Holden ‘weeks away’ from finalising shutdown plans

HOLDEN says it is not yet ready to reveal its plans for October 20, the day Australia ceases to be a car manufacturer.

One month out from closure, speculation is building over what the last car off the Elizabeth production line is likely to be. Holden says it is not yet ready to share that information.

A spokesman told Wheels the carmaker’s plans were “a couple of weeks away”, meaning that Holden’s countdown to the end of manufacturing would remain a mystery until then.

Ford is believed to have started building its last cars about a month before its closure in October last year.

Like Ford, Holden elected to shut its engine casting plant ahead of the last Commodore coming off the line, stockpiling the High Feature V6 to see the car maker out to the end. The last Holden is expected to include a Port Melbourne-cast V6 that was earmarked for the last car before the engine plant closed.

Toyota will close its Altona factory doors on October 6. The last car off its line is expected to be a Camry - Aurion production has already ended, and the last Camry Hybrid off the line was due this month.

The last car off Ford’s Broadmeadows production line was a Kinetic Blue Ford FG X Falcon XR6 sedan, preceded by a Territory, and Falcon ute which was built a several months ahead of the shutdown.