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The Commodore to go on a Diet
Since its arrival in Australia in 1978, the Commodore has been getting bigger and heavier. With its 5 meters long and 1.9 meters wide body, the Commodore provides spacious seating space for five and is branded as the biggest volume selling sedan in the world.
However, according to Holden Chairman and Managing Director Denny Mooney that after the expansion of the Commodore, it is not going to get any bigger because it doesn’t need to. Instead the Commodore is set to lose weight since it was criticized when the latest VE model arrived. The Commodore added 100kg in one generation. According to Mr. Mooney they decided to reduce the car’s weight to improve fuel consumption and performance.
The current VE Commodore weighs 1.7 tons -- almost half a ton more than the original VB Commodore of 1978. Its 3.6 liter engine is also bigger, producing a robust 181% more power. For three decades the Commodore has grown 19 cm in length, 18cm in width and 10cm in height.
Mr. Mooney also acknowledged the fact that the continuous increase in fuel prices has affected the sales of the VE Commodore which went on sale last August 2006. Fortunately for the Commodore, it remains to be Australia’s best-selling car even after its sales dropped to a 16-year low.
Although there is a plan to reduce the size of the Commodore Mr. Mooney says it will be made in accordance to current car size since it’s the desirable size for both Australians and other car users in the world.
The Commodore is competing under the large-car segment which is experiencing waning sales since buyers are shifting to smaller cars caused by higher fuel prices, increased competition and reduced import tariffs. Mr. Mooney still believes that there is a strong market for large cars stressing the point that the Commodore is still Australia’s best selling car.
He further added, "There are still a lot of people who want to buy large cars. It's still the one advantage we (Australia) have. We can export these."
Just last week General Motors has confirmed an export deal to sell 50,000 Commodores in the US badged as the Pontiac G8.
About General Motors
General Motors or GM for short is the world’s largest car manufacturer. GM was founded in 1908 and presently employs 327,000 people around the world. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Oldsmobile, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, and Vauxhall.
GM is the majority shareholder in GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. of South Korea, and has product, powertrain and purchasing collaborations with Suzuki Motor Corp. and Isuzu Motors Ltd. of Japan. GM also has advanced technology collaborations with Toyota Motor Corporation of Japan, DaimlerChrysler AG and BMW AG of Germany, and vehicle manufacturing ventures with several automakers around the world, including Toyota, Suzuki, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China, AutoVAZ and Avtotor of Russia and Renault SA of France.
GM Parts of various brands like Saab parts and accessories are sold under GM, GM Performance Parts, GM Goodwrench and ACDelco brands through GM Service and Parts Operations, which supplies GM dealerships and distributors worldwide. GM engines and transmissions are marketed through GM Powertrain. GM's largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
About the Author: Corey Putton is a 28-year old bachelor from Pittsburgh, PA who has been around cars for the better part of his life. He now works online and writes all about his passion: cars. He is also a certified mechanic.
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