Holden Barina News

And that says everything about the Motor Show in 2010. The baby Barina price fighter is just as important to the red team today as the Monaro was in 1998, when it arrived to power the brand into a decade of growth and overseas connections. The Spark leads a double-edged attack on the fastest growing class in showrooms, priced from $12,490. Apart from the price, which will take it up against the new $12,990 Nissan Micra, the Spark ticks the right boxes for today with fuel economy of 5.6 litres/100km, CO2 emissions of 128 grams/kilometre and six airbags. GM Holden is planning for the Spark to bring new buyers to the brand, particularly young women. "We see it as a fan, fuel efficient, very well put-together package that represents great value for money," says Holden's chairman, Mike Devereux. The Spark is part of a global push into 150 countries and cars for Australia will be built in Korea. The Spark has a 1.2-litre engine. Holden also has its new homegrown heroes up in lights at the show, with the VEII Commodore and E3 hotrods from Holden Special Vehicles on display.

The Barina Spark five-door hatch – rebadged from the US Chevrolet Spark – will join the Chevrolet Aveo-based Barina as the second car in the local line-up.  The Chevrolet car is built on the new global GM-Daewoo platform derived from the Daewoo Matiz. The interior fit-out includes a ‘motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster’ mounted on the steering column, blue backlighting and colour-coded inserts in the dash and door trim. The 1.2 litre DOHC four-cylinder engine is tipped to develop around 60kW of power and 110Nm of torque, delivered to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. Holden says fuel economy is 5.6 litres/100km - the most economical in the Red Lion range, while emissions are estimated to be about 119g/km of CO2. Pricing, full specifications and features will be announced at the show, however Holden will make the price tag as sharp as possible – possibly under $13,000 to grab sales from other budget cars like the Hyundai Getz.

In the same week that the VEII Commodore goes public, the red lion brand has released the first official pictures of the baby that will join its local lineup next year. It also follows the Holden Cruze hatch that will go into production in Adelaide in the second half of next year and comes just ahead of a major upgrade and visual tweak for the Captiva SUV. The new Barina was first teased as a concept car at the Detroit Show in January and now the production version, designed by Holden team member Ondrej Koromhaz, is public ahead of its full-scale unveiling at the Paris Motor Show at the end of the month. It goes on display wearing Chevrolet Aveo badges in its global role but Holden confirms it will be down under next year, supplied from Korea and part of a two-pronged sales attack which includes a Barina Spark. "We're not saying much yet. It's still a fair way down the track," says Holden's marketing director, Philip Brook. "Yes, it's coming to Australia. But there are a number of different scenarios and we're reviewing all that." Brook confirms the two-car attack at the bottom end of the car business that is likely to give Holden a $13,000-ish Spark price fighter to go against the Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Getz with a more upmarket new Barina. "Spark gives us a very good entry point. It will come later in the year and Barina will come next year," says Brook. But he denies Holden will bare-bones either car, or sacrifice safety, to compete on price. "Safety is a high priority. We'll look at maximising that." The Barina for the Paris Show is a five-door hatch, and there will also be a four-door sedan. GM claims its global small car is one of the sportiest designs in the baby class, retaining most of the basics from the Aveo RS displayed in Detroit. It even retains the motorcycle-inspired instrument pod of the show car. The car is slightly bigger than the current Barina, mostly inside, and global work on the car includes a European-focussed driving package with a chassis that's claimed as one of the tautest in the class. But it's not known yet which suspension set-up will come to Australia. But the Barina has ESP stability control, ABS brakes and electronic power steering as standard and the list of youth-focussed entertainment gear includes USB plug-in and Bluetooth. Mechanically, equipment available on the Barina - but not set yet for Australia - includes a stop-start engine system and a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Unlikely, but it shows the youthful fun factor on tap for a car which will eventually be sold alongside the Barina at GM Holden outlets.  The Woody wagon look was added to the Spark in Europe as a summer teaser and a way to lure Gen-Y buyers to the car, which carries a Chevrolet badge on the other side of the world. It will have a similar starter spot when it reaches Australia, as Holden goes for a double-edged effort with the Barina and Barina Spark sometime in 2011.  There is no news yet on the likely pricetag or arrival of the new models, but the new Barina - called the Chevrolet Aveo - is already testing and Holden is believed to be waiting for the newcomer before going two-up in the baby car class. Meanwhile, there is no chance of a lifetime warranty on new Holdens even though the Red Lion brand's sister company has just done the deal in Britain.  Vauxhall is now providing lifetime warranty on all new cars from the day of registration, with a package that covers all major components. There is a hitch - because the lifetime coverage is tied to the first owner - but Vauxhall says it will still have a 160,000-kilometre protection package regardless of the owner.  And owners must still visit a Vauxhall dealer each year for a free vehicle inspection. Vauxhall is also working on a lifetime program purchase for second owners, but the British move has not triggered any thinking in Australia.  "Holden doesn't have any plans to introduce this sort of warranty," Holden spokesperson, Emily Perry, says.

It's not confirmed by Fishermans Bend, and it's not hitting until the middle of next year at the earliest, but it's definitely Holden's next small car. Actually, it's one of two Holden small cars as the company plans to have a Barina and a Spark to help combat the growing threat from cheap Chinese imports. This Barina, caught by Carparazzi, is actually a Chevrolet Aveo prototype. But, as Holden said at the Detroit Motor Show earlier this year, the Aveo is the Barina. Detroit was the scene for the unveiling of the Aveo RS concept car, a thinly disguised production car, and it's likely the bodywork under the test-car cladding caught by Carparazzi is very similar. The Aveo is testing in the USA which explains why a wild turkey feather is attached to the car's antenna in one of the pictures. The Barina is built on General Motors' latest global mechanical platform, called Gamma II, and there are expected to be both five-door hatch and four-door sedan body styles. A 1.4-litre engine will be the basic powerplant. The Aveo goes into production in the USA at GM's Orion Township factory at the beginning of 2011, which points to Holden production at Daewoo in Korea around the middle of the year for local deliveries in the second half of next year.

... now it means buying cars from almost anywhere else. Sales figures for January released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries reveal that Australian-made vehicles were a poor fourth in terms of buyer preference.While we have long favoured imports from Japan, last month more buyers bought cars from Korea and Thailand in preference to those made manufactured in Melbourne and Adelaide. In fifth position, German imports recorded one of their best-ever sales months.  With the tariff having been reduced from 10 to five per cent, importers are sharpening their prices, posing a still more acute threat to the locals.Last month 26,311 vehicles from Japan sold in Australia; 13,130 from Korea; 10,777 from Thailand; 9741 locally made and 6066 from Germany.  While not the worst-ever numerical return in a month for Australian-made, fourth is an ordinary result for the local industry which the federal Government assists to the tune of $6.2 billion.While Holden can claim the Commodore was January's best-selling model on 3241 and Ford can point to an improved performance from the Falcon compared with January 2009, both models are hugely reliant on bargain sales to fleets rather than more profitable private sales.  Moreover, Holden's other bestsellers -- such as the Cruze, Barina and the Captiva -- are made in South Korea and re-badged for local buyers.Toyota, which makes the Camry sedan in Melbourne, was on top in the January monthly market with 14,564 vehicle sales, ahead of Holden with 10,468 and Ford on 6730. Mazda, was the fourth most popular car maker on 6658. Hyundai, with 6208, was fifth.Although they were several thousand behind the locals, sales of German imports are only going north, with a 78 per cent increase on January, 2009.  While the prestige brand Audi recorded a record 1328 sales, the impetus was due largely to manufacture of the Carsguide Car of the Year-winning Volkswagen Golf moving from South Africa to Germany, where its derivative Tiguan soft-roader is also made.COUNTRY OF ORIGINVehicle sales figures for January26,311 ... Japan13,130 ... Korea10,777 ... Thailand9,741 ..... Australia6,066 ..... Germany 

It's not wearing a Barina badge, and it's not really ready for showrooms, but this car is the low-key teaser to the start of the most important motoring event of the year.  The Barina is being revealed in Motown on Monday morning as the action begins at the 2010 North American International Motor Show in Detroit, USA.It's a show which will give the pointer to the overall health of the American motor industry, as well as the feeling for major brands from Audi to Volkswagen and everyone between.  Some significant changes are already obvious.Chrysler is not hosting any press conferences or major reveals, and it is sharing display space with the cars from its new owners at Fiat.  Including Maserati and Ferrari.General Motors has dumped its high-profile parties and press events, and is concentrating on business.  Ford is showing its first move towards a truly global product lineup, the 2010 Focus.  The pre-show GM hero is the new Barina, officially called the Aveo RS show car.It will become the next-generation Barina for Australia and was designed by an Aussie, although it will still be built in Korea to ensure the right price in showrooms.  The big change is a Euro-inspired design for the car, which will wear Aveo tags in the USA.GM is putting far more emphasis on small cars from 2010, with the Aveo, the compact Cruze already sold in Australia and the baby Spark - which will also come down under as the Barina Spark - making the running.The Aveo-Barina is longer, wider and more spacious than the current car and has a much more aggressive look. The motor show tweaking runs to special blue paintwork, big wheels and a drooping snout, but the basic five-door hatchback shape is the way the car will look when it hits the road.  It also has a 1.4-litre Ecotec turbo engine with 103 kiloWatts that will make it into the Cruze, with a six-speed manual gearbox.

A staggering 225 out of the 243 private-plated cars chosen by MPs and Senators have six or eight-cylinder engines, in contrast to the national trend towards smaller, more fuel efficient models. Only a handful of MPs drive low-emission hybrids.The list, published today on The Punch, shows the most popular car among federal politicians is the Ford Territory, Australia’s answer to the SUV and possibly the heaviest Aussie-built passenger car ever made. It was chosen by 81 MPs, including many who live in suburban electorates. The Federal Government’s own Green Vehicle Guide gives the Territory a woeful 2.5 stars out of five.The details, released under Freedom of Information laws and current as of March 1 this year, show only 10 MPs drive low-emission hybrids. All MPs and Senators are entitled to at least one private-plated vehicle for personal use as part of their salary package. They can choose from a list of 35 cars valued at up to $48,990 or with approval from the Special Minister of State, select a “non-standard vehicle”.Apart from the Territory, other popular vehicles include the Holden Berlina and Calais vehicles or the Toyota Aurion V6. Some of the Toyota Landcrusiers, preferred among some country-based MPs, are diesel or in the case of one or two six cylinder cars, dual fuel LPG operated. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was embarrassed into swapping his private-plate Territory for a hybrid Toyota Prius in 2007 when, as Opposition Leader, it was revealed he was calling for action on greenhouse while driving a Territory.Special Minister of State Joe Ludwig, a Territory driver, said the government was examining “cleaning up” the parliamentary entitlements framework, including the private-plated vehicle scheme. An independent committee would report to him next year with some recommendations intended to “reduce cost and increase transparency”.A more in-depth report and the full list is available at The Punch            

The Spark, still to be confirmed but most likely to become a price-leading Barina in Australia next year, only manages a four-star score in the Euro NCAP tests.  It's not a bad result, but the NCAP benchmark now  — in Australia, Europe and Japan — is a five-star score.The Spark only misses five stars because ESP is not fitted as standard in Europe, although that is unlikely to be a problem in Australia as Victoria forces all makers to fit stability control on vehicles sold in the state from next year.The list of five-star NCAP successes grows through the latest testing to include the Mazda3 and Mercedes-Benz E Class already on sale as well as the BMW X1, Citroen DS3 and Peugeot 5008 expected here next year.The Holden Cruze, which already has a five-star tick thanks to ANCAP testing locally, is confirmed with five stars after crashes with a Chevrolet-badged left-hand drive model. And GM was praised by Euro NCAP for its overall safety work.  "The company has bounced back with two cars that have a commendable level of safety performance," says Euro NCAP chief, Dr Michiel van Ratingen, commenting on the Cruze and the latest baby Astra.Cars not sold in Australia to make the five-star hit list are the Infiniti FX, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Opel Astra and Volkswagen Scirocco while the Toyota Urban Cruiser, a Europe-only model, trailed the pack with a lacklustre three-star result. "The result from Toyota is disappointing, but in 2010, we predict further results like these as Euro NCAP’s next stage of the rating scheme kicks in and requirements become even tougher," says van Ratingen.Euro NCAP is pushing hard with testing, rating both seats and head restrains for whiplast protection as well as including a score for safety assistance systems. "The Citroën DS3, Infiniti FX, Peugeot 5008 and the Mercedes GLK have driver controlled speed limitation systems fitted as standard or soon to be introduced as standard. These systems greatly assist the driver in maintaining the safest speed according to the driving environment," says van Ratingen.

An accelerating Korean auto industry is now within a car's length of equalling sales of our home-grown models.  According to the official car sales figures for October released last week Korean vehicle sales in Australia were up 80 per cent compared to October 2008 and up 23 per cent for the year so far compared to the same period in 2008.Sales of Korean-made cars (12,324) nearly equalled the total sales of all Australian manufacturers (12,822) for the month.  Nearly 20,000 more Korean-made cars have been sold in Australia this year than in the same time last year.  By comparison, locally-built cars are down by 24,594 units, a drop of 17 per cent.Hyundai is leading the way, recording its best-ever October result in Australia, up by 106 per cent over October 2008, and is our fourth biggest-selling carmaker behind Toyota, Holden and Ford.  It's not only Hyundai and Kia that are raising the profile of Korea.The Holden-badged models of Captiva, Cruze, Barina, Viva and Epica are made by GM-Daewoo in Korea. The Renault Koleos is made by Samsung in Korea and Ssangyong SUVs are from a Korean plant.  About 39 per cent of light cars sold in Australia, 27 per cent of small cars and 26 per cent of medium-sized SUVs - including Australia's most popular SUV, the Holden Captiva - are built in Korea.A Hyundai spokesman said: "We are now on the shopping list. There was a time when we weren't but we have won awards - such as the Carsguide Car of the Year in 2007 - which has made people really notice us.  We didn't take our foot off the accelerator when the recession started late last year.  We didn't reduce production and we didn't spend less on marketing. That worked in our favour because people saw us as being constant."Overall car sales in Australia were up in October for the first time in 16 months.  Improvements were across the board covering private, business and rental buyers.  Sales of vans and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) were particularly strong.And the situation is set to improve when import tariffs drop 5 per cent from January 1.  Some importers, including Mazda and Subaru, have already passed on savings.