Holden

:This article is about the Australian car manufacturer. See Holden (places) for articles about towns named Holden.

New Zealand

The first export of Holdens to New Zealand began in 1954, and for many years they were assembled at the General Motors New Zealand plant in Petone outside Wellington, until it closed in 1990. While the Holden name was used on virtually all GM products in Australia, in New Zealand other GM products from Vauxhall, Bedford, Isuzu, Pontiac and Opel were sold as well.

Related Topics:
New Zealand - 1954 - Petone - Wellington - 1990 - Bedford

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However, for such a small market, it made little sense to have so many brands, so each was rationalized from the 1960s. Chevrolet and Pontiac had effectively disappeared from the market by the 1970s, though there were still Chevrolet trucks from the US and a top-end Holden Statesman with a Chevrolet V8 engine, known as the Chevrolet 350. Vauxhall's full line-up was pared back to the Chevette and Viva by 1977 as Holden's range expanded to include mid-sized cars (the Torana and Sunbird). Isuzu (selling the Gemini) and Vauxhall (with the last Chevette) disappeared on the launch of the Holden Gemini TE series in 1981, while Bedford met its demise with the assembly of the last CF vans in 1984.

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As 1983 began, Holden began fielding something close to a full range: the Gemini as the entry-level car, the Camira as the mid-sized one, and the Commodore in the large sector.

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However, the Australian Holden Camira (JB series) fared so badly in New Zealand that local GM bosses decided to replace it with a completely different model based on the Isuzu Aska (or JJ) from Japan. This was known as the JJ Camira, and proved to be much better than its Australian-sourced predecessor. The Isuzu-based model survived until Holden introduced the ultimate Camira, the JE, which made it across the Tasman Sea in 1987.

Related Topics:
Isuzu Aska - Japan - Tasman Sea

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As the 1980s continued and Holden's future became uncertain, General Motors New Zealand Ltd. pondered the reintroduction of other GM brands. In around 1985, there were strong rumours, and a GM report, that indicated that Holden would cease to exist in its current form, and that its models would be exclusively designed offshore. Certainly what was happening in Australia did not instil confidence: rebadged Suzukis, Nissans and Isuzus were occupying the bottom end of the range, while the Commodore was about to shift to a Japanese-designed three-litre engine.

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Therefore, Opel made a small reintroduction with a tiny selection of highly priced models (Kadett GSE, Ascona GT, Senator, Monza). Research showed that Pontiac had a good reputation, so rather than follow the Australian route with a rebadged Toyota Corolla, GM New Zealand brought in the Opel Kadett based LeMans from Daewoo of South Korea, attempting to fill both the compact and mid-sized sectors until the arrival of the Opel Vectra. Despite the car's origins and place of manufacture, it was marketed in New Zealand as 'American'.

Related Topics:
Daewoo - South Korea

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In the late 1980s, General Motors New Zealand attempted to use many makes and have 'GM' as the main brand. Therefore, the mainstream range in 1989 consisted of:

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• Holden Barina (a rebadged Suzuki Cultus/Swift)
• Pontiac LeMans (imported from Daewoo of Korea)
• Opel Vectra
• Opel Calibra
• Holden Commodore and Calais
• Holden Statesman
• Holden Piazza

Commercials bore the Isuzu name. This, however, created little brand loyalty and consumers did not accept 'GM' as a brand.

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It was only in 1994, with Holden's future more secure, that General Motors New Zealand finally became Holden New Zealand. The Opel name was dropped, and the Vectra was rebadged as a Holden, even though it was then not available in Australia. The Astra was introduced the following year, identical Opel-badged models, imported second hand from Japan, already being sold locally.

Related Topics:
1994 - Vectra - Astra - Imported second hand - Japan

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Early models of the Holden Astra and Vectra in New Zealand differed from those sold in Australia, in that they had a distinctive grille with a 'V' containing the Holden badge, similar to that used by Vauxhall in the UK. Later on this was changed to bring the New Zealand model range in line with Australia.

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Similarly, the Isuzu Trooper off-road vehicle was rebadged the Holden Jackaroo, as in Australia, although owing to the widespread availability of the identical Isuzu Bighorn as a used Japanese import, that name was used on brand new models imported by Holden New Zealand. For a very brief, and with hindsight anomalous, period during 1998-1999, the Holden Frontera was sold new in New Zealand as the Isuzu Wizard, though things have now been brought into line with Australia.

Related Topics:
Isuzu Trooper - Holden Frontera

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There are still differences between the Holden model ranges in Australia and New Zealand. It was only in August 2005 that the wagon version of the Holden Astra went on sale in Australia, while in New Zealand, the Astra wagon is to be dropped, like the Zafira in 2004. The Astra Turbo, and Tigra have also been released in Australia, but will not be sold in New Zealand.

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