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Holden Commodore Still on Top Despite Declining Sales

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Holden Commodore managed to do what seemed to be impossible during difficult financial times: it became the best selling passenger car in Australia for the 13th consecutive year. Commodore is a best-seller in Australia every since 1996 and remains the country's leading passenger car according to the latest sales figures unveiled by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.

However, problems are far from being over for GM's Australian division, as 2008 brought the lowest sales volume for Commodore since 1996, with 1998 being the year with the biggest sales of nearly 95,000 units, according to figures given by drive.com.au.

The reports shows that Australians purchased a number of 51,093 models of the VE Commodore range, with 10,848 units delivered in December 2008. This makes Holden the second largest automaker in Australia when it comes to sales, with GM's division 2008 sales totaling 130,338 (this represents a market share of 12.9 percent). Toyota leads the top with 238,983 sold units and a market share of 23.6 percent while Ford comes third with 104,715 deliveries and 10.3 percent.

“The automotive industry was not alone in feeling the pressure of the broader economic situation in 2008. However the results for Commodore were very pleasing despite the softening new car market and slowing Australian economy. It just shows that during tough times, people are attracted to products that represent outstanding quality and value for money,” GM Holden Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, Alan Batey, said.

Other popular models in the Holden lineup include the Statesman with a 38.8 percent market share and VE Ute, which delivered no less than 13,449 units. However, Commodore remains an important model for the Australian market, GM's representative said, with this model slowly turning into a real symbol for the local industry.

“Commodore has become a symbol of local design and engineering expertise and Australia’s ability to compete on the world stage. Holden is committed to a program of ongoing development to ensure Commodore maintains its reputation as a smart buy for Australian motorists.”
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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