no more monaro

[predator]

Well looks like they are phasing out the Monaro. Guess everybody will have no choice but to buy Japanese or Euro to get their coupe fix..

The iconic Monaro has been killed off by GM Holden again, with the company deciding to stop production of the reborn car this year.

A final batch of 1200 coupes - about six months' supply - will be manufactured from next month in a special bronze livery to mark the end. About 40,000 Monaros have been sold on four continents since the car's revival.

The Commodore-based coupe stopped motor show visitors in their tracks in 1998 and hit showrooms in 2001, reviving the legendary 1960s nameplate.

Since then, GM Holden has exported the Monaro primarily to the US, where in left-hand-drive configuration it is badged as a Pontiac GTO. It is also exported to Britain with Vauxhall badges and to the Middle East with Chevrolet badges.

Holden chairman and managing director Denny Mooney said although another Monaro may emerge, there is no plan to build one as yet.

Ironically, the forthcoming VE Commodore, due in showrooms in the middle of next year, has stymied development of the next generation Monaro.

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"We need to work through the release of the new Commodore next year and then we need to see how we can get a business case up for the new Monaro," Holden spokesman Jason Laird said.

It wasn't possible to engineer another coupe while developing the new Commodore, he said.

"The organisation can only do so much at once."

[eXc]

*sniff* *sniff*

/me plays violin

who cares ? (directed at holden - not preditor )

[someonestolecc]

The organisation can only do so much at once.. lol how hard is it to facelift a commodore?

I find it funny a quote in the australian said something about a champion always bows out on their own ground or something. I found it funny .. good ol' marketing spin.

[Sambo33]

oh well, i was never a fan of the the new monaro. its funny cos a lot of my 'holden fan' friends didnt like them either.

[retrotec]

*sniff* *sniff*

/me plays violin

who cares ? (directed at holden - not preditor )

The MONARO has a long and interesting history, shame on you!.

PS: Grow up

[GTRgeoff]

As the ad said

GAME OVER.

It was never a real Monaro.

[HeathGTST]

As an insider working for Holden... You should see whats coming out when the VE commodore comes out.... It will make the FPV Typhoon look like a Barina....Shhhhh cant say

[Coupe-This]

make the tyhphoon look like a barina?

or makybe the fpv can blow its clutch and the holden will blow its engine and they can both roll accross the line? heh

in all realness, i heard one of the contributing factors that put the monaro to rest is that the yanks are making their own gto's now, hence the export factor gone.

And if your talking about holden making something along the lines of an aussie corvette then im bored already

[GTRgeoff]

Really, I can't get excited by a company that spends so much to produce that boat anchor V6. What an embarrasment. I feel shame for their engineers, but if they were any good they'd be in weapons and cutting edge, not catchup.

[predator]

should have just continued licencing the rb design after the VL.. they would have got a well powered and reliable DOHC 150kw n/a engine (rb25de) some 10 years before they finally could get around to engineering their own.

Then again, in the public eye only cubes could give power .. even 3L was too small for joe public's mind

Wonder what figures an RB36DE would have put out? lot more than 175kw i am sure..

[r34_skyline]

no more bogans yellin out "only juice comes in 2L".

[RB30-POWER]

should have just continued licencing the rb design after the VL.. they would have got a well powered and reliable DOHC 150kw n/a engine (rb25de) some 10 years before they finally could get around to engineering their own.  

If they did that they would be broke. It was costing to much to use the RB motor, especially when the dollar and yen value changed at the same time. It was just not financially viable.

An RB25DE would never move a commodore around. Might have twin cams but thats all. No outright torque which is required.

Ford was the biggest competition for Holden at the time and when they released the VN, even though it had the nasty buick V6 engine, it became one of holdens best selling models ever.

[IOWNU]

no more bogans yellin out "only juice comes in 2L".

Only cheap wine comes in 5 litres (or 6!)

Meh, no loss.

Looks like getting axed is in the monaros genes.

[HeathGTST]

Some of you may think that Holden are behind the times but when you think about it, how much do you actualy know about the product - **** all. The technology that Holden use, not only mechanical wise but safety wise aswell is on par with the best of them.

and as for power. the new 6.0litre engine with an exhaust, CAI and computer upgrade will prodcue in excess of 290rwkw and thats only spending between 3-4k on modifications. No turbo lag, Plenty of bottom end torque, plenty of top end torque.

On the other hand a customer of mine has a new 6.0litre Senator with a twin turbo kit fitted to it 10psi = over 400rwkw.... Try acheive that on the same amount of boost out of an RB25 or whatever.

Dont get me wrong at all. I love my turbo cars aswell but I think that alot of people need to broaden their prospective and look at what Holden is produceing. If anything you have to take pride in it because its an AUSTRALIAN built car - Made by AUSTRALIANS.

[HeathGTST]

make the tyhphoon look like a barina?

or makybe the fpv can blow its clutch and the holden will blow its engine and they can both roll accross the line? heh

in all realness, i heard one of the contributing factors that put the monaro to rest is that the yanks are making their own gto's now, hence the export factor gone.

And if your talking about holden making something along the lines of an aussie corvette then im bored already

Not true at all. Holden have ceased manufacturing the Monaro purely because the plan to bring a new hero car out to replace it. Im sure that when its released that alot of people will take note on how good the car actualy is.

[mcnamg]

australian assembled with american parts what is there to be proud of? holden only builds what lutzy tells them to build.

whats holden producing? they import all their cars except for the commodoore and by the looks of it they will be bringing in more and more korean product to fill out their stables.

i havent seen a car that holden has built or imported yet that i would even look at buying or think is well designed or engineered i would much prefer a well made japanese or european car from a company that is worried about build quality rather than pumping out as many econobarges as they can produce.

[dangerous_daveo]

Really, I can't get excited by a company that spends so much to produce that boat anchor V6. What an embarrasment. I feel shame for their engineers, but if they were any good they'd be in weapons and cutting edge, not catchup.

You should wander down a race track and talk to some of the F4000 (I belive it is now anyway) boys. They seem to really like the holden dohc V6, and dont knock the old one too much either.

I think some of you need to realise without holden and ford this country would not have its own car so to speak. Do you realise the commodore equivents in the US and EU are FWD? Holden have gone to the effort to change the car to make it RWD, and fit a bigger engine in there etc. Ford went out on a bit of a lim and made a larger capacity dohc engine, then wacked a fair size snail on the side. End of the day, we arent a overly large player in the whole car market thing.

Its a shame its gone in one way, but it will be good to see what comes out next. I feel we could have a power battle back on our hands, just this time maybe something more that just outright power and speed.

[HeathGTST]

You should wander down a race track and talk to some of the F4000 (I belive it is now anyway) boys.  They seem to really like the holden dohc V6, and dont knock the old one too much either.

I think some of you need to realise without holden and ford this country would not have its own car so to speak.  Do you realise the commodore equivents in the US and EU are FWD?  Holden have gone to the effort to change the car to make it RWD, and fit a bigger engine in there etc.  Ford went out on a bit of a lim and made a larger capacity dohc engine, then wacked a fair size snail on the side.  End of the day, we arent a overly large player in the whole car market thing.

Its a shame its gone in one way, but it will be good to see what comes out next.  I feel we could have a power battle back on our hands, just this time maybe something more that just outright power and speed.

Very Very Correct. The LS2 engine is a US engine. But its internals and programing have been determined by local engineers. Holden decide to bring in alot of european cars (especialy in the small car market) because it benifits australians by having a cost effective quality vehicle. It still is a Holden in alot of ways because Holden is owned by General Motors who also own Chevrolet, Opel and various other brands. Its basicly a car from its own family.

Whilst Holden has a few draw backs at the end of the day its a car for Australians. Its a good quality, safe and reliable motor car that gives many people plenty of happines. Holden is Australian, so whilst we all love our skylines like crazy, lets have a bit of national pride for our product.

[predator]

So does this mean we're "unaustralian" and therefore terrorists?

Anyhow, I think variety is good - even if I personally would never buy a Holden. It was something different, and something unique for those that wanted to spend the money on that sort of thing. I always found them more interesting than your standard 4 doors.

Ford and Holden will always be torn between offering some that can fit a full family of 5, and trying to make sporty models off the same design. Its not that easy to do. I am sure if they had the money and large enough market (not australia) to build a slightly smaller sporty car (torana maybe ), and not having to rely on simple v8 power due to the weight, they'd have something very fast.

[crack]

Not true at all. Holden have ceased manufacturing the Monaro purely because the plan to bring a new hero car out to replace it. Im sure that when its released that alot of people will take note on how good the car actualy is.

i have a sneaking suspicion that the new "hero car" will be a twin turbo v6. that quad cam v6 is some piece of work just begging for forced induction.