[Swordsman88]

i think alot of people on here need to rethink their view on Holden being sold off. Sure GM will have to drastically shrink its operations, including selling off overseas operations. The question is at what point does selling the stuff off hurt you more than it saves you. For example, unless you do a deal with the new owners of opel (can't believe they want to sell this off, shows how stuffed they are, its like Ford selling off Ford of Europe???) to share platforms/tech.

Ford did a similar deal RE engines and some engineering for Jag/LR and Aston when it sold them, but that wasn't wholesale platforms etc. Those companies were becoming more niche and developing their own platforms for years before Ford decided to sell them anyway. Companies like Opel (and particularly holden) are GM now. Not a small part, not a little company they own, they are GM. There is no Holden teh australian company (as we know it).

The VE may be trumpeted as the last from the ground up local platform, but i only went ahead because GM (via Lutz) wanted Zeta. When they decided they didnt' want Zeta any more (2007 i think) holden just about shat itself. Then they realised that they would need it again because trucks weren't selling (doh) and they wanted camaro etc. to go ahead. Either way, Holden does a crap load of engineering and design work for GM (just as Ford Aus does for Ford) and separating them would be messy and costly. If GM thinks it doesn't need Zeta in the future (possible, Ford is thinking about dumping GRWD) then maybe, as long as they do a deal with Holden's new owners to keep building Camaro off that platform. Possibly someone will buy GM's overeas operations in pieces (mid east/asia/pacific, europe) but it won't be easy. Its not like selling Saab or even hummer or saturn.

As long as Holden helps GM more than it hurts it (small losses here in the grand scheme of things) then GM might, stress might be able to keep holden going by using US gov. money (though that would be politically a problem for obama). As for Holden itself, well it has bigger problems in its lineup than some DoD, ethanol and a Daewoo designed astra knock off in local production.

I hope they survive to be honest, competition is good and aussies should keep their jobs. I just hope they learn some lessons about offering a quality lineup and not sticking their head in the sand. Ford took the pain early, and was quick thinking, willing to reverse decisions (duratec V6 etc.) both locally and globally. GM was too little, too late. And that includes Holden and its rushed supposed small car saviour......