Holden's Car of the Future

The second car line will start in the third quarter of 2010 with support from the Federal and South Australian Governments. The vehicle will be based on General Motors' global Delta small car platform and feature new technologies to increase fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse emissions. The new front-wheel drive vehicle will be built as a sedan and hatch at GM Holden's Elizabeth manufacturing facility in South Australia. Design and engineering work will take place at the company's headquarters in Port Melbourne, Victoria. Start stop hybrid technology and capacity to run on alternative fuels such as E85, diesel, LPG and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) are all being considered for the vehicle's development. It will be GM Holden's first locally produced car beyond its current range of larger vehicles since the Asian economic crisis ended Vectra production in 1998.

The program will require 500 to 600 existing employees at Elizabeth and is estimated to provide 500 to 600 local supplier positions. GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Reuss said the announcement provided opportunity to take a leading role in developing alternative fuel and fuel saving technologies in Australia for Australians. Mr Reuss said the program would be a major contributor to the economy, generating an estimated $70 million to $80 million in wages and $30 million in research and development. "Together with Government, we are extending the scope and consumer appeal of our local manufacturing efforts," Mr Reuss said.

About the vehicle:
The new small, front-wheel drive, four-cylinder vehicle to be built by GM Holden at Elizabeth will be based on General Motors' global Delta small car architecture. Other examples of the architecture will include the next generation Chevrolet Cruze and Opel, Vauxhall and Saturn Astra. The architecture was primarily developed by GM Europe in Russelsheim, Germany for GM markets around the world. Local design and engineering work on the Australian vehicle will take place at GM Holden's Port Melbourne headquarters in Victoria. Direct injected petrol and diesel variants of the vehicle will be produced with GM Holden considering a range of alternative fuel or fuel saving technologies including E85, LPG, CNG and start stop hybrid capability.

Further details about the vehicle including its nameplate, design specifications and pricing will be determined closer to the time of production. Given the competitiveness of the small car segment, key decisions will be made to ensure the first Australian made small car choice for many years will be a compelling one. The vehicle will be built in the south bodyshop of the Elizabeth facility, which was previously used for the Vectra assembly in the late 1990s.