GM will permanently cease production in Australia by 2017
- A few months after the Ford group (and five years after Mitsubishi) General Motors announced that would end its manufacturing operations in Australia. At the end of 2017, it will stop producing vehicles and engines in this country and also reduce its engineering activities.
- Vehicle production in Australia (all brands) dropped within a few years from 300 000 vehicles per year to 250 000, while the market remains stable at one million units per year (comparable to the levels of Indonesia) exports are very low.
- The decision to cease production in Australia reflects a series of Impeding and deplorable factors that the automotive industry is facing in this country, including a long lasting strong Australian dollar, high production costs, a small local market that is undoubtedly one of the most competitive in the world, the marketing of models from all countries of the world, including China.
- General Motors currently has two plants in Australia: an assembly plant in Elizabeth and an engine plant in Port Melbourne. Specific to this market the Holden brand (Australian GM subsidiary) will continue to be present, but it will only market renamed vehicles produced abroad .
- In 2018, there will only be one assembly plant left in Australia (owned by Toyota).
