Opel to Quit Australia

[258 Sean B]

Opel's recent foray into the Australian market (independently to Holden) seems to have come to have an abrupt end.

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/opel ... 2r4ch.html

[020 Brad]

Wow.

That's disappointing. I think we were all in two minds as to whether they would succeed, but I certainly thought they would try harder and push the brand a little bit more before they pulled the pin. I mean it's only been a year, and you can't really expect a market like Australia to just magically swing to Opel because it's a good car. There needs to be more than that.

Oh well... fun while it lasted I guess.

[001 Neville]

Bugger!

I thought they were pretty quiet on the "expansion to NZ markets" newsfront!

It does seem like they have given up very quickly, so they are taking some serious flak in the feedback to that article.

Maybe we can get all the new Opel models shipped over here to NZ instead, as there would be a more receptive market here .... at least 100 of us!

[001 Neville]

To be honest, it sounds like they just didn't do their homework prior to setting up. You can't just assume a certain set of financial conditions will stay the same, regarding currencies etc, and the Astra size market was already fiercely competitive.

While I would have loved for Opel to get established in Aus, and then cross the Tasman too, it was as unlikely with their market penetration strategy this time as it was back in 1990s when they were last importing Opel branded models to NZ. I'm not sure if they were even that prevalent in Aus back in the '90s, from the numbers of owners I hear about over there.

To look on the bright side, we didn't gain anything over here, so haven't lost anything either!

Might be time for a press release!

[020 Brad]

It did seem like a big ask. From what I understand the Opel badge has never been officially sold in Australia. All GME models were previously sold under the Holden banner and only unofficial grey import Opels made it into the country from other markets. My friends tell me there are no Vectra A's over there at all, instead Holden was selling a Toyota Camry rebadged as a Holden, wearing the Apollo model name.

Vectra B's and Astras were in the market, along with some older models such as the Camira and Barina, however no one would even know these were built by Opel, so the name means nothing to the general public.

I was expecting a huge marketing exercise, hoping for an Opel V8 Supercar is probably a bit of a stretch, but something like sponsoring the Australian Open in Tennis like Kia does probably isn't out of the question if Opel were serious. About all we saw was a small badge slapped on 1 team in the NRL, and the stories I have heard of dealership placement etc aren't exactly ideal.

I really just hope it isn't a sign of further things to come for Opel, as the last thing I would want is for them to follow in Saab's footsteps.

[117 Alan F]

Maybe they should have tried the Vauxhall badge? There is quite an active VOC over there.

[196 Aled J]

i dont think it would have mattered if it had an opel or vauxhall badge on the front,if the oz general public have the same opinion as most in nz when it comes to opel or any other european car it was already destined to failier!!!!
they seem to have that ignorant attitude that european cars are expensive and unreliable so choose to go for jab crap,falcons(which are on their way out) and commodores!!!

[014 Phil]

The only way for any new player to succeed in their chosen market segment is to undercut the price of their major competitor(s). Opel failed to do this, & that decision ultimately determined their fate. To me the decision to withdraw is less surprising than their belief that they could succeed in the first instance.