Holden Commodore News

Almost 200 luxury cars are now exempt from Luxury Car Tax, so why do buyers of family cars pay millions for the tax-on-a-tax each year?

The first ever Holden Commodore built by the late racing legend Peter Brock will be auctioned by Shannons in Sydney tomorrow (Monday August 10).It is likely to fetch $85,000 to $95,000, even though the car it’s based on cost just $9600 when new in 1980.Unlike other Brock Commodores, this is the car the race ace used to test all the performance parts before he did his first 500 limited edition models, which led to a series of fast personalised road cars for more than a decade before his acrimonious split with Holden.Middleton spent the next 17 years meticulously restoring 001.Unlike 499 of the 500 vehicles in that first batch which were all red, black or white, car 001 was two-tone green because it was a former Holden company car given to Brock to start the project.The car, which has “001” engraved on the steering wheel, was bought by a Holden dealer in Pennant Hills, 33 years ago this weekend to the day.Holden used-car salesman Jim Middleton sold it to a family friend in August 1982 after it sat on the lot for just one day.But Middleton bought the vehicle back 11 years later, and then spent the next 17 years meticulously restoring it.Middleton finally got car number one on the road five years ago but has decided it’s time to sell.“I’ve owned it for 22 years now, I’ve done the rounds of car club shows, it’s just time to move on,” said Middleton.“To my knowledge, this is 001,” he says. “I’ve kept my ear to the ground and been searching for another 001 for the better part of 30 years and it’s never surfaced. No-one has ever come forward with 001 in red, white or black. We know where 002 is, it’s a red car. But to my knowledge, and according to the HDT bible, number 001 is listed as being green.”Commodore enthusiasts will recall there is another early Commodore, a light blue car, that Brock used as a test bed and dubbed “000”.It was never issued with a numbered steering wheel but decades later Brock put his signature to a handwritten “000” on the glovebox.The blue car was originally loaned to Brock by one of the founding Holden Dealer Team dealers Vin Keane from Adelaide (other founding HDT dealers included Laurie Sutton and Les Vagg from Sydney and Warren Smith in Melbourne).Having experienced a hard life, the blue VC surfaced a few years ago in Melbourne but its current whereabouts and condition are unknown.

Australians are continuing to gorge themselves on new cars, taking advantage of low interest rates before currency pressures force prices to rise later in the year.

Weeks after it was revealed Sherrin had dumped its Victorian leather supplier, and Akubra was ditching Australian rabbit skins, News Corp Australia can now reveal no local car company will produce a vehicle called a "ute" when the Falcon ute finishes production next year.Ford will instead opt for the term "pick-up" for its Ranger replacement, while Holden, although not keen to comment, appears to have resisted labelling its Colorado a ute, instead calling it a "truck" in marketing material.Ford invented the utility vehicle in 1934, giving the world the term "the ute"Japanese, German and Chinese makers have no qualms in calling their vehicles utes.The move is all the more drastic for Ford, which invented the utility vehicle in 1934, giving the world the term "the ute".Ford brand communications manager Neil McDonald said the traditional Falcon "ute" and its successor, the newer Ranger "pick-up" were different vehicles."As far as Ford is concerned, a ute in the traditional sense has a monocoque chassis, where the body is part of the chassis," he said.Mazda, Volkswagen and Great Wall use the term ute, despite their vehicles being the same style as the Ranger and Colorado.

Revheads across Australia have breathed new life into the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.

When you walk into a Ford or Holden showroom in 2018, one thing will be certain: everything you see will have arrived on a boat.Holden stops building the Commodore late in 2017 and Ford calls time on the Falcon at the end of next year. What is not known is whether buyers will be tempted by what replaces them.Ford was first to declare its intentions with the Mondeo, which was launched in April as the nominated Falcon successor.A global model sold in the US as the Fusion, Australian cars are being shipped from a factory in Spain. The Mondeo comes as a wagon or hatchback and starts at $32,790, or $3610 below the price of the cheapest Falcon.It's early days for Mondeo but it's the most technically advanced car we offerThat buys a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder 149kW turbocharged petrol engine with six-speed automatic gearbox, with a more powerful petrol or frugal diesel also in the range. A performance model could be added later, but unlike the Falcon, there's no six-cylinder or V8, and power goes to the front wheels rather than the rears.Ford Australia spokesman Neil McDonald said fleets had cornered first deliveries but Mondeo's strong equipment list would lure private buyers too."It's early days for Mondeo but it's the most technically advanced car we offer so it's sure to attract new customers and some Falcon buyers who change over," he said.When pensioner Alan Chalker decided it was time to move out of his five-year-old Falcon XR6 he opted for a Mondeo Trend Ecoboost, which starts at $37,290.Sophisticated equipment — including a lane-departure warning system and smart cruise control — helped win him over."If you move off your lane without putting the blinkers on the wheel shakes — there are marvellous tricks like that. If I had these in the XR6 I wouldn't have changed," Mr Chalker said.Another plus was the Mondeo's cargo space. "The luggage compartment is brilliant — the hatchback lifts up so you don't have to bend and there's more room than the XR6. It hasn't got the grunt of the XR6, but it's plenty fast enough."Mr McDonald said other enthusiasts would switch to the US-built Mustang two-door, with the company already holding 2000 deposits. Prices start at $44,990 and run to $63,990 for a V8 convertible, with first Mustang deliveries due in December.Ford's other local model, the Territory, will live on as a rebadged SUV import. That will almost certainly be the Edge, which has been built in Canada since 2006. With four or six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, and front or all-wheel drive, it's shorter than a Territory but includes a seven-seat version.Holden also plans to rebadge an import with the Commodore name and has decided which car it will be. However, with more than two years left to run, it wants to maximise the locally built Commodore's potential in a market where large sedans now attract fewer than 4 per cent of buyers.The next Commodore will absolutely live up to its namePrime candidate for rebadging is the German-built Insignia, a large sedan just launched here in performance guise. With all-wheel drive and a turbocharged 239kW petrol V6, the Insignia VXR starts at $51,990 — $9000 more than the most affordable Commodore SS V8.Spokeswoman Kate Lonsdale said "the next Commodore will absolutely live up to its name" as a value-for-money family car with a performance edge.Holden and Ford have seen their market shares cut in half with the decline in demand for large sedans, with fewer than one in 10 buyers opting for a Holden and Ford's slice plummeting to 7 per cent.

The June figure of 125,850 is 6.4 per cent more than the same month last year and leaves the industry on track to eclipse the annual high point of 1,136,227 sales in 2013.The results, obtained by News Corp Australia ahead of their official release at noon today, show that NSW and Queensland were the states best placed to benefit from end-of-financial year deals, with sales up 12 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.They cancelled out a small reverse in South Australia and plummeting sales in Western Australia, where demand fell by 8 per cent.The June bonanza was fuelled by small-business buyers racing to exploit tax incentives in the budget.Businesses bought 10.5 per cent more vehicles — almost 1000 a week — than in June last year and snapped up almost as many SUVs as traditional light commercials.They also charged into small cars, helping Hyundai emerge with the month's bestseller in its i30, with 5520 sales.It was enough to outshine strong demand for usual small car favourites the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3, although they both enjoyed gains of 16 per cent compared with last June.Luxury brands enjoyed a bumper month in what is already a runaway yearImports overwhelmed locally made models as the industry prepares to shut its Australian assembly lines over the next two years.Ford's Falcon, despite a freshen-up six months ago, continued its slide down shopping lists with just 530 buyers, and Holden's Commodore also went south with sales down 12 per cent.Toyota's Melbourne-made Camry, with 2600 buyers, was the only local vehicle in positive territory but the industry overall now accounts for fewer than one in every 12 vehicles bought.Luxury brands enjoyed a bumper month in what is already a runaway year, with the German trio of Mercedes, BMW and Audi leading the charge.Mercedes's mid-size C-Class is the luxury bestseller, with 890 buyers last month and almost 4860 year-to-date, followed by the Audi A3 and BMW X5.Meanwhile, Porsche is on track for its most successful year down under, fuelled by the clamour for its mid-size Macan SUV, with sales up 71 per cent for the month and more than 60 per cent for the year.

The Hyundai i30 shot to the top of the sales charts last month, recording 5500 sales as people snapped up the $19,990 drive-away deal for the Korean hatchback.The sticker price, which was roughly $7000 off the full retail ask, worked because it made life simple for buyers and Hyundai dealers alike.No need to haggle, no worrying whether other buyers got a better deal, just choose a colour and sign on the dotted line. No doubt the five-year warranty and rear-view camera sealed many a deal as well.The same applies to the Volkswagen Golf, which came within a whisker of bumping the once-mighty Holden Commodore into eighth place on the sales charts. The simple and attractive $24,990 drive-away deal helped sell 2680 examples.Ditto the Mitsubishi Triton, which is the third most popular vehicle with private buyers this year, largely because of a cheap — and transparent — $29,990 drive-away deal.Overall, the car industry remains on course for another record yearPerhaps other brands need to take a leaf from Hyundai's book rather than hide their margins by inviting customers to "do a deal" or take advantage of complicated low-interest loans.For example, Nissan was offering "extra value" on some models but no headline drive-away deals — sales were down 17 per cent on last year.Overall, the car industry remains on course for another record year, driven mainly by low interest rates.Weekly repayments on a $20,000 car today can be as low as $387 a month — three years ago the same car cost about $486. You also pay much less interest on a five-year loan — $3200 today against more than $9000 three years ago.Alternatively, you could buy a $25,000 car now with the same repayments as a $20,000 car three years ago.

A cheap and cheerful car brand introduced to Australia in 1986 by a savvy Perth car dealer and colourful businessman, the late Alan Bond, has done the unthinkable.Hyundai has shocked the Australian motor industry by becoming the top-selling car last month. It is the first time the South Korean brand has been in the top spot since the plucky Hyundai Excel knocked the Holden Commodore off its perch in June 1998.Driven by a special offer of $19,990 drive-away with automatic transmission and a rear-view camera -- about $7000 off full price -- the Hyundai i30 hatchback outsold the reigning champions the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 in June, according to preliminary figures.More than three out of every four Hyundai i30s sold were of the cut-price $19,990 model, dealer sources have told News Corp Australia.Sales of utes were also strong in the rush to the end of the financial yearMore than 5500 Hyundai i30 hatchbacks were delivered last month, easily eclipsing the tally of 4150 Toyota Corollas and 4130 Mazda3s.The result is more remarkable once you take into account the Hyundai i30 tally is for hatchback sales alone, whereas the Toyota and Mazda totals include both sedans and hatches.The sedan version of the Hyundai i30 is sold with another badge, otherwise the leading margin would have been even greater (more than 680 Hyundai Elantra sedans were sold in June).Sales of utes were also strong in the rush to the end of the financial year, filling three of the Top 10 places and the Toyota HiLux claiming second outright.Industry insiders believe the car industry is on track for a new record yearIn other upsets, the Volkswagen Golf, driven by sharp discounting to $24,990 drive-away, edged ahead of the Toyota Camry and just behind the Holden Commodore.Seven of the Top 10 brands posted significant sales gains, but Holden, Ford and Nissan were down on the same month last year.The Ford Falcon was once again outsold by the Mercedes-Benz C Class (530 deliveries versus 900).Figures for the total market are not due to be published until Friday, however industry insiders believe the car industry is on track for a new record year.Record low interest rates -- rather than the $20,000 tax incentive for small businesses announced in the latest Federal Budget -- are the driving force behind the sales surge, say dealer sources."People are still trying to get their head around what the $20,000 tax break means for their business, but they also need to have the money to spend in the first place," said a finance expert at a leading metropolitan Toyota dealership."The biggest driver is interest rates. People are figuring out they can pay less than what they were paying three or four years ago and get a brand-new car. Or they can make the same repayments and get a dearer car."Figures supplied to News Corp Australia show that the weekly repayments on a $20,000 car today can be as low as $387 per month, or $89 a week, in a best-case scenario of 6 per cent interest.But three years ago, a $20,000 car typically cost about $486 per month, with the buyer paying more than $9000 in interest over five years, versus $3200 in interest over the same period today.Alternatively, the repayments of $486 per month at today's low interest rates will buy a $25,000 car rather than a $20,000 car.Meanwhile, the industry is still coming to grips with Hyundai’s shock result just 29 years after arriving in Australia.Hyundai cars were introduced locally in 1986 by Perth car dealer John Hughes — who went on to become the company’s biggest retail outlet in the southern hemisphere from 1997 to 2003 — with financial backing by Alan Bond.But with Bond Corporation suffering financial difficulties, the distribution rights in Australia were then handled by a Singapore-based company from 1990 until Hyundai established a head office locally in 2003.Indeed, Hyundai is now a challenger for third place outright if it can overtake Holden and push the former Number One to fourth by the end of the year.Holden is currently third place behind Toyota and Mazda when the year-to-date tally is calculated, but is locked in a bumper-to-bumper battle with Hyundai.Hyundai has been ahead of Holden for three of the first six months of this year, and the two brands are separated by just 1100 sales.After being beaten by Hyundai in May, Holden leapt ahead in the June sales tally thanks to the biggest month ever for the Trax baby SUV, Captiva5 compact SUV, the Colorado ute, and Colorado7 seven-seater.It was also the best result in 18 months for the Barina hatch and the Commodore ute, while the Captiva7 posted its highest sales in a year.Hyundai i30 - 5520Toyota HiLux - 4280Toyota Corolla - 4150Mazda3 - 4130Mitsubishi Triton - 3530Ford Ranger - 3370Holden Commodore - 2770Volkswagen Golf - 2680Toyota Camry - 2600Mazda CX5 - 2510Toyota - 21,500 - up 3.3 per centHolden - 11,930 - down 3.3 per centMazda - 11,520 - up 23 per centHyundai - 11,005 - up 10 per centMitsubishi - 9015 - up 8.9 per centFord - 7250 - down 16.8 per centVolkswagen - 7105 - up 7.7 per centNissan - 6645 - down 16.9 per centHonda - 5310 - up 70 per centSubaru - 4500 - up 16.9 per cent * Preliminary figures. Official VFACTS data published Friday 3 July, 2015.

Cheap tradie utes bolted out showroom doors last month as small businesses appeared to be quick to take up the Federal Government's tax incentive on $20,000 company vehicles.Sales of the most basic versions of the Toyota HiLux ute increased by 12.4 per cent while the Mitsubishi Triton -- both of which scrape below the $20,000 threshold -- surged by a staggering 42.7 per cent, as both brands cleared old stock and took advantage of new tax rules.However, the actual number of bargain basement utes delivered was relatively small (996 Toyotas and 421 Mitsubishis), and they appear to be the only two winners in a dark month for the rest of the car industry.New-car sales hit the brakes for the first time in four months in May, figures due to be released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries at midday Wednesday are expected to show.The number of new cars reported as sold was down by 1.3 per cent compared with the same month the previous year, to 93,327 deliveries, making it the weakest May result in four years.The tally has surprised the industry as it had been forecasting another record after a strong start to the year. Sales year-to-date, however, are still up, by 2.5 per cent.Half of the Top 10 brands were down, including market leader Toyota, Holden, Ford, Hyundai and Nissan -- and German car maker Volkswagen closed to within just 460 sales of former top-seller Ford.The Toyota HiLux ute was the top-selling vehicle across all types -- for the 14th individual month since 2008 and the first time in almost two years -- however its sales were down by 4 per cent (once all versions of the HiLux are tallied) compared with the same month last year.Sales of utes in general were down by 0.9 per cent, as the majority of models fall outside the Federal Government's $20,000 threshold on company purchases.The car industry warns it is too early to determine if the Federal Government's stimulus package -- which is due to run until the end of the 2016/17 financial year -- is a success or a failure."None of us were ready for it, it was really only the last two weeks of the month, and there were really only a handful of cars across the entire market that were eligible," one Toyota dealer told News Corp Australia."This deal will be around for a while so I think you will find several brands try to put something together that meets the $20,000 criteria," said the industry veteran.Following changes announced in last month's Federal Budget, small businesses and sole traders will be able to claim a deduction on company assets valued up to $20,000 in this financial year, rather than have the refunds spread out over eight years, as is usually the case with motor vehicles.The changes mean sole traders will be eligible for a refund of up to $8500 on a $20,000 work vehicle, while small businesses could pocket up to $5400 -- providing quarterly tax instalments or pay-as-you-go taxes are up to date.Sole traders in the maximum tax bracket of 47 cents in the dollar stand to make the most gains, while companies with a turnover not exceeding $2 million may be eligible for an instant tax refund of 30 cents in the dollar on $20,000 purchases.Private buyers, however, will not benefit from the new scheme.Meanwhile, the industry is bracing for a boom in June, customarily the biggest month of the year for new-car sales.Toyota - 15,928 - down 7.6 per centMazda - 8717 - up 12.5 per centHyundai - 8269 - down 1.6 per centHolden - 7956 - down 11.7 per centMitsubishi - 6149 - up 6.4 per centFord - 5994 - down 13.8 per centVolkswagen - 5534 - up 12.5 per centNissan - 4467 - down 28.9 per centSubaru - 3776 - up 14.4 per centHonda - 3086 - up 21.5 per centToyota HiLux - 3173 - down 4 per centMazda3 - 2876 - down 12.6 per centToyota Corolla - 2688 - down 30.6 per centMitsubishi Triton - 2679 - up 18.8 per centFord Ranger - 2411 - up 4 per centHolden Commodore - 2217 - down 16.3 per centVolkswagen Golf - 2093 - down 9.0 per centMazda CX-5 - 1981 - up 15.5 per centHyundai i20 - 1920 - up 36.6 per centHyundai i30 - 1666 - down 34.7 per cent Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. Sales in May 2015 and the percentage change compared with the same month last year.