Opel heads down under, announces exports to Australia

Opel Insignia Sports Tourer

German brand entering various smaller markets around the world including Israel and Chile

Opel has announced that it will be entering the Australian market in 2012.

The German brand is set to launch there next year with at least 3 models - the Corsa, Astra and the Insignia. Opel will announce the full product lineup as it gets closer to the market entry date.

"This launch is an important part of our international expansion strategy. With its growing demand for German design and technology, the Australian car market is an excellent opportunity for Opel. Australian drivers have a strong affinity with Opel vehicles," said Nick Reilly, Opel CEO, while at the Detroit auto show.

Opel has already announced entries into two small markets recently - Chile and Israel.

The automaker is also considering several others for a possible entry. Among those are Argentina, China, South Africa and some Middle-East markets too.

Source: Opel

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thamzn

Opel has been selling cars in South Africa for over 40 years now.

January 11, 2011 11:54 am

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automobile007

Are some Opel products already sold in Aus under Holden etc?

January 11, 2011 12:18 pm

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2 replies

oziseb

We used to get Opel product badged as Holden (Corsa/Barina, Astra, Vectra) but since Daewoo takeover we have been getting their rubbish!

January 11, 2011 2:37 pm

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James2911

Hopefully the Opels will sell like hotcakes and Holden will realise the mistake they made by selling dreadful Epicas, Captivas, Barinas and Vivas.

January 11, 2011 11:09 pm

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H3LUX

why would they do that? those models are already sold there under the name Holden which is the same really since they are both under GM.

January 11, 2011 12:41 pm

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coopergt

bring that cool wagon to the USA please

January 11, 2011 1:16 pm

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1 reply

wbizarre

I don't know about the wagon, but the sedan version of the Insignia will be sold in the States as a Buick.

January 12, 2011 7:52 am

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andrewB

Holden and HSV have both looked at bringing different cars to australia here to be badged as holden or hsv in the past years. Just recently HSV was looking at the Insigina as a model to go up against the Ford F6. I would of thought it would of been a double model range within the GM group

January 11, 2011 4:08 pm

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ghouwer1

They already sell those models as Chevrolets in south america, I don't get it.

January 11, 2011 4:20 pm

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joelynn

this sounds like bad news for Holden, introducing Opel rather than rebadging Opels as Holdens suggests that GM might be considering winding down Holden

January 11, 2011 6:04 pm

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5 replies

sideskraper

They will never "wind down" Holden. It is bordering on the most well known brand on the country.

January 12, 2011 3:57 am

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joelynn

dont bet on it, no brand, no matter how old and famous is safe with american car companies now- look at Pontiac or Mercury.

January 12, 2011 6:17 am

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sideskraper

I'm sorry but no. You are comparing apples to oranges. GM will not "wind down" Holden.

January 12, 2011 7:44 am

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v6s_stink

I have no idea whether GM will or won't wind down Holden, and anyone who thinks they know are kidding themselves. Oldsmobile was one of the oldest and most fabled automotive brands in America. Pontiac was GM's performance and halo brand for decades, and it wasn't even twenty years ago that this changed. The Firebird, Trans Am, GTO, Grand Prix, and others were by far the cars that younger, more affluent buyers choose out of GM's cloud of products. The Bonneville was what many moved to when they got older. That didn't even change much during the cookie cutter days of the 1980's and early 1990's (except for the lack of the GTO). Few would have believed 25 years ago that Pontiac and Olds would die and Buick would live on.

January 12, 2011 11:16 pm

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sideskraper

Apples and Oranges.

January 13, 2011 6:37 am

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sideskraper

As it stands now, Opel will be sold through Holden dealerships as a more upmarket option from within the GM stable. The current GM/Daewoo sourced Cruze and Barina are being increasinlgly positioned to combat Kia and Hyundai in the Australian market. So the Opel Astra and Corsa will fill the growing market for small cars in the sub premium price bracket. Sales of Golf's, MiTo's, Mini's, Pug's, Citroen's, Renault's, etc have been through the roof. GM will be positioning these cars to compete in this market by not cheapening the build quality of these cars as they have in the past when bringing them from Opel. This is great to see, I've been hoping we'd get the Corsa over here for some time. I liked the Grande Punto that my friend had, it's a shame they don't sell it anymore down here.

January 12, 2011 4:07 am

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andrewB

Holden wont be killed off with having designed and engineered the camaro and the platform from the commodore started the camaro and any RWD car model within the GM range.

January 12, 2011 7:57 am

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Broseph Stalin

ghouwer1@ Ignorant American. Down under refers to Australia we're much more informed about the world here in Russia.

January 12, 2011 5:30 pm

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