GM’s Holden brand to disappear by the end of 2020

The Holden brand will disappear at the end of this year after its owner General Motors (GM) declared it would no longer make cars suitable for Australia.

Departing from the Australian market and other right hand drive markets including Thailand is expected to cost the company “north of $US1 billion”.

The move comes about three years after regional manufacturing closed with the shuttering of the Holden plant at Elizabeth in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.

Late last year the automaker also announced it would stop selling its most iconic car, the Commodore.

Holden has sold those worldwide produced cars in Australia with its own badge on them since regional manufacturing ended here in 2017.

The company introduced its first all-Australian built car in 1948.

Holden’s financial services operations which provided finance for buyers, as well as the eventually short-lived rental service Maven, will also be wound down, as will design and engineering works.

About 800 jobs are expected to go in the move, with many of them to stop by the end of June.

Warranties and servicing packages of Holden’s Australian or New Zealand customers of their car will be still recognized by the automaker.

The company also promised it would keep providing servicing and spare parts for at least a decade through its after-sales network, which would also keep handling recalls if needed.