Opel coming to Oz - How will they get on?
Discussion
Opel are bringing in a few "Vauxhalls" now but other than one Insignia a few weeks back, I've not seen any.
Personally I'd rather have the Insignia over a Commodore, but I know the natives wont think the same!
At some point in the future, the market for diesels is going to grow here and I think that'll be the tipping point for the European manufacturers.
So will they succeed?
Personally I'd rather have the Insignia over a Commodore, but I know the natives wont think the same!
At some point in the future, the market for diesels is going to grow here and I think that'll be the tipping point for the European manufacturers.
So will they succeed?
I still don't get why they don't drop the diesel out of the Captiva into the Commodore, would have thought it would have been a huge seller especially in wagon form.
Seen a few Opels around Melb since they launched, mostly Astras though. Doubt the Insignia will sell all that well given you don't see a huge number of Mondeos around.
Seen a few Opels around Melb since they launched, mostly Astras though. Doubt the Insignia will sell all that well given you don't see a huge number of Mondeos around.
The mondeo is a puzzler for me. When I was looking for a car upon arrival it was down to a Mondeo or Mazda 6 - In the end I went for the Mazda because it was an wagon and thats what my wife preferred. I think I see one Mondeo a week at most, compared to hundreds of Falcons.
Are Aussie's partial to the Falcon because it's made here? Surely there cant be a great deal of different between the cars themselves?
Are Aussie's partial to the Falcon because it's made here? Surely there cant be a great deal of different between the cars themselves?
Perhaps it's because the Falcon drives the right wheels & has a straight 6, a real mans engine.
So many Ozzies have something they need to tow, & it is often a couple of tons, so we need something a bit tougher than most european front drive things, or jap FWD things actually. I once towed a horse float 600Km behind a Camry, & it was 2" longer, & an inch narrower at the destination.
Still I think the days of the Falcon, & even the Commodore are numbered, with so many opting for 4X4 lumps.
So many Ozzies have something they need to tow, & it is often a couple of tons, so we need something a bit tougher than most european front drive things, or jap FWD things actually. I once towed a horse float 600Km behind a Camry, & it was 2" longer, & an inch narrower at the destination.
Still I think the days of the Falcon, & even the Commodore are numbered, with so many opting for 4X4 lumps.
I hope Opel do well - they actual give that european feel that Holden want but in a more modern package. I certainly wouldnt mind an Astra VXR!
I live near Opel on Scarborough Beach road and first time I saw an Opel Astra I thought it was a HyundaKia but one of the new smart ones that you embarrassingly like!
The Mondeo is an anomaly. Its about the same price as a Falcon but is slightly smaller and the top end version isnt an auto. So what you end up with is a Falcon priced car with a Focus priced engineering with Corolla levels of blandness.
I live near Opel on Scarborough Beach road and first time I saw an Opel Astra I thought it was a HyundaKia but one of the new smart ones that you embarrassingly like!
The Mondeo is an anomaly. Its about the same price as a Falcon but is slightly smaller and the top end version isnt an auto. So what you end up with is a Falcon priced car with a Focus priced engineering with Corolla levels of blandness.
Thinking about it, my daughter & family had a V8 Falcon ute, [the hot one what ever it is], & it went through 3 diffs under warranty.
They have had a couple of Astras, each of which did over 100,000Km with out trouble.
They have now had to go 4X4 as their latest boat is too big for much less. My daughter hates it as her shopping trolley, & would prefer her Astra, but she loves going boating, so has to pay the price.
They have had a couple of Astras, each of which did over 100,000Km with out trouble.
They have now had to go 4X4 as their latest boat is too big for much less. My daughter hates it as her shopping trolley, & would prefer her Astra, but she loves going boating, so has to pay the price.
Hasbeen said:
Perhaps it's because the Falcon drives the right wheels & has a straight 6, a real mans engine.
So many Ozzies have something they need to tow, & it is often a couple of tons, so we need something a bit tougher than most european front drive things, or jap FWD things actually. I once towed a horse float 600Km behind a Camry, & it was 2" longer, & an inch narrower at the destination.
Still I think the days of the Falcon, & even the Commodore are numbered, with so many opting for 4X4 lumps.
No. Most think they do, but in really buy the same old sSo many Ozzies have something they need to tow, & it is often a couple of tons, so we need something a bit tougher than most european front drive things, or jap FWD things actually. I once towed a horse float 600Km behind a Camry, & it was 2" longer, & an inch narrower at the destination.
Still I think the days of the Falcon, & even the Commodore are numbered, with so many opting for 4X4 lumps.
t their dad bought. I will never buy a wrong wheel drive car. They might be alright for mum getting the shopping but I like to actually drive!
Unfortunately the way things are going our kids will rarely get to drive a proper car, but then again most Aussie drivers are really only passengers behind the wheel anyway, with no clue about driving
Unfortunately the way things are going our kids will rarely get to drive a proper car, but then again most Aussie drivers are really only passengers behind the wheel anyway, with no clue about driving
You would not say that WeirdNeville if ever you had driven my TR8. Just idling around the shopping centre car park it is more exciting in it, with that gorgeous sound & feel, than any front drive car ever made.
Yes today we can no longer enjoy much of our cars capacity on public roads, so I look for wet road handling at main road speeds, a no no in front drive, & 80 to 120Km/H overtaking acceleration.
Few moderns offer any pleasure to drive, & it appears that designers are in a competition to achieve the most contrived ugliness possible.
Many stop & admire my TR7, showing some taste, many have admired the S2000, some calling it beautiful, which is going too far in my opinion. A very large number have talked about the TR8, particularly those who have heard it, but you know no one has ever admired the Mazda 2, or even the ladies new Fiesta. How can that be, with nice new cars?
I remember in 68, in a yet to be released 327 Bathurst Monaro, driving down it to Coffs Harbour, on the Hume Highway late one night, through a series of corners labeled 30 & 35 MILES per hour by recommended speed signs. I was sliding through these things at about 70MPH with Jim Palmer in another one right up my tail. What a ball. Even if you made a mistake, you were slow enough to get it back without trouble.
If that road still existed, [it's sure to have been straightened] & the law permitted, with modern rubber you'd have to be doing 115MPH to have fun, even in a shopping trolley, & a mistake would see you buried nose first in the scenery, even before you knew it.
I do feel sorry for todays youngsters, who have totally missed the best of the age of motoring. Today, unless you race, or do the Targas, there is not much fun to be had, even if you find a road where you've not following 6 other cars at the speed of the lowest common denominator.
So kids, not much left but to sit at the foot of grand dad, & have him tell you how good it used to be, even in a British Ford or Leyland product.
Yes today we can no longer enjoy much of our cars capacity on public roads, so I look for wet road handling at main road speeds, a no no in front drive, & 80 to 120Km/H overtaking acceleration.
Few moderns offer any pleasure to drive, & it appears that designers are in a competition to achieve the most contrived ugliness possible.
Many stop & admire my TR7, showing some taste, many have admired the S2000, some calling it beautiful, which is going too far in my opinion. A very large number have talked about the TR8, particularly those who have heard it, but you know no one has ever admired the Mazda 2, or even the ladies new Fiesta. How can that be, with nice new cars?
I remember in 68, in a yet to be released 327 Bathurst Monaro, driving down it to Coffs Harbour, on the Hume Highway late one night, through a series of corners labeled 30 & 35 MILES per hour by recommended speed signs. I was sliding through these things at about 70MPH with Jim Palmer in another one right up my tail. What a ball. Even if you made a mistake, you were slow enough to get it back without trouble.
If that road still existed, [it's sure to have been straightened] & the law permitted, with modern rubber you'd have to be doing 115MPH to have fun, even in a shopping trolley, & a mistake would see you buried nose first in the scenery, even before you knew it.
I do feel sorry for todays youngsters, who have totally missed the best of the age of motoring. Today, unless you race, or do the Targas, there is not much fun to be had, even if you find a road where you've not following 6 other cars at the speed of the lowest common denominator.
So kids, not much left but to sit at the foot of grand dad, & have him tell you how good it used to be, even in a British Ford or Leyland product.
Hasbeen said:
Many stop & admire my TR7, showing some taste, many have admired the S2000, some calling it beautiful, which is going too far in my opinion. A very large number have talked about the TR8, particularly those who have heard it, but you know no one has ever admired the Mazda 2, or even the ladies new Fiesta. How can that be, with nice new cars?
I remember in 68, in a yet to be released 327 Bathurst Monaro, driving down it to Coffs Harbour, on the Hume Highway late one night, through a series of corners labeled 30 & 35 MILES per hour by recommended speed signs. I was sliding through these things at about 70MPH with Jim Palmer in another one right up my tail. What a ball. Even if you made a mistake, you were slow enough to get it back without trouble.
But beauty does not go hand-in-hand with fun, does it? A Maseratti GT is arguably one of the most beautiful modern cars but some who have driven it say its not much fun and a Ferrari is better. Conversely a Peugeot 205 GTi would be great fun to drive (and is FWD) yet it looks very plain.I remember in 68, in a yet to be released 327 Bathurst Monaro, driving down it to Coffs Harbour, on the Hume Highway late one night, through a series of corners labeled 30 & 35 MILES per hour by recommended speed signs. I was sliding through these things at about 70MPH with Jim Palmer in another one right up my tail. What a ball. Even if you made a mistake, you were slow enough to get it back without trouble.
Our Mazda BT50 work ute is fun to drive on a wet road!
Your comments about modern rubber and modern cars pushing the "fun speed" a lot higher are true in the majority of cases, for cars where enjoyment is low on the priority list, but there are always cars like the MX5 and GT86 to fill that gap.
I'm sure your 327 Monaro experience could easily be replicated in a GT86 followed by a Subaru BRZ.
I have never been able to understand the attraction of the MX5. They don't handle that well, & are just too lacking in power to make a good cruiser. For a long trip, my TR7 is a better choice, although having only a little more power than the Mazda. The newer flappy paddle Mazda things are horrible. The later MR2s were equally not very engaging to drive. If I want to go go karting, I'd rather take a go kart.
No experience of the GT 86, so can't comment, but have you? What are they like, they look like fun.
I bought the S2000 as a better handling thing & nicer to drive than the Mazda, & it does have that 80 to 120 acceleration, to make overtaking semis on short straights possible, as does the 8.
The point I was making is that with modern tyres, nothing can replace the old 327. Not even a 327, with modern rubber could do it. Much of the fun was possible because of the forgiving nature of many of the cars of the day, with the old rubber. With much more grip, giving higher speeds the Monaro would be much less forgiving, making that sort of driving, on public roads a bit to antisocial.
Where as a Falcon GT HO wanted to kill you at any opportunity, many cars would allow you to get away with quite clumsy driving. I once had a company Hillman Minx, which with new Pirellis on the front, & recaps on the back, was a ball of fun on the Putty road. Taking the 69 HO ready for Bathurst up there was an exercise in disaster avoidance.
No experience of the GT 86, so can't comment, but have you? What are they like, they look like fun.
I bought the S2000 as a better handling thing & nicer to drive than the Mazda, & it does have that 80 to 120 acceleration, to make overtaking semis on short straights possible, as does the 8.
The point I was making is that with modern tyres, nothing can replace the old 327. Not even a 327, with modern rubber could do it. Much of the fun was possible because of the forgiving nature of many of the cars of the day, with the old rubber. With much more grip, giving higher speeds the Monaro would be much less forgiving, making that sort of driving, on public roads a bit to antisocial.
Where as a Falcon GT HO wanted to kill you at any opportunity, many cars would allow you to get away with quite clumsy driving. I once had a company Hillman Minx, which with new Pirellis on the front, & recaps on the back, was a ball of fun on the Putty road. Taking the 69 HO ready for Bathurst up there was an exercise in disaster avoidance.
In the same way, you would have to be mad to buy an Oz built Ford today.
I have an Oz Capri, the 2+2 soft top, & Ford now supply nothing for them, not even consumables. I have to get things like strut top bearings from the US, they will not even get them for you.
I reckon all Oz Fords are going to become orphans very quickly, when Ford is just another importer of European stuff or Mazda's with a different badge.
I have an Oz Capri, the 2+2 soft top, & Ford now supply nothing for them, not even consumables. I have to get things like strut top bearings from the US, they will not even get them for you.
I reckon all Oz Fords are going to become orphans very quickly, when Ford is just another importer of European stuff or Mazda's with a different badge.
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