A NEW export deal said to see tens of thousands of Adelaide-built GM Holden cars exported to US, is showing that the car industry is still a driving force in SA manufacturing, acting premier Kevin Foley announced last week.
“The truth is that under the shadow of the Mitsubishi closure announcements, across the other side of the city, the GM Holden plant has been quietly exporting its head off and making great inroads with the development of new model cars to new markets around the world,” Foley said in a statement.
The Pontiac G8 sport truck – based on the Australian ute – and the G8 GXP high-performance sedan will be officially unveiled at the New York International Auto Show this week.
The two new cars will be designed at Holden’s headquarters in Port Melbourne, but will be fully assembled in South Australia at the GM Holden plant in Elizabeth, from the second half of next year.
“Cars manufactured in Elizabeth are now seen on the streets of the US, UK, Middle East, Brazil, South Africa and New Zealand,” Foley said.
“The Elizabeth plant is demonstrating what can be achieved under current Australian car industry export arrangements”.
Federal Industry Minister Kim Carr said the announcement built on the company’s success with the ute and the sedan version which had been exported to places such as the Middle East, South Africa and New Zealand.
“GM Asia-Pacific actually out-performed the parent company in 2007, thanks in part to a strong showing from Holden,” he said in a speech in Adelaide.
“It’s important that we maintain this momentum as we face up to the many challenges confronting the industry – especially the challenge of climate change.”
The new export deal follows Mitsubishi’s announcement last month that it would close its Tonsley Park manufacturing plant at the end of this month, with the loss of about 1,000 jobs.