turbo? Quicker than it's contemporary Corvette.
I think it unfair to say that American cars are very unpopular. I live in the same metropolitan area as you do and I'd have to say I see an even mix of American and foreign made cars. You say that most American cars go to rental fleets, well go visit your local rental lot and you'll see plenty of Japanese cars there, too. It's all on which manufacturer has the best bids.
When I get my Pontiac GTO, I may put on Holden and Monaro Badges:D

[loste_treasures]

Originally posted by toecutter

Admin you must have had jet lag not to realize it was a commodore. Same interior patterns etc, same side panels, same rims, same back end. There more than 10% there. Same car, different apron

I actually agree with Admin here. I've driven both cars (my cousing actually has an OPEL) and can honestly state that they are different cars. Of course there are some very slight similarities, but not many.

[berkut76]

To biante3413
It's surprising that we see things so differently. I can't comment for any decade prior to the 1990s as I grew up in the former Soviet Union. However, where I live a family usually owns one Japanese (Camry, Accord, Maxima) or European sedan (Passat or Mexican-build Jetta) and an American SUV. No Tauruses, Monte Carlos, Malibus, etc. In poor neighborhoods, there are plenty of rusted American junk from the 1970s and 1980s parked next to the latest models of Mercedes and Lexuses. Go figure.
My first car was 1984 Buick Century, the most effective opposite sex repellant ever known to a mankind. Maybe that's why I have such STRONG feelings for American cars.

Regards,
Sergey

[loste_treasures]

Originally posted by berkut76
To biante3413
It's surprising that we see things so differently. I can't comment for any decade prior to the 1990s as I grew up in the former Soviet Union. However, where I live a family usually owns one Japanese (Camry, Accord, Maxima) or European sedan (Passat or Mexican-build Jetta) and an American SUV. No Tauruses, Monte Carlos, Malibus, etc. In poor neighborhoods, there are plenty of rusted American junk from the 1970s and 1980s parked next to the latest models of Mercedes and Lexuses. Go figure.
My first car was 1984 Buick Century, the most effective opposite sex repellant ever known to a mankind. Maybe that's why I have such STRONG feelings for American cars.

Regards,
Sergey

berkut76....i hate to be petty...but the CAMRY is an Australian built vehicle, made here in Melbourne amd exported to the world!

[berkut76]

No problem loste_treasures,
Here in the the US, Camry rolls from Toyota's TN or KY Assembly plant.
I don't know about Australia, but here in the US the cars are classified as foreign or domestic not based on the final assmebly point but on parts origin. If at least 75% of composing parts are made in the US, then the vehicle is classified as domestic. Thus, American cars that are assembled in Canada or Mexico still count as domestic. Definitely not so with the Camry.
Speaking of most Japanese sedans, most of them feel like well-made American cars. The steering is imprecise and absolutely no feeling of anything. Camry is just that, an epitomy of mediocrity.
I would like to get something flashy, but insurance premiums are still high for a single 26 year old.

Cheers,
Sergey

[wacpt]

Here is the link to Opel Europe . Check out the Omega and see the difference.
Opel Omega (http://www.europe.opel.com/cars/omega/intro/index .jhtml)

If I am correct, the original Commodore was modelled on the Opel, But for many years now, Holden has been exporting parts including engines to Opel Europe for use in their cars. It's quite plausible that Opel are now modelling parts of their cars on our Commodore, however, I can't see too many similarities.
You be the judge

[VRSS]

The pics on that page look more like a Hyundai Sonata than a Commodore!

The original VB Commodore did resemble to car that it was taken from, but even then they made it larger and modfied a lot more to suit the larger car and Australian conditions.

Whether or not people think it's an Opel in disguise, we export Commodores to the mid-east. So we must make a better car than Opel. It would be cheaper for them to import from Europe.

[wacpt]

In fact, I remember reading years ago that they modified an SLR wheelbase to the proposed commodore dimensions and an opel body to make one car since the Opels they brought over for evaluation broke up on our dirt roads. They're not built to our needs over there.
Even the US, Japanese and other European manufacturers have brought cars over here to test up north since we have some of the harshest roads in the world.
You can always find similarities between Holdens/Fords and their US and European counterparts. Take the early Opel Kadett and EH/EJ, or the Kadett Coupe and Gemini, Rekord and HR/HD, even the FX/FJ and Buick have similar looking parts.
The early Falcons XK etc, were based on the US Falcon. The list is endless. This usually occurred because the designers in Australia at the time were from the US or Europe counterparts.
Now we have the latest commodores that are Australian designed. There are still some similarities, but now other countries are using OUR designs and parts in THEIR cars.
As for the Opel Omega, I think 10% was being generous.