HOLDEN MAY HAVE lost a lucrative market when the Commodore-based Pontiac G8 got canned (along with Pontiac itself) late last month, but the Australian branch of the General Motors empire is still doing it all it can to claw back some export revenue from its Stateside parent.
GM’s luxury arm Cadillac has placed an order with Holden for 2500 turbocharged 2.8 litre Alloytec V6s, which are destined for GM’s Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico. The engines (internally known as the LP9) will power the 2010 Cadillac SRX crossover, and are similar to those used in the Saab 9-3 and Opel Insignia.
The motors will be built at Holden’s Fisherman’s Bend engine plant in Melbourne, however the Cadillac order is unlikely to be overly lucrative for the Australian automaker. According the Holden spokesman Scott Whiffin, the shipment of engines won’t, at this stage, develop into a long-term deal.
“It’s a one-off. Obviously we continue to look for opportunities, but there’s not any on-going supply arrangement there,” said Mr Whiffin.
It’s a tiny spark of hope, but a spark nonetheless. Come June 1 GM will announce its latest viability plan, and Holden may stand to gain a lot from its parent company’s new direction - particularly as an increased focus on foreign imports for the US market is rumoured to be on the cards. Stay tuned
