Holden Commodore and Astra safe: PSA
Peugeot regional boss rejects Holden take-over and promises Commodore and Astra production to continue as normalThe PSA Group insists it has no plans to reintroduce the Opel brand to Australia, and has scuppered reports of a Holden take-over.
The global manufacturer responsible for all Peugeot and Citroen products guaranteed that current Holden Commodore and Holden Astra supplies would continue uninterrupted “for the foreseeable future” in Australia under its acquisition of the Opel brand in 2017.
Earlier this year, the Australian Financial Review reported that Inchcape, the UK-based distributor for Subaru, Peugeot and Citroen in Australia, was considering a proposal to take over the distribution of Holden cars.
Holden officials at the time rubbished those reports.
Speaking with Australian press in Sydney, Emmanuel Delay, PSA’s executive vice president and operational director for the India Pacific, anticipated no immediate interruptions to Holden’s supply deal.
“First, we should not tell you anything but the answer is no,” he said.
“We have a current supply contract selling Opel-made cars to Holden, Astra and Commodore. That’s all that exists and this is just a result of the acquisition of Opel by PSA.
“Holden needed to continue supply and so they asked us to continue supplying those cars that they badge as Holdens. That’s all there is.”
When purchasing Opel in 2017, PSA, which also comprises the Peugeot, Citroen and DS brands, assumed the rights to two key Holden imports, the Astra hatchback and latest Insignia large sedan, rebadged in Australia as the Commodore.
At the time, PSA said it was happy to maintain the supply deal, suggesting it was a win for both parties, an arrangement that Delay said had been happily maintained since.
“There is a commercial agreement for a certain period. It doesn’t mean that after that period that you cannot extend that contract. It could go longer,” he said of Holden’s current deal, without giving a firm renewal date.
“To be honest, I don’t know the [exact end date of those contracts], but typically when you do these type of contracts you do it for two or three years. It depends on the interest of the buyer. If the buyer wants a long-term commitment from the supplier then they will ask for a long-term contract and they will define the quantities and so on,” he explained.
“The details I don’t have, but it’s very normal and it’s ongoing. It needs to be win-win, so if the user of the cars needs the cars, they will want to secure the supply and quantity for a certain period.
“Normally, if the seller is happy, they will want to continue making the cars and some decent money,” the PSA boss stated.
Further reading:
Holden Commodore cull coming
SPY PICS: Holden Commodore facelift
New Holden Commodore lifespan confirmed
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
