Surprise of the year 2008

Toyota losing money? The Indians owning Jaguar? Are there any surprises left in Autoville?

2008: the auto year that was

When Toyota's about to post a loss, Jaguar ownership has shifted to the sub-continent and one of the fastest cars of 2008 is battery-powered, are there any surprises left in the world of four wheels?

As a matter of fact, yes. As the world economy flipped from boom to bust in 2008, the field was set and the climate ripe for change...

Mike Sinclair
Editor in Chief

Where do we start... Toyota Australia dumping TRD last week, and calling it an "Operational Change" -- no, that was hardly a surprise... The PR spin was typically Toyota and the surprise was that the petrolheads within the local arm got the chance to start a 'special vehicles' division in the first place.

No, the surprise of the year was not one but several cooperative and relatively logical moves on behalf of the Federal Government in researching, reviewing and announcing a car plan that half makes sense. The inequitable luxury car tax hike aside, the Feds came to the party with a sensible blend of measures in 2008: continuing tariff reductions; coupled with a long term industry assistance plan; and appropriate green technology funding. And when the wholesale finance sector decamped the local automotive segment, the government even stepped in and got the banks to play pool!

It's early days, of course, but the planets are at least on their way to aligning for the Aussie carmakers and market. Witness Holden's announcement regarding a small car, Ford's engine plant resurrection and what we expect to be further announcements of a wider range of Focus-based cars to be built at Broadmeadows...

Taxpayer funding of Toyota's Camry Hybrid assembly doesn't sit well with this writer, but there's every chance that the Big T could still have another announcement or two up its sleeve about its local builds.

Bet you, however, the good news won't be slipped out on the last Friday afternoon before Xmas, headed "Operational Change", however...

Ken Gratton
News Editor

Ford finding a way to keep the engine plant at Geelong running beyond 2010 was the surprise of 2008 for me -- as it is for many others. It is, in fact, suspiciously surprising -- in a good way though. Don't get me wrong, but I'm forced to ask: How?

Melissa McCormick
Production Editor

Any student of history would be humoured by Indian company Tata's takeover of Brit brands Land Rover and Jaguar early this year. As 2008 ends there's even talk of a partnership deal on the make for the company to sponsor the Ferrari F1 team...

Gautam Sharma
International Correspondent

Honda hadn't exactly set the Formula One world on fire with its performances in 2008 (quite the opposite, in fact), but the company had been talking a big game for 2009 -- the first year in which a car conceived under the stewardship of the wily Ross Brawn was to take the F1 grid. Indeed, Honda was even touting possible race wins, and the company was reportedly making overtures to bring double world champ Fernando Alonso into their fold for '09. Well, all this was trashed in seemingly the blink of an eye as the Japanese carmaker abruptly announced in early December that it was taking its bat and ball and going home. Honda supremo Takeo Fukui apologised to lead driver Jenson Button and the rest of the team, but said the dire global economic conditions had left the company with no choice. Boohoo.

John Wright
Buying Used Expert

Seeing the Toyota HiLux as the top-selling vehicle for at least two months of the year represents some kind of sign of the surprising times -- especially when the Corolla is one of its closest challengers for that position.

Otto Insider
The Auto Industry's Angry (not-so) Young Man

The return of Cadillac. Okay, call me a cynic, after all, that's what it says on my business card, but the return of Cadillac to Australia must rank as one of the biggest surprises of the year.

You'll have fallen into one of two camps on hearing the news. Camp A: Surely they're joking -- those old barges won't attract premium buyers in Australia... or Camp B: Woo hoo, bring em on, with fins please. [Ed: ahem, Otto, they don't do fins anymore.]

GM has poked Cadillac with a long sharp stick and wodges of dollars for the past 15 years in a low-key attempt to turn it into a global luxury brand. For the Prosecution, allow me to tender exhibit A: Lexus. Sired from Toyota, Japan. In the book on how to launch a luxury car brand, all you'll find is the Lexus story. Not only did it take America by storm, it succeeded in every other market.

Cadillac on the other hand has done nothing but the opposite outside of the US. Euros just don't get it. And neither will Aussies. And now with GM on its knees and down to its last fuel dump of Avgas for the Corporate Gulfstream V, Cadillac's future looks marginal -- and not just in Oz.

How will Cadillac wean Australian premium buyers from the Germans or indeed, Lexus?
Cadillac will not resuscitate GM's premium brands in Australia. Are reports of Saab's death in Australia greatly exaggerated, or has nobody cared enough to put a mirror under its nose? Even GM wants to flog off Hummer to anyone who expresses a passing interest.

What will be the greatest surprise of 2009 is if Cadillac does indeed launch here (in our paranoid recession-oriented market) and outsells any of its potential rivals (or stumbles into three figures, whichever is the larger).

Want to read our surprises of 2007? Check out more here

Surprise of the year 2008

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