Holden Combo under threat

While the current Holden Combo wears the Lion badge in Australia, it is actually produced by its German sister brand Opel.

Holden sourced several Opel vehicles a few years ago, including the Barina, Astra, Vectra and Zafira, but those models have been dropped or replaced by vehicles produced by the Daewoo division in South Korea.

GM and Holden are carefully planning the all-important Australian launch of Opel and the Combo’s future is uncertain.

It could continue as the only Opel-sourced vehicle to be sold as a Holden or be sold as an Opel. There is also the option it could be dropped all-together, but this is less likely as has been a steady, if not massive, seller for Holden.

Working Wheels asked the new managing director of Opel Australia, Bill Mott, what would be happening with the new Combo.   

“It’s not decided for either brand,” he said.

Mott will have his hands full establishing the brand in Australia, given the lack of brand awareness in the country and including the Combo in the initial line-up could confuse the image Opel wants to project.

“I would like to think we are coming in as an aspirational brand and we will position ourselves in the market as such, but also accessible,” Mott says.

“We will come with the Corsa, the Astra and the Insignia to launch the brand.” He says Opel Australia is examining other models to follow, some more closely than others. “With regards to the Combo, that’s not the highest on our list,” Mott says.

While it might not be the prettiest van in the market, the new Combo is now a clearly unique vehicle and is no longer based on the Barina. In fact, the Combo is effectively a rebadged version of the Fiat Doblo van.

It is available as a pure van or as a passenger wagon and the long wheelbase model has 4600 litres, which Opel says is the best in class. European customers are spoilt with no less than six engines, including petrol, diesel and even compressed natural gas.