Is the Corvette Headed to Australia for Holden?

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Is the Corvette Headed to Australia for Holden?
Photo Credit: corvetteclinic.com.au

Our friends down under may soon be able to buy a fancy new American car at their Holden dealer in Australia.

That was the word last week from Stefan Jacoby, head of General Motors’ international division.

Jacoby didn’t give many details about the new car, but he did tell Australian media this week that Holden will get a “halo model” after production of the V8 Commodore ends in 2017.

What that exact halo model will be has not been confirmed by GM, but by process of elimination, the Corvette is the likely choice.

“We will bring a true sports car to Australia for the brand Holden,” Jacoby said. “It will be something which fulfills the requirement of a true Holden sports car.”

Jacoby confirmed that the car will have a V8 under the hood and will go on sale in 2018.

News Corp believes the Corvette will be that car, since the new generation Camaro has not been developed for right-hand-drive and the Cadillac V8 won’t fit a steering wheel on the right side because the engine takes up too much room. Also, the 2018 timeline falls in place with the rumored C8 Corvette.

Then there are the subtle messages sent through GM leaders back in 2013.

Is the Corvette Headed to Australia for Holden?
Photo Credit: corvetteclinic.com.au

Even chief engineer Tadge Juechter, at the unveiling of the C7 in 2013, told reporters: “We want the Corvette to come to Australia. I get letters from Australia all the time. Our primary competition sells left- and right-hand-drive, so that’s what we want to do. Our plan is to make this a truly global car.”

GM’s then-boss Dan Akerson also told News Corp Australia at the same time that the Corvette would be made in right-hand-drive and would be arriving in Australia “soon.”

Akerson and Juechter may have been a little too enthusiastic at the unveiling, though, because less than 24 hours later, Akerson’s second-in-command Tim Lee, then the leader of GM’s international operations, reneged on that promise, saying “I have no idea what (Akerson) said but we have no plan to put a right-hand-drive under that bonnet. The Corvette is a Chevrolet, it’s not a Holden, it never will be, next question.”

Apparently, Akerson and Juechter were right all along, at least based on Jacoby’s comments last week.

The Aussies better be ready to open their wallets, though, because News Corp believes the Corvette will cost close to $100,000, same as a current HSV GTS sedan, after exchange rates and shipping costs are figured.


Source:
news.com.au

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