Motoring News:

Holden says no immediate impact from Pontiac's demise
Tuesday Apr 28, 2009

Adelaide - Car maker Holden will lose one of its biggest export models with a move by United States parent company General Motors to dump the Pontiac brand.
Holden produces the Pontiac G8, a version of the Commodore, for the US market.
But GM said it would phase out Pontiac by the end of 2010 to focus on four core brands in the US - Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC.
It will also accelerate the shutdown of some American car assembly operations and cut extra jobs in the US.

But Holden spokesman Scott Whiffin said there would not be any impact on jobs in Australia.
"G8s are assembled at our plant at Elizabeth where we have been modifying our production volumes and we will continue to do so," he said.
"Notwithstanding the fact that this has only just been announced, we don't envisage there will be any job losses at Elizabeth as a result of this decision."
Holden has already announced a decision to axe its afternoon shift from early next month with plans to run two teams on a single day shift, each working one week on and one week off.

The move will cut wages for local workers but retain the 3,000 jobs at the Elizabeth manufacturing facility in Adelaide.
The company said it would also push ahead with plans to build a new small car in Adelaide from 2010.

Source: NZ Hearld

Motoring News

Holden shift cuts 'shore up long-term future'
Fri Apr 3, 2009

The Motor Trade Association (MTA) says Holden is wise to revise the shifts worked at its Elizabeth car plant in Adelaide, to deal with a fall in sales.
Ending months of uncertainty and production shutdowns, the car maker has told its production workers that the afternoon shift will be scrapped, meaning lower penalties for some workers.
Holden says no jobs will be lost, but there will be two production teams working week-on, week-off.
The head of the MTA, John Chapman, says it will create more certainty for components suppliers and should help ensure Holden's longer-term future in South Australia.
"What we're seeing is a good result in terms of that there will be some consistency in terms of their production," he said.
"That provides certainty for workers. It also provides certainty for component suppliers and that's very important to the economy of South Australia."
Holden says axing the afternoon shift from next month will help overcome the problems created for dealers and customers from its rolling production shutdowns of recent months.
Managing director Mark Reuss says it has been hard to supply dealers with a steady stream of cars.
He says a single shift operation producing 310 cars a day will overcome the problem.
"We look to be able to supply in a much more continual way cars that our customers are really demanding," he said.

Still committed
Mr Reuss says Holden remains committed to starting small car production at the Elizabeth plant late next year.
But he has not ruled out more staffing changes because of the global economic situation.
"We're looking at creating a new Holden here. We're looking at our business with a new small car and beyond here for the next five to 10 years," he said.
"We're re-inventing the company here, so we're not through with what that means for the entire workforce, we're just not through."
Mr Reuss is hopeful for the future of Holden in Australian at a time when parent, General Motors, in the United States is facing bankruptcy, with two months to submit a revised viability plan to the US Government.
"It's very important to know that bankruptcy of the parent company in North America does not automatically mean bankruptcy of any of the subsidiaries," he said.
Mr Reuss says Holden almost broke even last year but he will not reveal current figures until the end of the financial year.
South Australian Treasurer Kevin Foley says Holden is facing the same market conditions in Australia as car manufacturers in the US are facing.
He says the SA Government will not be giving Holden any financial support beyond $30 million already pledged to support its new model.
The Federal Industry Minister, Kim Carr, has applauded Holden for its efforts to protect jobs.
"This is about keeping people on the payroll and keeping skills in the company," he said.
"It's about re-inventing the company to make its operations in Australia sustainable in the longer term.
"Around 3,150 workers at Elizabeth plant will face reduced pay but everyone in the organisation is sharing the sacrifice."
Senator Carr concedes it is a tough time for families faced with reduced incomes.
"There's no question that scaling back production at Elizabeth will have a serious impact for many families and communities. The critical thing is that there are no retrenchments," he said.
The Industry Minister says there are no plans to cut shifts at Holden's Port Melbourne plant.
Entitlements
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union says it will not be making any push for redundancy packages to be offered at Elizabeth.
Union official John Camillo says a key issue is entitlements.
"Our biggest issue is that workers take-home pay will be reduced and we are trying to manage how we do that in regards to, you know, long service leave annual leave," he said.
"We will be talking with the State and Federal Government in regard to training initiatives not only just for Holden but for the component sector and it is tough times for the next two months."
Northern Adelaide Business Enterprise Centre general manager Ron Watts says northern residents will feel the pinch as Holden cuts back.
"Any disposable income that they may have had will now dry up and probably go only into the essentials that they need to have to survive," he said.
"This is what then takes money out of our local economy and I think we're talking about many, many millions of dollars per month literally disappearing out of our local economy.
"Local government's got a big role to play here, they are the people who collect the rates and taxes, they are the people who should be really concentrating now on what is their strategy to assist small businesses to survive. If you don't help small business to survive, there is no industry."
The SA Treasurer says Holden's problems are quite different from those which brought an end to Mitsubishi's Adelaide car production last year.
"What Holdens could not predict or foresee is the complete meltdown in the automotive industry globally," Mr Foley said.
"But the difference with Mitsubishi to me is quite stark. You know, Holden's already are the market leader. They have a proven track record. They produce great cars and I think will do so for many years to come in this state."

News Source: ABC (Australia)

World Motoring News

Pontiac Reportedly to be Pronounced Dead on Monday

Citing an anonymous source within General Motors, Edmund's Insideline is reporting that the American automaker could announce the 'death sentence' for Pontiac as early as this Monday. If this is the case, then GM's original plans to keep Pontiac as a 'specialty' brand with niche products have gone out the window and the maker of the iconic GTO as well as of the Aztec (let's not forget about the flops) will join the fate of Saab, Hummer and Saturn.
Insideline called GM's spokesman Tom Wilkinson to ask him about the news, but the answer was somewhat vague. "There's nothing I can share with you at this time. Keep your eyes on our media site. Officially, nothing has changed with Pontiac's niche-brand status, until you hear differently," Wilkinson was quoted as saying. Either way, one thing's for sure; Pontiac's fate seems doomed...

Story thanks to

Hamilton 400 - Atmos

Rick Kelly takes a few moments
to sign autographs moments before
race two at the Hamilton 400.












There was a sea of Red and Blue,
but it was a blue outcome for holden fans.












Like watching it at home, just with
a ton more atmos.

..... Afternoon ladies




_____________________

TKR (Team Kiwi Racing)

Team kiwi sadly doesn't have a
kiwi driver, but us die hard fans
can only hope things get better for
the team.

_______________________

Hamilton 400

Reports say that over the three days crowds
exceeded 120.000, numbers did seem down on
last year, but still a great weekends entertainment.












Some of the between race
entertainment.

Some of the cars for the V8 Supercars
drivers parade.

V8 Supercars - Hamilton 400

V8 Supercars (Saturday)

Hamilton 400 - NZV8s

NZV8s heading out for race one
during the 2009 Hamilton 400.

Coming Soon - Coming Soon - Coming Soon -

Welcome to NZ WHEELS

Opening at 12:00am on Friday 17th April 2009

If its got four wheels and an engine we'd love to see it or show it.

Pictures of the Hamilton 400 coming
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