One of the great pieces of 20th century Australiana is being put to rest for good next year, with Holden announcing that the legendary Commodore will have its last ride next year before being retired for good after a solid 42 years tearing up Australian roads.
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Though once an automotive giant, dwindling sales in recent years have put the beloved large sedan under increasing scrutiny from company bosses. Today, they confirmed that 2020 would be the car’s last year in official production.
At its peak in the late 90s, the Commodore was a dominant force of Australian car manufacturing, moving some 217,800-odd units that year alone.
In recent years, however, sales of the humble Commy have plummeted, with an estimated 8,700 units shifted in 2019.
The upswing in sales of SUVs (which account for 76% of Holden’s total sales) as well as a renewed focus on the ute, are combining to sign the Commodore’s death warrant, with the ZB model to be the final incarnation of the humble road hog.
Alongside the Commodore, Holden is also putting the much less beloved but no less trusty Astra to bed in 2020 as well, with similar reasons heralding the end of the enduring car co’s signature hatchback.
Holden boss Kristian Aquilina stated that the decision to send the Commodore off to the great skidpan in the sky was not an easy one, given the rich history and heritage the car has with Australian roads: “The decision to retire the Commodore nameplate has not been taken lightly by those who understand and acknowledge its proud heritage. The large sedan was the cornerstone of Australian and New Zealand roads for decades,” he stated earlier today.
There’s no exact timeline for the end of production at this stage, but the death of the Commodore follows on from the 2016 retirement of the Ford Falcon, bringing to an end easily the most dearly beloved eras in Australian automotive history.
Prince of the roads. King of the mountain. Farewell, old fella. Cutting mad dougheys in the Macca’s carpark of the great beyond.
