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Exports - Overview

In calendar year 2008, over 4500 units of the Holden Commodore, Statesman/Caprice, and Ute left the Port of Adelaide for international markets every month.

Holden's vehicle export program began in 1954, when FJ Holdens were shipped to New Zealand.
By 1966, fully built vehicles and completely knocked down (CKD) packs were exported to 59 international markets and accounted for more than half of our motor vehicle exports.
Aussies abroad took pleasure in spotting familiar family Holdens on the roads of countries throughout the Asia Pacific region, Africa and the Middle East.

In 1970, seven international plants were assembling Holden vehicles from Australian- manufactured components and Holden export revenue totalled $42 million.

The popular HQ Holden was launched in 1971 and over a three-year period became the most-exported Holden model. 14,558 HQs were exported fully built and 72,290 left the country in CKD packs.

Holden's peak export year in this era was 1973, when 41,181 vehicles were shipped worldwide.

Following the launch of the Holden Commodore in 1978, completed and CKD vehicles were exported for the next two decades to markets in New Zealand, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Malta and Brunei.
In the 1980s, Holden's export emphasis changed from vehicles to engines. The first exports of Fishermans Bend-manufactured Family II four-cylinder engines commenced (to the UK) and by 1988 one million engines had been exported to markets around the world. The three millionth Family II engine was exported in 1999.
Exports of Global V6 engines manufactured at Holden's new Port Melbourne V6 engine plant commenced in November 2003. The 32,000 square metre facility can produce up to 900 engines a day or 240,000 engines a year.
Meanwhile in 1998, Holden returned to volume vehicle exports with the commencement of a major program involving shipments of left hand drive versions of the VT Commodore to Middle East regions.

In 2008, left-and right-hand drive variants of the Commodore, Statesman, Caprice and Ute are exported to every continent except Antarctica.

Holden's largest vehicle export market in 2008 was the USA, where the Pontiac G8, GT and GXP sedans, based on Commodore were Pontiac's flagship models.

Our largest vehicle export market is the Middle East, where Chevrolet Lumina (Commodore) sedans and long wheelbase V8-powered Chevrolet Caprice sedans (based on Statesman/Caprice) are among the region's top selling GM models.

The WM Chevrolet Caprice won BEST LUXURY CAR at the Middle East 'Car of the year' awards in 2006.

Commodore has been exported to the USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, South Africa, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji, Brunei and Brazil.

The Caprice and Statesman are exported to the Middle East regions, South Korea and New Zealand.

The Holden Ute is exported to South Africa and New Zealand.

In 2004, Holden Special Vehicles, in conjunction with Holden, commenced its first export vehicle program to the United Kingdom (HSV Coupe), and the full HSV range is exported to New Zealand.

HSV are also involved in the design and production of the Vauxhall VXR8 (UK) high performance models.

In 2004, a year that marked the 50th anniversary of Holden's first vehicle export program, a then record single-year total of 52,372 vehicles were exported. In addition, Holden's engineering expertise generated millions of dollars in export revenue via specialist engineering services provided to support GM programs in the Asia Pacific region and in Europe.

2005 and Holden vehicle exports tallied 60,518 units, the best ever Export sales result.

By the end of 2008, total exports of fully assembled (SUP) vehicles will have exceeded half a million units and 317,000 CKD.

Holden vehicles are designed for every environment, including high temperature and high humidity, extreme cold, rough roads and corrosive environments. Their reliability, durability, economy, performance, comfort and value for money are world-renowned.
Holden's Elizabeth plant is one of the most flexible automotive operations in the world - which is essential to serve diverse markets.