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NEWS
Opel Insignia firms as next Commodore
Fleeting farewell to Commodore; Insignia run up the mastThe successor to the VF Commodore in Australia is increasingly likely to be the next generation Opel Insignia.
Now don't get that look on your face... the next Insignia is reported to be shaping up as a larger car, offering everything under the sun from fuel-saving hybrid power to all-wheel drive with a turbocharged V6 producing a V8-beating figure of 375kW. And, like the current Insignia, it won't be some awful looking square-rigged, baroque mish-mash of committee styling... not if it looks even remotely like the Monza concept pictured here.
Earlier this year, the next-generation front-drive Opel Insignia pushed to the front of the field as the hot tip to replace the Commodore after Holden New Zealand's boss spilled the beans.
Resurgent speculation that the Insignia WILL be the Commodore replacement once Holden closes its Elizabeth production plant in 2017 has surfaced in the aftermath of the company's official announcement that as much as 30 per cent of its future product range will be sourced from Opel.
The current Insignia was sold in Australia during Opel's abortive attempt to set up camp in the Australian market. Even the OPC version with a twin-turbocharged V6 supplied by Holden's Port Melbourne engine plant failed to take any lustre away from the cheaper V8 Commodore models. But Opel will be sinking a lot of time and money into the 'Insignia-dore', and doubtless with some help from Holden.
In the meantime, while the days of the rear-drive Holden Commodore are numbered, the much-loved large car won't be bowing out with a whimper. GM Holden Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, George Svigos, said all the talk of the Commodore's successor ignored the fact that the current model still has a few surprises left.
"The important thing to remember is that we've got another three years of Commodore production," he said, reiterating that the company was still "committed" to building cars until at least 2017.
"We're selling great Commodores at the moment, they perform really strongly," he said. Thus far in 2014, Commodore sales are up by 26.5 per cent, with 23,784 of the cars finding homes, up from 18,806 for the same period in 2013.
"We're going to continue to try and surprise and delight customers with what's in the vehicle," he said.
When talk turned to a 'final edition' Commodore, Svigos teased, "You'll have to wait and see!"
But he noted that history was not lost on the Holden faithful, adding "I'm sure there'll be activities to reflect that".
"There's a lot of enthusiasm for the car. There's a segment of the market looking to take the high-end models as collectors' items towards the end of production cycle."
Although Svigos wouldn't be drawn on the Commodore's successor, and in particular the front-wheel drive Insignia, he explained that GM Holden has a new ability "now to look across the globe at what GM's producing and what would be relevant for our market".
"We're really confident in what we're seeing as GM's commitment to the brand, to the Aussie and New Zealand markets, and also what we've seen about the direction of future product."
Will Commodore buyers care whether Holden's next large car goes front-drive, like the Insignia?
"Every customer's an individual," said Svigos, which is PR code for 'no'.
"What we understand is we need a credible replacement in that large car segment, and we're very confident we can deliver that."
While Holden and indeed Opel executives, including Joachim Sell, Opel's Director, International Operations – who is responsible for the Opels arriving in the Australian market – stonewalled on the Insignia's widespread introduction to Australia, Svigos responded "No" when asked if Ford's decision on the Falcon's successor would influence Holden's decision.
"What will guide the decision is feedback from customers. Like any brand you speak to customers a lot, you find out what it is you're looking for in the different segments, then you marry that up with what can be delivered in Australia. That will be the guiding factor," he said.
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Written byFeann Torr
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