Holden Cruze 2010 News

Holden has announced a recall on 4236 JG Cruze vehicles imported from Korea, due to concern that a rear seatbelt retaining nut was missing. “This could lead to passengers sitting in the centre or driver’s side rear positions not being properly restrained,” Holden spokesperson Emily Perry says. “We’re advising owners that it would be better to not carry passengers in those positions until the car is checked.” Perry says the affected cars were built between November 15 2010 and January 12 2011. Holden is contacting all owners to notify them of the recall. More information is available from Holden Customer Service on 1800 632 826. Meanwhile, nearly every Cruze built in the US since Chevrolet launched the car there last September has been recalled to check the steering shaft. Nearly 150,000 of the cars - which was GM's best seller in the US last month, and played a large part in the company's recent financial turnaround - will undergo the recall because the steering shaft may have been installed incorrectly. In addition, nearly 120,000 of those will also be inspected to check that installation of the automatic transmission shift linkage is correct. However the recall doesn't impact on the Australian Cruze, which is assembled at Holden's Elizabeth plant in Adelaide. "It's just the North American Cruze," Perry says. "It doesn't impact on Cruze production in other facilities and none of the recalled cars were sold outside the US and Canada."

The Australian new vehicle market year-to-date is up by 15 per cent over last year's recovering market and could again top the one-million-unit mark.Every brand in the top 10 was up on 2009 sales tallies to the end of August, which recorded 82,122 sales - 12 per cent better than August 2009, an increase of about 340 vehicles per day.The year-to-date 2010 market of 695,666 vehicles is running ahead of the same period in 2009 by 15.2 per cent or 91,823 vehicle sales.Holden's VE Commodore is in runout ahead of the Series II going on sale in and remains the top-selling vehicle in the country.Holden's executive sales and marketing director John Elsworth said the strong Commodore sales - including a big increase in Ute sales last month - suggested continuing Commodore success and Cruze outsold Falcon for the second time this year."The local manufacture of Holden's best sellers is a real boost for local manufacturing in South Australia and our national automotive industry," he said.Toyota remains the clear market leader by more than 50,000 sales and senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said the company's results were due to a number of factors, include strong retail offers in a competitive market."The improving economy, supported by solid business and consumer confidence, was also significant," he said.Passenger car sales increased by 1586 vehicle sales (3.5 per cent) over the same month last year.The Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) market was up by 4543 vehicle sales (32.5 per cent), led by increases of more than 25 per cent last month in all segments except large, which rose 15 per cent in August.The Light Truck Market, increased by 2746 vehicle sales (22.6 per cent) in August, contributing to the segment's eight percent increase over 2009.The Heavy Commercial Vehicle Market slipped by 39 vehicle sales - or 1.7 per cent - over August 2009, but in year-to-date terms heavy trucks are up by four per cent.Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Andrew McKellar said it was a strong August result with improved private and government fleet sales."The figures show sales to private buyers remain solid (up 20.9 per cent) and there has been a lift in new car purchases by government fleets (up 21.7 per cent)," Mr McKellar said."There is no evidence in the August data to suggest customers were distracted from their normal buying habits due to the election and the current political uncertainty," he said.TOP 20 VEHICLES FOR AUGUST (YTD 2010)  TOP 10 BRANDS FOR AUGUST (YTD 2010)MARKET SEGMENTS AUG  (YTD 2010, +/-)PASSENGER CAR SALES FOR AUGUST  (YTD 2010, +/-)SUV SALES FOR AUGUST  (YTD 2010, +/-) 

Last month a record 89,218 new-vehicle sales were reported up a solid 18.3 per cent on the 74,441 of May last year. The previous best May was in 2008, before the global financial crisis, with 8,640.It means 422,446 new-vehicle sales this year nationally, a good 20 per cent growth (or 70,000 more sales) on the first five months of last year.  The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, which released its Vfacts figures yesterday, now projects total sales of more than 1 million this calendar year.David Buttner, sales and marketing boss for Toyota which remains most popular brand in Australia predicts 1 million sales now will be easily passed in the financial year about to end.  In the 11 months of this financial year, the tally reads 904,551 vehicles. The final four weeks of ‘end of financial year sales’ have begun, and in each of the past three June totals, 100,000 has been achieved.Mr Buttner pointed out one in five new vehicles sold in Australia was now a Toyota.  FCAI head, Andrew McKellar said the SUV segment with 29 per cent growth on May last year and passenger cars, up 19 per cent, were leaders."But all segments increased during the month, demonstrating a genuine recovery in the marketplace," he said.  He said private buyers were returning in large numbers, taking over the momentum provided by business buyers this year.  Holden achieved its fifth consecutive month of growth, 24 per cent up on May last year.The Commodore with 3899 sales last month regained its top place while Toyota's HiLux, the April leader, was back to second place on 3665. It means Commodore remains in front in sales so far this year in its fight to be Australia's favourite car again in 2010.Falcon has third place for May and Mazda3 outsold rival Toyota Corolla while Holden Cruze imported at present but to be built in Adelaide from next year is in sixth place.  Mitsubishi is celebrating after its Lancer doubled sales of May last year to leap into the top-cars list.  Vehicles selling more than 1500 last month (with year-to-date in brackets):1. Holden Commodore 3899 (18,428)2. Toyota HiLux 3665 (17,287)3. Ford Falcon 3258 (13,349)4. Mazda3 2901 (16,155)5. Toyota Corolla 2796 (14,933)6. Holden Cruze 2484 (11,416)'7. Hyundai i30 2385 (13,588)8. Mitsubishi Lancer 2368 (10,129)9. Nissan Navara 1972 (8731)10. Toyota Camry 1966 (9088)11. Hyundai Getz 1957 (9629)12, Subaru Impreza 1597 (5253)13. Toyota Prado 1575 (7488)14. Mitsubishi Triton 1552 (6524)

Michael Vaughan has created the world's biggest ‘artballing’ painting by hitting and throwing paint-covered cricket balls against a 4.8m x 1.5m image of a Chevrolet Cruze more than 5000 times.Vaughan, 35, who led England to a historic Ashes victory in 2005, has been compared to artists Jackson Pollack and Damien Hirst due to the way he creates his art.  "A few of the other players initially took the mickey, but they are now artballing fans -- and have had a go themselves," he said.An original artballing painting can fetch as much as $33,000 at art auctions with pop star Lily Allen counting herself among his fans. Chevrolet commissioned Vaughan to create his biggest work yet.  The painting of the Cruze, sold as a Holden in Australia, took eight hours to create with Vaughan calling on his cricketing expertise to accurately recreate the bodywork, tyres and alloys on canvas using five different coloured cricket balls and more than 20 litres of paint."Creating art with cricket balls is completely different, modern and new," he said.  "It changes the rules of art because it's instinctive and raw."

Corporate affairs spokesman Jonathan Rose said the potential problem was in the fuel feed hose.  A ‘Stop Delivery Notice’ was issued to dealers on March 3 to not sell, deliver or transfer the vehicles until the investigation has been carried out "and, if necessary, corrective action has been completed"."No action is required at this time on any (2010) petrol Cruzes that have already been delivered to customers," he said."However, safety is always our number one priority so if further action is required we will notify customers as soon as possible." 

So is the potential of a right-hand drive conversion on the Chevrolet Camaro.  Even though the HSV line-up is currently full, thanks to the arrival of the starting-price GXP models, company chief Phil Harding, is continuing to scout for new metal.He says his enthusiasm for an HSV Cruze to sit below the Commodore-based lineup remains strong, and he can also see potential in the Camaro.  But Harding says the Cruze is the more-likely starter at HSV's headquarters in Clayton, Melbourne, although he needs local production to begin before he can create a workable business case for the car."We'll look at torsional rigidity, suspension and all that,'' Harding says.However, there is no urgency.  "I don't have a timeframe. What we'll do is get the package together and if it works we'll look at doing it.  So I don't think it has to be done by 2012 or 2013.''Harding says local production of the Cruze sedan and hatch in Adelaide will make it an easier job for HSV.  "My target is to make sure the package works. If it works then we'll have a target of a model year introduction."However, he says that the Cruze must fulfil the necessary HSV criteria for ride, handling and aesthetics.  "If it doesn't then we won't do it,'' he says.For the Camaro, the biggest hurdle for a right-drive car from HSV is the investment needed for a low-volume seller."We think we understand what that investment level is. I'm not sure the business case works for us though," Harding says.  But Harding says dealers are not asking for a HSV Camaro.  When we launched the Coupe - our two-door version of the Monaro - our customers came from somewhere and when we stopped making that car they went somewhere else,'' he says."Our typical customer is married, in his 40s and got two kids and number one interest is motorsport... the sedan suits his lifestyle.''  He says it would be hard to sustain on-going sales interest in another coupe.

... 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 

Back in 1999, the only diesel-powered vehicles on the Australian market were sports utility vehicles, light commercials and trucks.

There were a couple of late arrivals including the gorgeous new BMW Z4 sportster, as well as more details on everything from the fuel miser Suzuki Alto to the Honda Insight which was shown as a left-hand-drive concept but will soon be sold as a $30,000-something hybrid hero.One of the genuine surprises was on the GM Holden stand, but it was not the Cruze.The unexpected news was details of a couple of limited-edition showroom specials to keep the Commodore ticking along.The International pack for the Commodore sedan and Sportswagon was not a shock, because dollar deals on Australia's favourite car always go well, but the arrival of a limited-edition Senator from Holden Special Vehicles was completely unexpected.The car is priced from $69,990, which doesn't look like much of a bargain until you clock the regular Senator at $80,500.Stripping the price means dumping some stuff, including the excellent 'magnetic ride' suspension, but the mechanical package is based on the latest Clubsport and that will be more than enough for most people."Today's release of the E-Series Senator is designed to appeal to customers seeking the performance our company is renowned for in a subtle - yet identifiably HSV - package, with a very attractive price point," says the managing director of HSV, Phil Harding.Only 89 cars will be built and it still gets 317 kiloWatts and 19-inch alloy wheels. In the style of every limited-edition model the car comes with a special logo, in this case on the headrests."We think it's a good time to put some extra value into the range and the Senator should do well," says Harding.Find out more on the 2009 Melbourne Motor Show

And there were two big gifts.The first came when President George Bush confirmed a financial bailout for General Motors in the USA which should take the company, and Chrysler, through to the middle of next year.The news means the financial cloud over GM has cleared - at least for the moment - together with any threat to its Australian operation.Then, on Monday morning, came news of a major new production deal for Holden.As we forecast several weeks ago, Holden is going to build a small car in Adelaide alongside the existing Commodore range.It's the all-new Cruze, also previewed testing in Australia in the Carsguide last Friday, which will start coming down the line in the third quarter of 2010.The Cruze confirmation means both Ford and Holden will be building, and exporting, small cars in Australia by 2011. And that is great news on a lot of fronts, particularly with Commodore and Falcon sales still in decline.It is impossible to underestimate the importance of Ford's move to Focus production at Broadmeadows, or the Holden deal for the Cruze, as they prove the local makers are integrated into their parents' global planning and will be able to tap growing export demand throughout the Asia-Pacific region."This is a breakthrough for Australia's vehicle manufacturing industry," says the chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries."It is a tremendous confidence boost for the industry and for Australian manufacturing that we can secure this sort of investment in the current global economic context."